Today's Farm - March/April 2021
The March/April edition of our bi-monthly magazine is now available online. One of the main articles in this edition is a Q& A with the new Teagasc Head of Knowledge Transfer, Stan Lalor. It also has articles on fertiliser, Basic Payment Scheme (BPS), how birds use hedges, and more.
Today's Farm, the popular bi-monthly magazine has an excellent selection of articles covering a wide range of enterprises. Farmers from various parts of the country are profiled and all have interesting stories to tell.
View it here: Todays Farm - March April 2021 (PDF)
The main enterprises of dairy, beef, sheep and crops are covered. Also in this edition are interesting articles on:
- Q& A with the new Teagasc Head of Knowledge Transfer, Stan Lalor
Dr Stan Lalor re-joined Teagasc in November 2020 to take over the position of Director of Knowledge Transfer in the organisation following the recent retirement of Prof Tom Kelly. Mark Moore, Editor of Today’s Farm caught up with Stan to get some insights into the man himself, what he learned during his time in the private sector and how he sees some of the opportunities that lie ahead in his new role. - The best system of milk production
‘The best system of milk production’ is a topic for debate that has swallowed up hours during discussion group meetings. Focusing on performance indicators is likely to be more useful regardless of the system you’re in. - The BVD eradication journey
The national BVD eradication programme started in 2013, following a voluntary phase during 2012. Prior to the programme, BVD was talked about, but advice on how to handle cases at farm level varied. Animal Health Ireland (AHI) has played a central role in bringing this about, so Aidan Murray, Teagasc Beef Specialist spoke with Maria Guelbenzu, BVD programme manager with AHI, and asked her a number of questions about the progress made to-date, the main hurdles in progressing eradication and what farmers can expect over the next few years from the BVD programme at farm level. - On-target? Spreading fertiliser
Nutrition is fundamental to crop yield. Soil testing, fertiliser type, timing application, rates and accuracy of spread, all contribute to maximising the crop’s potential. - How birds use hedges
Catherine Keena, Teagasc, and Niall Hatch, BirdWatch Ireland, explain the fascinating and complex interaction between different bird species and hedgerows in farming landscapes. - Celebrating Ireland's forests in pictures
Our forests provide us with great settings to connect with and appreciate nature, particularly in challenging times. In late September 2020, the Teagasc Forestry Development Department launched a photography competition, inviting participants to capture and celebrate our forests through images.