The Dairy Edge

On this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses PastureBase data, Dry Matter % and Predicted grass growth, rainfall & soil temperatures for the week.  As grass growth is finally predicted to increase Joseph also discusses grazing management and he has a grazing update from Sustainable GFOY nutrient management category joint winner, Killian Brennan, from county Cavan. Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter:https://bit.ly/Grass10-7thMay

With the difficult grazing conditions throughout the spring it’s no harm to reflect on the last number of months as to what worked well and what can be improved for the future.  It’s maybe more important though to identify the priorities in order to get back on track with the least impact, and on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast, James Dunne is joined by Teagasc Head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer, Dr Joe Patton. Joe offers advice to farmers around pasture management to ensure a high level of milk performance throughout the summer months and how to best ensure sufficient feed reserves are secured for next winter.  For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

On this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses PastureBase data, Dry Matter % and Predicted grass growth, rainfall & soil temperatures for the week.  With grass growth stubborn to increase as we enter May, Joseph discusses grazing management and he has an update from Sustainable GFOY Nutrient management category winner, Michael Carroll from Co. Limerick. Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-30thApril

On this week’s episode of the Dairy Edge, Stuart Childs is joined by Aurivo Joint Programme Monitor Farmer and DairyBeef 500 Ambassador, David Gannon, and John McCabe, Monitor Farm advisor with the Aurivo Joint Programme, to discuss the beef breeding plan for David’s farm for 2024. David starts by outlining the background to his herd and then spoke about how he plans to use the beef bull team he has selected along with John and Tommy Cox of the DairyBeef 500 team on his herd this season. David describes how for him it’s about making incremental gains in the quality of the beef stock he produces each year.  Using data from ICBF, John can confirm that there is an improvement in the quality in the beef calves being generated but suggests that people can do more. David has a number of customers for his calves and this is a huge benefit to know that a particular number of calves will leave the farm on particular dates which frees up housing and labour for him at the busiest time of the year which is a very important piece of the jigsaw. Finally David says it is his objective to deliver a better animal each year through improving genetics and also to assist the customers he has to get the maximum return from the stock they buy from him, not only through using better genetics but also discussing the health plan that he has for his own replacement calves with his customers so that they can benefit from any improvements he has made in his own calf rearing protocols. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

On this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses PastureBase data, Dry Matter % and Predicted grass growth, rainfall & soil temperatures for the week. With surplus grass on many farms, Joseph also discusses grazing advice and he has a grazing update from County Sligo, with Young Category Winner of the Sustainable GFOY Evan Hunt. Link to this week’s newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-23rdApril

David Quinn, Superintending Veterinary Inspector at the Department Of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, is on this week’s joint episode of the Dairy Edge and the Beef Edge with hosts James Dunne and Catherine Egan to dispel some of the myths around TB (Bovine Tuberculosis).  David gives a detailed breakdown on Ireland’s TB statistics. He describes the testing methods and why they are used and outlines the issues around false positive and false negative animals.  David also outlines the current strategies to manage TB risk within the wildlife population.   For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

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.  With an improving weather forecast, Joseph discusses getting back on track with grazing and fertiliser and has a grazing update from Sustainable Grassland Farmer of the Year Overall Winner Patrick O Neill, Co. Longford. Link to this week’s newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-16thApril

With the difficult conditions at farm level, much of the conversation over the last number of weeks has centred around ensuring the milking herd are properly fed. These conditions have also meant that maiden heifers have remained housed on a lot of farms for longer than normal this spring and on this week’s Dairy Edge, James Dunne is joined by Teagasc dairy specialist, Stuart Childs, who offers some advice to farmers around the management of heifers over the coming weeks and some tips for the breeding season ahead. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

On this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses PastureBase data, Dry Matter % and Predicted grass growth, rainfall & soil temperatures for the week.  Joseph explains the options for farmers starting their second rotation and those with low % grazed & we also hear from featured farmer Stephen Buttimer from county Cork. Link to this week’s newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-9thApril

On this week’s episode of the Dairy Edge, Donal Patton, Teagasc Ballyhaise and Mike Egan, Teagasc , discussed at a recent Teagasc webinar the current weather conditions and scenarios facing farmers across the country and how best to deal with them. Donal first talked through the current situation in Ballyhaise and then discussed trial work that was done over a 4 year period there which mimicked the situation that many farmers are now facing in terms of high proportions not grazed and how to deal with it in the short-term but also in the medium term to maintain grass quality and maximise performance through the main season when weather will hopefully much improve. Donal highlighted that conditions are very challenging currently and consequently grazing is hard work but it is important that farmers try to make a start so get out and walk to see if there is some dry spot to get cows out for a few hours at least to reduce the silage demand and increase the level of performance through inclusion of grazed grass. He was quick to acknowledge that there are scenarios where it may not be possible to get out but that people need to be looking regularly. Mike Egan spoke on fertiliser advice in these very trying weather conditions. Mike outline the various scenarios on farm from some fertiliser spread to none and how to respond to these, again similar to Donal’s advice, when the conditions allow. Mike finished by discussing fertiliser advice for silage this year and emphasised the need for good cuts in order to replenish very much diminished stocks on farms. This will not be achieved by going for big bulk first cuts.  Instead, early/mid/late May cuts depending on the starting point of the crop will be necessary to get ‘May growth’ into 2nd cuts in order to get the bulk many farmers require but with a much higher level than a big bulky first cut in June will deliver. Mike emphasised that bulky first cuts actually undermine total silage production and cautioned farmers against being tempted to take this approach to silage production not just this year but any year. You can also watch the webinar in full at:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8kQMPH73y0&t=4s&ab_channel=Teagasc  For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

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. As the wet weather continues, Joseph discusses grazing management advice and he has an update from Shane Seymour in county Tipperary. Link to this week’s newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-2ndApril

Recognition of the high forage quality and the nitrogen (N) fixation benefits of grass-white clover pastures has led to a resurgence of interest in its use as a means of reducing the economic and environmental costs in livestock agriculture.  On this week’s Dairy Edge podcast, Teagasc grassland researcher Caitlin Looney and Teagasc Grass 10 advisor Joseph Dunphy, outline the benefits of grass white clover swards, the findings from the Clover 150 commercial farm trials and how to set out incorporating clover on your farm.   For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

On this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses PastureBase data, Dry Matter % and Predicted grass growth, rainfall & soil temperatures for the week. Joseph also discusses feeding the cow as poor weather forces farmers to house and he has an update from dairy farmer Kevin Murphy in county Wexford. Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-26thMarch

Sean Coughlan, CEO of ICBF, joins Stuart Childs on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss the origins of ICBF, what it has done since its creation back in 1998 and what the future looks like for dairy breeding. Sean first gives a brief description of how ICBF came into being under the stewardship of Dr. Brian Wickham as the first CEO in 1998 when it was formed. He then explains the creases that had to be ironed out when ICBF started highlighting the variation in calving dates that existed initially due to the multiple layers at the time and how over time with the cooperation of all stakeholders, this has become a thing of the past with much more streamlined data flows ensuring accurate recording with no duplication.   This has allowed ICBF to create the database that is the engine of dairy and beef breeding in Ireland.  The links with the genetics and modelling departments of Teagasc have allowed ICBF to develop EBI initially, DBI and CBV more recently as well as suckler beef indexes all of which are created to drive genetic gain and ultimately profitability for Irish farmers. Sean says that the power of genetics is enormous and that while the improvement is often perceived to be slow, it works and that the potential of new technology such as the genotyping scheme to further improve genetic gain is very real and a huge opportunity for the Irish dairy and beef breeding industry.   For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

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 .  Joseph discusses current grazing management with the poor weather, the launch of the Spring clover events throughout the country and has a grazing update from farmer David Dolan in Co. Mayo Link to this week’s newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-19thMarch

The need for enough quality silage in our dairy systems is often underestimated.  With silage stocks reducing and average quality on a lot of farms there is a need for farmers to put a silage plan in place for 2024.  Dairy advisor William Byrne, and dairy farmer, Michael Lally, join James Dunne on the latest Dairy Edge podcast to discuss some of the key aspects of making quality silage whilst also ensuring good yields.  For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

On the latest Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses PastureBase data, Dry Matter % and Predicted grass growth, rainfall & soil temperatures for the week.  Joseph also discusses the ‘3 checks’ of managing pasture on your farm during March and has a grazing update from William Dennehy from Co. Kerry. Link to this week’s newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-12thMarch

New entrant dairy farmer, Liam Brophy, joins Emma-Louise Coffey on the latest Dairy Edge podcast to discuss the conversion process of his family farm as well as successes and challenges along the way. Towards the end of Liam’s school years, milk quota abolition offered the opportunity to milk dairy cows on his home farm. Following extensive discussion with his father Mark, Liam set about completing the Dairy Herd Management course at Gurteen College and the Dairy Farm Management course at Kildalton College and Moorepark to gain the relevant knowledge and hands-on experience to prepare himself for the process of converting the home farm from drystock to dairy. Prior to milking, investments included purchasing heifers, building a parlour, installing a water system and paddocks. The most recent building included a cubicle shed which replaced straw bed housing.   Reflecting on the last 5 years, Liam explained that while they had planning approval to build the parlour almost a year prior to start milking in February 2020, the unanticipated impact of Covid-19 delayed the build of the milking parlour which forced them to milk in a temporary parlour for almost the full year. This delay presented the greatest challenge in the early days. The Brophy family, now in their 4th season milking, have 142 high EBI black and white cows calving in 2024. In 2023, the cows produced 500 kg MS at 4.5% fat and 3.7% protein. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

On this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses the latest PastureBase data, Dry Matter % and Predicted grass growth, rainfall & soil temperatures for the week. Jospeh explains how an adjustment of your first grazing rotation will need to be made depending on your % grazed during February.  He also has a grazing update from featured farmer, Joe Murphy from Co Kilkenny, and he discusses the importance of sulphur this spring. Link to this week’s newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-5thMarch

As a joint episode between The Dairy Edge and The Beef Edge podcasts, dairy farmer, Paul Delaney, and Teagasc beef specialist, Catherine Egan, join Emma-Louise Coffey to discuss the importance of genetics in dairy-beef systems to maximise performance and profitability. In 2024, Paul plans to use sexed semen on the top 35-40% of his herd followed by continental beef straws. When considering the impact of calving continental breeds, Paul says he focuses on calving difficulty and gestation length and has not encountered issues at calving.  He compares his experience of calving suckler and dairy cows and explains that he finds the dairy cows ‘open up better’ to calf and they are fit rather than fat, given the difference in their body condition at calving. Paul has two repeat customers since he began milking six years ago, one for his Friesian bulls and one for his continentals. He sets the price for the calves based on the market value in the given year. His priority is to sell a healthy, good quality calf that will provide a margin for the beef farmer.   For farmers who are placing a greater focus on the dairy beef index this year, Paul encourages farmers to give it a go and try with a handful of their cows. Where it works well, it will give farmers the confidence to continue adding value to the dairy beef calves into the future. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com