The Dairy Edge

Latest Episodes:

Let's Talk Dairy Bonus Episode: Milk Replacers Jan 28, 2022

Show notes

Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available as a bonus podcast episode. For this week’s webinar, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, is joined by George Ramsbottom, Teagasc Dairy Specialist to discuss milk replacers. George gives an overview of milk replacer specifications for younger calves, how to calculate the costs of milk replacer, differences between the use of milk replacer and whole milk, and how much milk does a calf need. To register for future Let’s Talk Dairy webinars go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/corporate-events/lets-talk-dairy/ For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

Protecting your farm income in 2022 Jan 24, 2022

Show notes

On this week’s episode of The Dairy Edge, Dairy Specialist Patrick Gowing joins Emma-Louise Coffey with an insight into projected costs of production in 2022 and strategies to maintain profitability. Patrick explains that costs of production are expected to be in excess of €1,500, increasing from €1,311 in 2020, with fertiliser and concentrate accounting for 40% of total costs. Patrick recommends that dairy farmers calculate break-even milk production to cover costs; the formula= total cost of production / milk price (per kg milk solids). For mature cows with milk solids below the break-even production are a cost to the system. For more information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnigxe1EWLE 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

Let's Talk Dairy Bonus Episode: Buffer Zones in Agriculture Jan 21, 2022

Show notes

Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available as a bonus podcast episode. For this week’s webinar, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, discusses buffer zones in agriculture. With the opening of the slurry spreading period, Stuart gives an overview of what buffer zones are and how they're important, especially when it comes to water quality. To register for future Let’s Talk Dairy webinars go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/corporate-events/lets-talk-dairy/ For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

Strategies to cope with rising fertiliser prices Jan 17, 2022

Show notes

Given the significant rise in fertiliser prices, Signpost programme advisor Seamus Kearney joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss how to minimise the requirement for chemical N in the first round through strategic use of slurry. Seamus quantifies the quantity of Nitrogen in slurry at approximately 23 units per 2,500 gallons using Low Emission Slurry Spreading equipment and he recommends that farmers target 50% of the farm with slurry during the first round (Jan and Feb) when the weather forecast and ground conditions are favourable. For the other ½ of the platform, Seamus recommends that farmers should have 23 units of Nitrogen ordered and ready in the yard for application from mid-Feb. Seamus compares protected Urea and CAN fertiliser products per kg of Nitrogen with protected Urea at €950 per tonne costing €2.06 per kg N while CAN at €700 per tonne costs €2.59 per kg N. Seamus explains that protected Urea is the recommended Nitrogen product of choice; research at Teagasc Johnstown Castle has shown that the use of protected Urea has shown an increase in grass production whilst reducing Nitrous Oxide emissions. 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

Let's Talk Dairy Bonus Episode: Eamonn Connaughton on maintaining a high profit margin despite lower production with once-a-day milking Jan 14, 2022

Show notes

Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available as a bonus podcast episode. For this week’s webinar, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, spoke to dairy farmer, Eamonn Connaughton, at the recent Once-a-Day Milking Conference, about Eamonn’s decision to switch to once-a-day and how he has maintained a high profit margin despite lower production. To register for future Let’s Talk Dairy webinars go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/corporate-events/lets-talk-dairy/ For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

Tactical use of once-a-day milking to reduce daily workload in early lactation Jan 10, 2022

Show notes

Dairy specialist, James Dunne, joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss the key learnings from the recent Once-a-Day milking conference. He discussed Dr Emer Kennedy’s report on the OAD experiment at Teagasc where cows were compared on full-time OAD, full-time TAD and short-term OAD. For cows on OAD for the first 4 weeks of lactation, daily milk solids were 20% lower while full lactation milk solids were 10 kg lower compared to TAD cows. On average, OAD milking reduces total daily milking time by 30%. Meanwhile, Don Crowley explained that 60% of incidence of high SCC or mastitis originate during the dry period. Don encourages farmers to take action now to minimise risks, that cows are in correct BCS, cows are fed adequate dry cow minerals, cubicles are clean and dry and the milking parlour is serviced before the start of lactation. James also explained the concept of ‘10 in 7’ (10 in 14 milkings), a new milking frequency farmers are using on farm to reduce labour input. In practice, cows are milked TAD on Monday, Wednesday and Friday with milking times of 7 am and 4 pm and OAD on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday with milking time of 10 am. 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

Best practice in calf rearing ahead of calving Jan 03, 2022

Show notes

Dairy Specialist, George Ramsbottom, joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s episode of The Dairy Edge to discuss best practice in calf rearing ahead of the upcoming calving season. George explains that farmers must extract colostrum as soon as possible to maximise IgG content, the greater the interval between calving and first milking, the lower the IgG content. Furthermore, colostrum should be extracted from a clean cow into clean buckets as a lack of hygiene will compromise colostrum quality and efficacy. George also gave insights into a common problem of bloat in young calves that farmers experienced in the spring of 2021. Different to bloat in mature cows, in calves bloat occurs in the abomasum or the true stomach. Early sign of bloat in calves includes calves off milk, kicking stomach, teeth grinding and salivating. Overall, George commends dairy farmers on their care of young calves, with evidence of declining mortality levels and improved animal health of Irish calves both nationally and internationally. 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

Matt Ryan Part 2: How dairy farmers have adapted in an effort to achieve technical excellence Dec 27, 2021

Show notes

In the second part of his interview, renowned agri-consultant Matt Ryan joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss practices that dairy farmers have adopted in an effort to achieve technical excellence. Traditionally, dairy farmers had extended housing periods where cows got out to grass in April or May and in 1993, Matt travelled to New Zealand which was an eye opening experience in terms of extended grazing through use of the spring rotation planner. Matt explains that the target at this time was to get out 1-2 weeks earlier and house 1-2 weeks later compared with previous years and in the early 90s, he estimates there was a £1 benefit per cow per day. When milk price moved to an A+B-C system, the focus turned to improving fat and protein constituents. Protein was particularly low owing to Shorthorn and British Friesian genetics and breeding focus for predicted fat and protein %, coupled with improved fertility and grassland management, means that the average Irish farmer has a current protein of 3.5%. 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

Let's Talk Dairy Bonus Episode: Costings of nitrogen fertiliser products Dec 24, 2021

Show notes

Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available as a bonus podcast episode. For this week’s webinar, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, compares costings of nitrogen fertiliser products to get best value next spring. To register for future Let’s Talk Dairy webinars go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/corporate-events/lets-talk-dairy/ For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

Matt Ryan Part 1: On the challenges that dairy farmers have encountered & overcome in the last five decades Dec 20, 2021

Show notes

Renowned agri-consultant Matt Ryan joins Emma-Louise Coffey for the first in a two-part interview on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to reflect on the challenges that dairy farms have encountered and overcome in the last five decades and he considers how farmers are positioned to face the current challenges. In the past, Matt explains, challenges to dairy farmers included low milk price and consequently low farm incomes, animal disease, weather, personal health, inflation and high interest rates. At present, climate change is to the forefront of farmer concerns but other challenges such as milk price volatility, increasing input prices and mental health and rural decline remain. However, Matt is optimistic for the future of dairy farming and explains that dairy farmers are better positioned now than ever to overcome any challenges that they face. 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

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