Dairy
Keeping Calves Healthy this Spring
Keeping Calves Healthy this Spring Stephen O’Callaghan, Walsh Scholar, Teagasc Meath, discusses the critical aspects of calf rearing, emphasizing the importance of calf health for achieving growth targets and ensuring animals thrive. Calving is now in full swing on most farms across the country, and an important factor that must be considered […]
14 March 2024
How Liam Brophy’s home farm converted from drystock to dairy
How Liam Brophy’s home farm converted from drystock to dairy New entrant dairy farmer, Liam Brophy, joins Emma-Louise Coffey on the latest Dairy Edge podcast to discuss the conversion process of his family farm as well as successes and challenges along the way. Towards the end of Liam’s school years, milk quota […]
11 March 2024
Slurry Storage and handling – how best to invest
Slurry Storage and handling – how best to invest Patrick Gowing discusses the importance of maximizing slurry nutrient use through effective management strategies to sustain grass production and improve water quality, in response to rising fertilizer costs and stricter environmental regulations. The value of slurry is dictated by its nutrient content and […]
11 March 2024
The importance of genetics in dairy-beef systems to maximise performance & profitability
0 The importance of genetics in dairy-beef systems to maximise performance & profitability As a joint episode between The Dairy Edge and The Beef Edge podcasts, dairy farmer Paul Delaney and Teagasc beef specialist Catherine Egan join Emma-Louise Coffey to discuss the importance of genetics in dairy-beef systems to maximise performance and profitability. […]
4 March 2024
Maintain milk fever prevention protocols in March
Maintain milk fever prevention protocols in March As the calving season progresses on dairy farms, the risk of milk fever and metabolic issues increases, writes Dr Joe Patton, Teagasc Head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer. This is because later-calving cows tend to be older and are at high risk of being too high […]
29 February 2024
Prioritise colostrum management this calving season
Prioritise colostrum management this calving season Anne O’Malley discusses the importance of colostrum for newborn calves, its role in providing essential nutrients and antibodies to support the immune system, the importance of timely and adequate colostrum feeding and management practices on farm to ensure calves receive the benefits. The first milk produced […]
24 February 2024
Improvements to National Genotyping Programme to speed up blue card returns
Improvements to National Genotyping Programme to speed up blue card returns Despite 98% of samples being processed in less than seven days, the ICBF has confirmed that it will make a number of changes to the National Genotyping Programme to help speed up the returning of animal passports (blue cards). In a […]
22 February 2024
Investigate birth deformities in calves or lambs – DAFM
Investigate birth deformities in calves or lambs – DAFM Farmers are advised to be vigilant and to ask their vet to refer any birth deformities in sheep or cattle to the nearest Regional Veterinary Laboratories (RVLs) for investigation. This follows an uptick in the number of confirmed cases of Schmallenberg virus (SBV) […]
20 February 2024
Hazell Mullins on how to achieve high herd health status
Hazell Mullins on how to achieve high herd health status ‘Vet on the Moove’ Hazell Mullins joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss the priorities to achieve high herd health status and gives her tips to limit disease outbreaks this spring. Hazell identifies use of farm data, diagnostic […]
19 February 2024
Putting a stamp on the family’s dairy with milk vending
Putting a stamp on the family’s dairy with milk vending Having milked cows in Donegal since the early 1990s, the Porter family have not only grown their dairy farming business from 30 to 450 cows, but they’ve added an element of diversification through the commissioning of a milk vending machine. This diversification […]
18 February 2024