The Dairy Edge

Latest Episodes:

Let’s Talk Dairy Bonus Episode: Managing Your Time to Maximum Effect Dec 11, 2020

Show notes

Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available afterwards as a bonus podcast episode. In this webinar, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, was joined by Marion Beecher, Teagasc Research Officer and Nollaig Heffernan, Independent Management Consultant, to discuss time management tips and techniques in dairy farm management whilst Nollaig also speaks about how one needs to be careful in using their own individual time during the farming day. 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 achieve target performance through simple, proven technologies Dec 07, 2020

Show notes

Dairy farmer Dara Killeen and specialist Patrick Gowing joined Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge to discuss the targets set out in the Teagasc Dairy Roadmap and consider the targets achievable at farm level. Recorded as part of the 2020 Teagasc Virtual Dairy Conference, Dara, who is a new entrant to dairy farming since spring 2019, explained his priority investments were in high genetic merit crossbred stock, reseeding, grazing infrastructure and milking facilities. Dara viewed a lot of stock before settling on the heifers he purchased for his first year in milk and it was a rewarding decision evident from his young herd (40% heifers, 60% lactation 2) with a 90% 6 week calving rate and producing the industry average ~420 kg MS from 650 kg concentrate and 280-290 days at grass, with an estimated mature MS production of 500 kg. Patrick suggests that this performance isn’t surprising because Dara demonstrated huge attention to detail throughout the planning of his conversion to dairy and invested his time and money in the correct areas. Dara is in a phase of growing the age of the herd whilst also ensuring that the farm remains socially sustainable through establishing a good routine and employing part-time staff as well as environmentally sustainable through engaging with technologies such as EBI, protected Urea, LESS and maintaining the biodiversity that exists on farm. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast visit the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

Let’s Talk Dairy Bonus Episode: Body Condition Dec 04, 2020

Show notes

Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available afterwards as a bonus podcast episode. In this webinar, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist was joined by Joe Patton, John McCabe and John Paul Murphy from Moorepark farm to discuss body condition and how to deal and manage with cows on low side of body condition. 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 establish white clover in grazing swards Nov 30, 2020

Show notes

Recorded live from the 2020 Virtual National Dairy Conference, this week’s Dairy Edge podcast features dairy farmer John MacNamara and grassland researcher Mike Egan to discuss how to establish white clover in grazing swards. John has begun establishing white clover on his grazing platform to reduce the requirement for chemical N, increase MS per cow and maintain herbage production and enhance quality. Mike outlined the methods of introducing white clover including a full reseed, broadcasting and stitching in. Mike explained that the full reseed is the gold standard method for white clover establishment although a combination of all three is necessary if moving from 0 or low % clover because it is not practical to reseed greater than 15-20% of a stocked milking platform in one year. Both John and Mike identified key considerations for someone who is interested in integrating white clover including regular grass measurement, good soil fertility and high perennial ryegrass/low weed swards. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast visit the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

Let’s Talk Dairy Bonus Episode: Working Efficiently Nov 27, 2020

Show notes

Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available afterwards as a bonus podcast episode. In this webinar, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist was joined by Marion Beecher, Teagasc and Aidan Aherne, dairy farmer, for the second webinar in the Let's Talk Dairy Time and People Management Series. This webinar was part of the Let's Talk Dairy Time and People Management Series, in conjunction with Macra Skillnet. 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 Surveillance and Early Detection of Disease in Ireland’s National Herd Nov 23, 2020

Show notes

Vet Michael Horan joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s episode of the Dairy Edge podcast, to discuss the role the Department of Agriculture plays in ensuring a high level of surveillance and early detection of disease in the animal population in Ireland. As we export the majority of the milk and meat products we produce, Michael emphasises the importance of a healthy national herd status from a marketing perspective. Micheal recited some of the many diseases listed on the national health cert that milk must be free from in order to export milk to China. Michael also gives some examples of occasions when detection didn’t work as well as it might have which led to a widespread animal health crisis for both the individual farmers and the national agriculture sector. Finally, Michael gives his top tips to maintain a high health status on your farm including: maintaining a closed herd, good fencing around boundaries, avoid sharing of farm equipment and consult with your local vet to make a herd health plan for your farm. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast visit the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

Let’s Talk Dairy Bonus Episode: GHG Emissions Nov 20, 2020

Show notes

Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available afterwards as a bonus podcast episode. In this webinar, Stuart Childs is joined by Laurence Shalloo, Katie Starsmore and Ben Larhart who are working on greenhouse gas emissions at Teagasc Moorepark. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

Sustainable Dairy Farming and the Challenges Ahead Nov 16, 2020

Show notes

Tom O’Dwyer Head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer at Teagasc, joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to detail the challenges that dairy farmers have overcome in the last fifty years. Tom expects sustainability is the biggest challenge that will face farmers over the next decade while dairy cow numbers are set to continue increasing at a modest level. There are a range of technologies that will improve sustainability as well as improve farm efficiency such as higher genetic merit stock, higher grass utilisation, reduced use of chemical nitrogen, switch to protected Urea, incorporation of white clover and low emission slurry spreading. You can hear more about these technologies at the virtual Teagasc National Dairy Conference which is taking place on November 24-25th. For more information and to register for the event, click here: https://www.teagasc.ie/corporate-events/dairy-conference/ For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast visit the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

Let’s Talk Dairy Bonus Episode: Making Dairy Farms an Attractive Place to Work Nov 13, 2020

Show notes

With the current Covid restrictions in place, Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available afterwards as a bonus podcast episode. In this webinar, Stuart Childs is joined by labour researcher, Marion Beecher, and management consultant, Nollaig Heffernan, to give insights into making dairy farms an attractive place to work. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

A Checklist of Important Tasks for the Coming Months Nov 09, 2020

Show notes

Dairy advisor Joe Kelleher joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to give a detailed checklist of important tasks needed to complete in the coming months including assessing total annual grass production, soil testing, dry cow therapy strategy, parlour maintenance and relevant paperwork. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast visit the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected