Lakeland Dairies Signpost Farmers

Alan Clarke

Alan farms with his Dad, Tommy, in Killinkere, Virginia, Co. Cavan. Dairying is the main enterprise, milking 140 cows. He has students working with him in Spring as well as relief milking. They are farming 96ha. Overall stocking rate is 160kg organic N/ha. Herd EBI is €145 & the heifers are €181. The 6 week calving rate is 89%. The cows produced 459 kg MS/cow in 2020. Soil type heavy. Grass grown on the farm was 12.3t DM/ha in 2020. Farm facilities are good with a 18 unit parlour, cubicle space for 146 cows, good grazing infrastructure with 30 paddocks & two underpasses. Good silage storage

Michael Clarke

Michael farms in Gaybrook, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath with his wife Lynn & son Liam. They farm 167.74ha & Dairying is the main enterprise, milking 255 cows. The overall stocking rate is 180kg organic N/ha. Herd EBI is €159 & the heifers €201. The 6 week calving rate is 79%. The cows produced 454 kg MS/cow in 2020. Soil type is 50% peat & 50% heavy loom. Estimated grass grown on the farm as 12t DM/ha in 2020. Facilities on the farm are good with a 24 unit parlour, cubicle space for 280 cows, good grazing infrastructure & a good central roadway with spurs. The silage pit needs refurbishment.

Kevin and Enda Farrell

Kevin & Enda Farrell farm 61ha together near Ballymahon, Longford. Dairying is the main enterprise milking 108 cows. They are new entrants since 2020. They have no hired labour, family members do relief milking. Overall stocking rate in 2020 was 212kg organic N/ha and expected to fall to 180kg organic N/ha in 2021. Herd EBI is €162 & the heifers are €196. The 6 week calving rate is 84%. The cows produced 377kg MS/cow in 2020 (all heifers in 2020). Soil quality is good. Facilities on the farm include a 14 unit parlour with space for 20 units, cubicle space for 119 cows & good grazing facilities

Dermot Heaney

Dermot farms 113ha in Kilberry, Navan, Co. Meath. Dairying is his main enterprise, milking 250 cows. He has one full time hired labour unit & students in Spring. His son, who is in school, works 20 hours/week on the farm.The overall stocking rate is 241kg organic N/ha. Herd EBI is €189 & heifers are €246. The 6 week calving rate is 87%. The cows produced 467 kg MS/cow in 2020. Soil type free draining. Grass grown on the farm was 13.0t DM/ha in 2020. Facilities are good with a 24 unit parlour, cubicle space for 248 cows, good grazing infrastructure all paddocked. Good silage storage facilities

Shaun Maguire

Shaun in partnership with wife Trina milk 127 dairy cows on a 46 ha milking platform in Toberlion, Ballyconnell, Co. Cavan. Carbon footprint for the dairy enterprise is 1.06kg CO2/kg fat & protein corrected milk. In 2020 the herd supplied 531kg MS/Cow with concentrate supplementation of 930 kg. The six week calving rate is 70%. Herd EBI is €125, 2021 calves are averaging €186. Soil fertility is excellent. All chemical Nitrogen application is switched from CAN to protected urea. A liming plan is in place to raise the pH to 6.5 This is optimal for the incorporation of clover into the swards.

Kieran McDermott

Kieran McDermott is farming 56ha in one block in Corkimmons, Clones, Co.Monaghan. Kieran is milking 90 high EBI cows and rearing replacements, the overall stocking rate was 171kg organic N/ha in 2020. The herd produced 453kg MS/cow in 2020, with a herd EBI of €118. Six week calving rate is 89%. The EBI of 2021 calves is €204. The farm mixed soil types ranging from heavy clay soils to free draining light. Facilities on the farm includes a 14unit parlour with cubicle space for 106 cows. Grazing infrastructure is continually upgraded and developed on the farm.