Dairy
Nearing the 9% milk solids target
Nearing the 9% milk solids target Breeding a 550kg cow, capable of producing 9% milk solids, and returning back in calf every year – that’s the central focus of David Dolan’s dairy replacement breeding policy. Ronan Mulligan, Teagasc Claremorris, and Brendan Garry, Teagasc Ballinrobe, recently visited David’s farm to find out more. […]
23 April 2025
Enticing more customers through better beef genetics
Enticing more customers through better beef genetics Alan Dillon, Manager of the Teagasc DairyBeef 500 Campaign, takes a closer look at William Dennehy’s beef breeding policy, designed to improve the Commercial Beef Value (CBV) of his calves to entice more customers. Farming near Currow, outside Killarney, Co. Kerry, William Dennehy milks 100-110 […]
22 April 2025
Make reseeding a priority
Make reseeding a priority As a lot of planned reseeding was postponed due to adverse weather conditions in 2024, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, Mark Treacy tells us why reseeding is among the best paying investments you can make on your farm. Priority should be given to reseeding this spring. Reseeded grassland has the […]
21 April 2025
Listen: Pa O’Hanlon and Claire McAuliffe on Pre-Breeding Management
Listen: Pa O’Hanlon and Claire McAuliffe on Pre-Breeding Management Teagasc Kerry Dairy Ireland Joint Programme Demonstration Farm Advisor, Claire McAuliffe and Programme Demonstration Farmer, Pa O’Hanlon join Stuart Childs on this week’s Dairy Edge to discuss pre breeding management to drive submission rate and ultimately 6 week calving rate. Aligning calving to […]
21 April 2025
Rising to the milk solids challenge
Rising to the milk solids challenge West Cork dairy farmer, Jimmy Cotter is striving to optimise milk solids production from his herd by paying careful attention to grassland management and herd nutrition. A monitor farmer in the Teagasc/Dairygold Joint Programme, Jimmy Cotter sees April as a critical time for reaching peak milk […]
20 April 2025
Delivering higher CBV calves from a crossbred herd
Delivering higher CBV calves from a crossbred herd DairyBeef 500 Advisor, Tommy Cox writes on the breeding programme implemented on the farm of David and Robert Gannon, where high beef merit sires are delivering calves with a higher Commercial Beef Value (CBV). As part of last year’s beef breeding series, we took […]
19 April 2025
Preparing for breeding with Teagasc/Tirlán Future Farmer, Tom Murphy
Preparing for breeding with Teagasc/Tirlán Future Farmer, Tom Murphy With the calving season all but wrapped up and breeding fast approaching, Co-ordinator of the Teagasc/Tirlán Future Farm Programme, Sandra Hayes visits Tom Murphy in Inistioge, Co. Kilkenny, and provides an update on grassland management from the other participating farms. 93% of the […]
16 April 2025
Listen: The factors affecting milk fat percentage mid-season
Listen: The factors affecting milk fat percentage mid-season The factors affecting milk fat production in dairy cows under pasture-based management systems was the topics up for discussion on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast. Mike Dineen, a Teagasc researcher in animal nutrition, and Chris Heffernan, who recently completed his PhD in Teagasc Moorepark, […]
14 April 2025
Pre-breeding: A stitch in time saves nine
Pre-breeding: A stitch in time saves nine Investing time identifying problem cows and dealing with them early will pay dividends, writes Teagasc Dairy Specialist, Stuart Childs who offers tips and advice on tightening the calving spread with breeding fast approaching. Seasonal calving depends on compact calving to match demand with supply. The […]
14 April 2025
Producing a good, saleable calf without any extra work
Producing a good, saleable calf without any extra work DairyBeef 500 Advisor, Fergal Maguire revisits Declan and Matthew Mullen in Co. Meath to see how the beef sires they selected last year have delivered on the ground. This time last year, we sat down with Declan and Matthew Mullen to select beef […]
14 April 2025