The Dairy Edge

Latest Episodes:

Let’s Talk Dairy Bonus Episode: Proposed nitrate excretion bands for dairy cows Oct 08, 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 the proposed nitrate excretion bands for dairy cows and the implications that they may have for farmers 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/

Improved farm practices that are reducing emissions at farm level Oct 04, 2021

Show notes

Teagasc researcher, Jonathan Herron, joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast and quantifies how much dairy farming is contributing to national greenhouse gas emissions with practices on dairy farms showing a reduction in emissions intensity. Jonathan explains that dairy production accounts for 12% (agriculture = 34%) of total national emissions, with methane and nitrous oxide being the predominant gases being emitted from agriculture. Jonathan gives an insight into the new emissions intensity of milk production per kg CO2-eq per kg fat and protein corrected milk at 0.99 kg, compared to previously reported 1.12 kg. He explains that this takes into account where farmers have engaged in improved farming practices such as switching from CAN to Urea or protected Urea, switching from splash plate to LESS technologies, integrates white clover and improved genetic merit of their herds. For farms that stopped using CAN on farms, they reduced emissions by 7-8% with no negative impact to grass productivity. Jonathan suggested that future emission intensity can include a mitigation factor arising from Carbon sequestration. While the quantity of Carbon sequestered per ha is not known yet, research is on-going to quantify how much Carbon is stored on Irish farms in tree and plant life (i.e. hedgerows, grassland and tillage crops). 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: Planning for drying off for 2021 Oct 01, 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 planning for drying off for 2021. Stuart outlines the jobs which need to be done before we start looking at drying off at all over the next couple of weeks. Stuart discusses what jobs can be started now, such as cleaning cows and roadways; looking at individual cow information; and sourcing products necessary for drying off cows. 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/

What will the dairy farm workplace look like in 2030? Sep 27, 2021

Show notes

Teagasc Dairy Adviser, Abigail Ryan, joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss what the dairy farm workplace will look like in 2030, based on a recent survey of students and graduates from agricultural courses. In the future, the respondents of the survey expect to be either farm owners (63%), in a partnership (23%), share farming (3%) or farm employees (11%) and have identified fewer working hours (less than 50 hours per week) and good work organisation including a 6pm finish time and 2-3 weekends off per month. Based on the feedback, Abigail expects that farms will need more relief milkers to help match farm working hours with industrial counterparts, while farms need to also focus on good facilities, technology and work organisation to attract employees to the farm workplaces. 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

How the Dairy Beef Index is adding value to Irish dairy and beef herds Sep 20, 2021

Show notes

Alan Twomey and Nicky Byrne join Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast with an overview of the non-replacement dairy calves contribution to the beef production systems and suggest how farmers can add value to both dairy and beef farms. Alan gives an insight into the Dairy Beef Index which is an economic index that promotes high quality beef animals from the dairy herd. The index represents 50% of dairy traits such as gestation length and calving ease and 50% beef traits such as carcass weight and carcass confirmation. Nicky explains that 57% of cattle meat processed in Ireland is coming from the dairy herd and concerns exist due to a growing proportion of these animals failing to reach minimum carcass standards at slaughter. Nicky documents results from his research at Teagasc Grange where he compared Holstein-Friesian and Angus cross animals through to slaughter. The Angus cross animals achieved spec for slaughter one month earlier than the Holstein-Friesian animals at a higher spec and with lower levels of concentrate fed. 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: Replacement Management Sep 17, 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 keeping replacement heifers on target this Autumn. Stuart outlines the key target weights for the different breeds whilst also taking into consideration the Maintenance Sub Index. He also highlights the importance of weighing your stock regularly. 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/

Making your milking process more labour and energy efficient Sep 16, 2021

Show notes

On the third and final day from the Moorepark Open Day, this week’s Dairy Edge speaks to John Upton, Ryan Prendergast and Fergal Buckley from Teagasc to discuss the milking and energy use efficiency of herringbone and rotary parlours. John firstly explains that rotary parlours are becoming common place on large scale dairy farms with in excess of 300 cows to complete the milking procedure in a timely manner. Ryan outlines the milking efficiency achieved during the autumn with on average 105 cows milked per hour in a herringbone parlour (range 52-200), with an average of 10 rows of cows and completed by 1.5 labour units. Conversely, in the rotary parlour, 155 cows were milked per hour (range 78-189), with an average of 8 rotations and completed by 1 labour unit. John concludes that good cow flow, facilities with no more than 8 rows/rotations and work organisation are factors that contributed to efficient milking practices. Meanwhile, Fergal quantifies the cost of electricity per 1,000 litres of milk produced at €6.69 for herringbone parlours and €7.00 for rotary parlours. When comparing the two milking systems, Fergal expects that higher costs incurred in the rotary milking systems is down to larger equipment and a greater level of technology and automation. Fergal explains that the cost is higher than that previously reported by John Upton and expects, when he measures the full lactation, that this will reduce. 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

How will the new Nitrates policy impact your farm business? Sep 15, 2021

Show notes

On Day Two of the Moorepark Open Day, Jack Nolan from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine joins Emma-Louise Coffey on the Dairy Edge to explain the measures proposed for the new Nitrates Derogation and challenges for farmers and industry as to how they can minimise negative environmental impacts. Jack estimates that 85% of nutrient loss into water comes from agriculture and expects measures such as a 10-15% in chemical N allowance and the extension of the closed period from mid-September will reduce nutrient leaching to water courses. He recommends that farmers turn their efforts to optimising soil fertility, targeted use of slurry to the open slurry spreading period and where conditions allow, use of LESS, the inclusion of white clover, as areas that will help farmers maintain grassland productivity whilst applying lower levels of chemical N. Jack urges both farmers and industry stakeholders to work collectively in a responsible manner and to ask the question ‘can we do better?’ when it comes to farming sustainably. 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

The role of reproductive technologies in maximising your herd’s potential Sep 14, 2021

Show notes

Stephen Butler joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast with an insight into the Sexed Technologies lab that will be established in Moorepark later this year to provide a semen sorting service open to all AI companies. This offers the potential for a greater number and elite bulls to become available as sexed straws. Sexed semen in combination with high Dairy Beef Index bulls can help farmers produce sufficient high genetic merit dairy replacements while improving the carcass weight and conformation of surplus stock adding greater value to the beef farmer. Stephen gave some insight into the In Vitro Embryo Production/Transfer experiment that was carried out in the spring of 2021. This involves collection of oocytes from either live donors or from ovaries collected after slaughter. The oocytes are fertilised and cultured in a lab for seven days before being transferred to a surrogate dam that has been synchronised to be on day seven of her oestrous cycle. Using this technology, an elite genetic merit dam can be scheduled to have oocytes collected weekly for several weeks. This technology facilitates the dam moving from having one calf per year to having multiple calves per year, increasing the chances of producing a calf with greater genetic merit than the current generation. 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: Fertiliser and closing off strategy Sep 10, 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, discussed late season fertiliser N and planning for spring grazing. 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/

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