The Dairy Edge

Latest Episodes:

Let's Talk Dairy Bonus Episode: When to finish grazing Nov 12, 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, discusses when to finish grazing for 2021. 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/

Are improved environmental efficiencies compatible with farm profit? Nov 08, 2021

Show notes

Joe Patton, Teagasc’s Head of Dairy KT, joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s episode of The Dairy Edge, to consider whether improving environmental efficiencies on Irish dairy farms is compatible with profitability. In order to reduce environmental emissions, Joe encourages farmers to reduce crude protein content of dairy rations when cows are at grass, increasing days at grass and monitoring replacement heifers to ensure they are on target to calve down at 24 months. He also highlights that high levels of grass utilisation, coupled with grass growth and appropriate stocking rate, continue to drive profitability on Irish dairy farms and he quantifies the target milk solids of 85%+ of cows’ liveweight. Hear more from Joe at the Teagasc National Dairy Conference which is taking place on 23rd and 24th November. You must register in advance here: https://www.teagasc.ie/corporate-events/dairy-conference/ 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: Getting prepared for dry off Nov 05, 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. In this webinar, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, is joined by Don Crowley, Teagasc Milk Quality Specialist to discuss getting prepared for dry off. Don gives an overview of the practices at drying off cows for best results. 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/

The research into what leads to success or failure when using sealer-only at dry-off Nov 01, 2021

Show notes

On this week’s episode of The Dairy Edge podcast, Clare Clabby joins Emma-Louise Coffey to discuss the research that has been carried out on selective dry cow therapy. Clare explains that the research focused on herds that completed at least 4 milk recordings per year and where all bulk tank readings remained under 200,000. In these herds, cows with SCC of less than 200,000 were selected and divided into two groups: Group 1 internal teat sealer only and Group 2 antibiotic plus internal teat sealer. In one herd, Clare noted a significant rise in the cows that had received a teat sealer only. Through further investigation, Clare noted that the herd, despite being under the limit set for the trial, had a rising SCC from mid lactation which indicated that there was a growing level of infection in the herd prior to dry off. Clare encourages all farmers to take the bulk tank trend into account as well as milk recording and incidence of mastitis records. Clare reiterates the importance of milk recording records to select appropriate cows for sealer only or sealer + antibiotic treatment and ensuring sufficient help and time is allocated to facilitate best practice in your dry cow procedure. 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: Selective Dry Cow Therapy Oct 29, 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. In this webinar, James Dunne speaks to vet Willie Buckley about factors influencing decisions around dry cow therapy and Finola McCoy from AHI explains the help available to farmers to plan for dry-off. 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/

Insights & Key Learnings from Grassland Farmer of the Year Caroline Walsh Oct 25, 2021

Show notes

Grassland Farmer of the Year, Caroline Walsh, joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast with an insight into her success and key learnings from the Grass 10 competition. Caroline began milking a herd of 40 cows on leased ground in 2010 when she acquired 40,000 gallons of milk quota and from there she has developed her husband’s family farm into a sustainable dairy enterprise where she now milks 64 cows. Looking to grassland performance, Caroline credits her dairy advisor Mark Treacy as well as members of the local Grass 10 discussion group for the improvements to grass production and management on the farm. The farm grew 14 tonnes of grass in 2020 and achieved 9.6 grazings per paddock due to regular measurement and continuously grazing paddocks at 1,400 kg DM/ha. 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: Winter housing facilities Oct 22, 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. In this webinar, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, discusses appropriate winter housing facilities and how they can prevent incidence of mastitis. 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/

Ed Payne on the work-life balance that allows him run his dairy farm and compete in ultramarathons Oct 18, 2021

Show notes

Dairy farmer Ed Payne joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to explain how the work-life balance he has created in his dairy farm business allows him to train and compete in ultramarathons. Firstly, Ed gives an update on the dairy farm business, milking 550 cows across the two dairy platforms with family labour, 3 full-time labour units as well as relief staff and he explains the thinking behind switching from OAD to TAD milking on the 2nd milking platform. Ed reflects on the necessity to get off the farm to allow for family time and time for hobbies. In recent years, he has looked to facilitate his interest in physical activity within his means and has taken up long distance running, which has culminated in Ed completing events such as 200km in 24 hours around county Roscommon. Ed credits his time away from the farm as a mental break and an opportunity to solve problems that arise within the farm gate. 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: System drift in dairy farming in Ireland Oct 14, 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. In this webinar, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, was joined by Joe Patton, Head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer, Teagasc to discuss the concept & risk of system drift in dairy farming in Ireland and how people can find it. 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/

The incidence of TB in dairy herds Oct 11, 2021

Show notes

Superintendent veterinary inspector, Philip Breslin, from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss the incidence of TB in dairy herds in Ireland. Philip explains that the skin test remains the best method for diagnosis of TB in cattle, offering the most accurate number of positive incidents of TB with low levels of false positives (1 in 5,000). To reduce the risk of TB to your herd, farmers should aim to maintain a closed herd, consider culling older stock that may have been exposed to TB outbreak previously, ensure all boundary are fenced well and being vigilant to wildlife activity on your farm. Philip encourages farmers to be proactive in engaging and consulting with the Department of Agriculture where wildlife such as badgers are identified in order to vaccinate or remove the badger populations near to your herd. 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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