The Dairy Edge

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The Dairy sector response to COVID-19 May 05, 2020

Show notes

Teagasc's Chief Economist Kevin Hanrahan joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week's Dairy Edge to discuss how Covid-19 is impacting on the Irish Dairy Sector.

Kevin gives an insight into the effect of COVID-19 on the demand for dairy and the shift in the demand from dairy products to almost solely retail (supermarkets) with a decline in food service sector.

Kevin reassures us that milk co-ops and plcs are continuing to process milk during peak production, while maintaining social distancing and hygiene practices.

Looking to milk price outlook for 2020, Kevin acknowledges that milk price will be lower than predicted and this is primarily a result of COVID-19.

Market recovery and demand for higher value products will depend on how restrictions continue across the world and consumer income.

For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

Why Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are important for dairy farms Apr 27, 2020

Show notes

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on dairy farms are as important as ever during the Covid-19 crisis and on this week’s Dairy Edge, Teagasc Specialist Francis Quigley, joins Emma-Louise Coffey to discuss their role and importance.

Francis explains that many farmers already have informal SOPs such as a whiteboard in the milking parlour with a list of cows not going into the tank due to antibiotic treatment.

Francis recommends that farmers should create a one page instruction for standard tasks to ensure if, for whatever reason, you cannot be on the farm yourself.

A good starting point is a sample SOP on the Teagasc webpage and alter this to suit your own system.

Francis also suggests drawing up a list of relevant people who should be on a contact list, namely a family member, the vet, milk machine technician, milk lorry driver, co-op milk advisor, AI technician and merchants.

For more information:

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/sops/

For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

Updates to the EBI including sire selection for heifers Apr 20, 2020

Show notes

Geneticist Siobhan Ring joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge to discuss updates to the Economic Breeding Index including the new calving difficulty tool for heifers.

Firstly, Siobhan explains the new tool to help farmers make an informed decision to select appropriate sire for heifers. Going forwards, sire will be identified as low, moderate or high risk for heifers. Traditionally, calving difficulty did not differentiate between cows and heifers.

Siobhan also reviewed the changes to the maintenance sub-index. Previously, maintenance was calculated based on cull cow records from the factory with a maintenance figure of €0 accounting for a 605 kg cow and a maintenance figure of €20 accounting for a 550 kg cow.

The new maintenance is calculated using lactating cow live weights, maintenance figure of €0 accounting for a 644 kg cow and a maintenance figure of €20 accounting for a 559 kg cow.

Genomic bulls remain consistently higher on the Active Bull List compared with daughter proven bulls and Siobhan reminds us on the importance of using a genomic bull team equally.

Finally, Siobhan reviewed the Dairy Beef Index. She reassures us that DBI bulls are short gestation, easy calving, whilst also having improved carcass merit and conformation. Siobhan explains that DBI bulls should be targeted at lower EBI and problem cows such as high SCC and lame cows.

For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

Tips to control grass as growth rates surge Apr 14, 2020

Show notes

With growth rates of grass ‘exploding’ across the country, John Maher joins Emma-Louise Coffey to discuss key management tools to manage grass.

John discusses the favourable weather conditions that farmers have experienced since St Patricks Day and explains that farmers must continue to walk their farms regularly. The 2nd round should commence once the first three paddocks grazed during the spring hit a cover of 1,200/1,300 kg DM/ha.

Some farmers will have to skip some paddocks from the first rotation and John suggests that there are a number of options: make bales immediately, make bales in early May or make pit silage as part of the 1st cut.

He also suggests farmers who adjusted their spring rotation planner around the 1st March with a target date to end the 1st round on 20th April, need to re-address their own situation and pull this back by at least five days to 15th April.

For more information:

https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/grassland/grass10/grass10-newsletter/

For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

Tips to prepare cows for breeding & criteria to generate the best genetics for your herd Apr 06, 2020

Show notes

Dairy Specialist George Ramsbottom joins Emma-Louise Coffey to give his tips on how to prepare cows for the upcoming breeding season along with advice to generate the best genetics for your herd.

Firstly, George explains that genetically gestation length is reducing. Each €10 in EBI calving SI reduces gestation by 1.5 days. If you target a calving start date of 1st Feb 2021, target a mating start date 1st May.

In order to generate the best replacements to milk in the herd in the future, George explains you need to focus on both bull selection and your current herd of dairy cows. Pick the top bulls on the active bull list and breed your dairy replacements from your highest EBI cows.

George suggests that farmers can now take steps to prepare cows for the upcoming breeding season by condition scoring all cows and putting any cows with a score of less than 2.75 on once-a-day milking to help build condition.

Additionally, tail paint all cows and in the week prior to mating start date take action in the form of veterinary intervention with any cow that still has paint on her tail.

George reassures us that AI companies are prepared for the upcoming breeding season with sufficient straws and AI technician despite the current COVID-19 challenge.

For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

Maintaining health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 challenge Mar 30, 2020

Show notes

Health and Safety Specialist, John McNamara, joins Emma-Louise Coffey to advise farmers on how to maintain health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 challenge.

Firstly, John re-emphasises the importance of following the HSE guidelines including thorough hygiene and social distancing.

John explains that incidences on the farm such as vet assistance for a difficult calving may lead to close contact, for which John suggests masks can be worn to minimise risk to COVID-19.

He also recommends that farmers should keep in contact with family, friends and other farmers throughout this challenging time, taking advantage of technology on the mobile phone to keep in touch.

For anyone who is feeling worried or overwhelmed, John suggests that your GP is the first port of call to discuss your problem. He also advises that for farming issues, Teagasc staff are available to help.

For more information:

https://www.teagasc.ie/about/our-organisation/covid-19/

For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

Managing workload and staff through COVID-19 Mar 23, 2020

Show notes

In the wake of the government's Covid-19 measures, dairy farmer Kevin Twomey joins Emma-Louise Coffey to discuss what he and his team are doing on farm to minimise the risk of COVID-19.

While the farm teams vary from 1 to 3 full-time staff, most tasks are set up to be completed by one person, including the milking process. Given the nature of farming being a mostly outdoor task, Kevin explains it is possible to maintain a social distance. Kevin recommends that staff travel independently to minimise contact.

He also recommends that people keep in touch over the phone during this difficult time and also take some time away from the farmyard after the busy peak calving period.

For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

Johnstown Castle performance update for the winter and spring herds Mar 16, 2020

Show notes

Johnstown Castle farm manager Aidan Lawless joins Emma-Louise Coffey to discuss the current performance of the Johnstown Castle dairy herd.

Aidan acknowledges that while February rainfall recorded at Johnstown Castle was lower than in other locations across the country - they received 150 mm – it was double the expected February rainfall. This has presented a challenge to grazing and the spring herds were behind target for % grazed.

The breeding season for the winter milk herd concluded at the end of February following 6 weeks of dairy AI and 6 weeks of beef AI and mop up bulls. Pregnancy diagnosis scanning will take place on these cows in the coming weeks.

As part of the systems trials at Johnstown Castle, clover and multi-species swards are being trialled to investigate whether there are benefits in the form of grass production, milk production and a range of environmental measures.

For more information:

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/research-farms/johnstown-castle/

For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

Understanding soil saturation and supplement requirements in the current conditions Mar 09, 2020

Show notes

On this week’s episode of The Dairy Edge, James Humphreys and Brian Garry join Emma-Louise Coffey to discuss the different aspects of dairy management – from soil saturation to supplement requirements - following the heavy rainfall.

James explains what soil saturation readings mean. 60% of soils are made up of sand, silt and clay. The remaining 40% is made up of air pockets. Saturation occurs when the air pockets fill with water in the event of rainfall and flooding.

James explains that where grazing conditions are difficult and damage occurs in paddocks in the first rotation, it is important that this is not repeated in the subsequent round.

Brian reviews the supplement requirements for dairy cows depending on the level of grazed grass in the diet, explaining the limiting nutrients and also the crude protein requirements.

He explains that where cows are out for 3 hours after each milking, whether they require feeding indoors once they are removed from paddocks is highly dependent on whether they have achieved sufficient intake at grass.

Brian also recommends that farmers increase the allocation of grass and monitor post grazing residuals to assess whether the cows have a greater appetite to eat more than expected based on stage of lactation.

For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

Coping with the consequences of heavy rainfall Mar 02, 2020

Show notes

Dairy farmer John McNamara joins Emma-Louise Coffey to discuss the challenges of the recent heavy rainfall on his farm.

John explains that there has been almost 200mm of rain on his farm during the month of February which has made it near impossible to graze.

While John generally hits 30-40% grazed during the month of February, he has grazed less than 10% this year.

John targets to get cows out twice daily after each milking with evening grazing from 4-7 pm and removing cows once they have finished grazing to reduce poaching damage.

The advice from the Grass 10 team is to readjust your spring rotation planner; graze 1/3 by St Patricks Day, 1/3 by the 1st of April and the remaining 1/3 by mid-April.

For more information:

https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/publications/2020/Dairy-February-2020-web.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/

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