Dairy
Milking interval effects on milk yield
Milking interval effects on milk yield Martina Gormley and Noirin McHugh explain how implementing a 16:8 milking interval may be beneficial for dairy farmers to shorten the standard working day, thus bringing benefits to the dairy farmer and employees alike. Farm structure in Ireland has seen a dramatic change in recent years. […]
31 July 2023
Maximising the return from grass in autumn 2023
Maximising the return from grass in autumn 2023 Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, highlights the importance of autumn grassland management to maximise the value of your milk, save silage and keep your cost base lower. Autumn 2023 isn’t really different to any other autumn grazing season. Maximising the return from autumn grass, […]
31 July 2023
From new entrants to dairying to achieving gold standards in milk production
From new entrants to dairying to achieving gold standards in milk production Located adjacent to Tuam, Co. Galway, the Connelly family – despite only cupping their first cow in 2019 – are excelling in the production of high quality milk. Overall winners of the NDC and Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards in 2022, […]
26 July 2023
The benefits of red clover silage
The benefits of red clover silage On this week’s episode of the Dairy Edge podcast, Nicky Byrne, Research Officer in Teagasc Grange, discusses the benefits of red clover silage. Nicky explains that red clover has a huge potential to fix nitrogen and dramatically lower the chemical nitrogen input for silage. With yields […]
25 July 2023
Get ahead of dairy lameness risks in the coming weeks
Get ahead of dairy lameness risks in the coming weeks Tom Fallon, Teagasc Kildalton, tells us why the August-October period of the grazing season is the critical risk time for lameness in dairy herds and how to mange it. Over 90% of lameness problems in grazing herds in Ireland are mechanical in […]
24 July 2023
Maximising the effective operation of automatic washers for milking equipment
Maximising the effective operation of automatic washers for milking equipment Automatic washers were conceived and installed to reduce labour requirements and save time on farms, which they undoubtedly do. Like any machine, they require regular monitoring and calibration to ensure that they are working correctly. David Gleeson and Lorna Twomey tell us […]
24 July 2023
Alternative slurry amendments for cattle slurry storage
Alternative slurry amendments for cattle slurry storage Agriculture is responsible for 37.5% of national greenhouse gas emissions and 99% of national ammonia emissions. Manure management contributes a substantial proportion of these emissions, 11.7% of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions and 78% of agricultural ammonia emissions. The release of these gases pollute the atmosphere […]
24 July 2023
Relief milking – more than just holiday cover
Relief milking – more than just holiday cover While many dairy farmers employ someone to complete a number of milkings each week, many others have no ‘set time off’ in the normal week, and possibly only take a week’s holidays in summer and some time in winter. We have surveyed quite a […]
23 July 2023
Using white clover to reduce nitrogen fertilisation
Using white clover to reduce nitrogen fertilisation Reduced nitrogen fertiliser use at farm level will require greater utilisation of white clover in grazing swards in order to maintain herbage production, Brian McCarthy, Deirdre Hennessy and Áine Murray tell us more. Recent European Union and Irish Government policy changes have placed a greater […]
17 July 2023
The drainage of grassland peat soils in Ireland
The drainage of grassland peat soils in Ireland Pat Tuohy, Senior Research officer at Teagasc Moorepark, is on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss the drainage status of grassland peat soils in Ireland. Pat and his colleagues, Lillian O’Sullivan, Conor Bracken and Owen Fenton have recently released a review paper that […]
15 July 2023