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Monitor Farms

Each Monitor Farmer must demonstrate best practice in the areas of financial management and planning, compact calving, grass utilisation, breeding management, herd health and milk quality. Each Monitor Farmer will work to an agreed, detailed, five-year, physical and financial farm development plan. In addition each Monitor Farmer will prepare an annual cash flow budget, record actual cash flow on a monthly basis and complete a Profit Monitor analysis at the end of the year.

In order to raise the awareness of Monitor Farm performance under this Joint Programme,

  • a ‘Weekly Report’ will be produced for each Monitor Farm;
  • a monthly summary of Monitor Farm physical performance/ key lessons from Monitor Farms will be prepared and distributed; and
  • a quarterly and annual summary of Monitor Farm financial performance will be prepared and distributed.

A new feature of this Joint Programme will be a series of on-farm workshops specifically organised for those GIIL milk suppliers currently not participating in Teagasc facilitated discussion groups. It is envisaged that the Monitor Farms will serve as locations for these targeted workshops. GIIL Farm Development Managers will identify 100 non-discussion group members local to each Monitor Farm (potential to engage with greater than 1,000 GIIL suppliers through this aspect of the programme) and encourage attendance at each workshop. Teagasc and GIIL will collaborate in the delivery of the workshops, which will focus on technical efficiency and planning for sustainable expansion. A target of three workshops per Monitor Farm (33 in total) will be delivered on an annual basis (starting in January 2015). GIIL Farm Development Managers will record attendance at these workshops.

Richard O’Brien and Pat Ryan will lead this part of the Joint Programme.

Farmer Profiles

CountyFarmerDescription
Kilkenny Pat Dillon, Grangecuffe, Cuffesgrange, Co. Kilkenny Pat is farming 62 ha – 18 rented. The Milking Platform is 36ha. In 2014 Pat milked 100 cows and reared 40 replacement units. He produced 382kg MS/cow. 6 week calving rate was 71%. Pat hopes to milk 130 cows and contract rear the heifers. He needs to set the farm up to grow14 tons of DM/ha. The EBI of his herd in 2014 was €156.
Wexford Michael Doran, Duncormick,, Co. Wexford. Michael is a New Entrant to Dairying in 2014 and he milked 70 cows that year. He is farming 131 ha. The Milking Platform is 51ha. There is also 36ha of tillage on an outside block. In 2014 he produced 314kg MS/cow (all heifers) with a 6 week calving rate of 87%. Michael hopes to milk 160 cows and grow 16 tons grass DM/ha. The EBI of his herd in 2014 was €181.
Wicklow Eamonn & Darren Healy, Redcross, Co. Wicklow (Liquid Milk) They are farming 121 ha and all of this is part of the Milking Platform. In 2014 they milked 165 cows producing 382kg MS/cow. 6 week calving rate was 75%. 20% of cows calf in the autumn. Their plan is to milk 220 cows and grow 15 tons of grass DM/ha. The EBI of their herd in 2014 was €65.
Laois John McHugh, Clondarrig, Portlaoise, Co. Laois. John is farming 80 ha and all of this is available for cows. In 2014 John milked 137 crossbred cows and produced 448 kg MS/cow. The 6 week calving rate was 88%. John hopes to milk 200 cows and grow 16 tons grass DM/ha. EBI of his herd in 2014 was €174.
Meath Peter Mongey, Stackallen, Slane, Co. Meath Peter is farming 47ha and all of this land is available to milk cows. In 2014 Peter milked 79 cows producing 418kg MS/cow. His 6 week calving rate was 88%. The plan for this farm is to milk 100 cows and contract rear the replacements. Peter plans to grow 16 tons of grass DM/ha. The EBI of his herd in 2014 was €117.
Tipperary Paddy O’Gorman, Rathkeevan, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary Paddy is farming 114ha. The Milking Platform consists of 63ha. In 2014 Paddy milked 135 cows producing 337kg MS/cow. His 6 week calving rate was 69%. He plans to milk 160 cows and rear his own replacements. The beef enterprise will be got rid of. He built a new parlour in 2014. The EBI of his herd in 2014 was €138.
Cork Donal O’Reilly, Bishops Island, Watergrasshill, Cork. Donal is farming 69ha. The Milking Platform is 37ha. In 2014 Donal milked 105 cows, producing 406kg MS/cow. His 6 week calving rate was 61%. Donal plans to milk 130 cows. The EBI of his herd in 2014 was €145.
Kildare Shane O’Loughlin, Oghil, Monastervin, Co. Kildare Shane is farming 156ha. The Milking Platform is 68ha. In 2014 he miked 160 cows producing 476kg MS/cow. His 6 week calving rate was 61%. Shane is a Liquid Milk Supplier, calving 40 cows in the autumn. He plans to milk 240 cows. The EBI of his herd in 2014 was €138.
Carlow Jamie Kealy, Slaney Quarter, Tullow, Co. Carlow Jamie is farming 49ha of which 30ha is the Milking Platform. He owns 16ha and the rest is leased on a long term lease. He was a New Entrant to Dairying in 2014 and he milked 58 crossbred Jersey Heifers producing 410kg MS/cow. His 6 week calving rate is 91%. Jamie plans to expand the Milking Platform and milk 120 cows and rear his own replacements. The EBI of his herd in 2014 was €159.
Kilkenny/East Waterford Brendan Phelan, Ballykillaboy, Kilmacow, Co. Kilkenny Brendan is farming 66ha of which 38ha is the Milking Platform. In 2014 Brendan milked 111 cows producing 374kgs MS/cow. His 6 week calving rate was 76%. Brendan plans to milk 150 cows. The EBI of his herd in 2014 was €175.
Waterford Conor Beausang, Churchquarter, Grange, Co. Waterford Conor is farming 74ha. His Milking Platform consists of 58ha. Conor is a New Entrant to Dairying since 2012 and in 2014 he milked 55 cows producing 377kg/MS/cow. His 6 week calving rate was 62%. Conor also has a tillage and beef enterprise. He plans to milk 110 cows. The EBI of his herd in 2014 was €155.