The Opportunities & Barriers to Drystock Farmers Working on Dairy Farms

Teagasc Walsh Scholar Eamonn O’Flaherty joined Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s episode of The Dairy Edge Podcast to give an insight into the barriers to drystock farmers taking up part-time employment opportunities on dairy farms.

Eamonn identified drystock farmers as suitable candidates for part-time work on dairy farms given that many of them work off-farm and they possess the relevant skillset to carry out the many tasks on dairy farms.

Through discussion with drystock farmers, Eamonn identified the common barriers including salary relative to alternative employment opportunities, physicality of the work, seasonality of work and farm facilities.

Notwithstanding this, drystock farmers acknowledged the benefits of part-time employment on dairy farms such as an additional source of income to the household, short commute time and the flexibility of working on their own farm as well as a dairy farm. More information here

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