Dairy
Grazing update with Lauren Kinsella Co Carlow
On this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses getting grazing allocations correct and has a grazing update from Lauren Kinsella, Co. Carlow.
14 February 2025
Top five tips for February
As part of the Teagasc Dairy Advisor newsletter, Head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer, Dr. Joe Patton shared his top five tips for February. Read them here:
13 February 2025
Whole milk versus milk replacer - which pays?
One question that often arises at this time of year is which is more economically beneficial – feeding calves milk replacer or whole milk?
12 February 2025
Are you getting the full value from your nitrogen fertiliser?
Cost, environmental impact and lowered levels of permitted use are just some of the reasons why dairy farmers need to pay increased heed to the efficiency at which nitrogen fertiliser is used on their farms.
12 February 2025
Managing Somatic Cell Count in early lactation
Calving is in full swing on most dairy farms currently and it’s a busy time of year to keep on top of all the tasks that need to be completed. However, as Padraig O’Connor writes, keeping on top of your herd Somatic Cell Count (SCC) until the first milk recording is a priority.
10 February 2025
Time to focus on grazing
Grazed grass is still the cheapest feedstuff available for livestock production systems in Ireland. With calving gathering pace and low rainfall levels bringing about an improvement in ground conditions, have you considered starting the grazing year?
10 February 2025
Fertiliser or slurry: When to spread and how much to apply?
David Wall, Teagasc Researcher, Johnstown Castle, joins James Dunne on this week’s Dairy Edge to discuss correct nutrient management use on dairy farms this spring.
10 February 2025
Calf scour: Know your enemy
A scour outbreak will significantly increase workload and stress at a time when farmers are already stretched. Read key tips on diagnosing scour, treatment options and ways of reducing its impact in this article.
10 February 2025
Clover and soil fertility on a Golden Vale dairy farm
Farming in the heart of the Golden Vale, Edwin Thompson and his family milk 160 cows on 86 ha near Golden, Co. Tipperary. Liam Quinn, Teagasc Signpost Programme Adviser, explores how Edwin’s focus on clover, soil fertility, and smart nutrient management is cutting emissions and boosting productivity
09 February 2025
Grazing Management Update and Spring Pasture Mornings
On this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses attending a spring pasture morning near you, and asks can you start grazing on your farm?
08 February 2025
Pain relief during the calving season
As part of the series of on-farm CalfCare events, Natascha Meunier, Animal Health Ireland (AHI), discussed the importance of pain relief during the calving season.
07 February 2025
Tips for ensuring milk quality standards are high
Raymond Ryan of Dairygold’s Milk Quality Advisory team joins Stuart Childs on this week’s Dairy Edge with tips on preparing for commencing supply and ensuring milk quality standards are maintained.
07 February 2025
Watch: Dairy-beef breeding tools in brief
As part of the series of on-farm Calf Care events, farmers were reminded of the purposes of the Commercial Beef Value (CBV) and the Dairy Beef Index (DBI).
06 February 2025
Pneumonia – minimising the risk
Pneumonia is a leading cause of illness in animals between weaning and 10 months of age. Various factors contribute to the development of pneumonia in this age group.
05 February 2025
Calf rearing: Achieving optimal ruminal development
Teagasc and Animal Health Ireland (AHI) ran a series of CalfCare on-farm events throughout January, supported by Feed for Growth.
04 February 2025
How can the accuracy of fertiliser application be improved?
Setup and calibration of fertiliser spreaders is very important to ensure even distribution of fertilisers when spreading. This involves adjusting the spreader settings to achieve accurate application rates and uniform coverage.
03 February 2025
Listen: How to best meet herd feed requirements this spring
Teagasc Ruminant Nutritionist, Dr. Aisling Claffey joins James Dunne on this week's Dairy Edge podcast to discuss how to best meet the nutritional needs of the calved dairy cow throughout early lactation.
27 January 2025
Spring grazing targets
With calving underway, getting cows out to grass will soon become a priority for many. Here’s a refresher on spring grazing targets.
27 January 2025
Storm Éowyn forces cancellation of CalfCare event and One-to-One Forestry Clinic
Weather warnings implemented as a result of the imminent arrival of Storm Éowyn have resulted in the cancellation of a CalfCare event in Co. Galway, and a Teagasc One-to-One Clinic on Forest Creation in Tipperary, tomorrow, January 24.
23 January 2025
Slurry is a valuable nutrient - use it correctly
Farmers can protect water quality, maximise nutrient efficiency and save money on chemical fertilisers when slurry is applied following best practice.
23 January 2025
Correct cubicle liming/cleaning procedure
Keeping dry cow cubicle beds clean and dry is essential for mastitis prevention. Recent surveys found a massive variation in terms of lime use per cow/cubicle and also in the amount of times cubicles are limed per day.
23 January 2025
What to consider when spreading organic fertilisers at this time of year
Cathal Somers, Water Quality Specialist with Teagasc, joins Stuart Childs on this week’s Dairy Edge to discuss spreading organic fertilisers.
22 January 2025
Calf housing - last minute adjustments
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.
21 January 2025
Preparing for grazing - when’s best to buffer feed silage
With calving commencing and grazing just around the corner, it is essential to understand the effects of offering silage in the diet during early lactation.
21 January 2025
A refresher on colostrum management
As the busy spring calving season fast approaches, dairy farmers are reminded to prioritise colostrum management – an essential practice to ensure calf health is protected in early life.
20 January 2025
4 reasons why farmers should use the Commercial Beef Value
The Commercial Beef Value (CBV) is an invaluable tool for cattle producers who want to make informed decisions when purchasing calves or dairy farmers looking to enhance calf sales, Advisor on the DairyBeef 500 Programme, Gordon Peppard tells us more.
17 January 2025
Contract rearing - a tool in the armoury for nitrates compliance?
Changed nitrates regulations, labour availability and the cost of acquiring additional leased land are just some of the reasons why dairy farmer interest in entering a contract rearing agreement has increased in recent times.
17 January 2025
Reducing spring workload pressures on dairy farms
Spring is always a challenging time for dairy farmers and spring 2024 was particularly difficult. So what lessons can be learned and what actions can be taken to reduce the pressure and stress during spring 2025?
15 January 2025
Minimising the risk of milk fever and associated risks this spring
Careful management of the transition cow will set the animal up for a successful start to lactation, Ruminant Nutrition Specialist, Aisling Claffey takes a closer look at nutrition during the transition period.
13 January 2025
How to prepare for the busy spring period without compromising on performance
Monaghan dairy farmer, Paddy Traynor joins James Dunne on this week’s Dairy Edge to outline his simple grass-based, block spring-calving system that is capable of producing a good economic return.
13 January 2025