Dairy
Listen: The risk factors and preventing and controlling lameness
0 Listen: The risk factors and preventing and controlling lameness Dr. Neil Chesterton, a New Zealand vet who has been investigating risk factors for lameness since the 1980s, and Ger Cusack, practicing veterinary surgeon with Comeragh Veterinary in Waterford, join Stuart Childs on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast. Ger, who is well known […]
2 September 2024
Breeding for low methane emitting animals – what’s possible?
Breeding for low methane emitting animals – what’s possible? An upcoming webinar will highlight the research ongoing to investigate the potential of breeding for low emissions animals as a methane mitigation approach in both Ireland and New Zealand. The webinar titled: ‘Breeding for low methane emitting animals – what’s possible?’ will highlight […]
29 August 2024
Variation in weather having an impact on grass growth and utilisation
Variation in weather having an impact on grass growth and utilisation Joseph Dunphy, Grass10 Team, discusses challenges faced by dairy farmers this August due to unusual grass growth and grazing conditions, resulting in the need for increased supplementation and strategic grazing management to prepare for autumn. August is normally a more relaxed […]
27 August 2024
Trends in production costs and drivers of profit on Irish dairy farms
Trends in production costs and drivers of profit on Irish dairy farms The financial landscape for dairy producers has been substantially altered during the last 3-4 years with unprecedented fluctuations in both dairy product prices and costs of inputs. Patrick Gowing, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, joins James Dunne on this week‘s Dairy Edge […]
26 August 2024
Are your replacement heifers on track?
Are your replacement heifers on track? Achieving weight for age targets in heifer calves is important for future productivity of the herd. When visiting farms, we see huge ranges in growth performance of heifer calves throughout the rearing period. Throughout the first summer, variations from 12kg to 30kg gain per month are […]
26 August 2024
Decision support tools can facilitate more sustainable beef-on-dairy systems
Decision support tools can facilitate more sustainable beef-on-dairy systems Siobhan Ring, Senior Geneticist at the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF), tells us how tools such as the Dairy Beef Index and Commercial Beef Value can facilitate most sustainable beef-on-dairy systems. The dairy and beef sectors are intrinsically linked. Approximately 75-80% of calves […]
25 August 2024
Bovine TB in dairy herds: Taking action to reduce the risk of breakdown
Bovine TB in dairy herds: Taking action to reduce the risk of breakdown Levels of bovine TB have been rising since 2016. In June 2024, 5.12% of herds had a breakdown in the preceding 12 months, with 32,118 reactors in that period. This has resulted in 5,242 herds being restricted. Dairy herds […]
25 August 2024
Time to benchmark your costs
Time to benchmark your costs Having recently reviewed over 700 eProfit Monitors, Dairy Specialist at Teagasc, Patrick Gowing reminds us why dairy farmers need to keep a firm focus on the key drivers of profitability for their farm businesses. Recently we reviewed over 700 eProfit monitors and ranked them on their profitability. […]
19 August 2024
Listen: Soil fertility and maximising growth in the coming weeks
Listen: Soil fertility and maximising growth in the coming weeks William Burchill, Lecturer in Soil Science in UCC, joins Stuart Childs on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss lower than normal growth rates in 2024, and advice on what to do over the next number of weeks to maximise growth. William […]
19 August 2024
Contract rearing in action
Contract rearing in action Collaborative Farming Specialist at Teagasc, Ruth Fennell takes a close look at how a contact rearing arrangement has been working out for two farmers in Co. Waterford over the past six years. James (Jimmy) Kearney and his son Michael farm 45ha (plus commonage) in Ballysaggart, Co. Waterford. They […]
19 August 2024