Dairy
Weaning calves successfully and target weights
During the first weeks of life, the calf is entirely dependent on milk as a source of nutrition, with the digestion of milk occurring in the abomasum.
29 March 2023
Watch: Identifying your herd’s strengths and weaknesses ahead of breeding
With the calving season entering its final phase on many dairy farms, the next task on the horizon is breeding.
28 March 2023
Keeping grass in the cow's diet with on-off grazing
The last two weeks have been tricky when it came to grazing, Sandra Hayes, Co-ordinator of the Teagasc/Tírlán Future Farm Programme, explained in a recent update.
28 March 2023
Let's Talk Dairy - nutrition of the spring-calving cow ahead of breeding
On this episode of Let's Talk Dairy, George Ramsbottom, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, was joined by Joe Patton, Head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer, Teagasc, to discuss the nutrition of the spring-calving cow ahead of breeding.
27 March 2023
Mike’s clover road
Thanks to white clover, this Cork farm is on track to dramatically reduce its use of bagged nitrogen. John Maher, Grass 10, and Padraig McCormack, Dairy KT, Cork East, explain more in this article from the March/April edition of Today’s Farm.
27 March 2023
Future-proofing through breeding
The Economic Breeding Index (EBI) has revolutionised dairy breeding in Ireland. It has become the go-to tool when selecting dairy sires. Robert Prendeville, Alan Twomey and Adrian Curtin explain more in this article from the March/April edition of Today’s Farm.
26 March 2023
Everycalf project - contract rearing of dairy beef calves
Increased cow numbers on dairy farms coupled with increased adoption of improved breeding technologies have resulted in consistent improvements in the six-week calving rates on Irish dairy farms in recent years, resulting in large numbers of additional male calves being born each spring.
25 March 2023
CAP 2023-2027: How is your farm affected?
On the 1st of January this year, a new five-year CAP period started. Andy Ryder, Drystock Advisor, tells us there are a number of important changes occurring in relation to the distribution of CAP payments that farmers need to know about.
24 March 2023
Getting Ready for weaning
Weaning can be a stressful time for calves as they make the change from a liquid to a solid feed diet and move from a pre-ruminant to the ruminant phase. Much of the skill in calf rearing is making this diet transition as smooth as possible, without set-backs to the calf’s performance.
22 March 2023
Breeding Considerations for the 2024 Calf Crop in Dairy Herds
Imagine milking a herd of cows and selling 550kg of milksolids from each with an annual profitability of €500 per cow more than the Irish Base cow. All that prevents you from achieving this, is your management and breeding decisions.
21 March 2023
How pedigree herds are preparing for future challenges through their breeding
Laurence Feeney, CEO of the Irish Holstein Friesian Association (IHFA), is on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss how pedigree herds are preparing for future challenges through their breeding.
20 March 2023
Teagasc Dairy Breeding Week 2023
The breeding season on Irish dairy farms has become increasingly concentrated in the late April to June period. Teagasc and ICBF have organised a series of 14 information events during ‘Dairy Breeding Week’ which is running from today, Monday, 20 March to Friday, 24 March.
20 March 2023
Let's Talk Dairy - Less than 100 SCC in first 100 days
On this episode of Let's Talk Dairy which took place on Thursday, 9th March, George Ramsbottom, Teagasc Dairy Specialist was joined by Don Crowley, Teagasc to discuss less than 100 Somatic Cell Count (SCC) in the first 100 days.
19 March 2023
Planning for good grazing infrastructure
Improved grassland management relies upon robust grazing infrastructure; suitably sized and shaped paddocks with multiple access points, serviced by roadways of sufficient quality and adequate drinking water.
18 March 2023
TAMS for Organic Farming
Joe Kelleher, Organic Specialist, tells us; the recent announcement that the opening of the TAMS 3 scheme is imminent has been greatly welcomed by organic farmers and it is great to see the list of eligible investment items that organic farmers can avail of has been greatly increased.
15 March 2023
Ensuring the health and success of your replacement heifers
Managing pre-breeding replacement heifers in spring after turnout to grass can be a critical component of a successful dairy cattle operation. George Ramsbottom, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, highlights some key considerations and practices to keep in mind.
13 March 2023
Let's Talk Dairy - Kerry Monitor Farms update - 1/3 through first rotation
On this episode of Let's Talk Dairy which took place on Thursday, 2nd March, host George Ramsbottom, Teagasc Dairy Specialist is joined by Denis Brassil, Teagasc to give an update on the Kerry Monitor Farms where 1/3 are through their first rotation.
13 March 2023
The Importance of the 1st spring grazing
This week, Sandra Hayes, co-ordinator of the Teagasc/Tirlán Future Farm Programme, visited John and Shane Fitzgerald of Portlaw, Co. Waterford, Teagasc Tirlán Future Farmers, to assess how well the first grazing rotation of 2023 was going.
12 March 2023
Top five tips and grazing targets for March
In the Teagasc Dairy Newsletter for March, we read about the top five tips for the month from Joe Patton, Head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer, as well as March grazing targets.
11 March 2023
Benefits of once-a-day milking
Work carried out at Teagasc Moorepark suggests that once-a-day milking does not impact Cheddar cheese composition and can improve cheese yield and some sensory and nutritional attributes.
10 March 2023
Dr. George Ramsbottom appointed to lead the Teagasc Signpost Advisory Programme
Teagasc has set up a new, targeted Signpost Advisory Programme to support climate and sustainability actions on farms.
08 March 2023
How many cows do you need to breed to dairy AI?
The genetic potential of an animal initially comes from the average of both sire and dam figures; therefore mating your best females to dairy AI is as important as selecting the correct bull team, James Dunne, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, explains more.
06 March 2023
Nitrates banding and the options available to you
Patrick Gowing, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, joins Stuart Childs on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to talk about the options available to dairy farmers impacted by the introduction of the new nitrates banding.
06 March 2023
Let's Talk Dairy - Spring grazing at Johnstown Castle
On this episode of Let's Talk Dairy which took place on Thursday, 23 February, George Ramsbottom, Teagasc Dairy Specialist was joined by Aidan Lawless, Dairy Unit Manager, Teagasc Johnstown Castle to discuss spring grazing at Johnstown Castle.
04 March 2023
'Soil sampling ensures I'm making the best use of expensive fertiliser'
Peadar O'Droscoll, Teagasc Signpost Programme and Carbery Monitor farmer, discussed the importance of soil sampling and his plan for clover establishment in the March edition of the Teagasc Signpost Programme newsletter.
04 March 2023
Headway with grazing on Teagasc/Tirlán Future Farms
Sandra Hayes, co-ordinator of the Teagasc/Tirlán Future Farm Programme, outlines the progress farmers are making with grazing in the most recent Teagasc/Tirlan Future Farm Update.
01 March 2023
Let's Talk Dairy - Spring grazing at Lyons Estate
On this episode of Let's Talk Dairy which took place on Thursday, 16th February, George Ramsbottom, Teagasc Dairy Specialist was joined by Niall Walsh, Technologist at UCD Lyons Estate to get an update on spring grazing at Lyons Estate.
27 February 2023
Teat disinfectant - part of the solution to reducing SCC
With milking in full swing, Martina Gormley, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, explains why now is a good time to evaluate post-milking teat disinfectant products.
22 February 2023
Update: Calving and early grass with a Teagasc/Tirlán Future Farmer
Teagasc/Tirlán Future Farmer Steven Fitzgerald outlines to programme co-ordinator Sandra Hayes, Teagasc, how calving 2023 is going for him.
20 February 2023
Let's Talk Dairy: A review of dry matter intake in cows in early lactation
On this episode of Let's Talk Dairy, George Ramsbottom, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, is joined by Mike Egan, Teagasc, to give a review of dry matter intake in cows in early lactation.
18 February 2023