Dairy

Maximising the effective operation of automatic washers for milking equipment

Maximising the effective operation of automatic washers for milking equipment Automatic washers were conceived and installed to reduce labour requirements and save time on farms, which they undoubtedly do. Like any machine, they require regular monitoring and calibration to ensure that they are working correctly. David Gleeson and Lorna Twomey tell us […]
24 July 2023

Alternative slurry amendments for cattle slurry storage

Alternative slurry amendments for cattle slurry storage Agriculture is responsible for 37.5% of national greenhouse gas emissions and 99% of national ammonia emissions. Manure management contributes a substantial proportion of these emissions, 11.7% of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions and 78% of agricultural ammonia emissions. The release of these gases pollute the atmosphere […]
24 July 2023

Relief milking – more than just holiday cover

Relief milking – more than just holiday cover While many dairy farmers employ someone to complete a number of milkings each week, many others have no ‘set time off’ in the normal week, and possibly only take a week’s holidays in summer and some time in winter. We have surveyed quite a […]
23 July 2023

Let’s Talk Dairy – Key messages from Moorepark ’23

Let’s Talk Dairy – Key messages from Moorepark ’23 On this episode of Let’s Talk Dairy which took place on Thursday, 13 July, James Dunne, Teagasc Dairy Specialist is joined by Dr Joe Patton, Head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer Department, Teagasc to give an insight into the key messages from the Moorepark […]
22 July 2023

Signpost Series – Challenges for the dairy industry in the Netherlands

Signpost Series – Challenges for the dairy industry in the Netherlands On this episode of the Signpost Series, Mark Gibson, Head of Teagasc Outreach & Innovation Department, was joined by Michel de Haan, Wageningen Livestock Research, and Geert Stevens, Dutch farmer, to discuss the challenges for the dairy sector in the Netherlands. […]
20 July 2023

Milk Quality Award winners to host farm walk

Milk Quality Award winners to host farm walk Austin and Yvonne Connelly farm with their four daughters, Ava, Anna, Jane and Kate, in Tuam, Co. Galway. Fifth-generation farmers, they are relatively new to dairy farming having made the transition just four years ago. Converting to dairy farming had its challenges, requiring a […]
18 July 2023

Using white clover to reduce nitrogen fertilisation

Using white clover to reduce nitrogen fertilisation Reduced nitrogen fertiliser use at farm level will require greater utilisation of white clover in grazing swards in order to maintain herbage production, Brian McCarthy, Deirdre Hennessy and Áine Murray tell us more. Recent European Union and Irish Government policy changes have placed a greater […]
17 July 2023

Let’s Talk Dairy – What’s involved in the climate advisory programme for dairy farmers?

Let’s Talk Dairy – What’s involved in the climate advisory programme for dairy farmers? On this episode of Let’s Talk Dairy which took place on Thursday, 6 July, James Dunne, Teagasc Dairy Specialist is joined by Dr George Ramsbottom, Teagasc Signpost Advisory Programme to provide an overview of what’s involved in the […]
17 July 2023

The drainage of grassland peat soils in Ireland

The drainage of grassland peat soils in Ireland Pat Tuohy, Senior Research officer at Teagasc Moorepark, is on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss the drainage status of grassland peat soils in Ireland. Pat and his colleagues, Lillian O’Sullivan, Conor Bracken and Owen Fenton have recently released a review paper that […]
15 July 2023

Top five tips for July

Top five tips for July Joe Patton, Head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer, gives his top five tips for dairy farmers this July Finish AI and pull the bull Stick to your planned breeding end date. Late calvers are much less profitable than early calved cows and are more likely not to go […]
14 July 2023