Dairy
Drainage Maintenance to protect Water Quality
Ireland lies in a temperate zone where the main role of drainage is the removal of excess water in the root zone of crops from surplus rainfall, improving land trafficability and increasing productivity. Meabh O'Hagan, ASSAP Advisor and Niall McLoughlin, Lakeland Dairies has some advice.
24 March 2021
Phosphorus Use on Peat Soils
A recent analysis conducted by the Teagasc Rural Economy and Development programme indicates that approximately 6% of the country (420,000 Ha) is made up of cultivated peats across a wide range of farming intensities. Fiona Doolan, ASSAP Advisor Kildare/Laois, discusses Phosphorus Use on Peat Soils
24 March 2021
Managing farm roads to protect water quality
Farm roadways are an essential piece of infrastructure on most livestock farms and in particular dairy farms. Under new Nitrates rules there shall be no direct runoff of soiled water from farm roadways to waters from 1st January 2021. Padraig Fitzgerald, Teagasc Advisor lists the key points involved
24 March 2021
Beep S and Dairy Beef Calf Programmes 2021
DAFM has announced the opening of a new €5m dairy beef calf programme for 2021.This new funding is in addition to the funding made available to the BEEP S programme. Aidan Murray, Teagasc Beef Specialist has details of the tasks involved, for farmers applying for either or both programmes here
24 March 2021
What is a Riparian Margin & what can it do for Water Quality?
A Riparian Margin is the land that runs alongside our rivers and streams. Here, Fiona Doolan, Teagasc ASSAP Advisor, Co. Laois, talks about a variety of riparian margins. She explains the benefits of a riparian margin on water quality and the role it plays in protecting rivers and streams
24 March 2021
Managing Soil Phosphorous for Water Quality
Phosphorus is an essential nutrient particularly when it comes to crop establishment. Eddie Burgess, Catchment Specialist with the Teagasc Agricultural Catchments Programme speaks more about managing soil phosphorus for water quality.
24 March 2021
What impact can weed control & drainage work have on water quality?
Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advice Programme advisors Mary Roache & Meabh O’Hagan join Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast as part of Water Quality Week to highlight correct weed control management & tips on carrying out drainage work to reduce impact on water quality.
24 March 2021
ASSAP - Working with farmers to improve water quality
The Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme - ASSAP is in existence since 2018. Advisors are working with farmers in Priority areas for action (PAA) across the country to improve water quality. ASSAP advisors Deirdre Glynn and Cathal Somers give information about the programme
23 March 2021
Why LESS is more
Slurry application on Irish farms was often seen as a chore, done to relieve pressure on slurry storage systems in late winter / early spring, traditionally spread by splashplate. Today this is changing fast with the use of low emission slurry spreaders (LESS), as Eamonn Lynch Dairy Advisor,explains
23 March 2021
Clover - Why Now?
Ever thought of increasing the diversity in your swards? This can be simply and profitably done across the whole farm over 3 years adding to the health of the soil, animals and consumers as well as reducing losses to water and emissions to the atmosphere. Lane Giles, ASSAP Advisor tells us more.
23 March 2021
Why You Should Use Protected Urea
Protected urea allows farmers to spread urea based nitrogen during the growing season without the worry of nitrogen (N) being lost from the field through ammonia emissions. It also reduces greenhouse gas emissions and nitrate leaching when compared to CAN Cathal Somers gives more information
23 March 2021
Nitrogen Use Efficiency = Cleaner Water
Deirdre Glynn, Teagasc ASSAP Advisor and Dr. David Wall, Teagasc Researcher both define Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) here. They discuss losses of Nitrogen and how we can avoid this going forward through soil testing, nutrient planning, responsible fertiliser and slurry spreading and more
23 March 2021
How Nitrate leaching occurs
Nitrate leaching can occur during times of heavy or prolonged rainfall. Free draining soils are particularly susceptible to nitrate loss as it's very mobile in soil and readily leaches groundwater. The highest risk is in winter and early spring, as Prof Owen Fenton, Teagasc Researcher explains
23 March 2021
ASSAP- Farming for Water Quality
ASSAP – Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advice Programme works with farmers in a free and confidential advisory service to help improve water quality. Priority areas for action (PAA) are being targeted across the country to improve water quality.
22 March 2021
Farming for Water Quality in a Priority Area for Action - Farmer Testimonial
The Glenaboy river in county Waterford is currently at Moderate ecological status. The river catchment is in a Priority Area for Action (PAA) for the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP). Find out how farmers and ASSAP advisors work together to improve water quality
22 March 2021
Water Quality in your area & accessing catchments.ie
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) operate a number of water quality monitoring programmes to assess the condition of waters in Ireland. The outcome these monitoring programmes is available to see on the EPA interactive map.The map can be accessed on the website catchments.ie
22 March 2021
Water Quality Indicators - Chemical Sampling
It is important to understand what causes damage to our waters and work together to protect them. As part of Water Quality Week and World Water Day today, LAWPRO Scientists demonstrate here what the chemical indicators of water quality are and how this sampling is carried out
22 March 2021
Using kick sampling to determine the quality of water in a river?
Macro-invertebrates are small aquatic animals such as insect larva, snails, worms, beetles etc and are excellent indicators of water quality. Where rivers are unpolluted these are in abundance. Scientists examine these macroinvertebrates by kick sampling, as LAWPRO catchment scientists demonstrate
22 March 2021
How to Maintain & Improve Water Quality
Eimear Connery and Noel Meehan join Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge with an insight into the role of the Teagasc ASSAP programme and the efforts to maintain and improve water quality in Ireland.
22 March 2021
Why is water quality important?
We need safe and secure waters to supply agriculture, industry and our drinking water needs. It is important that we understand what causes damage to our waters and work together to protect them. As part of Water Quality Week and World Water Day today, LAWPRO Scientist Ruth Hennessy has more here
22 March 2021
The past, present & future of water quality in Ireland
In this bonus episode of the Environment Edge podcast, Jenny Deakin EPA catchment unit manager joins Teagasc’s Cathal Somers and Deirdre Glynn to discuss the past, present & future of water quality in Ireland and how climate change will challenge us all.
22 March 2021
EU's green deal - Essential role of legumes
This webinar is a Legume innovation and networking workshop which is hosted by Mark Gibson and brought to you by Teagasc. The legumes innovation workshop aims to identify transition paths enabling home grown legumes in a more sustainable food and feed value chain.
21 March 2021
Ballyhaise Research Farm March Update
The Ballyhaise research programme has for 15 years focused on improving grazing systems for farmers in the BMW (Border Midlands West) region . The research looked at stocking rate, days at grass, calving date and feed inputs. Here Dairy Specialist James Dunne gives more information on new research
21 March 2021
Farmer Safety Health and Wellness Webinar Series: Rena Buckley
Carbery Group, Cork recently held a Webinar on Farm Safety, Health and Wellness for farmer suppliers in advance of a busy spring. The Event will now be shown as a series of Webinars for 3 Sundays. The second is Rena Buckley, giving pointers on Gaining Health through, Exercise and Diet
21 March 2021
Let's Talk Dairy - Munster Bovine health screening
In this episode of the Let's Talk Dairy webinar series, Stuart Childs is joined by Dennis Howard who is a Veterinary Surgeon with Munster Bovine. The topic discussed in this webinar is bulk milk health screening and its commonality in certain regions in Ireland with special emphasis in Munster.
20 March 2021
Teagasc forest establishment workshops very well received
During February and March, landowners were able to participate in three one-hour online workshops “Planting a new forest - Getting started”, organised by Teagasc’s Forestry Development Department. Close to 600 people registered for these workshops and each session had well over 300 participants
20 March 2021
Recording Fertiliser with PastureBase
Reducing chemical fertiliser usage on farms is a challenge we could face in the near future. Growing 14 T DM Grass per ha whilst reducing chemical fertiliser is possible. This will reduce farm costs and be better for the environment. PastureBase Ireland can facilitate fertiliser recording. See here.
20 March 2021
Clonakilty Agricultural College February Dairy Update
James Daunt, Dairy teacher at Clonakilty Agricultural College provides a January - February update on Dairying at the College. He talks about the 2021 Calving season, Co-op results and spring grazing and nutrient application in a short video here
19 March 2021
Water Quality Week
Teagasc Water Quality Week runs next week Monday, 22nd March to Friday, 26th March. Water quality week is organised in collaboration with the dairy processing co-ops and the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO). Noel Meehan, Programme Manager ASSAP has details of the plans for the week here
19 March 2021
Farm Business Options Webinar - Agri-Tourism and Poultry in Cavan
On a recent Farm Business Options webinar which took place on Tuesday, 9th March 2021, host, Bernard Doorley, Teagasc Offaly was joined by three local farmers to discuss agri-tourism and poultry in Cavan.
19 March 2021