Dairy
Using the California Mastitis Test (CMT) after calving
Calving is currently in full swing on most dairy farms, with many tasks needing to be completed each day. One of these important tasks is carrying out the California Mastitis Test (CMT) on freshly calved cows, typically around five days after calving, Padraig O’Connor, Dairy Technician at Teagasc Grange, outlines the process.
16 February 2026
Milking interval – time to make the change
With spring calving entering full swing, one of the simplest and most effective changes farmers can make to improve labour efficiency is adopting a 16:8 milking interval.
12 February 2026
Plans made in Sligo
Teagasc/Aurivo Focus Farmer, Jason Coulter has his grass plan made for the first half of 2026. He has a keen interest in pasture management and has been measuring grass for years. John McCabe of Teagasc caught up with Jason on his farm on the Co. Sligo coast for a Q & A session.
10 February 2026
Reducing your workload on dairy farms this spring
Conor Hogan, Research Officer with Teagasc Moorepark, whose work has focused on labour efficiency and work organisation on dairy farms, and Martina Gormley, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, who works closely with farmers on practical ways to reduce workload, join James Dunne on this week’s Dairy Edge.
9 February 2026
Waste milk – is it suitable to feed to calves?
A study was recently undertaken in Teagasc Moorepark to investigate the effects of feeding waste milk for either the entire pre-weaning period (12 weeks) or for two-weeks, from three to five weeks old, compared to calves fed milk replacer with no antibiotic residues.
9 February 2026
Cow fertility: It’s not just luck
Fertility in dairy cows is a major concern for Irish farmers operating spring-calving, grass-based systems where every extra day open means lost revenue.
9 February 2026
Reducing somatic cell count this spring
Elevated Somatic Cell Count (SCC) is one of the most significant hidden costs on Irish dairy farms. Here, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, James Dunne shares practical and timely advice for managing SCC in freshly calved cows.
9 February 2026
Grass10 update: Priorities for the week ahead
For this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, John Maher explains why opening farm cover measurement should be prioritised this week.
7 February 2026
February focus: Fresh cows, quality colostrum and early grazing planning
Padraig O’Connor, Dairy Technician with Teagasc in Grange, joins Stuart Childs on this episode of the Dairy Edge podcast, sharing tips and advice for the month of February.
5 February 2026
Examine all costs now
As the New Year progresses and the workload of the upcoming calving campaign kicks off, Dairy Specialist at Teagasc, Patrick Gowing reminds dairy farmers to take stock of how their systems performed in 2025 and to identify changes for the coming year.
3 February 2026