Dairy
Calculating the breakeven milk price
Calculating the breakeven milk price In any downturn on milk price, some farms may experience cash flow difficulties. In this article, Patrick Gowing explains why it is important for each farm to establish the impact of low milk prices on their farm. A simple tool that can be used is calculating the […]
21 August 2023
Top 5 tips for August
Top 5 tips for August Joe Patton, Teagasc Head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer, gives his top five tips for dairy farmers this August. Last change to correct grass quality before building farm cover Building grass covers off a clean base has to be the key target in the second half of August. […]
14 August 2023
Raising soil water storage capacity to meet new requirements
0 Raising soil water storage capacity to meet new requirements From December 1st 2023, dairy farmers will be obliged to have capacity to store 21 days’ worth of soiled water. Many farms will need to raise their storage capacity to meet the new requirements. TAMS can help. Tom Fallon, Teagasc Infrastructure Specialist, has […]
8 August 2023
Taking action to reduce the risk of a TB breakdown in dairy herds
0 Taking action to reduce the risk of a TB breakdown in dairy herds Levels of bovine TB (bTB) have been increasing since 2016. Dairy herds accounted for 35% of TB breakdowns and 58% of TB reactors in 2022. By mid-June 2023, 4.6% of herds had a breakdown in the preceding 12 months, […]
6 August 2023
Reset the milking timetable to prioritise family time and a better lifestyle
0 Reset the milking timetable to prioritise family time and a better lifestyle Children’s experience of growing up on a family dairy farm vary. If there are milking and working structures resulting in an early finishing time, the memories are generally very positive. It is unlikely young people will follow a career in […]
5 August 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
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
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