Dairy
How’s breeding progressing at Moorepark?
One of Teagasc’s flagship dairy research herds, Farm Manager, John Paul Murphy talks us through breeding and provides an update on the progress to date at Moorepark.
16 May 2025
Award winning dairy farm to host ‘Dairying at Dusk’ event
A National Farm Walk on the farm of John, Maria and Brendan Walsh, winners of the 2024 Teagasc/FBD Environmental Sustainability Award, will take place on Tuesday, 10 June.
13 May 2025
Early planning essential for slurry storage facilities
Dairy farmers have been encouraged to review their slurry storage capacity now and take early action if the need for additional slurry storage is identified.
13 May 2025
Tips on maintaining performance during the mid-season
Ruminant Nutrition Specialist at Teagasc, Dr. Aisling Claffey shares key tips for maintaining performance during the mid-season, focusing on grassland management and meal supplementation levels.
12 May 2025
Listen: Quality and Quantity – Paul Hyland’s approach to silage
Paul Hyland, who farms with his brother David near the village of Ballacolla, Co. Laois, joins Stuart Childs on this week’s Dairy Edge to discuss silage – both quantity and quality.
12 May 2025
Time running out to apply for key schemes
Farmers need to be aware that a number of importance scheme application deadlines will take place this week.
12 May 2025
What is an appropriate stocking rate for organic farmers?
“How many cattle or sheep could my farm carry if I convert to organics?” is a question commonly asked. Many people don’t like the response “it depends”, but in this situation it really does depend on a wide range of factors. Joe Kelleher, Organic Specialist, tells us more.
11 May 2025
Seasonality and methane production
Does seasonality affect how much methane an animal produces? This will be a key question answered by experts from Ireland and New Zealand as part of an upcoming NZAGRC x Teagasc Webinar.
10 May 2025
‘Difficult decisions’ needed to curb rising TB
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon T.D. convened a meeting of key stakeholders this week to address the worrying rise in TB incidence across the country.
09 May 2025
International Symposium on Dairy Drying Technology and Recombined Milk Products heading to Cork
The highly anticipated International Dairy Federation (IDF) Joint Symposium on Dairy Drying Technology and Recombined Milk Products will take place from 13–15 May 2025 at the Clayton Hotel Silver Springs, Cork.
07 May 2025
Dealing with surplus grass this May
With most farms now in a position of surplus grass, the Teagasc Grass10 team share key grassland management tips to maintain quality swards this May.
07 May 2025
Signpost update: Clover paddocks delivering savings for Kieran McDermott
Teagasc Signpost Programme and Lakeland Dairies Monitor farmer, Kieran McDermott tells us how including white clover in his grassland swards is allowing him to make a saving on chemical nitrogen this summer, his plans for silage and an update on breeding.
07 May 2025
Listen: Slurry storage - make use of the 60% grant
Seamus Nolan, Teagasc’s Scheme Support Unit Specialist, who has a particular focus on the Target Agriculture Modernisation scheme, better known to many as the TAMS scheme, joins James Dunne on this week’s Dairy Edge.
05 May 2025
Accelerating water quality improvements – a year of the Farming for Water: River Slaney Project
The pace of action on farms and in the community to enhance water quality has accelerated in the 12 months since the launch of the Farming for Water: River Slaney Project – a collaborative project, involving Tirlán, Teagasc, the Local Authorities Water Programme (LAWPRO) and ifac.
04 May 2025
The Benefits of White Clover
White clover is the most widely sown legume species in temperate grasslands and is highly compatible with perennial ryegrass. Its ability to thrive in a range of climatic conditions and tolerate intensive grazing makes it an ideal companion in mixed swards across Irish farms.
04 May 2025
Nitrogen application strategies for grass-white clover swards
With April turning to May, farmers may be considering reducing chemical nitrogen applications to grass-white clover swards. Dr. Áine Murray of the Teagasc Grassland Department shares some key tips to ensure this is done in the most effective way to prevent a drop in total dry matter production.
30 April 2025
Grazing grass-white clover swards – Dr. Áine Murray’s key tips
Effective grazing management is essential for maintaining white clover content within grazing swards. In this article, Dr. Áine Murray shares some key tips to ensure it thrives in your swards.
29 April 2025
Identifying and dealing with problem cows
On every farm, a proportion of cows will not display behavioural heat (anoestrus) at the start of the breeding period. Here are some tips on identifying these cows and putting in corrective measures on farm to address with the problem.
28 April 2025
Sire Advice with ICBF’s Dan O’Riordan
Some 18 years since it was first made available to farmers, Dan O’Riordan of the ICBF joins Stuart Childs on this week’s episode of the Dairy Edge podcast to discuss the Sire Advice Programme.
28 April 2025
Don't miss a heat
With the dairy breeding season having commenced, regular and effective heat detection is critical in order to hit the key breeding performance indicators.
28 April 2025
Getting the timing right with sexed semen
Timing is everything when it comes to using sexed semen during the breeding season. Getting it right can make a difference, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, Stuart Childs explains why in this article.
28 April 2025
Signpost dairy farm walk heading for Tipperary
Dairy farmer, Edwin Thompson will host a Teagasc Signpost Farm Walk on his farm in Golden, Co. Tipperary on April 29.
27 April 2025
Mapping the route to clover at Ballyhaise College
Along with its footings in agricultural education and land-based training courses, Ballyhaise College is home to one of Teagasc’s dairy research herds.
25 April 2025
All farmers have a role to play in improving water quality
Regardless of scale, intensity or enterprise, all farmers have a role to play in bringing about an improvement in Ireland’s water quality
24 April 2025
Nearing the 9% milk solids target
Breeding a 550kg cow, capable of producing 9% milk solids, and returning back in calf every year - that’s the central focus of David Dolan’s dairy replacement breeding policy. Ronan Mulligan, Teagasc Claremorris, and Brendan Garry, Teagasc Ballinrobe, recently visited David’s farm to find out more.
23 April 2025
Share Farming and Succession Pathways Open Day
Teagasc, in collaboration with Shinagh Estates and Carbery, is delighted to announce a Share Farming and Succession Pathways Open Day on Thursday, 22 May at 11am.
23 April 2025
Enticing more customers through better beef genetics
Alan Dillon, Manager of the Teagasc DairyBeef 500 Campaign, takes a closer look at William Dennehy’s beef breeding policy, designed to improve the Commercial Beef Value (CBV) of his calves to entice more customers.
22 April 2025
Listen: Pa O'Hanlon and Claire McAuliffe on Pre-Breeding Management
Teagasc Kerry Dairy Ireland Joint Programme Demonstration Farm Advisor, Claire McAuliffe and Programme Demonstration Farmer, Pa O’Hanlon join Stuart Childs on this week’s Dairy Edge to discuss pre breeding management to drive submission rate and ultimately 6 week calving rate.
21 April 2025
Make reseeding a priority
As a lot of planned reseeding was postponed due to adverse weather conditions in 2024, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, Mark Treacy tells us why reseeding is among the best paying investments you can make on your farm.
21 April 2025
Rising to the milk solids challenge
West Cork dairy farmer, Jimmy Cotter is striving to optimise milk solids production from his herd by paying careful attention to grassland management and herd nutrition.
20 April 2025