The Dairy Edge

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Flattening the curve will lead to €130 million loss at farm level annually Apr 12, 2021

Show notes

Laurence Shalloo joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to give his insights into a report investigating the merit of the seasonal milk supply curve that exists in Ireland. Laurence explains that the seasonal milk production system represents the predominant system type in Ireland and exploits the comparative competitive advantage of growing and utilising of grazed grass. From a processing efficiency perspective, this means Ireland is running an average efficiency of 62% compared with 90%+ in countries with less seasonally focused/all year calving type systems. Despite this, additional costs for capacity required to process peak milk production outweighs the lower processing efficiency. If all farmers moved from a spring calving model to a 50/50 spring/autumn calving model, processing efficiency would increase to 70% but would also lead to financial losses would amount to €130 million at farm level annually. Laurence urges farmers who are facing restricted processing during the peak months over the next few years to complete a cash flow budget to understand their farm’s financial position. Options to reduce milk production at peak is to lower concentrate fed during peak months and consider OAD milking for a certain proportion of the herd. For more information go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/rural-economy/farm-management/Dairy-CashFlow-Budget.pdf 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 key practices to achieve a 90% three-week submission rate Apr 05, 2021

Show notes

Stephen Moore joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s episode of The Dairy Edge to identify the key practices to achieve a 90% three-week submission rate to maximise the 6 week calving rate during the spring of 2022. Stephen recommends that farmers complete pre-breeding heat detection using tail paint to identify cows that are not cycling; tail paint should be checked once per week and a note taken of cows that have cycled. In addition to this, farmers should consider metri-checking and a pre breeding ultra sound to identify any reproductive issues and take action ahead of mating start date. Stephen explains that heifers are the most fertile and highest genetic merit stock on the farm. A synchronise protocol should be considered to ensure all heifers are submitted in the first 10 days of the breeding season. He reminds us of the importance of genetics and in particular the EBI fertility SI. The bull team average should have a fertility SI of €120 with all bulls greater than €80. Higher fertility SI cows cycle earlier post calving and display stronger heats while also achieving higher conception to service compared to lower fertility SI cows. For more information visit: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/breeding--genetics/breeding-management/ 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: ASSAP and Farmers Impact on Water Quality Apr 02, 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 Noel Meehan and Eimear Connery about the on-farm assessment carried out by ASSAP advisors to assess farmers’ impact on water quality. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

Achieving high conception rates using sexed semen Mar 29, 2021

Show notes

Stephen Butler, reproductive physiology specialist at Teagasc joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss the potential that sexed semen can play to maximise the number of replacements born early in the calving season and increase the economic value of non-replacement dairy stock to be sold off the farm. Stephen identifies high EBI cows that are calved greater than 50 days, are cycling regularly, have good BCS and have had no metabolic diseases post calving as appropriate for selection for breeding to sexed semen. He explains that the day of insemination is crucial to achieving high conception rates from sexed semen. The sexing process is a damaging process and therefore, the viability of the semen is lower compared to conventional semen. As a result Stephen recommends that a clear plan is put in place to ensure the timing of AI, thawing procedure and the length of time from thawing to insemination is followed correctly. For more information: https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/publications/2020/Guidelines-for-Sexed-Semen-Usage-in-Dairy-Herds.pdf For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

Let’s Talk Dairy Bonus Episode: Grass10 Update Mar 26, 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 Joseph Dunphy who works with the Grass10 team along with John Maher, John Douglas and Michael O'Leary. Joseph gives an insight into how things are going in relation to the grass as well as the common pitfall or the risks people are facing due to the weather forecast being good for the next couple of days. The opportunities for farmers to get grass into their cows is discussed with Joseph highlighting the importance of a measured approach and sticking to the plan to reach the desired goal. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

How to Maintain & Improve Water Quality Mar 22, 2021

Show notes

Eimear Connery and Noel Meehan join Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge with an insight into the role of the Teagasc ASSAP programme and the efforts to maintain and improve water quality in Ireland. Firstly, Noel highlights that agriculture is the biggest land use industry in Ireland and therefore, can have a major impact on water quality status. Eimear then details the key areas of water flow on farms that is investigated by ASSAP advisors from the farmyard to the farmland and the nutrient management plan. Even though some farms don’t have a watercourse within the farm or along the boundary, Eimear explains that every farm has the potential for nutrient losses which can be damaging from a water quality perspective. For more information: https://www.teagasc.ie/environment/water-quality/water-quality-week/ For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

Let’s Talk Dairy Bonus Episode: Munster Bovine health screening Mar 19, 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 Denis Howard from Munster Bovine. The topic discussed is bulk milk health screening and its commonality in certain regions in Ireland with special emphasis on Munster. Denis talks about the most relevant diseases which this health screening detects which in recent times, is becoming a regular occurrence on farms. 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 key traits in dairy replacements to maximise income Mar 15, 2021

Show notes

Teagasc specialist Joe Patton and ICBF geneticist Kevin Downing join Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge to explore the key traits in dairy replacements to maximise income on Irish dairy farms. Joe identifies fertility as the most important trait, regardless of the production system, to ensure cows calf at the right time of the year giving cows the opportunity to remain in herds over multiple lactations. Good fertility performance has a knock-on effect on increasing production potential and reduces the number of replacements required annually which gives rise to greater profitability. Kevin urges farmers to assess the current EBI status of their dairy cow herd and identify any deficiencies that exist. From there, farmers can set the priorities for the future milking cows and select the bull team for the upcoming breeding season accordingly. Both Kevin and Joe emphasised the substantial genetic gain attainable though breeding heifers with high EBI AI straws, but despite this, 30% of dairy heifers born in 2020 were from a stock bull. Joe recommends that farmers consider synchronising programmes to AI all replacement heifers in a short timeframe. For more information go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/breedingweek/ For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

Advice for getting your grazing back on track in March Mar 08, 2021

Show notes

Grass 10 advisor John Douglas joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast with advice on getting your grazing back on track during the month of March. John assesses the current situation on dairy farms across the country, explaining that some farmers have achieved a significant level of grazing during February (drier farms that received lower levels of rainfall) while some farmers achieved little to no grazing (heavier farms and in higher rainfall areas). He recommends that farmers take advantage of the dry, mild weather to get cows out and graze medium grass covers to increase the % of the milking platform grazed. John also explains that where cows are at grass full-time, low levels of supplementation are required: 2-3 kg concentrate and no silage. For more information: https://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2021/grass10-newsletter---2-march-2021.php For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

Let’s Talk Dairy Bonus Episode: Body condition score at calving Mar 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, gives an insight into body condition score at calving in the spring time. He also outlines what the ideal BCS bracket your cows should be in. 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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