Dairy
Watch: What to expect at Moorepark ‘23
0 Watch: What to expect at Moorepark ‘23 Final preparations are underway for the Teagasc Moorepark Open day, which takes place tomorrow, July 4th. The theme of this year’s event is ‘Securing a Sustainable Future’. This open day will highlight the various technologies and practices available to farmers to underpin the economic, environmental […]
3 July 2023
Let’s Talk Dairy: Dairygold Programme – a farmer’s perspective
0 Let’s Talk Dairy: Dairygold Programme – a farmer’s perspective On this episode of Let’s Talk Dairy, Martina Gormley, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, is joined by Raymond Goggin, Bandon dairy farmer and Teagasc/Dairygold Joint Programme participant to get an update on what’s been happening on the farm. Elsewhere in the webinar, John Douglas, Teagasc […]
2 July 2023
Where to next for grasslands?
0 Where to next for grasslands? Grasslands are a key pillar of Irish dairy production and the composition of Irish grasslands have changed over recent years, increasing in complexity from single-species grass swards to multi-species swards, Ciarán Hearn and Tomás Tubritt tell us more. Perennial ryegrass remains an important forage species, as it […]
2 July 2023
Sexed semen in the Irish dairy industry
0 Sexed semen in the Irish dairy industry With twice as much sexed semen available for the 2023 breeding season as in 2022, highlighting the rapid increase in uptake on dairy farms, Stephen Butler, Principal Research Officer in Reproductive Physiology, highlights some of the research work ongoing in sexed semen in Teagasc Moorepark. […]
1 July 2023
Labour saving benefits from ten-in-seven milking
Labour saving benefits from ten-in-seven milking Flexible milking systems may help to alleviate the problem of labour shortage on dairy farms, Dr. Emer Kennedy, Teagasc Research Officer, tells us more. Flexible milking systems are those where the number of milkings per week, or the daily milking time, differ from a conventional twice-a-day […]
30 June 2023
Enteric methane – facts and solutions
Enteric methane – facts and solutions At present, methane emissions from Irish dairy cows are predicted using international default emission factors. Here, Hazel Costigan and Ben Lahart explain how research in Teagasc Moorepark has found this figure to be substantially lower in grazing dairy cows. These differences are primarily due to high […]
29 June 2023
Maximising potential from renewables
Maximising potential from renewables Current levels of solar photovoltaic (PV) deployment on farms are relatively low. However, as John Upton explains, to encourage the uptake of renewable energy generation by farmers some considerable developments have recently occurred. Planning permission For solar panel installations on rooftops of agricultural premises, installations covering the entire […]
28 June 2023
Approaches to reduce farm labour demand
Approaches to reduce farm labour demand Conor Hogan and Marion Beecher outline how improved time use can reduce labour demand and improve work-life balance, resulting in more attractive workplaces. There are three main approaches: work organisation; facilities; and work practices and technologies. Work organisation Characteristics of farms with effective work organisation include […]
27 June 2023
Ballyhaise’s road to clover incorporation
Ballyhaise’s road to clover incorporation Commencing in 2021, Ballyhaise College is currently in its third year of clover incorporation. Prior to that, the farm was behind the curve in terms of clover compared to other farms like Moorepark, which had already demonstrated positive outcomes from clover inclusion. On a recent episode of […]
27 June 2023
Sexed semen use in the Irish dairy industry
Sexed semen use in the Irish dairy industry The recent developments regarding the availability and uptake of sex-sorted semen in Ireland have been remarkable. There was no sex-sorted semen produced in Ireland for the 2021 breeding season, and availability was limited to a combination of a small number of Irish bulls that […]
27 June 2023