Dairy
Recap: NZAGRC and Teagasc on breeding low methane emitting animals
A recent webinar highlighted the research ongoing to investigate the potential of breeding for low emissions animals as a methane mitigation approach in both Ireland and New Zealand.
08 October 2024
Advisor update: Managing current grass and winter feed supply
Pat Moylan, Teagasc Dairy Advisor based in Kilkenny, joins James Dunne on this week’s Dairy Edge for an update on the current grazing and winter feed situation within his client base.
07 October 2024
Milk supplies down 4.7% to August's end
Milk deliveries to processors and co-ops have declined by 4.7% over the first eight months of the year, estimates recently released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) have shown.
07 October 2024
Where is the dairy stocking rate sweet spot?
Higher milk output doesn’t always translate into additional profits if stocking rates aren’t matched by a farm’s grass-growing capacity, Stuart Childs, Nora O’Donovan, Adrian O’Callaghan and Donal Patton tells us more in this article from Today’s Farm.
07 October 2024
Weekly Grass 10 Update: Preparing for Winter Grazing
For this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses PastureBase data, Dry Matter % and Predicted grass growth, rainfall & soil temperatures for the week.
04 October 2024
Farmers warned of bluetongue risk
Following the spread of bluetongue widely across Eastern England and the detection of isolated cases in south-west England and north-west Wales, Irish farmers have once again been reminded of the risks of bluetongue.
04 October 2024
Championing environmental sustainability – what set the Walsh family apart
John and Brendan Walsh, a father and son dairy farming duo from Ballylooby, Co. Tipperary, were crowned the overall winners of the Teagasc/FBD Environmental Sustainability Awards earlier this week.
03 October 2024
Don’t lose valuable slurry storage capacity
As the slurry spreading season has now come to pass, farmers have been urged to focus their attentions on clean water – particularly limiting its ingress into slurry stores or slatted tanks.
03 October 2024
Heifer rearing with Hazel Costigan
Hazel Costigan from Teagasc Moorepark joins Stuart Childs on this week’s Dairy Edge to discuss heifer rearing and the targets associated with it.
02 October 2024
Autumn closing: Disciplined approach to housing date needed
Hitting grazing targets has been a challenge throughout 2024, and it appears that the end of the grazing year is going to be no different. Dairy Specialist at Teagasc, Stuart Childs provides a timely reminder on autumn grassland management to facilitate a supply of grass next spring.
01 October 2024
How to take a sterile milk sample for culture and sensitivity
One of the tools available to dairy farmers in relation to managing and controlling mastitis is culture and sensitivity testing, Padraig O’Connor, Teagasc, tells us more.
01 October 2024
Solar powered water pumps and nose pumps available under TAMS
Fencing off watercourses to prevent cattle access is recognised as one of the ‘8-Actions for Change’ within the Teagasc Better Farming for Water Campaign. To achieve this though, an alternative water supply must be available.
30 September 2024
Watch: Maximising grazing under an organic dairy farming system
Kevin O’Hanlon, Manager of Pollard’s Organic Farm in Co. Wexford, was crowned the winner of the Organic Category of the Sustainable Grassland Farmer of the Year in 2023. In recognition of this award, he recently hosted a virtual farm walk.
30 September 2024
Slurry Spreading - Advice for Farmers and Slurry Contractors
As the slurry spreading season comes to a close across the country over the coming days, Noel Meehan and Sinead Devaney of the Teagasc ASSAP Programme explain why it is very important that farmers and agricultural contractors apply slurry very carefully so as to prevent nutrient losses to water.
27 September 2024
RVLs identify Schmallenberg antibody positives in some dairy herds
Testing undertaken by the Regional Veterinary Laboratories (RVLs), and prompted after the receipt of a number of reports of milk drop syndrome in dairy herds this summer, has confirmed the circulation of Schmallenberg virus (SBV) in some herds.
26 September 2024
Meet the Dairy Finalists of the Environmental Sustainability Awards 2024
The Teagasc FBD Environmental Sustainability Awards celebrate dairy farmers strides towards sustainable farming. These awards recognize the efforts made to reduce environmental impact while maintaining the production of high-quality, nutritious dairy, ensuring both sustainability and profitability.
24 September 2024
Peak risk period for lameness on dairy farms
As autumn marks the peak risk period for lameness on dairy farms, Tom Murphy, B&T Dairy Advisor at Teagasc Galway/Clare, looks at the costs and possible avenues to alleviate this pressure.
23 September 2024
Dairy Edge: Advisor update from the grassroots
Ronan Mulligan, Teagasc Dairy Advisor based in Claremorris, Co. Mayo, joins James Dunne on this week’s Dairy Edge with an update on the current situation on dairy farms within his catchment.
23 September 2024
Make slurry spreading a priority as closed period looms
The permitted period for slurry spreading will end on September 30 this year and farmers are reminded to make every effort to have their tanks emptied before this date.
18 September 2024
Fodder survey: 18% of farmers have a deficit of greater than 10%
Teagasc has recently updated the National Fodder Survey across dairy and drystock farms nationwide, with input from approximately 650 farms. According to the latest survey results, 20% of farms have a small deficit to fill, but 18% of farms have a deficit of greater than 10% to fill.
17 September 2024
An update on reducing milking frequency from Moorepark
Dr Emer Kennedy and Kieran McCarthy from Teagasc Moorepark join Stuart Childs on the latest Dairy Edge to discuss the reduced milking frequency work that is ongoing there.
16 September 2024
Consider investing to improve herd genetics
Should farmers with lower genetic merit herds take the opportunity this autumn to purchase high EBI stock in order to improve overall farm performance? James Dunne, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, discusses the benefits and considerations in this article.
16 September 2024
Check allowances and conditions before committing to final day fertiliser applications
With September 14 being the final day for the application of chemical nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) fertilisers before the closed period comes into effect, Sandra Hayes reminds farmers to check their fertiliser allowances and ground conditions before deciding to spread.
13 September 2024
Control thermoduric bacteria
A recent Teagasc Dairy Newsletter article focused on thermoduric bacteria, which survive pasteurisation and can affect milk quality, and can be controlled through proper cow hygiene, milking practices, and effective cleaning of milking equipment.
12 September 2024
Watch: How to draw up a simple fodder budget using PastureBase Ireland
This month’s farm visits on the Teagasc/Tirlán Future Farm Programme have focused on building autumn grass and completing fodder budgets for the winter ahead.
12 September 2024
Grass10 grazing update with Jack Kearney, Co. Cork
For this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses autumn grazing targets as predicted growth rates start to drop and he has a grazing update from Jack Kearney, Rathcormac, Co. Cork. He also discusses PastureBase data, Dry Matter % and Predicted grass growth and rainfall.
12 September 2024
Best practices to lower GHG and ammonia emissions ‘no threat’ to dairy profitability
Research conducted at Solohead Research Farm has evaluated the impact of adopting key technologies to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) and ammonia emissions on the economic performance of grassland-based dairy production systems.
11 September 2024
Farmers’ and vets’ opinions sought on animal health disease and biosecurity for European study
Farmers and veterinarians in Ireland are being asked to add their voices to a cross-European exercise to find out what animal diseases are of most concern to the agricultural community.
10 September 2024
Listen: An update from the Tipperary Calf to Beef Demonstration Farm
Building a sustainable outlet for the ever-increasing dairy and dairy-beef calves coming from the dairy industry is a priority.
09 September 2024
Manage grass to extend grazing
From early September, there is still 20-25% of the total grass growing season remaining for 2024. Therefore, it’s important to meet your grazing objectives for the remainder of the year.
09 September 2024