Articles
Livestock safety – understanding livestock behaviour
0 Livestock safety – understanding livestock behaviour Understanding the behaviour of livestock will facilitate handling, reduce stress, and improve both handler safety and animal welfare, writes Serena Gibbons, Education Officer, Teagasc Galway/Clare. Large animals can seriously injure handlers and/or themselves if they become excited or agitated. The renowned animal behaviourist Temple Gradin has […]
2 January 2024
Achieving 100 SCC in the first 100 days
0 Achieving 100 SCC in the first 100 days Somatic cell count (SCC) is a key indicator of intramammary infection, which compromises udder health. SCC of less than 100,000 cells/ml is the objective to maximise milk production and milk revenues. Any increase in SCC above 100,000 is associated with a reduction in animal […]
2 January 2024
Management at housing this winter
0 Management at housing this winter For this week’s OviCast, we hear from a recent Let’s Talk Sheep webinar with Sheep Specialist Damian Costello speaking about key management advice at housing this winter. Damian covered various aspects from some of the challenges faced this year to managing ewe condition to practical advice at […]
2 January 2024
Forage crops and store lambs proving a good fit
0 Forage crops and store lambs proving a good fit Increasing the area of forage crops sown has helped integrate the sheep and tillage systems on the Gavin farm in Co Carlow, Ciarán Lynch, Teagasc Sheep Specialist, and Frank Campion, Sheep Researcher, tell us more. Eddie Gavin, his wife Laura, their two young […]
2 January 2024
Wholefarm Nitrogen Use Efficiency
0 Wholefarm Nitrogen Use Efficiency William Burchill, FBD Lecturer in Soil Science in UCC, is on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast discussing Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) from a wholefarm point of view but also from the point of nitrogen applied. William explains how wholefarm Nitrogen Use Efficiency works and then how NUE can […]
1 January 2024
Grain the advantage
0 Grain the advantage Innovations in plant variety testing in Europe are laying the foundation for more sustainable agriculture. Breeding better crop varieties is an essential component in the development of sustainable agricultural production systems. Plant breeding has a demonstrated track record of success in driving agricultural productivity and profitability. However, increased agricultural […]
1 January 2024
Future-proofing winter-milk systems
Future-proofing winter-milk systems The Johnstown Castle dairy herd was established in 2003 to provide a base for winter-milk research within Teagasc. Readily available, high-quality pasture during a long grazing season makes the Irish dairy industry highly seasonable. During the winter period, most spring-calving cows are non-lactating. As a result, winter-milk is a […]
31 December 2023
Feed a good pre-calving mineral
Feed a good pre-calving mineral What price do you put on cows that calve down with no issues, no retained cleanings, plenty of milk, a vigorous calf, don’t suffer from milk fever and most importantly, go back in calf? That is the value you place on a good quality mineral. Every extra […]
31 December 2023
Part-time dairy farm employees – developing mutually beneficial working relationships
Part-time dairy farm employees – developing mutually beneficial working relationships To remain competitive with other sectors, it is necessary for dairy farms to become more attractive workplaces, and to meet the changing career-lifestyle expectations of the available workforce. The increase in dairy farm scale since milk quota abolition has created new employment […]
30 December 2023
Liver fluke in sheep
Liver fluke in sheep Glen Corbett, Teagasc, tells us that with the recent wet weather, liver fluke is a parasite that thrives. In fact, alarm bells should be ringing on sheep farms. This is an issue in both cattle and sheep, but sheep are often hit hardest by it. It effects all […]
30 December 2023