16 October 2023

How to achieve a greater work-life balance through reduced milking frequency

Dairy farmer Aidan Ahearne joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss the practical implementation of 10 in 7 milking frequency on his farm. He outlines the benefits to work-life balance and animal welfare it brings, while also having a minimal impact on milk production.

Aidan explains that he tried 10 in 7 milking frequency from October last year with good success. Following the research, he started from mid-July this year.

When considering production, milk solids were the same in August of this year compared to last year, but dropped by 8% in the month of September. Aidan speculates that this is partially due to reduced milking frequency but also says that lower meal feeding rates and adverse weather played a part.

Aidan emphasises the impact of reducing milking to 10 in 7 improves work-life balance, as you are eliminating 16 milkings per month or 64 milkings from August to November. He explains this is at a time when you can get tired and stale from the tasks of daily milking routines.

Fundamentally, Aidan considers 10 in 7 as a vehicle to support work-life balance and allows him more free time with his young family and for interests outside of farming. He thinks it is a no-brainer for many farms.

Listen in to this episode of the Dairy Edge podcast below:

For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast, a co-production with LastCastMedia.com, go to the show page