Dairy
Breeding better beef calves for sale
With uncertainty facing the future of calf exports and the potential need for some dairy farms to move animals earlier on account of nitrates changes, Alan Dillion, DairyBeef 500 Co-Ordinator, explained that the onus is on dairy farmers to breed a better quality beef calf to ensure repeat custom.
15 January 2024
Time to appreciate the value of your cattle slurry
Joining Teagasc Dairy Edge host Dr Emma-Louise Coffey on a recent episode of the weekly podcast, Dr William Burchill, FBD Lecturer in Sustainable Agriculture at UCC, said that a rethink on the way slurry is managed on some farms is required.
13 January 2024
Preparing for calf rearing with DairyBeef 500
The Teagasc DairyBeef 500 team, along with stakeholders and programme farmers, will host two live online webinars on preparing for calf rearing this spring on Tuesday, January 16, and Tuesday, January 30. Both webinars begin at 8pm.
13 January 2024
Last-minute adjustments to your calf shed
Dairy farmers nationally are on the cusp of the busy spring-calving period. There is, however, an opportunity to make last-minute adjustments or tweaks to your calf housing to improve the health and welfare of your calves.
11 January 2024
The key points for sourcing, rearing and weaning calves
With calving kicking off on many dairy farms, Teagasc DairyBeef 500 Advisor, Tommy Cox features on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss the key areas you need to focus on when sourcing, rearing and weaning calves.
10 January 2024
10 tips for trouble-free calving
For most herds, peak calving season is just around the corner and about 50% of dairy cows will calve between now and the end of February, write Joe Patton, Head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer at Teagasc.
10 January 2024
Risk to colostrum quality from poor-quality nutrition pre calving
With the spring-calving period fast approaching, dairy farmers have been warned of the risk poor quality nutrition in the period immediately prior to calving can pose to colostrum quality.
10 January 2024
Getting ready for the 2024 dairy season
Decisions made over the next few weeks will have long-lasting consequences for the profitability for the dairy business in 2024, writes Michael Donoghue, B&T Dairy Advisor, Teagasc Galway/Clare.
08 January 2024
How to maximise the value of slurry
Pat Tuohy and William Burchill join Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss how farmers can maximise the value of slurry through tactical use and having optimum storage facilities on farm.
08 January 2024
Teagasc Supporting Farming in Kenya
Teagasc currently leads three dairy development projects funded by Irish Aid and the EU across three different countries in East Africa – Kenya, Eritrea and Tanzania. Paul Maher, Dr. Anne-Marie Butler and Dr. Edna Curley tell us more.
08 January 2024
Teagasc in Tanzania
Paul Maher & Padraig French discuss an agricultural development project, titled 'Maziwa Faida' funded by Irish Aid in collaboration with partners in Tanzania, aimed at enhancing dairy production research & extension capabilities in the Tanga region to benefit small dairy farming households.
07 January 2024
How some farmers are achieving an average 8 hour working day on farm
Marion Beecher joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s episode of The Dairy Edge to discuss a recent case study of farmers who achieve an average 8 hour working day on their dairy farm throughout the year.
06 January 2024
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.
02 January 2024
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.
02 January 2024
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.
01 January 2024
Make safety at calving a priority for 2024
Accidents relating to livestock on farms are not inevitable and can be prevented through careful planning and task organisation during the busy times of the farming year. Livestock-related incidents account for 25% of Irish farm accidents and 15% of farm mortality among older farmers.
01 January 2024
Future-proofing winter-milk systems
The Johnstown Castle dairy herd was established in 2003 to provide a base for winter-milk research within Teagasc.
31 December 2023
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.
30 December 2023
Pre-calving feeding impacts on calf health - latest findings
The effects of dairy cow feeding on calf health are mediated through colostrum formation and, consequently, calf immunity, and, ultimately, mortality.
28 December 2023
Managing out blocks to ensure overall farm performance
Growing and utilising high-quality, home-produced feed rather than depending on purchased in concentrates or bought in feed remains the most cost effective option for dairy farms.
27 December 2023
Making informed decisions regarding farm stocking rate
Following the Teagasc National Dairy Conference where attendees heard how pasture utilised was fundamental to our dairy systems, Teagasc Researcher Donal Patton joins James Dunne on the latest Dairy Edge podcast to explain how to make informed decisions regarding farm stocking rate.
25 December 2023
DairyBeef 500 join forces with AHI’s CalfCare Programme for on-farm events in January 2024
A series of 18 on-farm calf care events for farmers will take place nationwide throughout the month of January.
21 December 2023
Teagasc Professional Diploma in Dairy Farm Management 2023 Graduation
The 2023 Graduates of the Teagasc/UCD Level 7 Professional Diploma in Dairy Farm Management course were presented with their diplomas at an awards ceremony at Teagasc Moorepark on Tuesday, 19th December.
20 December 2023
Future-proofing the farm with solar panels
The Dolan family have installed a solar energy system to cut costs and enhance sustainability on their 400-cow dairy farm in Westmeath.
19 December 2023
Lessons on pasture utilisation and meal feeding to be learned from 2022
2022 was an extraordinary year on Irish dairy farms. Although input price volatility overshadowed much of the year, dairy incomes still managed to hit record highs on the back of all-time high milk prices.
18 December 2023
Recuperation for yourself and your cows during the dry cow period
Although 2023 has been a long and challenging year on dairy farms, now is the right time to take back control and help get 2024 off to a good start, writes Tom Murphy, B&T Advisor at Teagasc Galway/Clare.
17 December 2023
Feeding replacement heifer weanlings this winter
The winter management of your replacement heifers is crucial to ensure they meet their target weights at breeding next spring, writes Stephen O’Callaghan, Walsh Scholar, Teagasc Navan.
14 December 2023
Why the Irish dairy industry has the capacity for continued growth
International dairy consultant, David Beca joins Emma-Louise Coffey for part two of his discussion on the Dairy Edge podcast to outline the global milk supply trends over the last two decades and he speculates on what milk-producing nations have the capacity to meet growing consumer demands.
11 December 2023
Top five tips for December
Joe Patton, Teagasc Head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer, gives his top five tips for dairy farmers this December.
11 December 2023
Viewing labour as an asset not a cost
Farming in Urlingford, Co. Kilkenny, Brendan and Fiona Joyce milk a herd of 150 high EBI cows under a spring-calving system. Their farm is very much grass focused; the herd produced 560kg of milk solids per cow last year, while concentrate input is targeted at 750kg/cow.
11 December 2023