MDPO interim chair, James Doyle

The Munster Dairy Producers Organisation (MDPO) is now fully established and has commenced signing-up dairy farmers mainly those who are  currently supplying milk to Kerry Agribusiness.

The MDPO was formally approved by the Minister for Agriculture last April.

The core purpose of MDPO is to collectively negotiate the best milk price and supply terms for farmers and MDPO is open for discussions and contract negotiations with any milk purchaser.

The formal recognition of the MDPO represents a watershed in the Irish dairy industry.

No longer are dairy farmers on their own where milk purchasers can offer milk supply contracts to individual farmers without any real negotiations and on ‘a take it or leave it’ basis.

Dairy farmers can now collectively negotiate with any milk purchaser of our choice and agree lawfully enforceable milk supply contracts with the full backing of EU law.

The EU legislation for producer organisations was introduced to collectively strengthen the position of farmers in the marketplace.

MDPO by getting formal ministerial approval will now provide an important essential negotiating platform for dairy farmers in the Munster region.

We will collectively endeavour to put that into practice to secure the best possible milk price and supply terms for dairy farmers”.

Current milk suppliers to Kerry Agribusiness and other dairy farmers are invited to attend one of series of public  meetings of dairy farmers arranged to provide farmers with full information on the role and plans of MDPO and to provide an opportunity for farmers to sign up as members.

Membership application forms will be available at each of the meetings.

The schedule for the public meetings this year is as follows:

• June 27 at Woodlands Hotel Adare;
• July 2 at the Rose Hotel Tralee;
• July 3 at the Woodstock Hotel Ennis;

All the of the meetings commence at 8:30p.m.

Current supplies to Kerry Agribusiness are under formal notice that their current contracts will end at the end of the March 2026.

In the absence of a PO, we farmers are left without anybody to negotiate new contracts lawfully and collectively on our behalf to take effect in just 22 months from now.

MDPO

MDPO has completed its rulebook and has lodged it with the department.

MDPO has also established an Interim Council made up of 21 dairy farmers from Kerry, Limerick and Clare. Election of a Council by Members will take place in due course.

The declining strength of individual farmers in the marketplace has been the subject of government attention in the developed world for over a century.

Over the last 15 years, in particular, the EU has acted to introduce a number of measures to ensure a fairer, more transparent market for farm products and the food sector.

In addition to legislation for food market transparency, the EU legislation provides for Member States to formally recognise producer organisations. POs were introduced by the EU for the milk sector in 2011.

The principal advantage of an approved PO is that its members are given a license to negotiate legally binding supply contracts, including in particular price, with a purchaser of farm output, which at present in Ireland is milk or cattle for slaughter.

The PO enjoys what is known as ‘block exemption’ from competition law. The EU rules on competition are strict to the extent that they prevent even  a small number of farmers coming together to negotiate price with a milk processor.

The establishment and running of a PO is governed by EU and Irish legislation and certain formalities have to be followed to get a PO approved by the Department of Agriculture.

These formalities and rules have now been met in full by MDPO. These are relatively simple and are no more than what is required from a good business point of view and for the effective running and control of a PO.

The PO must be established as a corporate entity and MDPO is a registered company with the name ‘Munster Dairy Producer Organisation Ltd’.

The legislation sets down details of what is required to be included in the PO rulebook regarding, in particular, admission of members, financial contribution, elections, rules for infringement of obligations and the minimum period of membership.

A EU-wide study showed that the main motivation for setting up a PO was to strengthen the market position of farmers, both through increased market access and simultaneously, due to strengthened bargaining positions vis-à-vis buyers and suppliers.

The post Dairy farmers – sign up today to join the MDPO appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The leading farm management company, Herdwatch is once again marking its 10 year anniversary with another giveaway this June.

Herdwatch is giving away an Agrident AWR300 EID Reader and a Herdwatch Gilet worth almost €1000.

Herdwatch has been at the forefront of farm management innovation for a decade, continuously enhancing its platform to meet the evolving needs of farmers.

Recently, Herdwatch has added a host of new features designed to further streamline farm operations.

These updates include advanced data analytics tools such as its Weight Insights feature, improved user interfaces for easier navigation, and enhanced integration with various farm management systems.

These features empower farmers to make more informed decisions, increase productivity, and ensure regulatory compliance with greater ease.

In today’s fast-paced agricultural landscape, traditional farming methods are continuously evolving with the use of technology. One of the most transformative advancements is the use of EID readers.

These handheld devices revolutionise farm management by enhancing efficiency and saving valuable time.

All bovines born on or after July 1, 2022 in Ireland are now required to be tagged and registered with a tag set containing an electronic identification (EID) tag.

What is an EID reader?

An EID reader is an electronic scanner designed to read electronic ear tags on animals.

This technology streamlines numerous farming tasks, such as weighing animals, tracking health records, and managing medication administration.

While not every farmer may currently use an EID reader, incorporating this tool can significantly simplify and improve farming practices.

Benefits of EID readers

Enhanced animal health management:

• Quickly scan electronic tags to monitor movements, identify specific health needs and ensure the overall wellbeing of your animals;
• Efficiently track detailed health records, improving the precision of data collection on your farm.

Disease prevention:

• Rapidly identify potential health issues within your herd or flock, crucial for preventing the spread of diseases;
• Early detection of unusual health patterns allows for prompt intervention, safeguarding your animals’ health.

Increased operational efficiency:

• Improve transparency and accuracy in record-keeping, providing a clear view of each animal’s lifecycle;
• Ensure compliance with regulatory standards effortlessly, thanks to precise and organised data management.

This giveaway offers a unique opportunity to elevate your farm management with cutting-edge technology.

By entering, you stand a chance to simplify your daily tasks, ensure better health management, and enjoy a more transparent and organised farming experience.

How do I enter this competition?

1. Download the Herdwatch app;
2. Create a FREE account using a valid herd number;
   • Current members can enter by simply recording any task in Herdwatch in June (e.g., medicine records, animal movements, weight recordings, etc.).

Terms and conditions:

• One entry per person;
• Winner announced early July.

Don’t miss out on this chance to modernise your farm with Herdwatch. Enter today and take the first step towards more efficient and effective farming.

The post Win over €1000 worth of prizes with Herdwatch appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Meeting market specifications at point of slaughter will help maximise returns from finishing lambs.

The current specification from the major processors is generally for R grading lambs or better with a fat score of three and a carcase weight of up to 21kg.

While there are markets for lamb produced from carcases outside these specifications the marketing options are much more limited.

Irish processors also have a strong preference for lambs with Quality Assured (QA) status with bonuses available to the producer at point of slaughter.

Carcass weight and fat cover

Consistently presenting lambs for slaughter that meet customer specifications can help maximise profits at farm level.

Upper carcase weight limits can vary across the year from 20kg to 23kg, and there is no economic sense in keeping lambs to heavier carcase weights if they can be finished sooner.

Killing a lamb with adequate fat cover is also essential to meet customer requirements. There are significant penalties in place for under-finished carcases which undermine any price gains from killing lambs before they are ready. 

Handling and weighing lambs regularly should be encouraged as it allows the producer to gain knowledge on how their lambs are performing and killing out.

Regular weighing and handling will avoid lambs been drafted that fail to meet current market specifications because they are overweight, have a poor conformation or are over fat/under fleshed.

Where a producer is selling lambs live they should be presented for sale in even batches to maximise returns.

Animal handling

Careful handling of live sheep is also important as sheep bruise very easily, especially young lambs.

Producers should not handle or move sheep by grabbing the wool as this can often create a surface bruise that requires part of the carcase to be trimmed or discarded, thereby devaluing the whole carcase.

Particular attention should also be paid when sheep are in pens or being transported as any overcrowding or mishandling can also result in bruised or damaged carcases which reduces the animal’s value.

Producers should also avoid presenting dirty sheep for slaughter with particular attention paid to the tail area which should be free from any contamination.

Dirty animals should be dagged or crutched before sale and where applicable lambs should have their belly clipped to avoid soil contamination.

To help minimise the chance of lambs becoming dirty during transit they should be fasted for at least one hour prior to transportation and then transported in a clean, dry vehicle.

Quality assurance

Achieving QA assured status allows Irish sheep producers to keep their options open when marketing their lambs, while also providing a number of other on farm benefits.

The enhanced assurances on animal welfare, food safety, traceability and care for the environment provided by the Sustainable Beef and Lamb Assurance Scheme (SBLAS) allows Irish processors to service the high value domestic market where retail and food service customers include QA status as a key requirement of their product specification.

Market specifications

While having QA status on Irish lamb has been important on the domestic market for some time there has recently been growing interest from some key customers in the EU market in sourcing QA lamb, particularly those who already source QA beef.

While there is some variability across the year approximately 70% of sheep processed in Ireland have QA status at point of slaughter. By comparison, 95% of beef is QA at point of slaughter.

Purchasers of Irish lamb products are increasingly looking for proof that the meat is produced sustainably on farms that are certified members of an accredited Quality Assurance Scheme which is based on sustainability principles incorporating environmental, social and economic aspects.

The SBLAS has been developed to help meet these demands from the marketplace.

The post Understanding market specifications for lamb appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Barry Dan O’Sullivan, practising vet in Co. Kerry and Kerry senior footballer visits Mike Fitzgerald’s sheep flock just outside Dingle in Co. Kerry to discuss mid-season lamb worm control. 

Mike runs a 270 ewe flock, with the main breeds being Texel and Mule crosses. He runs an indoor lambing system, lambing form St. Patricks Day onwards.

In early June, on recommendation from Barry Dan, Mike carried out a faecal egg count to establish if there was a need to dose his lambs for worms.

Results came back showing a high worm burden. Barry Dan and Mike considered this information, coupled with general lamb thrive and decided that a worm dose was warranted.

Barry Dan established that Mike has dosed earlier in April for Nematodirus using Albex 2.5% (white dose) and factoring in these elements, Barry Dan recommended Moxodex Oral as an effective second worm dose for Mike’s lambs. 

Barry Dan based this recommendation on a number of factors;

1. Increased lamb thrive – Lamb thrive is essential to Mike as he aware that a heavy worm burden can reduce lamb average daily gain by as much as 40%. Taking a target  weekly weigh  gain of 1.5kg/lamb² and conservative price per kilo of €3.50 live weight  this could result in a loss of €2.10 in lamb thrive per week in a flock of upwards of 400 lambs this could add up to €840 loss per week in overall lamb thrive. Using Moxodex Oral allows Mike’s lambs to progress with no set back from a heavy worm burden. 
2. Eight-week dosing interval – Moxodex 1mg/ml oral drench has a persistent action of up to five weeks against Telodorsagia and Haemonchus, allowing for an eight week dosing schedule. This minimises handling of lambs, reduces stress on both the farmer and the animals and reduces the risk of injuries during handling/gathering;
3. 14-day withdrawal period – Moxodex Oral has a significantly shorter withdrawal period than other wormer groups. Mike can draft lambs that are fit for the factory just 14 days post dosing targeting better market prices;
4. Reduced pasture contamination – Moxodex Oral, with the active ingredient moxidectin, is the only wormer that persists long enough to suppress egg output for enough time to reduce the risk of pasture contamination and potentially reduce the need for multiple worm treatments. This could save Mike time, money and reduce the number of worming doses used on a farm.

Mid-season lamb wormer

Ultimately gastrointestinal roundworms in lambs costs growth through reduced feed intake and decreased gut absorption and if left unchecked in severe cases can lead to permanent gut damage. 

Therefore, Barry Dan recommends timely appropriate worm control as a priority to reduce the impact that stomach worms may have on lamb performance and profit margin. 

Moxodex Oral when used appropriately in conjunction with faecal egg counts and good pasture management, can improve lamb health and welfare, maximise lamb thrive leading to a shorter lamb finishing period and increase profit.

The post Kerry vet and footballer recommends Moxodex Oral as mid-season lamb wormer appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Carlow dairy farmer Michael Nolan, has been farming near Borris for the past 22 years and his pedigree holstein Coolnamara herd currently stands at 170 head.

Michael feels he really gets the most out of the cows thanks to the farm’s KEENAN diet feeder and advice from InTouch nutritionist Mj Doran.

Michael is feeding his herd on a high-input, high-output system with a total mixed ration (TMR) of grass and maize silage.

Over the last 305-day lactation period, the herd sold 10,300L of milk per cow, with 4.2% fat and 3.55% protein.

In 2023, each cow consumed 3.3t of concentrates, which Michael distributes through the parlour and his newest KEENAN diet feeder, the MechFiber380+.

Diet feeding

19 years on from his first KEENAN diet feeder, Michael found the MechFiber380+ continues to improve feed efficiency; one of the main goals on farm.

“The TMR mix quality in my 380+ is excellent,” he said. “We want to get the very most production possible out of the feed we give the cows, and the consistency of the mix is crucial to this.”

Michael also utilises InTouch software and says that “being able to measure feeding accuracy” is his favourite component of the technology.

“The feed usage reports on InTouch allow me to calculate exactly how much feed was fed at any given time, and I can plan fodder budgets for the upcoming year,” he explained.

Michael’s system is quite different from many, as he houses his cows indoors all year.

“Having a young family means we need to be as time-efficient as possible,” he said. “Having cows indoors with good facilities saves me a lot of time,” he said.

Michael is assisted by Cathal Mulhall, a student at University College Dublin (UCD) on work placement. Additionally, a relief milker is hired during peak times of the year.

Carlow herd health

Michael’s breeding programme has produced a herd of animals with strong genetic potential for high milk production, but making sure cows fulfil this genetic potential is all down to management.

“Milk production has increased every year for us, and a lot of that is down to using the KEENAN diet feeder,” the Carlow farmer said.

“It is a highly reliable machine, and without it, I couldn’t get the same amount of concentrates and feed into the cows through the parlour. It fuels the cows to reach their genetic potential.”

In terms of Michael’s calving strategy, he operates an all-year-round calving operation, with an average three-week pregnancy rate of 28%.

Michael’s relationship with Alltech and InTouch began several years ago, when he was experiencing mycotoxin issues on-farm.

“I noticed individual cow milk performance was dropping dramatically overnight and couldn’t figure out why,” Michael explained. “I gave InTouch a call, and it was suggested mycotoxins may be the problem.”

Michael trialled feeding Mycosorb to address this issue; he was also feeding Yea-Sacc to the cows at this time.

The Mycosorb stopped all issues of milk production dropping, and cows were overall healthier and happier, so Michael decided to incorporate Mycosorb into the diet full-time.

He moved to Alltech’s Rumenate mix, which includes both Yea-Sacc and Mycosorb.

“It’s been in our milking cow diet for three years now, and I don’t ever plan to take it out,” he continued. “It’s a wonderful product that’s really helped our herd production and health.”

Silage

Silage production on-farm was difficult this spring due to elevated levels of rainfall. Michael is always conscious that good silage is needed to fuel cows year-round through the TMR.

“Making top-quality silage is a priority for us. We decided to use Egalis Ferment on our first-crop silage this year for the first time,” Michael said.

“I wasn’t happy with how other inoculants worked previously. Having discussed it with Mj, I felt it was the best move to ensure we made quality silage to see us through the winter period.”

Egalis Ferment is a silage inoculant applied at harvest that maximises nutrient protection in the silage and reduces dry matter losses by driving more efficient and faster fermentation of the sugars in the crop.

KEENAN Ireland sales manager Adam Hanratty gets huge satisfaction from seeing the difference KEENAN makes on farm for farmers.

“Michael is an progressive farmer who wants to run an efficient, productive farm with animal health always at the fore,” Adam said.

“We are delighted that KEENAN plays such a big part in achieving these goals for Michael. The MechFiber380+ currently in the yard is the fourth machine Michael has bought from us, which shows the trust he has in our brand.”

For Michael, it was the only choice he was ever going to make when choosing a diet feeder for his herd in Carlow.

“I like to support local business, and KEENAN has been a huge part of the community in Borris for years,” Michael explained. “But beyond that, it is a highly reliable machine, and I wouldn’t be without it on the farm.”

Michael’s goal is to continue improving his feed efficiency and herd production, with KEENAN, Alltech and InTouch supporting him every step of the way.

For further information about KEENAN’s diet feeders and inoculants click here.

The post Diet feeding boosts genetic potential of pedigree herd in Carlow appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Teagasc are delighted to invite all beef farmers and stakeholders in the Irish beef industry to the National Beef Open Day ‘BEEF2024’ which takes place on Wednesday, 26^th June in Teagasc, Grange, Co. Meath.

The theme of this year’s event is ‘Securing your future’.

The focus of BEEF2024 will be on the application of technologies that will help beef farmers increase the profitability and environmental sustainability of their family farm businesses.

BEEF2024 will be hosted on a new site on the farm in Grange with a new and improved layout and structure on the day. It is a free event and all are welcome to attend.

On the day, there will be two technical stands. The first stand will focus on ‘Securing your future in beef farming’, in which the key challenges and opportunities will be discussed along with production systems to balance income and lifestyle.

Market and environmental policy demands will also be outlined.

The second stand is titled ‘Management toolbox for beef farms’, in which optimal suckler & dairy-beef systems will be discussed along with driving genetic gain for beef cattle.

Technical villages

There will be four technical villages that attendees will visit. The first village ‘Grassland and forage’ will feature live displays in relation to low emissions slurry application and grazing management.

There will be demonstrations in relation to the use of protected urea fertilizers, calibration of spreaders and farm infrastructure. Depending on your enterprise you can choose to visit either the ‘Suckler Beef’ or ‘Dairy calf-to-beef’ village.

There will be cow simulators used to demonstrate the principles of safe calving and handling of livestock. Cattle from the various suckler and dairy-beef studies at Grange will be on display. 

There will also be displays on calf rearing, antimicrobial and anthelmintic resistance and assessing cattle for finishing.

This is followed by the ‘Advisory, Education and Opportunities Village’ which features Teagasc advisory services, education options within the farm sector, organic beef farming, renewable energy options and forestry.

Technologies and live demonstrations in relation to grazing management, animal nutrition, beef genetics, reproductive management, animal health and welfare, and farm planning will form the main focus of the day.

Finally, the open day will conclude in the Forum Centre where will be an opportunity to engage with industry stakeholders.

Forums featuring farmers in DairyBeef500 and Future Beef programmes

There will be a number of panel discussions covering key topics across a range of beef cattle production systems.

These will take place in the Forum Centre and will be staged throughout the day. The DairyBeef 500 forum takes place at 12:30p.m & Future Beef forum will take place at 1:30p.m.

Farmer participants in both of these Teagasc programmes will outline the progress they have made since they joined.

Future Beef programme Farmer Shane Keaveney and Dairy Beef 500 programme farmer Martin Connolly will feature at this year’s National open day.

Martin Connolly has been rearing dairy-bred calves, bringing them to beef, for many years. Martin has put high emphasis in recent years on making quality silage to reduce winter feed costs and has incorporated red clover on the farm to help with this.

On the day Martin will outline the latest technologies he is using on his farm to increase profitability and sustainability of his dairy beef system. The Dairy Beef forum will take place at 12:30p.m.

Shane Keaveney farms with his wife Grainne and three children in Granlahan, Ballinlough, Co. Roscommon. Shane operates a spring calving suckler system. The male calves are finished as under 16 months bull beef.

The heifers are sold as forward stores. In recent years, Shane has placed huge focus on maximising weight gain from grass through improving grass growth by increasing soil fertility and efficient use of fertiliser on the farm.

To reduce the fertiliser bill and to improve silage quality, red clover was sown in 2023.

On the day Shane along side Galway Future Beef farmer Aonghusa Fahy will outline the latest technologies they are using on their farm to increase profitability and sustainability of their suckler beef systems.

BEEF2024

The Future Beef forum will take place at 1:30p.m. The concluding forum of the day ‘Securing your future in beef farming’ will take place at 2:30p.m.

In this forum, the main opportunities and challenges facing the sector and beef farm families will be discussed, in particular, succession and inheritance.

Future Beef farmer Eamon McCarthy and his son Donnchadh who are farming in Carrigeen, Glendine, Youghal, Co. Waterford, will discuss the opportunities and challenges around succession and inheritance on their farm and the potential to enhance profitability, sustainability and lifestyle through the deployment of the latest technologies.

Keynote speakers including Pat McDonagh, Managing Director of Supemacs and Economist Ciaran Fitzgerald will discuss the strengths of the sector and it’s potential.

The beef sector remains one of the most important contributors to the national economy in Ireland, supporting in excess of 70,000 beef farmers with an export value of approximately €2.7 billion.

It also contributes approximately 10,000 jobs across processing, distribution and transport in predominantly rural areas.

The level of domestic spend has a huge multiplier effect on the overall economy and is a key part of the sector’s importance to regional development.

Its strengths lie in its pasture-based production systems underpinning its strong sustainability credentials and it is well-placed to meet the increased global demand for beef.

This major Open Day will outline the key steps to developing a pathway for securing a future in the Irish beef sector.

Teagasc acknowledges with gratitude the support of FBD Trust who will be available on the day to meet attendees.

BEEF2024 on Wednesday, June 26 in Teagasc, Grange Eircode C15 PW93, 9:00a.m to 4:00p.m is a day not to be missed.

The post BEEF2024 to focus on increasing profitability appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Striking the balance between grass utilisation and cow performance has been a difficult task for many farmers, particularly after a tough spring.

At this point, the main priority is getting cows back in-calf in the busy 12-week breeding period and with intake ability peaking, there is opportunity to push cows to produce as much milk from grazed grass as possible.

A particular challenge at this time of year, is keeping on top of grass quality. The grass plant is naturally trying to enter its reproductive phase and puts out a seed head, making it less palatable and digestible for the cow.

This can lead to a balancing act with managing clean outs and ensuring cows’ nutrient requirements are met. 

Central to the digestion of all grass and feed by cows is the rumen and the trillions of micro-organisms in the gut, which allow the cow to upcycle human inedible feed into highly bioavailable meat and milk.

As summer progresses and grass becomes more fibrous, it also becomes more difficult for rumen microbes to digest which can lead to reduced feed efficiency, milk yield and quality.

We are also seeing declining growth rates and days ahead getting tight on many farms, with 40% of farms on PastureBase Ireland now under 170kg DM/LU. 

Every farm is different and must decide its own best approach. However, with average milk supplies back by around 8% when compared with the same period last year, erring on the side of caution when rationing cows is likely the best approach to ensure production does not suffer further.

A grazing cow can comfortably produce 24L/cow/day at 4.1 % milk fat and 3.4% protein, or 1.9kg milk solids.

This level of performance is possible where grass dry matters are greater than 17% with optimum pre-grazing covers, good grazing conditions and a highly digestible sward.

Complement grass

During prolonged wet weather, grass shortages or declines in quality, buffering with top quality forage or increasing compound feeding through the parlour will be required. This is particularly true for herds with higher yield potential.

The quantities required will largely depend on cow type and yield potential and actual DM intake of grazed grass. An estimate of the nutrients supplied from grazed grass and will be something your nutritionist can help with.  

If high grass intakes cannot be sustained, this can be complemented with a high DMD (78+) value forage and supplementary concentrate, as advised by a nutritionist.

Another tool in dairy farmers’ arsenal is Actisaf Sc 47 which when added to rations can stimulate key microbial species improving propionate supply. This drives milk and milk protein yield along with being crucial for fertility while raising rumen pH. 

Maintain milk persistency

Looking after cows and maximising persistency during summer can ensure your herd is milking well when entering the final 100 days of lactation in the autumn.

Feeding Actisaf Sc 47 allows cows to extract more from fibre and increase utilisation of increasing fibre levels.

Aim to limit yield drop-off to less than 10% per month after hitting peak milk yield.

Doing so will have a major impact on production in the autumn and in many cases, it has been possible to limit reductions to 5% or less with good nutritional management.

To do this, there are a few strategies that can ensure cows reach their potential:

• Keep a close eye on sward quality as this often declines during June and July. Every unit drop in DMD results is a decrease of ~0.24L/cow/day;
• Complement grazed grass with concentrate feeds that balance what grass is providing. Grass is an excellent feed source and supplies a lot of rapidly digestible energy sources as well as rapidly degradable protein, therefore supplements should include high levels of bypass protein and slower degrading starch sources;
• In ideal conditions, top quality pre-grazing covers of 1,400-1,500kg DM/ha will allow feed rates to be reduced, however it is important to be realistic and calculate requirements based on what is in front of the herd.

Humidity challenges rumen function

At this time of year, it is also important to remain vigilant for heat stress, whether the sun is out or not.

Both ambient temperature and humidity contributes to heat stress, which can occur at much lower temperatures here compared with warmer, drier climates.

Not only does heat stress increase maintenance energy requirements, but also leads to reduced feed intakes, adding to the seasonal challenge of maintaining milk performance and getting cows in-calf.

Humidity rarely falls below 60% in Ireland between April and October, so temperatures of just 17°C can lead to a moderate level of heat stress, despite this being within the theoretical thermoneutral zone.

Cows do not sweat effectively and rely on panting to get rid of excess heat. But even this can be inefficient for their size, with lung capacity only twice that of a human.

Panting also leads to a loss of valuable buffer in the saliva which helps to regulate rumen, increasing the risk of SARA as well.

Digesting and processing nutrients generates significant heat so cows will select for the more digestible elements of their feed or grass, which can further challenge rumen function.

THI levels of 57, occurring at just 14°C, have also been shown to negatively impact oestrus behaviour in females and sperm quality in males.

In heat-stressed dairy cows, supplementation with live yeast (such as Actisaf Sc47) reduces respiratory rate and increases milk production and milk solids.

Improving ventilation and air flow by adapting buildings or installing mechanical ventilation can help affected cows, as well as ensuring they have enough accessible water or shade, if outside.

Actisaf improves rumen function in cows at grass by supporting the growth of microbes which digest fibre and utilise lactic acid

The post Striking the balance between grass utilisation and cow performance appeared first on Agriland.ie.

As part of Tirlan’s work to improve water quality and to support the retention of Ireland’s Nitrates Derogation, it recently launched the ‘Farming for Water: River Slaney Project’.

The project address challenges in this river which flows through the heart of the Tirlán catchment area in counties Wexford, Carlow and Wicklow.

Tirlán and its farmers are committed to playing their part and taking action to improve water quality.

It is now stepping up its work with all of its farm family suppliers and partners and is hosting a ‘Farming for the Future Open Farm Walk and Talk’ on Donal Kavanagh’s farm near Baltinglass, Co. Wicklow (W91 YD25) on Friday, June 21 at 11:00a.m, followed by lunch.

This on-farm event is open to all farmers and those involved in the agri-food sector and we’re urging as many as possible to attend and support Ireland’s retention case.

The practical, on farm event will include tips and advice from experts from Tirlán, Teagasc and leading organisations as well as an update on the derogation retention campaign.

It will showcase what Tirlán Teagasc Future Farm participant Donal and his family are doing on the farm to be economically and environmentally sustainable and includes an open panel discussion, followed by a Q&A session.

River Slaney

The event follows just weeks after the collaborative Farming for Water: River Slaney Project initiative was launched.

It is designed to enhance water quality across the Slaney River catchment area in counties Wexford, Carlow, and Wicklow.

The River Slaney Project is closely aligned with the Government’s €60 million European Innovation Partnership (EIP) ‘Farming for Water’ project aimed at improving water quality at local, catchment, and national levels.

This is crucial to help make the best possible case for Ireland to successfully retain the Nitrates Derogation from 2026.

The multi-year programme includes a series of combined projects, actions and activities led by Tirlán in collaboration with key stakeholders including Teagasc, professional services firm ifac, Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO), County Councils and the wider community. 

The project follows a whole of sector and local Government approach, with the aim of enhancing water quality through impactful actions across all farming enterprises, dairy, grain and drystock, and in the wider communities.

Farming for the future

A team of Tirlán farm advisors is utilising best practice advice and focusing on improving farm economic and environmental performance to address water quality challenges, while protecting biodiversity.

The advisory service is focusing on better nutrient use, improved milk solids, farm infrastructure and slurry storage capacity. 

It aims to transform the Slaney from one highlighted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) water testing programme as a ‘catchment of concern’  to one that provides best practice in how partnerships and collaboration can deliver real and meaningful changes and improvements that work for farmers, local communities, and the wider environment together.

The open event on Friday will include:

• Practical steps to improve water quality, nutrient use efficiency and boost on-farm profitability;
• Updates on Tirlán’s new Farm Support Service and River Slaney Project;
• The latest on the Nitrates Derogation and water quality with speakers from Teagasc, Department of Agriculture, IFA, ICMSA and EPA.

A panel discussion will also take place, which include a variety of key industry leaders, among them Dr. Frank O’Mara, director, Teagasc; Bill Callanan, chief inspector, Department of Agriculture; Tadhg Buckley, director of policy/chief economist at the IFA; an ICMSA representative and Mary Gurrie, EPA.

For more on Farming for Water – River Slaney Project, scan the QR code here

The post Farming for the future open farm walk and talk appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The Claxton farming family from Co. Waterford have put their trust in the Censortec system after a difficult spring.

Following poor weather the last number of months, many farmers may be looking at ways to improve their bottom line and reduce the stress on man and beast.

During busy times of the year, it can be challenging to keep on top of things, particularly watching for the early signs of the illness.

Clinical, or visible, and subclinical, or invisible, illnesses can have a significant financial and welfare implications for farmers.

Teagasc research estimates the cost of clinical and subclinical mastitis at €117/cow, in a 100-cow herd.

Subclinical mastitis makes up the largest share of this figure of €103 per cow, due to costs from milk penalties, and drops in milk production. It’s crucial to identify cows early to save costs.

Research carried out in 2004 estimated the cost of lameness at €300/case but considering inflation and cost increases across the board in the last 20 years, it is fair to say that each individual lameness case now has a bigger financial impact.

Other diseases such milk fever and ketosis also have a financial implication. An article published in the Veterinary Ireland Journal in 2021 estimates that milk fever has an average cost of €7,625/100 cows.

As with mastitis, the majority of this cost comes from the subclinical cases, which cost €6,250 per 100 cows.

Identifying or preventing these illnesses while they’re at the early stages, before they progress to clinical illnesses, will improve animal welfare and their financial impact.

Technical advisor at Norbrook, Maura Langan said: “Irish farmers produce high welfare, sustainable beef and dairy and, as any industry, we are always striving to improve outcomes.

“As we try to reduce the need for antibiotics, early diagnosis and prevention of clinical disease is good for cattle, good for farmers, and good for consumers.”

Censortec

One way to help identify sick cows is through continuous health monitoring.

Censortec CowControl powered by Nedap is an activity monitor that provides 24/7 data on your cows’ health and fertility.

CowControl measures the time a cow spends eating , ruminating, being inactive and showing other active behaviour.

The system then compares this behaviour with standards for optimum condition, the previous behaviour of the cow and the behaviour of the herd.

It turns this information into relevant alerts, to-do lists and reports for farmers to effectively manage the health of each cow and the entire herd.

The recently launched Health Score is available to all CowControl users and presents data on each cow’s health in an easy-to-use way.

Sean Crowley of Censortec Ireland explained: “CowControl was already providing health already providing health alerts from cows that may have issues.

“The new Health Score is a score from one to 10 that shows the health status of each individual cow at a glance, plus a unique indicator of whether the health status has improved or deteriorated in the last few hours.

“With this numerical, objective score, the dairy does not have to assess the severity of the health issues himself, saving a lot of time, especially on large farms.”

David, Sarah and Andrew and Claxton milk 500 spring calving cows in Stradbally, Co. Waterford, and have been Censortec customers for three years.

Sarah said: “We swear by the collars. If a cow has a high health score on Nedap Now, we draft her out and we always find something.

“There was a cow that had a change in her health score, and at first look we didn’t see anything. I kept an eye on her, and noticed she wasn’t coming into the parlour in her usual place. I knew there was definitely something wrong

“I was stripping her at milking, watching for mastitis, and two days after the first alert she showed clinical signs.

“We picked her up before her high SCC milk hit the tank, and by spotting it early we prevented it spreading to other cows as well. It’s a brilliant tool.”

Since installing CowControl, Sarah and Andrew have found that the farm has reduced it’s antibiotic use, and vet call-outs.

Sarah said: “We had the vet out for the first time this spring just last week. We’re using less antibiotics because we get on top of things before the cow gets too sick.

“The minute the cow’s behaviour changes, CowControl tells us, and we can get in before we need to call a vet. As you get used to the system you trust it more.

“When we had health alerts first, we’d look at the cow and not see anything wrong, but we’ve learned to trust the system.

“Those cows that alert with nothing obviously wrong, we pay them more attention for the next few days. CowControl is nearly always right; an issue will become clear as time goes on.”

Herd health data

David, Sarah and Andrew have been using CowControl’s herd health data in conjunction with Norbrook’s Calcitrace D3 bolus. Every cow in the herd gets a bolus to prevent milk fever, which had been an issue on farm due to the herd’s genetics.

“We had a Kiwi cross type cow, and the Jersey-type animals were more susceptible to milk fever.

“Every cow gets a bolus now, and we monitor the more high-risk cows, the older cows or ones with more Jersey genetics, and if their activity changes or they get a health alert, we treat with a second bolus.

“It’s made a big difference to the amount of milk fever we’re seeing,” explained Sarah.

Maura Langan added: “Milk fever in dairy cattle is a true veterinary emergency, while subclinical hypocalcaemia can be a causative factor in many transition cow disorders including mastitis and LDAs.

“By supplementing with Calcitrace D3 to provide both fast and slow-release calcium, the cow is supported through the risk period until she can meet her calcium requirements naturally.”

Johnny and Jerome O’Brien, who farm in Barryroe, Co. Cork, have been using Censortec CowControl since 2022. They find that CowControl health monitoring is an essential tool on farm.

Jerome said: “We probably underestimated the effect of the health side of things. We didn’t do any sort of routine health monitoring, and now that CowControl does it for us we see how important it is.

“We’re definitely picking up sick cows 12-24 hours earlier than we were before. We can treat them, and then you have the data from CowControl to show you if that treatment is helping them to improve, or if they’re getting worse.”

Any cow that gets a health alert is checked in the milking parlour, and if the problem isn’t identified there, a more detailed check is carried out in the crush.

“More often than not, it saves us having to call the vets, and we can use less aggressive treatments.

“Last year, we didn’t have any mastitis tubes after April, because we were picking up any udder issues before they developed into full blown mastitis,” Jerome said.

Censortec CowControl has impacted the way transition cows are managed in the herd too.

“It’s a great tool after calving. Before, we would have missed subclinical ketotic cows.

“Now as soon as we see milk drop and rumination decrease, we treat with a bolus and they improve quickly, whereas before you could have had a cow with a full-blown case of ketosis needing the vet.

“It saves the cow suffering, and it saves us the cost of a vet visit,” he added.

Censortec CowControl powered by Nedap is available from Censortec, who are based in Co. Kerry. Censortec are the agents for Nedap CowControl in the ROI and NI.

Censortec have been supplying Nedap SmartTag since 2016 and have a long-established relationship with Nedap, who is based in Groenlo in the Netherlands.

They are the leading supplier of bovine activity monitors globally having over 40 years of experience in developing, supporting and marketing their SmartTag.

The post Watch: Waterford farming family trust the system appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Salesian Agricultural College will host an open day on Saturday, June 22, to give prospective students an overview of the courses the college has to offer.

Situated on a 620ac farm in Pallaskenry, Co. Limerick, the college offers a wide range of practical training courses and programmes to the over 800 students currently enrolled.

The farm is home to a 460-cow dairy herd, a dairy calf-to-beef enterprise, suckler enterprise and a flock of 50 mid-season lambing ewes, together with modern machinery and workshop experiences.

Salesian College offers students a number of courses, including:

• Teagasc Level 5 Certificate in Agricultue;
• Teagasc Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Agriculture (Dairy Herd Management);
• Teagasc Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Agriculture (Drystock Management);
• Teagasc Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Agriculture (Mechanisation);
• Teagasc Distance Education Green Cert (for award holders);
• Higher Certificate in Agricultural Mechanisation (TUS);
• Bachelor of Engineering in Agricultural Engineering.

Adult Green Cert

The Green Cert training for adults is offered through the Teagasc Distance Education Green Cert Programme.

The courses is of 15 months duration and attendance in college is on Saturdays.

The next course commences on September 21, 2024, with applications being accepted from September 1, 2024.

More information on this can be found here.

Hands-on dairy experience

The college is home to a herd of 460 dairy cows, which currently sits within the top 3% of herds for economic breeding index (EBI) in the country.

Grazed under a spring-calving grass-based system, the dairy herd has an average EBI of €242 and consists of a mixture of Friesian and some Jersey cross cows.

The students who attend Salesian Agricultural College will be trained in grass measuring and budgeting and a weekly grass budget is prepared using PastureBase, as well as all farm management requirements.

Sustainability

Salesian Agricultural College – Pallaskenry is a national leader in the demonstration and adoption of practices that employ science-based solutions to support agriculture production in sustainable manner.

• All straight nitrogen (N) is applied as protected urea. This has been the case for the last four years;
• Soil sampling is done annually, with the January 2024 analysis indicating 95% of the farm at or above a pH of 6.2;
• Soil fertility is good with 98% of the farm medium to high for phosphorous (P) (index 3 and 4) with the remainder low (index 2). 93% of the farm is medium to high for potassium (K) (index 3 and 4) with the remainder low (index 2);
• All slurry is applied using Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS), with a large percentage applied in the spring. This has been the practice for the last four years;
• Lower applications of chemical N during the main growing season has allowed a lowering of total N use.
• Weekly grass measuring and the use of Pasturebase is resulting in over 15t/ha grass dry matter (DM) being grown annually;
• An annual herd health plan is drawn up with the farm vet, as well as Sensehub health and detection and heath detection collars, plus regular locomotion scoring is leading to healthy productive herd;
• Herd EBI is €242, with the 2023 and 2024 females at an average of €278 and €285 respectively;
• All heifers calve at an average of 24 months and all replacements in the ewe flock lamb, as ewes lamb at 12-months-of-age;
• Earlier finishing of beef cattle by selecting bulls based on the Dairy Beef Index (DBI) and using all artificial insemination (AI);
• The percentage of clover in grassland is being increased through a combination of reseeding and oversowing clover into existing swards.

Ag Mech

The mechanisation courses on offer are recognised widely within the industry as the most practical hands-on courses on offer/

The course content, experienced staff, student projects and placement, with some of the best hosts in the industry making the courses in Pallaskenry unique.

If you want a career in the mechanisation industry, then be sure to come to the open day.

New developments

The AGCO Technical Qualification Programme Ireland, in collaboration with AGCO and the Technical University of Shannon, is Ireland’s only manufacturer-led technical qualification programme.

AGCO’s commitment to the future of farming will see aspiring Irish agricultural technicians attain a Level 6 Higher Certificate in Engineering and Agricultural Mechanisation and progress into positions within the AGCO dealer network across Ireland.

This programme had its first intake of students in September 2023.

The Drystock Enterprise (Beef and Sheep) started organic conversation on January 1, 2024.

The conversion of the drystock enterprise to an organic system offers students learning experiences that will demonstrate an environmentally, socially and financially sustainable farming system.

There will be key learnings from this system that will be applicable to all students.

The college will host an open day on Saturday, June 22 at the Salesian Agricultural College, Pallaskenry, Co. Limerick.

The open day will run from 10:00a.m to 2:00p.m with tours of the campus taking place throughout the day.

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A spokesperson for Arrabawn has said Arrabawn Co-op is thrilled to host an Agri Information Open Day on June 21 at Gurteen Agricultural College, from 11:00a.m to 3:00p.m.

We are eager to see the return of this successful event, last held in 2022.

This year’s theme, ‘Protecting our Farming Future,’ emphasises water quality, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and sustainability — crucial issues facing the farming community today.

We will discuss and highlight the efforts of Arrabawn and our suppliers in these areas, offering attendees valuable insights into the latest agricultural trends and developments.

As the agricultural sector evolves, our aim is to provide a platform where information is accessible to everyone.

This year, over 75 exhibitors will be present, featuring live demonstrations on various modern farming practices.

Attendees can explore exhibits showcasing machinery, soil health, milk recording, water quality, veterinary care, breeding genetics, water heating, financial advice, and more. There really will be something for everyone.

Arrabawn

Chair of Arrabawn, Edward Carr, shared his thoughts on the event:

“In these challenging and changing times, it’s essential for dairy farmers to unite and explore the opportunities available for our farms.

“With over 75 exhibitors, we hope there will be take-home messages for all attendees on the day that can be put into practice on their own farms.”

We are excited to announce four special guest speakers for the event: Eddie Burgess from the Teagasc ACP Programme; Conor Mulvihill from Dairy Industry Ireland; Ted Massey, senior inspector at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), and Edward Carr, chairman of Arrabawn and ICOS.

Damien O’Reilly from ICOS will chair the Q&A session.

Eoin Doorley, a committee member of Arrabawn, added:

“Representing the Birr area and our wider community of farmers is a privilege. The open day at Gurteen College is a great opportunity for farmers to exchange ideas and best practices.

“This event will be an excellent platform for learning and networking.”

Tipp FM radio will broadcast live from the event throughout the day. Attendees will also receive an entry to the raffle upon arrival, with a Rossmore Bale Handler and several other fantastic prizes up for grabs -it won’t want to be missed.

We encourage all farmers to join us for what promises to be an informative and enjoyable day. Everyone is welcome to attend this event, which will be bigger and better than ever.

The post Arrabawn to host open day at Gurteen Agricultural College appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The Irish Holstein Friesian Association (IHFA) is pleased to launch the Irish Pure Friesian Open Day which will take place on Thursday June 27, at the Carrickshock herd (Co. Kilkenny) by kind permission of Pat and Claire Cleary.

Kindly sponsored by FBD and Brett Brothers Limited, the day is set to be a spectacle of Pure Friesian breeding.

The Carrickshock Herd consists of 206 pedigree pure Friesian milking cows, with all progeny registered annually.

The farm focuses on breeding high-quality pure Friesians, showcasing sustainability, fertility, and exceptional dairying traits.

The aim is to balance productivity and versatility, honouring the generations before, while adapting to modern agricultural demands.

The Clearys strive for a balanced, dual-purpose animal, valuable to both dairy and beef farmers. They focus on breeding for dairyness combined with a ‘square’ type animal, supported by genomic figures and EBI.

This approach has proven successful, from the show ring to the pedigree bulls and heifers sought by repeat customers.

Pat and Claire Cleary are extremely proud to have had several bulls purchased by AI companies in Ireland and the UK. Carrickshock GTW (FR6667) has been their most notable bull in recent years, he stood at Genus ABS in the UK.

Irish Pure Friesian Open Day

On the day, over 30 trade stands will be open for viewing from 10:00a.m, with the Open Stock Judging commencing at 11:00a.m.

There will be three classes of the very best of the Carrickshock Herd to judge: a heifer, junior and senior cow class.

Throughout the day, informative practical talks will be ongoing, with lunch and refreshments available to all.

The results, of the much anticipated, AXA Insurance Pure Friesian Herds competition will be announced.

The competition was judged by Adam Lawson of the renowned Lismulligan Herd in Scotland. With 18 herds taking part from across the country, making for an exciting competition.  

The day will culminate with the sale of 30 select yearling heifers from the Carrickshock Herd.

An event not to be missed and an opportunity to view the much-admired Carrickshock Herd of Irish Pure Friesians. Free entry and all welcome.

The address for the event is Hugginstown, Co. Kilkenny, R95 R7YN

The post All roads lead to Carrickshock for the Irish Pure Friesian Open Day appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Relentless rain, low temperatures and mediocre milk prices made spring 2024 a difficult one for farmers

One farmer who’s life was made easier with the help of a KEENAN feeder this year, is Damien Moore from Co. Kildare. He is a new entrant to dairy, having converted from beef in 2016.

Milking 95 Freisian cows on a spring calving system, Damien was keen to highlight the importance of having a reliable feeding system as weather patterns change.

In 2023, after consulting with InTouch nutritionist, Emma Swan, Damien decided to invest in a MechFibre320+ feeder to help manage feed stocks and get the most out of what he was feeding.

Damien was drawn to the ease of use and lower HP requirement of a KEENAN compared to a tub feeder.

He said: “The mix from a KEENAN is far more consistent than any other feeder I have seen, and it was key for me to be able to empty the feeder completely before preparing a new mix for a different group, such as dry cows.”

Damien noted that his herd performance was maintained during a difficult spring, which he attributed to the quality of the mix.

The dry cow mix, including silage, straw, soya and Alltech minerals, has been a game-changer for Damien in terms of getting cows right before calving.

The past two spring calving seasons have gone very well, with cows calving down in excellent condition, with minimal veterinary intervention.

Damien also noted that his cows had lots of good quality colostrum, which gave calves a great start to life.

Silage stocks

The KEENAN feeder also paid huge dividends by reducing silage costs, whereby incorporating 1kg of straw in the dry cow diet saved 5kg of silage.

Without the KEENAN this spring, Damien feels that he would have been completely out of silage before cows went out to grass.

He praised the flexibility of KEENAN: “Meeting our cows needs allowed us to stretch our silage stocks for an additional six weeks.”

When introducing diet feeding to a farm, a certain amount of adaption is needed. Damien emphasised the support he has received from the KEENAN and Alltech team since he started diet feeding.

He said: “Emma is always on the ball when it comes to managing diets depending on the weather and the stage of production, which has taken the stress away from [us] wondering if we are feeding the right diet or not.”

Damien also operates a dairy calf-to-beef system, finishing approximately 80 cattle. He is well versed in finishing beef and dairy-beef stock, and was blown away by the impact the KEENAN feeder had by finishing stock one month earlier than in previous years.

With a consistent mix of silage, concentrates and some straw / minerals, cattle are turning out better than ever.

Emma made up a set of diets for the finisher programme. Cattle were gradually adjusted to a full finisher diet, minimising any issues that can come with changing diets quickly for animals.

“All cattle love consistency in the diet. When diets change too quickly for any reason, be it running out of silage, or moving to a higher protein diet for finishing – it can lead to digestibility issues for a few weeks as the animals adjust.

“With the KEENAN InTouch system, we send Damien new diets whenever needed to make the transition as easy as possible for the animals,” Emma said.

Damien’s expansion plans have been limited because of the nitrates derogation. So, instead of keeping more cattle or trying to lease extra land, Damien is focusing on getting the most out of current numbers on farm.

“We are future proofing our farm against any weather or pricing uncertainty by reducing feed costs, finishing cattle earlier and improving milk production and the health of our dairy cows,” he added.

If you are interested in achieving similar results on your farm, come along to the KEENAN Summer Sale & Open Day on June 13 from 10:00a.m to 5:00p.m at the KEENAN factory in Borris, Co. Carlow.

As well as having an opportunity for one-on-one nutrition advice from the AllTech InTouch team, a full range of new and second-hand machines will be on view.

The KEENAN and Alltech teams are always readily available to answer any questions and discuss how their products and services can be used on your farm.

Call +353 59 977 1200 to speak to a KEENAN representative today or call +353 59 910 1320 to speak to an Alltech/InTouch team member.

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Anyone who has worked with cattle during the summer months needs little reminding of the annoyance which flies can cause. They can be responsible for a state of unrest in the parlour for both cows and milker.

The constant source of irritation at grass interferes with normal grazing activity and has been shown to cause a reduction in milk and butterfat production.

They are also capable of transmitting viruses, bacteria and certain parasites.

Flies are implicated in the spread of common diseases such as “summer mastitis” and “pink eye”.

Types of flies

There are five broad categories in Ireland:

• House or stable flies;
• Face flies;
• Head flies;
• Warble flies (rare and notifiable to the Department of Agriculture);
• Blowflies.

Indoor environment

Removing or at least reducing the source of infection is the most useful approach in controlling stable flies.

Areas of manure/straw/decaying matter should not be allowed to accumulate as these areas provide the perfect environment for flies to breed.

Pasture management

Reduction in the use of fields bordering woodlands has been advised in the peak risk period (June to September) where possible in the control of head flies.

Animal options

Pour-on and spray preparations together with insecticide impregnated ear tags are widely used to reduce fly annoyance.

For head flies a number of repellent creams are available for application around the base of the horns however many of these only prevent skin contact. In other words, they do not reduce the annoyance caused by flies.

Pour-on products applied at the dosing intervals recommended by the manufacturer will also aid control. It is best practice to start fly control early in the season (to reduce build-up of the fly population).

There are many products on the market, and it is most advisable to read the guidelines supplied by the manufacturers and adhere to exact instructions regarding administration, dose, frequency of use and withdrawal periods.

Butox pour-on

This product contains deltamethrin a synthetic pyrethroid. In cattle it is indicated for the treatment and prevention of flies and lice.

It is advised to pour the dose along the animal’s spine from the base of the head to the tail.

The person applying should wear gloves. It is safe to use during pregnancy and lactation.

Butox Pour-On has and 18-day meat and 12-hour milk withdrawal periods for cattle.

The time to apply this product is after evening milking and ensure that the full withdrawal period is respected.

For fly control a single application provides protection for eight to 10 weeks (depending on the degree of infestation, fly species and weather conditions) at which time treatment should be repeated.

In summary, the annoyance caused to cattle by flies is a real issue which has implications for both animal health and welfare. Remember to start fly control treatment in time this summer.

The post Flies – Nuisance by name, nuisance by nature appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Warrendale Wagyu, in partnership with farmers across Ireland and the UK, is reshaping the agricultural landscape with its unique approach to Wagyu beef production.  

Originating in Japan and renowned for its exquisite taste and marbling, Wagyu beef has gained popularity worldwide. Warrendale Wagyu’s integrated supply chain prioritises sustainability while delivering top-quality beef to consumers throughout Europe. 

Collaborating with forward-thinking dairy farmers, Warrendale Wagyu Ireland focuses on crossbreeding full-blood Wagyu genetics from Munster Bovine to produce Wagyu dairy crosses.

Research has shown that Wagyu dairy crosses excel in various aspects, including easy calving, resilience to weather conditions, and exceptional eating quality.

Beef production

By partnering with calf rearing and finisher farms, Warrendale Wagyu ensures a market outlet for calves and consistently delivers high-quality carcasses to meet consumer demand. 

The programme offers numerous benefits to farmers: 

Breed Advantages: Wagyu crosses offer easy calving, hardiness in versatile weather conditions, excellent temperament for ease of management, and easy finishing progeny with outstanding eating quality.  

System Features: With a guaranteed market outlet for Wagyu cross calves from the dairy herd, breeders receive €250 per Wagyu dairy cross calf, along with comprehensive bonus payments for finishers. The programme accommodates both steers and heifers and promotes high welfare standards and a low environmental footprint with its grass-based system. 

Dedicated Support: An expert field team provides assistance across all aspects of production, ensuring farmers receive guidance and support. 

Farmers interested in participating in the programme can reach out to Warrendale Wagyu’s team. With a focus on the dairy beef industry, the programme offers a structured approach to guarantee financial returns for farmers and a reliable market outlet for Wagyu dairy cross calves. 

The programme’s payment structure includes €200 for each Wagyu dairy cross calf at four–weeks-of-age, with additional premium payments of up to €50 upon slaughter – total of €250 available to the calf producer).

There are also bonus payments available for finishers. 

To qualify for the programme, programme approved full blood Wagyu genetics from Munster Bovine must be used within the dairy herd. Jersey genetics do not qualify for the programme.

Calves must be fully vaccinated, undergo BVD/DNA tag testing, and remain on the farm of birth for a minimum of four weeks.

Additionally, all members must adhere to Bord Bia’s Sustainable Beef & Lamb Assurance Scheme (SBLAS) for approval and compliance. 

Warrendale Wagyu Ireland offers Irish dairy and beef farmers the opportunity for an alternative production system with a guaranteed and sustainable market outlet.

The post Dairy farmers: Have you considered Wagyu beef production? appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Member of the European Parliament, Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan

In a few days time, the people of the Midlands North West have an important choice to make on who they want to represent them in the European Parliament. 

I commit to represent the best interests of the people of this constituency in a clear, independent and transparent manner unencumbered by party restrictions and held hostage by vested interests.

I have demonstrated in my work on the reform of the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) that my principle aim is work for fairness and equality for all landowners and have defended the right of all farmers working all types of land to continue to farm their lands in a sustainable manner.

The CAP is the main funding stream coming into Ireland from the EU representing in excess of 60% of the EU monies coming into the country. 

It is the primary source of funding that ensures the viability of farming, and the broader rural economy that flows from agriculture, throughout the constituency.     

Midlands North West

Tackling the blatant inequality in the distribution of CAP funds was a core aim of mine when I became an MEP.

I recognised immediately the importance of being a member of the AGRI committee in the Parliament and negotiated with my group to get this position. 

Shortly after, I secured the influential post of Agri Coordinator for the group.

I ensured in the CAP reform process that I became the “shadow” for our group and therefore was one of only seven MEPs, the only one from Ireland, who were around the table throughout the entire CAP reform process. 

From June 2018 when the CAP proposal was first introduced, through to July 2021 when it was finalised I engaged in countless meeting to ensure the best possible outcome for the farmers in the West and Northwest.

Key goals delivered on CAP as a result of my amendments and working consistently with others include:

• 85% convergence of payments/ha of the basic income for sustainability;
• ‘Eco Scheme’ payments are equal to all farmers unlike ‘Greening’;
• A front-loaded payment to boost the income of smaller farmers.

The combined outcome of these gains will mean an effective rate of convergence in excess of 92% by 2027. Because of this, farmers on the min payment will see their payments rise from €160/ha to €240/ha by 2026.

For Midlands North West, this will result in an extra €130 million for the local economy between now and 2026.

In addition, to ensure fairness and simplicity, I insisted on:

• A broadening of the definition of agricultural activity, so that the provision of environmental services is on a par with the production agricultural products;
• Paludiculture is included in the regulation as an agricultural activity.

In the introduction of a new standard for the management of peatland and organic soils, (GAEC 2) I recognised the threat that this could pose to those working these types of soils.

I worked effectively on this and secured a wording, included in the regulation ensuring that the implementation of this standard cannot preclude agricultural activity being carried out on peat soils.

I am determined if returned to Brussels to continue the work in these areas. I will continue to fight for farmers in the west to have the right to farm their land as they have done for generations. 

Farmers in all sectors are entitled to equal support irrespective of type of enterprise. 

Agriculture is the foundation blocks of the rural economy and if allowed to decline, starts the downward spiral of depopulation leading the loss of services, such as schools and shops and the gradual hollowing out of rural areas.

There should be no complacency in this. We should be under no illusion that there are those who see no value in many of the small-scale low intensity enterprises and are quite prepared to sacrifice these and use the lands as a carbon offset to allow intensive sectors to continue unabated.

I have consistently voted against every international trade Mercosur, CETA etc that pits Irish farmers against others in a global race to the bottom. 

Others claim to represent farmers interests, but have enthusiastically championed every trade deal that came before the Parliament and in doing so undermined the viability and very existence of Irish family farms.

When you vote use your vote wisely, and return an MEP to Brussels who will work independently for you, not one who is under the control of national parties who themselves are pawns for international corporations. 

The post Watch: Flanagan promises €132m for Midlands North West’s local economy appeared first on Agriland.ie.

By senior development adviser and Innovation Arena project manager, Enterprise Ireland, James Maloney.

Trailblazing Irish innovators are driving forces in the global agri-tech revolution and delivering powerful cutting-edge solutions, which are helping to futureproof the sector for generations to come and bringing greater efficiencies to farming globally.

Ireland is synonymous with the sector, with an established reputation as being a nation with a longstanding, trusted and productive agricultural economy. 

With a thriving enterprise ecosystem, which includes huge success in the tech sector, it is therefore no surprise that some of the most pioneering innovations tackling global agricultural challenges are coming from Irish-owned businesses.

From farm management apps to the latest in sensor technology, Irish owned companies are harnessing technological developments to deliver solutions to help maximise yield and minimise environmental impact, inputs and costs, addressing global challenges and helping to make farming become more efficient, economical and sustainable.

Enterprise Ireland’s Innovation Arena at the National Ploughing Championships (NPC) is an annual must-see exhibition platform, showcasing Irish companies and innovators, and their products and services, to over 250,000 visitors. 

This focus of this year’s Innovation Arena Awards, which is held in partnership with the National Ploughing Association, is ‘Innovations for Future Generations’.

It will showcase pioneering innovations and solutions which will help to address issues across animal science and technology, agri-engineering, digital technologies, animal health and nutrition, sustainability and climate action, and farm health and safety.  

Applications for this year’s Innovation Arena Awards, which will be held on the first day of the NPC, will close on Friday, June 7 at 5:00p.m.

Entries are being invited from Irish-owned companies, research and academia, who have pioneering innovations with the potential to deliver solutions for the agriculture sector that could help to optimise and futureproof the industry. 

At this year’s Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena at the NPC, there will also be an opportunity for previous participants to apply for a space in the popular ‘AgTech Hub’. 

This is an important exhibition space which gives Irish-owned agritech companies the opportunity to return to the NPC and display their progress to a varied audience.  

Applicants who are successful in their submission for this year’s awards will automatically be offered an exhibition spot within the ‘AgTech Hub’.

In order to support exhibitors to maximise their opportunity and impact in the Innovation Arena, Enterprise Ireland will host a workshop for these entrepreneurs to gain advice in advance and to prepare for the competition.

As well as attracting a strong domestic audience, crucially, as one of Europe’s largest outdoor events, the NPC annually attracts international visitors and buyers, offering Irish businesses the opportunity to engage with new potential customers from overseas.

Innovation Arena Awards

The winners of this year’s competition will be announced at a ceremony at Enterprise Ireland’s Innovation Arena at the 2024 National Ploughing Championships, which returns to Ratheniska, Co. Laois, from September 17 to 19.

There will be three award categories this year, including a new competition whereby three finalists will be asked to pitch their innovation to a panel of judges in front of a live audience. 

The winner of this category will be named ‘Start-Up Innovator of the Year’ and will receive a €10,000 prize.

The ‘Innovation Arena Champion 2024’ prize will be for established companies with a focus on scaling and innovation, while the new ‘Green Impact Award 2024’ will honour a company whose innovation is focused on sustaining the development of food and farming for future generations to come.

NovaUCD-based Proveye won the Start-Up Innovator of the Year prize in last year’s competition, and it focuses on helping users make better decisions to solve challenges like maximising yield and crop management.

Speaking about the impact of their win at the Innovation Arena, CEO of Proveye, Jerome O’Connell, said: 

“As a start-up with a focus on international expansion, winning the Start-Up Innovator of the Year Award at Enterprise Ireland’s Innovation Arena was a pivotal moment for Proveye.

“As well as providing our team with important networking opportunities, winning the award offered us important industry validation at this crucial stage of our growth journey.

“The Innovation Arena, along with Enterprise Ireland, plays an important role in promoting and supporting the growth of the agri-tech sector, which has a significant impact on delivering solutions which improve efficiencies in the sector. 

“Proveye is really proud to be part of this valuable initiative.”

Origin Enterprise’s GrassMax won the overall award in last year’s competition, the prize for Established Innovator of the Year.

The Dublin-based company and its product GrassMax App, combines advanced modelling techniques with remote sensing data to provide a suite of easy-to-use bespoke nutrient and grass management decision-support tools, including satellite-based grassland growth yield measurement.

The aim of GrassMax is to remove the need for farmers to routinely walk their grass paddocks, optimise soil fertility and deliver verified enhancements in crop performance and resource use efficiency.

Head of Grassland Digital with Origin Enterprises, Kieran Holden, said:

“Winning the Overall Enterprise Ireland Innovation Award, the prize for Established Innovator of the Year, at last year’s National Ploughing Championship was a fantastic achievement for our team as it was an important recognition for our GrassMax tool.

“Conscious of the need to support farmers to increase efficiencies, including resources and time, GrassMax is one of the world’s first temperate climate grassland management tools and is focused on using remote sensing data to deliver a suite of easy-to-use bespoke nutrient and grass management decision-support tools.

“A really important aspect of being part of the Innovation Arena is the platform it gives companies at one of Europe’s largest outdoor events, and the introduction to international visitors and buyers, so we would encourage any Irish companies or innovators who have a solution that they think will have an impact to enter this year’s competition.”

The UK and Europe remain our largest agri-tech markets, but opportunities are increasingly opening up in new more diverse markets, such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and North Africa, creating fresh opportunities for Irish innovators who want to explore new international opportunities.

In a sector where the landscape is constantly evolving and facing greater challenges, new ideas and cutting-edge products have never been in greater demand.

Working with our colleagues in the National Ploughing Association, Enterprise Ireland’s Innovation Arena provides an important platform for Irish companies in this sector to showcase their capabilities and engage with new audiences.

The closing date to enter the Innovation Arena Awards is 5:00p.m on Friday, June 7.

The post Final call to enter Enterprise Ireland’s Innovation Arena Awards at the Ploughing appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Irish dairy and suckler farmers should be gearing up to prepare for an onslaught of summer mastitis in replacement heifers and dry cows as cattle move out to pasture.

Another related issue to be factored in this year is the ominous threat of bluetongue (BTV), a viral disease of both cattle and sheep that is transmitted by infected midges.

This was a key talking point at the recent Balmoral Show in the wake of the UK government banning all live ruminant exports. The decision follows confirmed BTV outbreaks in England.

Driving the threats caused by flies and biting insects, is the weather that has impacted across the island of Ireland for the past year.

12 months of almost continuous rain, followed by a dramatic rise in temperatures, have combined to create the perfect conditions for fly populations.

So, not alone are we expecting a rise in fly and midge numbers throughout the summer months of 2024, the additional cause of concern will be the earlier than normal production of eggs, larvae and adult insects.

David Morgan of Caltech Crystalyx said: “As fly populations increase, the threat of summer mastitis rises in a corresponding manner.”

Summer mastitis predominantly occurs during the warm summer months with cattle out at pasture.

The disease affects non-lactating cows, but will also affect replacement heifers, leading to devastating consequences.

Mastitis

Very few affected quarters will recover, so any treatment is purely salvage and the main goals should be to avoid the disease, or at least minimise its incidence.

“The supervision of heifers and cows at pasture during the summer months can be sporadic due to other commitments on the farm, so mastitis can be well advanced before clinical signs are seen.”

Transmission of infection is thought to be linked to summer flying insects, most notably the sheep head fly: Hydrotaea Irritans.

The fly eggs over-winter in sandy soils and emerge in June or July.

“These flies live in bushes and trees, and can only fly during mild, damp, humid conditions and low wind speeds. High winds and heavy rains inhibit fly activity.

“Hence, cases tend to be associated with ‘problem fields’ next to woods and high hedges,” he added.

Constant and high levels of worrying by flies around the affected teat orifice cause considerable irritation and frequent kicking which facilitates bacterial entry directly into the teat canal.

The affected quarter, or often whole udder, becomes swollen, inflamed and very painful. A yellow, foul-smelling discharge usually leaks out of these swollen teats and inevitably attracts more flies – increasing the potential for infection transfer to other nearby stock.

As the disease progresses, irreversible tissue damage occurs and the quarter will undoubtedly be lost.

A very effective way of reducing irritation from flies and other biting insects in grazing heifers and other livestock is to make the animals’ coat less attractive on which to land.

This can be achieved by making Crystalyx Garlyx feed blocks available to stock while at grass during the summer months.

The intense and penetrating odour of garlic is due to the intensely smelling high-sulphur compounds it contains.

When consumed by stock these compounds are expelled through pores in the skin. This produces an invisible barrier or screen, which flies and other nuisance biting insects find repellent and hostile.

David Morgan continued:

“Crystalyx Garlyx contains a concentrated garlic extract which, when consumed, acts as a constant natural deterrent to help ward off flies and other biting insects throughout the grazing season.”

David made these comments during a recent visit to the dairy farm of William O’Grady.

He milks 130 spring calving cows at Bricana, Johnstown, Co Kilkenny. The cows are currently average 6.300L of milk, producing 500kg of solids.

Rearing his own heifers has always been a priority for William. Over recent years, he has been using increased levels of sexed semen on his top cows in order to speed up the rate of genetic progress that is achieved within the herd.

It’s an approach that is paying dividends for him. Summer mastitis had been an issue on the O’Grady farm up to four years ago.

“I then started putting out the Crystalyx Garlyx feed tubs with heifers while at grass. I have not had one case of summer mastitis since taking this approach.”

The heifers on the O’Grady farm are, traditionally grazed on a block of land, which is directly adjacent to a wooded area.

“It’s a location that is very suited to flies and other biting insects,” William admitted.

“And this, no doubt, was adding to the summer mastitis issues that cropped up in the past. However, putting the Garlyx feed blocks out with the heifers provided a very effective solution to the problem. They keep the flies at bay!”    

To find out more about Crystalyx Garlyx and to find you nearest stockist visit the Crystalyx website by clicking here

The post Watch: Summer mastitis levels could reach ‘record levels’ in 2024 appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Farmers have a real opportunity to create the change that they want to see on Friday, June 7.

“The European elections offer a rare opportunity to farmers to get off the challenging downhill trajectory that the industry is on,” said MEP candidate for Ireland South, Eddie Punch.

While the Ireland South constituency has 23 candidates running, there are only a few with any real experience actively fighting for farmers and rural Ireland.

“There’s a lot of talk of ‘rewards’ for farmers from MEP candidates,” said Punch, “particularly from those already holding elected positions, and we need to push back on that.”

“Farmers are in the business of food production. They want to stay in that business and they should be supported in obtaining fair prices for their produce.

“Instead they find themselves pushed into providing services to the State and other sectors for undefined ‘rewards’ and it just isn’t good enough.”

Punch, having served as secretary of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Association for the past 25 years, is adamant that membership of the EU still has lots of positives for Irish farming but without MEPS who can understand how the issues affect people on the ground and use their vote accordingly, it is hard to see how the current trend can possibly change.

John Hourigan, chair of the Carbon Removals Action Group said:

“It’s maddening. The structure of the inventories and the figures in them are wrong. We know they are wrong. The government knows they are wrong.

“We have policies justified by those wrong figures, like the Nature Restoration, with zero acknowledgement or correction.

“That’s why I’m delighted to support Eddie Punch because we need people now who have both the knowledge and the will to set some of these issues right.”

Farmer frustration is at an all-time high, particularly in the Ireland South constituency where many smaller family farms are under constant threat.

Many farmers report feeling completely ignored by those elected, ostensibly to serve their interests but instead seem intent on following where the pre-determined government policy and environmental NGOs lead.

“Elected doesn’t necessarily mean engaged. I’ve probably sat on more agriculture committee meetings than many of the MEPs who were elected in 2019.

“Since 2019, we’ve had MEPs throw in the towel on nitrates derogation, the gradual erosion of the CAP, farmers getting a totally unfair share of the blame for climate change and most recently, they supported a Nature Restoration regulation based on completely inaccurate figures on our peatlands.

“Despite the recent correction to the inventory figures which has gone largely unnoticed, our government have announced that they will drive on to implement Nature Restoration regardless.

Bad and all as these might be, we as farmers have to ask ourselves what we think might be coming in the next 5 years. And who we want voting for us when those challenges arise.”

Clare farmer and former ICMSA livestock chair, Martin McMahon, was in strong agreement:

“If you keep voting in the same politicians and expect a different result, don’t be surprised if you get more of the same. If you want better representation vote Eddie Punch.”

The post Watch: Farmers have an opportunity to create change on June 7 appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Macra Agricultural Skillnet is proud to part-fund a two-year part-time and distance learning programme, delivered by UCD, which gives graduates the skills and knowledge to support farmers in behaviour change, business development and innovation.

This is the seventh year that UCD and Macra Agricultural Skillnet have collaborated on this programme. Applications are now open. 

Shortlisting may be required and candidates will be called to interview in early July.

Course participants are working in roles with farmers such as technical sales, consultancy, advisory services, agri media and education delivery.

The programme is delivered both online and face to face where students complete modules and assignments.

Assignments are based on real life case studies relating to the student’s own work environment, reflecting the norms of practice in consultancy, support, sales and education services within the industry. 

This programme has attracted graduates from all walks of life and stages in their careers. 

With Skillnet funding, the programme cost is less than €7,000, which can be paid in instalments over the two years of the programme. This is a considerable saving for students looking to take on this programme.  

Entry requirements 

• Level 8 honours degree in any discipline;

• A minimum grade 2.2 or relevant experience;

• Must have access to farmers and/or farm families.

An information webinar was held recently to discuss studying Agricultural Extension at UCD and is available to watch back HERE. 

Apply now: Application is online via here - click here to apply.

Closing date: June 28, 2024.

Contact: Dr. Tomás Russell, School of Agriculture & Food Science, UCD. Email: tomas.russell@ucd.ie

The post Watch: Have you considered a subsidised masters in agriculture? appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Farm safety simply cannot be spoken about enough, with agriculture being the most dangerous industry in Ireland accounting for 50% of workplace fatalities, despite only accounting for 5% of the workforce.

Similar statistics are seen right across the EU and in many developed countries.

AgriGuardian, an Enterprise Ireland backed, Limerick-based startup has been on a mission to change this.

This month, a significant partnership has been launched with First Milk in the UK.

The partnership sees First Milk providing access to all of their members to AgriGuardian free of charge.

Background

Founders James Power and Kevin O’Flaherty met studying engineering in University of Limerick.

James is from a farming background and saw the opportunity while studying his advanced certificate in agriculture at Kildalton college.

“I remember seeing farm fatalities graphed by year and it was flat, this struck me as in my opinion the HSA has ran one of the most successful education campaigns seen in Ireland and I had seen machinery and practices become more modern and safe,” he said.

This led James and Kevin to found AgriGuardian and start to tackle the problem. Farming however posed unique challenges:

• Variability – No farm, task or day is the same;
• Busy lifestyle – A solution had to integrate with low conscience effort to adopt.

How it works

AgriGuardian is currently aimed at protecting the most vulnerable farm goers (Over 65s and under 16s), which account for over 52% of farm fatalities in Ireland.

Each feature directly addresses a leading cause of fatality and injury.

1. Alert Zones – Guardians can map out areas on their farm in the app using their smartphone, each zone is designated either a Safe Zone or a Danger Zone. If a Protected User enters a Danger Zone or leaves a Safe Zone all Guardians are alerted on their phone. Typical areas that are mapped out are the slurry pit, where dangerous animals are housed etc;
2. Proximity Warning  – When activated, if a protected user comes within 50m of Guardian the Guardians phone will alarm. This feature is especially useful around machinery/tractor operations;
3. Anchoring – When activate if a protected user moves further than 30m from a Guardian, their phone will sound. This is useful when brining younger children onto to the farm.

Each feature can be seen in use on the AgriGuardian YouTube channel.

The features are delivered using the users smartphone. For users who do not yet own a smartphone, the same protection can be achieved by use of an AgriGuardian Smartwatch.

Feedback to date has been very positive.

James said: “My 10-year-old daughter felt it made her feel safer out and about on the farm.

“A safety app like this is long overdue. Having five children, four of which like nothing other than going out to help on the farm.”

First Milk partnership and future plans

First Milk are a regenerative co-op who are owned by British family farms. They produce award winning dairy products particularly for the B2B market.

The partnership sees First Milk providing access to AgriGuardian to all of their members free of charge.

This is a strong signal that demonstrates how important First Milk consider their members and how they are trying to protect the farmers of tomorrow.

It was rolled out over a week during First Milk member meetings with demos and question and answer sessions across the UK.

AgriGuardian hopes to mirror partnerships like this right across the island or Ireland in the coming months.

“We want to work with milk suppliers, insurance companies and agri-suppliers everywhere, for our solution to be effective it needs to be in as many hands as possible.

“Our mission is to save lives and we approach commercial deals like this one with gaining users as the number one focus not profit margins,” the founders added.

Competition

To celebrate the launch of this deal, AgriGuardian is giving away two Divoom timebox evo Bluetooth speakers.

Follow the AgriGuardian Instagram and Facebook pages for more information.

The post Irish farm safety start-up launches partnership with UK co-op appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Have you ever wondered how you can boost livestock performance with regular weighing?

The weighing of animals is crucial to regularly assess performance, enabling accurate decision-making and efficient monitoring of animal growth.

Herdwatch, Ireland’s premier farm management app, has unveiled exciting new features designed to revolutionise weight recording across the nation.

The Herdwatch app now seamlessly integrates with advanced weigh head technology while providing comprehensive weight insights for both sheep and cattle.

This new integration enables farmers to connect their weigh heads and Electronic Identification (EID) readers directly to the Herdwatch app.

This seamless connectivity streamlines the recording and tracking of animal weights, ensuring data is captured and stored accurately without the need for manual entry.

Additionally, Herdwatch has introduced a powerful Weight Insights feature. This innovative tool offers valuable analytics and trends based on the collected weight data, enhancing livestock management.

With these advanced capabilities, Herdwatch is set to transform the way farmers manage their herds, making farm management more efficient and effective than ever before.

How can the new weigh head integration and weight insights feature benefit you?

The integration of weigh head technology and the Weight Insights feature are designed to cater to the specific needs of both sheep and cattle farmers.

These tools enhance the ability to manage large herds/flocks efficiently, reducing the labour and time required for manual data entry and analysis.

Here are some of the benefits or weight recording on Herdwatch and utilising these features:

1. Monitor your livestock’s performance:

Consistent weighing reveals if animals are meeting their daily liveweight gain targets. If animals are not reaching their desired weight goals, farmers can adjust their nutrition or take other necessary actions.

This proactive approach ensures optimal growth and performance.

• Early Detection of Health Issues:

Regular weight tracking can serve as an early indicator of health issues. Sudden weight loss or inconsistent growth patterns can prompt timely veterinary intervention, potentially preventing more serious health problems.

• Forecasting Sale Timing

Different beef farming systems, such as weanling, finishing, and calf-to-beef, require specific target weights for cattle. Weighing cattle helps farmers determine the optimal time for sale based on achieving these target weights.

• Historical Data Analysis

Access historical weight data to analyse trends and make data driven decisions. This long term view is crucial for planning and optimising animal productivity.

Herdwatch’s integration of weigh head technology and the introduction of Weight Insights represent significant advancements in livestock management. These features provide farmers with the tools needed to enhance productivity, ensure animal health, and make informed management decisions. By leveraging these innovative solutions, sheep and cattle farmers can achieve greater efficiency and profitability in their operations.

Steps to Connect Weigh Heads and EID Readers

1. Ensure Compatibility: Confirm that your weigh head and EID reader are compatible with the Herdwatch app. The app supports a variety of models, providing flexibility for different farm setups with the Herdwatch team working on integrating with even more devices in the near future.
2. Pair Devices: Using Bluetooth or a direct connection, pair your weigh head and EID reader with the Herdwatch app. The app provides detailed instructions to guide you through the pairing process.
3. Record Weights: Once connected, the weigh head will automatically send weight data to the Herdwatch app each time an animal is weighed. The EID reader facilitates the identification of individual animals, ensuring that weight records are accurately attributed.

Join over 22,000 farmers today using the Herdwatch app to simplify their farm management, remove farm paperwork and see the information that matters when it matters in the palm of their hand.

Click the button below to download the Herdwatch app for free today or call today on 050534400 (Monday – Friday, 9:00a.m-5:00p.m).

The post Boost livestock performance with regular weighing appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The UK market accounted for 47% of Irish beef exports in value terms last year, up from 44% in 2022.

We take a look at the performance of Irish beef in Britain and Bord Bia’s efforts to support the market. 

The UK was the biggest and most valuable market for Irish beef exports in 2023, taking some 233,506t of product, equating to almost half of all Irish beef exports last year.

Export data for the first two months of 2024 have indicated a firm start to the year with 39,349t exported to the market- a 5% increase from year earlier levels.

Beef exports

There has been a similar increase recorded in the value of beef exports to the UK in the early months of the year, up by 6% to €212 million.

The UK is a net importer of beef, and Ireland is its largest supplier, accounting for over 70% of the UK’s beef imports. Poland, Netherlands, France, Germany and Spain account for the bulk of the remainder of imports from the EU.

Just over 7,000t of beef were imported into the UK from South America (primarily Brazil and Uruguay) while 1,905t were imported from Australia and just over 1,800t from New Zealand.

Total non-EU beef imports were just over 12,000 last year, which represents 5% of total UK beef imports.

UK beef retail overview

Irish beef commands a strong position across the UK. Irish beef is the only imported beef that is available continually in the mainstream UK grocery sector and is stocked by major retailers such as Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s.

In recent years, we have seen an increase in organic Irish beef in the UK market with premium online retail, Ocado, listing the product year-round.

Strong Irish beef retail sales

According to Kantar retail data, in the 52 weeks to April 14, 2024, the volume of Irish beef sold into the UK retail channel rose by 16% (when compared to April 2023).

At the same time, the quantity of all beef sold into UK retail decreased by 1.1%, demonstrating that despite falling UK beef consumption, Irish beef still commands a strong position in the market.

In terms of cut popularity, mince beef is the most popular beef product in the UK with sales of £978.6 million in the 52-week period to April 14 this year.

This was down marginally (0.5%) on the previous year. Sales of steaks in UK retail rose by 2.2%, while stewing beef continues to suffer with the most extreme reduction of 12.7% in sales to £389.6 million (over a 52-week period).

This is a long-term trend which has seen mince and steak categories growing at the expense of roasting joints and stewing beef.

Much of this is driven by shoppers looking for quick midweek meals with mince and frying steaks seen as a quicker, convenient choice.

UK-Irish relations

The UK market has a longstanding and robust relationship with Irish beef, a connection that is underpinned by several key factors.

The similarity in beef production systems between Ireland and Britain, both favouring suckler cows and steer beef over young bulls, has fostered a sense of familiarity.

In recent times, Irish beef and sheep processing companies have established themselves as leading processors in Britain.

Quality Assurance is an indispensable requirement for all premium export markets with the UK spearheading the demand for Quality Assurance across all market segments.

The Bord Bia Sustainable Beef and Lamb Scheme enjoys widespread recognition and acceptance by all UK beef customers as being on par with various UK schemes.

UK consumer tracking

The UK shopper places a very high level of trust in Ireland as a source of food. In the most recent study undertaken by Red Tractor on consumer trust, Ireland topped the poll as the most trusted country for food among respondents.

74% of respondents said they trust food from Ireland, followed by the UK at 73%.

The acceptance of Irish beef in the UK is further underlined by research by Bord Bia’s Thinking House, which undertakes ongoing consumer studies in the UK.

This includes an Irish beef ‘brand health check’ and a meat shopper report every three months.

This research highlights that four in five UK shoppers are familiar with Irish beef and two in three shoppers would consider purchasing beef of Irish origin in the future.

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In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, co-op directors play a critical role in overseeing cyber security of their co-ops.

With cyber threats growing in complexity and frequency, directors must proactively engage in cyber security decision-making to safeguard their co-ops reputation and protect against potential downtime.

Bringing cyber security into the co-op boardroom is essential.

Cyber security responsibilities for board directors of a co-op

• Strategic oversight: Ensuring that cyber security strategies align with the broader co-op goals;
• Risk management: Identifying, assessing, and mitigating your co-op’s cyber risks;
• Compliance adherence: Staying informed about relevant regulations to avoid penalties.

Co-op directors often face challenges when addressing cyber security concerns, particularly in framing the right questions for their executive teams and advisors.

They must foster an environment where seeking specialised external assistance is encouraged, as cyber security expertise is not always available internally.

By thoroughly assessing their co-ops security posture, directors can ensure robust cyber risk management strategies that are responsive to the evolving threat landscape.  

Five considerations for co-op directors:

1. Understanding cyber threat response:
   Directors must understand how their co-op responds to cyber threats swiftly and efficiently. This includes a plan to assess risks, make informed decisions, and allocate resources promptly.

2. Documenting a cyber threat management plan:
   Clearly define policies, procedures, and practical incident response plan so to handle any cyber threats effectively and minimise potential downtime.

3. Taking pragmatic action-oriented approach:
   Foster a culture of cyber security by promoting awareness and training programmes across all levels.

4. External expertise is essential:
   Relying solely on internal IT may not provide the depth of expertise required. Seeking external help, like FutureRange, gives boards specialised knowledge to tackle emerging risks.

5. Safeguarding reputation:
   A breach can have significant consequences. By prioritising cyber security and engaging external experts, directors can strengthen their co-ops resilience and protect its reputation.

Why invest in cyber security?

Investing in cyber security protects more than just than data; it protects against downtime, safeguards your reputation, financial stability, and compliance posture.   

It also strengthens shareholder and customer trust, which are invaluable to your co-ops success.

Protecting both software and hardware together is crucial for optimal security in co-ops.

The main goal of co-ops integrating data and operational technology is to merge technologies and team approaches smoothly and safely.

Security is vital, so it is important to develop strategies that protect data while keeping operations running without interruption.

At FutureRange, the staff understand the evolving nature of cyber threats and regulatory requirements.

Our expertise lies in turning challenges into robust defensive strategies for your organisation.

Partner with FutureRange to strengthen your cyber defences and lead confidently in the digital age.

Contact the FutureRange today

Partnering with FutureRange ensures your co-op complies with Irish and EU regulations while maintaining governance.

Our comprehensive services protect your organisation against cyber threats, supporting you in fulfilling your responsibilities as a director.

Let FutureRange help you meet your cyber security governance responsibilities with clarity and precision.

Website: www.futurerange.ie

Email: dgarry@futurerange.ie

Phone: +353 1 296 0560

The post Issues co-op directors need to understand about cyber security appeared first on Agriland.ie.

According to the CEO of Renewable Gas Forum Ireland (RGFI), “farmers are central” to the emerging agri-feedstock based anaerobic digestion (AD) biomethane sector in Ireland.

PJ McCarthy spoke out in advance of the National Biomethane Conference which will take place in Croke Park on June 12.

“While AD biomethane offers additional market opportunities for farmers who want to supply feedstock, it also offers bio-economy opportunities, such as bio-fertilisers and biogenic CO2 for use in a variety of industries, including the food and beverage sector,” the CEO added.  

The event is very timely as the National Biomethane Strategy is to be published shortly by the Departments of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Department for Environment, Climate, and Communications.

Biomethane development

In anticipation of the  announcement of the Strategy, RGFI as an industry forum representing its members, is urging Minister Charlie McConalogue and Minister Eamon Ryan to ensure that the government enables and supports the level of scale and development required to achieve the delivery of 5.7TWh of indigenously produced sustainable biomethane by 2030.  

“We are looking forward to working with government to ensure a sustainable and resilient biomethane and circular bio-economy industry is developed, however, to deliver a meaningful farmer centric industry, requires comprehensive guidance and support structures, along with relevant incentives.

RGFI members have identified four basic requirements essential to achieving this:

1. Funding  –  50% capital funding is required;
2. Renewable heat obligation and an operational support , feed in tariff or green premium to  support biomethane production, providing investor certainty;
3. Low cost finance – high interest rates impact on cost of production.
4. A clear framework addressing regulation, planning, and approvals.

Ireland’s national food strategy targets the emergence of Ireland as a leader in sustainable food systems. The reality is that to achieve this, our indigenous agri-food companies need competitive and sustainable solutions.

As our largest indigenous manufacturing and processing industries, which operates on relatively low margins, but has high thermal demand this  difficult-to-decarbonise,  sector , must be able to compete and secure biomethane on the open global market.  

The Biomethane Conference on June 12 will be important for all stakeholders in the value chain to navigate the transition from vision to action, focusing on vital areas such as Finance & Funding, Planning, Licensing and Permitting, Technology, and Sustainability.

Speakers include representatives from Ireland and Northern Ireland’s Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, the European Biogas Association (EBA), as well as influential figures such as Ministers McConalogue and Ryan, farmers and their farm leaders;  Dr. Paul Crossan and Dr. Ciara Beausang of Teagasc;  Tom Arnold, Chair, Food Vision 2030 Strategy Committee –  as well as industry innovators  Nephin Energy, BioCore, Future Biogas and the Dairy Processing Technology Centre.

RGFI has worked with KPMG since 2019, producing An Integrated Business Case for Biomethane in Ireland, which laid the foundation for government confidence in the value and feasibility of biomethane production to decarbonise industry thermal processes.

KPMG has also supported RGFI’s work on agri-food industry collaboration through Project Clover.

This work and the united voice provided by RGFI for the whole biomethane industry has brought biomethane to the fore as a central part of Ireland’s decarbonisation effort, as well as supporting the circular bioeconomy and adding to Ireland’s future energy security.

The national target of 5.7TWh biomethane production by 2030 will require the construction of 150-200 large scale AD biomethane plants, and some are already through the planning process.

Circular bio – economy

Biomethane can also be used in the transport sector as Bio Compressed Natural Gas (BIO CNG).

There are already trucks running on CNG and recently a biomethane tractor has been launched in Ireland. 

The real future potential for the Irish food sector however, is in the potential to develop bio products and create a sustainable, circular bio-economy.

“The opportunity does not stop at biomethane production as there is growing realisation that the co-products of digestate,  fertiliser and biogenic CO₂ have a strong role to play in valorisation and the demand for both co-products is high from industry consumers,” said McCarthy.

Economic and environmental sustainability

Clearly, the financial returns to the farmer will have an important bearing on the acceptability of producing grass for AD biomethane.

“In our submission to the Draft National Biomethane Strategy, RGFI emphasised the importance of economic as well as environmental sustainability for farmers and the full supply chain.  

“As the country begins to build an AD biomethane industry of scale, we  look forward to working with government, key stakeholders and our members on a phased approach to ensuring the development of  a sustainable, agri-feedstock based, indigenous renewable energy sector,” McCarthy said.

For registration:

‘Ireland Biomethane – pathway to 2030’, June 12, Croke Park, Dublin.

The post ‘Farmers must be central to biomethane development’ – RGFI appeared first on Agriland.ie.

John Roche set up his free-range poultry farm in Rochedale, near Monasterboice, Co. Louth in 2012. He has 12,000 free-range layers supplying nearby Belview Eggs.

“We’ve always had poultry red mites on the farm, but I try to keep them under control. When I first started, we used a chemical spray, but it was quite unpleasant to use.

“Around seven years ago, my vet prescribed a new product that was given to the hens through my dosing pump system. It has been a gamechanger. It is so effective and easy to use,” John said.

Poultry red mites are nocturnal ectoparasites that suck blood from host birds at night and then hide in the cracks, crevices and litter of poultry houses when they are not feeding during the day.

Red mites survive and reproduce at a wide range of temperatures, but at 17 to 25°C and around 70% humidity, their life cycle is shorter, reducing to between seven to 10 days.

John uses a veterinary licensed systemic treatment that contains fluralaner and kills mite when they feed on treated hens.

Treatment consists of two applications (via the drinking water), seven days apart, in order to target all stages of the life cycle.

The second application kills the mites that have hatched in the week after the first application. The egg withdrawal period is zero days.

Vet, Ciaran Cunningham from Agrihealth has witnessed the results:

“This is a product that continues to grow in popularity. Red mite infections can be very distressing for both birds and farmer, so effective treatment makes for happy hens and happy farmers, especially with the current price of eggs.”

As well as being medicinally licensed as an effective treatment against poultry red mites, it is the first veterinary product centrally registered in the EU to include animal welfare improvement in its licence.

Poultry

Studies showed a reduction in both behavioural and physical indicators of stress caused by red mite after treatment.

John said: “Treating for red mite has made a massive difference to the hens. Our farm is accredited under Bord Bia’s Sustainable Egg Assurance Scheme.

“We are constantly trying to reduce the energy, feed and water used to produce our eggs, while keeping a healthy flock. By reducing the impact of red mites, we’re able to maintain high levels of welfare and productivity.”

Mites are also known to carry a multitude of viral and bacterial pathogens that can be transmitted to both birds and humans.

While small numbers of mites may be tolerated by laying hens, heavy infestations result in reduced immunity that can lead to the presence of other diseases in the flock.

These health issues also affect egg production as there are more downgraded eggs in the packing station, higher rates of floor eggs and the laying pattern may be more spread out. Farmers may see a reduction in the laying rate, compared either to previous flocks or to the wholesaler’s average.

John continued: “In the early years, I tried various products in an attempt to control red mite, but the construction of housing for hens and the equipment makes it difficult.

“As far as I’m concerned, it is the best product on the market. It is easy to use and the results are really positive and immediate.

“In the morning after the treatment, the heaps of dead mites can be seen, which is very satisfying compared to the previous sprays that were so unpleasant for me to use and the mites were still there in the following days and weeks.”

The post Louth poultry farmer finds solution for tackling red mites appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Silage season is one of the busiest times of year, so it can be tempting to take shortcuts.

You may get away with ploughing a field before checking for rocks, but neglecting safety can be much more costly, especially when it comes to operating farm machinery in the presence of electricity.

Contact with overhead lines, stay wires or poles can result in major damage to infrastructure and farm equipment. Contact with electricity can cause serious burns, disabling injuries, or death.

To ensure a safe silage season, ESB Networks has put together the following tips to help farmers and contractors make electrical safety part of their seasonal plan.

Maintain electrical equipment

With the herd out to pasture in the spring/summer, power washing sheds and yard repairs are high on the list of to-dos.

Before you plug anything in, ensure power cables and extension cords are in good condition.

Water and electricity can be a deadly combination, and rubber-soled footwear and gloves cannot be relied upon to protect you from electrocution.

Be aware of surroundings

Identify the locations of overhead electricity lines, poles and stay wires on the property, and along your route.

If it is not feasible to physically show contractors where electrical infrastructure is, use a map to inform external help of potential hazards.

Maintain awareness of your precise location. In the event of an accident, the property’s Eircode or your GPS coordinates will ensure the emergency services and ESB Networks can find you.

Plan routes

Traversing ditches, cutting through fields or under electricity lines may offer shortcuts and ways to test the performance of machinery. This also presents unnecessary risks.

Establish routes to keep a safe distance from overhead electricity lines, poles and stay wires.

Electricity can arc or jump gaps, so you do not need to make direct contact with the line to be electrocuted.

Keep a safe distance

Harvesters, augers, sprayers, and booms are among the biggest culprits when it comes to accidents with overhead wires. However, care must be taken with all equipment around electrical infrastructure.

A run-in with a pole or stay wire may cause damage, but an unsecure electricity line will become a major safety hazard.

When hand-carrying equipment such as irrigation pipes or ladders, carry them horizontally to avoid the chances of contact or electrical arcing.

Use the buddy system

Most of us don’t go anywhere without our mobile phone. However, it is still a good idea to let someone know where we are going and how long we expect to be there, in the event the unexpected happens.

Practice safe storage

Never stack bales, materials, or equipment beneath electricity lines. Not only will it present a risk when it comes time to move it, but it may also present an enticing challenge for young climbers.

Report damage

Report any damage to electricity infrastructure to ESB Networks immediately by calling 1800 372 999.

Do not attempt to move sagging wires or compromised poles, or disentangle vegetation or animals caught in wires. These present dangers that require professional intervention.

To learn more about staying safe this silage season click here.

The post Electrical safety tips for silage season appeared first on Agriland.ie.

A significant proportion of this year’s field bean crop has been sown late into warm seedbeds. These crops will develop quickly, be more susceptible to disease and have a high demand for nutrients, especially nitrogen (N).

Disease control is an important insurance to protect yield. Both Chocolate Spot and Bean Rust often devastate yield and a two spray fungicide programme is standard on spring sown beans.

These diseases often develop quickly and strongly without advanced notice, so the insurance of a planned two-spray fungicide at early and late flowering is critical.

 According to John McCarthy from Syngenta: “Elatus Era is a great choice for one of the fungicide applications on beans. It controls chocolate spot, as well as any alternative fungicide and has a definite edge over others for rust control.

“It can be used at either the early or late flower timings though we prefer early flower, that’s when rust disease begins to develop, and it is better to tackle it before it has a chance to establish.

“Elatus Era at a rate of 0.66L/ha on beans is probably the best value available.”

Nitrogen boost

Syngenta has also brought an exciting new bacteria based biofertilizer product to the market this year. 

Margaret Murphy from Syngenta said: “Vixeran allows many crops to fix nitrogen directly from the atmosphere.

“Beans fix their own nitrogen through root nodules, but these nodules senesce and stop fixing nitrogen around the time of pod filling.

“A foliar application of Vixeran supplements the nitrogen supply to the crop allowing the plant to carry on photosynthesizing and increasing yield.

“There is some great data from 2023 trials showing excellent consistency in yield delivery.”

Margaret explained: “We recommend Vixeran on beans any time between the four-leaf stage and first flowers open.

“A combination of Vixeran and Elatus Era at that early flowering stage will be a good solution for those not wanting an extra pass through the crop to apply the Vixeran.

“Cereals and field beans are our focus with Vixeran this year. But, there is potential and we are looking at its performance on many other crops, including beet, maize and oilseed rape.”

The post Disease control and nitrogen boost technology deliver bigger yields appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The government recently approved a new Climate Action Performance Payment of €5,000/ha for ash forest owners affected by ash dieback.

The payment will be made available to grant aided forest owners who either have or will clear their sites and replant through one of the department’s Ash Dieback Reconstitution Schemes.

Ash forest owners who have not already entered one of the reconstitution schemes for ash dieback are encouraged to join the Reconstitution Ash Dieback Scheme (RADS) 2023-27 to become eligible for the new payment.

Ash dieback

Ash Forest Owners will be eligible to receive the additional Climate Action Performance Payment (CAPP) of €5,000/ha when their sites have been cleared and they have carried out replanting, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Reconstitution Ash Dieback Scheme.

This will be paid in three instalments, as follows:

• €2,500 can be applied for after 1st grant on Ash reconstitution scheme
• €1,250 can be applied for after 2nd grant on Ash reconstitution scheme if the forest owner is out of premiums or at the end of their premiums if they are still in receipt
• €1,250 can be applied for the following year

Note: The Climate Action Performance Payment will be exempted from income tax by virtue of section 232(2) TCA.

What reconstitution schemes must I have joined or must join to qualify for the Climate Action Performance Payment?

If you have previously joined one of the following department schemes you are eligible for the CAPP payment, provided that you have replanted:

• Reconstitution Scheme Ash Dieback 2013
• Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (Ash Dieback) 2020
• Interim Reconstitution Scheme for Ash Dieback 2023
• Reconstitution for Ash Dieback Scheme (RADS) 2023 – 2027

How to apply for the CAPP instalments?

The department is developing an easy and accessible system to apply for payments which, it expects to roll out as soon as possible. Details of how to apply will be provided by circular and through updated FAQs on its website.

The Reconstitution Ash Dieback Scheme 2023-2027 is now open. To apply for support under this scheme, contact a registered forester and ask them to make an application on your behalf.

Details of this scheme and a list of FAQs on the Climate Action Performance Payment Scheme is available here.     

What supports are available for Site Clearance and Replanting?

Owners of forests affected by Ash Dieback may apply for support under the Reconstitution Ash Dieback Scheme 2023-2027 (RADS), which opened on the 24July 2023 as part of the New Forestry programme.

RADS supports owners of ash plantations to clear their site and replant with trees in line with the new Forestry Programme.

To mitigate the cost of clearance there has been a 100% increase in the site clearance grant rate from €1,000 – €2,000/ha.

For applicants whose sites are still in premium they will continue to receive the premium due for the remaining years.

They will also receive a once-off top-up payment equivalent to the difference between the existing premium and the associated new Forest Type (FT) premium they opt for under the new Programme.

Examples are provided to assist in understanding the funding available when opting for a specific Forest Type.

If you’re interested in reading more about the Forest Types available under the new afforestation programme and their respective annual premiums, which can last up to 20 years, check how much you could get paid by clicking here.

The post Govt. approves €5,000/ha for those affected by ash dieback appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Sheep equipment and technology company, Cotter Agritech, together with expert speakers from Sheep Ireland, Teagasc and the Easycare Sheep Society, are running a series of open days across the country on Tuesday, May 21, and on Wednesday, May 22.

The theme is “techniques, technology and equipment to tackle problems on a modern sheep farm”.

Each open day will feature a farm walk, an in-depth look at the farms brand new handling facilities, a showcase of the latest sheep equipment and technology from Cotter Agritech, interactive speaker sessions on Anthelmintic resistance and breeding for a better bottom line, and a number of trade stands.

Open days

The May 21 open day will take place at Brian and Alison Nicholson’s farm in Co. Kilkenny, which is a large operation running 1000 ewes on 100ha.

Brian finishes the vast majority of his lambs on grass only, performance records his flock, and recently converted to a Cotter Crate system.

The May 22 open day will take place at Padraig Frasier’s farm in Co. Mayo. Padraig runs a smaller operation typical of the west of Ireland, with a flock of 150 Mayo blackface ewes who are crossbred onto Texel and Suffolk rams.

Padraig recently made his first major investment into handling facilities, putting in a Cotter Crate system to reduce labour and hardship.  

Each event will start with a farm walk where guest speakers will chat with the farmer about 2024 lambing performance, flock management, farm key performance indicators (KPIs), grassland management, what’s working well and what are the challenges, and future plans.

Participants will then move to the handling area to see each farmers new facilities, where the Cotter Crate Sheep and Lamb Handler will be demonstrated live.  

Farmers will also see the first public showing of the Cotter Crate Mobile models, which are road-legal trailer mounted Cotter Crates complete with a mobile yard to suit farmers with fragmented land blocks.

The company will also showcase the Automed automatic dosing gun product for the first time.

There will be a presentation on how to maximise the TAMS grants available for investment in sheep handling equipment and yard design options.

Other presentations will include ‘overcoming drench resistance’, delivered by Dr. Steven Johnston, a farmer and sheep advisor running Easycare sheep who struggled with diagnosed drench resistance.

Steven will share his story, results of using the SmartWorm technology for the last few years (50% cut in drench use) and how he is using data to breed for resistance to parasites.

David Coen, Head of Hill Sheep Breed Improvement at Sheep Ireland will explain what performance recording can deliver to farmers.

Trade stands on the day include Cotter Agritech, Sheep Ireland, Easycare Sheep Society, Cormac Tagging, TrueNorth Technologies (Grasshopper), Organic Trust and the Irish Organic Association.

All are welcome to attend.

The post Watch: Smart sheep farming open days to take place nationwide appeared first on Agriland.ie.

MEP candidate, James Reynolds

If elected as an MEP, I will work to achieve a significant ‘beefing up’ of the existing EU Unfair Trading Practices legislation.

I hope to achieve this by means of a two-pronged approach to dealing with manipulation of farm product prices.

Specifically on beef prices manipulation by the meat processing industry and retail supermarket chains that certainly has resulted in a rigged market for beef in Ireland, because of the Goodman-owned ABP group having a monopoly on rendering (offal disposal) and the ‘big three’ processors of ABP, Dawn and Kepak – who effectively have cartel control of the Irish beef processing market.

As an MEP, I would be demanding that the two-pronged approach to utilising EU Unfair Trading Practices legislation to maximum policy effect for the benefit of primary beef producers.

This can be achieved by the appointment of an EU Food Regulator with sufficient enforcement powers to impose hefty sanctions and penalties on those firms found to be in breach of EU Competition law.

MEP candidate

The second prong of this radical reform to tackle Unfair Trading Practices, would be carried out at national level by the EU member state.

In that regard, I am proposing fair pricing legislation to be enacted by the Oireachtas, based on existing minimum wage legislation.

This would guarantee that farmers, by law as the primary producers of food products, would be paid a fair share of the retail price of food paid by consumers, while ensuring a fair margin to that primary producer above the cost of production which would thus put a floor on beef prices.

That additional element of national pricing legislation would be necessary to provide farmers and horticultural growers with protection from retail supermarkets using food products as loss leaders as part of their commercial promotional activity.

This has an undermining effect on the food product prices paid by supermarkets to growers of vegetables.

The fair pricing legislation that I am advocating for, would replace the current toothless Food Ombudsman’s office that showed abject paralysis in it’s capacity to prevent the recent pulling of beef prices by meat factories over the last three weeks.

Antitrust at EU level

If elected as an MEP, I pledge myself to work to the best of my ability to bring about the introduction of tough Antitrust legislation.

I will undertake to ensure that such Antitrust legislation would supersede what passes for competition law in member states like Ireland.

This unchallenged dominance in the beef sector has been the principal cause of why beef finishers have been forced into a low margin spiral.

Beef price base quotes are 10-15c/kg below where they were this time last year. Base prices have been pulled by 15c/kg over the last three weeks.

Price differential between Irish and UK beef prices for 360-370kg steers was €170, with average finishers having 30 steers according to Bord Bia figures for the week ending May 5th, 2024.

Excluding VAT, the price for an R3 steer was €5.22/kg on May 5th, 2024 whereas the price for an R3 steer in Northern Ireland plants was €5.60/kg and €5.68/kg in Great Britain that same week.

The post MEP candidate vows to deal with manipulation of farm product prices appeared first on Agriland.ie.

According to the head of agriculture at Bank of Ireland, Eoin Lowry, sustainable farming is becoming increasingly important in the agri-food supply chain, and new sustainability loans will support action.

Farmers know the value of sustainability. Lowry said the role that the agri-sector plays in fighting climate change is well understood by Ireland’s farmers, and they also know that it has a value.

Lowry explained: “Sustainable agriculture helps to preserve natural resources, while promoting social equity and economic profitability.

“Not only does it reduce the environmental impact of farming systems, but it also results in higher productivity, improved efficiencies and more sustainable food products for consumers.

“Agriculture is the world’s oldest and largest industry. It employs more than one billion people and generates over $1.3 trillion worth of food annually.

“Pasture and cropland occupies around 50% of the Earth’s habitable land and provides habitat and food for a multitude of species.

“In Ireland, agriculture is the largest land user and an integral part of the Irish rural economy, employing over 173,000 people.

“When agricultural operations are sustainably managed, they can preserve and restore critical habitats, help protect watersheds, and improve soil health and water quality. But, unsustainable practices have serious impacts on people and the environment.”

Sustainable resource management

Eoin Lowry added that the need for sustainable resource management is increasingly urgent.

“Demand for agricultural commodities is rising rapidly as the world’s population continues to grow. Agriculture’s deep connections to the world economy, human societies and biodiversity make it one of the most important frontiers for conservation around the globe.

“How and where we produce food is one of the most important conservation issues of the 21st century. The challenge of sustaining life on an increasingly crowded planet of more than 8bn people grows more complex every day.

“By 2050, our planet will need to feed an extra two billion people. This will see food demand increase by almost 50%. In simple terms, the earth will need to produce more food to feed more people on fewer resources.

“At the same time, as improving biodiversity, water quality, animal welfare standards and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This is a huge challenge.”

Banking on sustainability

Lowry noted that banks are key to the transition to a greener economy.

However, he warned that the climate challenge is impacting all banks’ appetite – particularly around sectors considered more vulnerable to transition.

To directly address this, Bank of Ireland is partnering with the agri-food industry to provide an additional funding option for farmers implementing sustainable farming practices through its innovative Enviroflex product.

Enviroflex is designed to support farmers and their use of land to be part of the solution, firstly by improving the environmental footprint of their farm, while also supporting the decarbonising of other sectors.

It is underpinned by Bord Bia’s Origin Green Sustainability Programme and the Teagasc Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC), promoting and rewarding accelerated sustainable action at farm level.

“Banks are seen as a key enabler to support the transition to a greener economy. Agri and land use can be part of the solution to support the decarbonising of other sectors,” said Lowry.

With more than 82,000 farming customers, Bank of Ireland is a key banking partner to the agri-sector in Ireland. In 2023, Bank of Ireland provided over 55% of all new lending to farmers.

Enviroflex is currently available to farmers who are milk suppliers of Dairygold and Kerry Dairy Ireland and who are participating in a sustainability programme. Planning is already underway to roll it out to other co-ops and processors around the country.

Lowry said Enviroflex was designed to support the bank’s farming customers to take action and reward farmers that are doing the right thing by the environment “because that will create a more efficient, productive and sustainable farm in terms of the environment, economically and socially”.

“At Bank of Ireland, we want to understand what the farm of the future looks like, because the way we farm today (like always) will not be how we farm in the future. New technologies, new consumer preferences, new challenges will demand that the sector changes etc.

“Banks can reward farmers who are embracing green initiatives and are on the journey to reducing their environmental footprint – by cutting back their emissions, improving the biodiversity of their farms and enhancing their farms overall water quality,” he added.

The head of agriculture said he is confident about the future. He believes that farmers, similar to when they have faced challenges in the past, always find innovative and productive ways to overcome them.  

“The sector has only really started on its sustainability journey and has already made significant progress. Farmers are resilient and will adapt.

“Practical and sustainable finance products such as Enviroflex that are designed to support farmers are key to the successful implementation of long-term sustainability practices, and will help the sectors achieve its ambitions in this area.”

Lending criteria and conditions apply. Over 18s only.

Warning: The cost of your repayments may increase.

Warning: If you do not meet the repayments on your credit facility agreement, your account will go into arrears. This may affect your credit rating which may limit your ability to access credit in the future.

Bank of Ireland is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

The post Bank of Ireland offers new sustainability loans for a brighter future appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Local Power Ltd newsletter updates Agriland readers about renewable profit opportunities for farmers, on solar PV, battery storage, biomethane developments and grid connection issues.

Over the past few years, Local Power Ltd has championed the need for strong supports to help farmers adopt renewable technologies to either reduce their input costs or earn additional income from their business activities.

The 60% TAMS grant for solar photovoltaics (solar PV) installations on farms, coupled with a full VAT refund and 100% tax write off makes solar PV one of the best investments any farmer can make in their business.

Nigel Flynn, a poultry farmer in Co. Monaghan, installed a 50kwp system with Local power Ltd in 2019 and has just been approved to expand the system using the dedicated 60% TAMS grant opportunity.

Speaking about solar PV, Nigel said that “solar PV was one of the best farm investments” he has ever made, as the solar PV system buffered his farm from the worst of the energy price volatility over the past couple of years.

“Who knows when the next crisis will take hold?” he asked.

In 2010, a 50 kWp system was installed by Local Power Ltd.

He said that the quality of product and service provided, and TAMS paperwork support from Local Power Ltd means that he is now expanding the solar PV system and installing battery storage to optimise the use of the energy generated on the farm.

Nigel is also proud to play his part in improving sustainability, and believes it is important that everyone does what they can to address the challenge of climate change.

German company Solarwatt celebrates 30 years in business by extending their performance warranties to 90% after 30 years, alongside 30 years product warranty on their glass Premium Panels.  

New land use option for farmers – agri-based biomethane

The government’s long overdue support measures for biomethane are promised this month.

In all likelihood, the support is going to be a capital grant to assist in the building of the plants, which will reduce the kwh price required for the renewable gas.

This support will be coupled with a renewable heat obligation requiring businesses to purchase a percentage of their gas from renewable sources to reduce their heat and transport emissions.

Assuming this happens, farmers will be asked to play a central role in providing the feedstock requirements for these plants, creating new sustainable income earning opportunities.

Thousands of acres of land will be required to grow silage, maize, fodder beet and whole crop cereal to power these plants.

Local Power Ltd is well-advanced in formulating its plans to ensure farmers who grow these crops are well-rewarded and invested into its projects.

Farm slurries, manures, and chicken litter can all be used in a biomethane plant and, assuming the department regulations facilitate the export of slurries from derogation farms and import of digestate at the end of the process.

These plants may provide another cost effective way of dealing with nitrate issues on farms.

The first plant is going to be based in Carnaross, Co. Meath. This four-MW plant secured full planning without a hitch thanks to an expert professional team and proper farmer and community engagement.

Planning is the first hurdle any project has to overcome and many factors need to be carefully assessed in advance, to minimise the risk of failure.

Carnaross Plant is on a 10ac site using world renowned Biogest AD technology.

Assuming the economics for building the plant materials, local farmers will be asked to grow about 40,000t of silage/year.

The plant will also take in a similar quantity of farm slurries, chicken litter and manures.

After taking the gas from the feedstock, there will be circa 70,000t of high-powered pasteurised digestate, which again, farmers will play a central role in recycling.

To give you an idea on the value of the digestate, one tonne of digestate will provide the nutrients for growing one tonne of silage.

Local Power Ltd expect 30-40 of these plants to be built out across the country in the coming years, and aims to work closely with the farming community to optimise the opportunity. 

However, government policy is key to ensuring this happens and a solid support structure now needs to be delivered without any further delays.

Beat peak demand response – a new opportunity for battery storage

Recently, ESB Networks launched a ‘BEAT THE PEAK BUSINESS’ scheme, which aims to reward eligible commercial electricity users who reduce their energy use weekdays between the hours of 4:30p.m and 7:00p.m with kWh payments of up to 82c/kwh.

This now means that businesses who have hourly interval metering to allow measurement of current base loads during peak energy use times, and are passed by ESB networks to participate, can secure these attractive kWh payments.

One way for businesses to achieve this, is by reducing energy use in their business, or by using alternative energy sources to displace bought in energy during these peak demand times.

This scheme now presents opportunities for businesses and farms to improve paybacks on solar and battery storage systems.

Solar PV on its own makes the absolute sense and with the 60% TAMS farm grant supports and 20-25% SEAI business supports and 100% ACA tax benefit and VAT refund, paybacks of two to four years can be secured.

Local Power offers best in-class European warranted Fronius inverters and BYD battery storage solutions from the world’s best and largest supplier BYD.

However, traditionally paybacks on battery storage are much longer and up to 10 years without a grant.  

With this new opportunity, the paybacks for installing battery storage to participate in Beat The Peak, and also to optimise the use of renewable energy generated from solar, will be halved.

Local Power Ltd believes that the need for grid balancing technologies is going to grow exponentially as the amount of renewables connected to the grid grows and battery storage is going to play a major part in this.

ESB Networks have more work to do to make this opportunity attractive, but first steps taken are encouraging and positive.

For the best battery options, click here or contact Local Power at 01 8250263 – info@localpower.ie

Grid connection – key to selling renewable energy and not guaranteed

Local Power Ltd strongly recommends that anyone interested in installing larger solar PV systems move early to apply for grid connection.

A grid connection agreement allows you to sell surplus electricity generated to a utility company and, in many cases, significantly improves the economics and sustainability of your investment.

Local Power Ltd has extensive experience in putting successful grid connection applications together and does this free of charge.

There are four grid connection options available. The micro-generation scheme is for smaller systems of up to 9 kWp on single phase and 15 kWp on three-phase connections and requires no grid connection agreement, other than an NC6 form submitted to ESB Networks.

The mini-generation scheme facilitates installations of up to 25 kWp of solar PV on single-phase connections (maximum allowable on single-phase connections) and up to 75 kWp on three-phase connections.

This requires a grid application to ESB Networks and, once a fee of €950 including VAT is paid, ESB Networks will assess your site and give an export agreement.

This may be what you ask for but also, depending on the transformer, distance from fuse boards, MIC supply agreement, may be limited.

Already, Local Power Ltd is seeing curtailment in some counties.

The post Renewable profit opportunities growing for farmers appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Grolime is the voluntary certified trademark under which companies who meet necessary criteria are authorised to promote and sell their ground limestone.

Irish farmers are constantly adapting to evolving technologies, regulatory requirements and guidance.

Indeed, farmers are currently adapting to the many challenges posed by the high levels of rainfall since last July that severely hampered recent spring farm operations.

The impact of the weather on agricultural lime usage since last summer was acknowledged by the Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue, who announced an extension to the deadline by which lime purchased under the National Liming Programme 2023 must be spread to June 28.

This action provides a further incentive for farmers to take every opportunity during the growing season to apply agricultural lime to land, provided soil and weather conditions are suitable.

It is important to remember that lime can be spread at any time of the year. Traditionally, the majority of lime was only applied towards the back-end of the year, but that is no longer the case.

Liming plan

A suitable liming plan will identify opportunities for lime application over the course of the entire farming year, depending on suitable land conditions and the availability of land.

The liming plan will identify where lime is needed, and when and at what rate lime should be applied.

Waiting until the late season, when Ireland’s rainfall is typically higher, to apply lime will generally result in poorer and less trafficable soil conditions and the opportunity to apply lime could be missed. 

Therefore, Teagasc has advised farmers to apply lime earlier in the year when soil and weather condition are usually more favourable, thereby capitalising on the benefits of liming to use nitrogen (N) more efficiently and to help reduce the total farm N requirements.

An ideal time to apply lime, is once fields have been grazed-off and grass covers are low. Applying lime to low grass covers will reduce the risk of lime residues as rainfall generally washes most of the lime from the grass down to the soil.

Where a small amount of lime remains on the leaf, it will not affect grazing animals. Notwithstanding the wet spring this year, grass covers on farms tend to be lowest from April to August, which presents a good opportunity for lime application.

The timing of lime spreading should also take into the application of slurry and chemical fertilisers.

According to Teagasc, lime should be applied seven to 10 days after the application of slurry to avoid any loss of N from the slurry. Similarly, lime should be applied seven to 10 days after the application of urea fertiliser to reduce the risk of N losses.

While fertiliser prices have eased compared to previous years, optimising soil pH with the use of lime ensures that applied N, phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) are used as efficiently as possible.

In addition, lime increases the availability of key nutrients that are already in the soil for plant uptake leading to improved Nitrogen Use Efficiency.

Applying lime increases grass production annually by releasing up to 80kg more N/ha/year, unlocking soil P and K and increasing the response to freshly applied N, P and K.

Therefore, with improved weather conditions hopefully on the way, it is important for farmers to seize every opportunity during the growing season to spread lime, provided soil conditions are suitable.

Waiting until next winter may result in less trafficable soil conditions and the opportunity to improve soil pH and enhance the efficient use of N on farms could be missed.

Grolime

There are currently 15 companies operating from 30 locations certified as ‘Grolime’ suppliers.

All Grolime certified suppliers are licenced by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) to manufacture and sell ground limestone for use as a soil conditioner in Ireland.

All Grolime certified companies undergo independent twice-yearly testing for Total Neutralising Value, Moisture Value and Grading, in line with the national specification for ground limestone.

To find your nearest registered Grolime supplier, go to the “Producers” section on www.grolime.ie

The post Grolime and grow more: It’s always time to lime appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Swyft Energy, one of Ireland’s leading installers of solar PV, has partnered with Kerry Agribusiness to make it easier for farmers to reduce electricity costs and lower carbon emissions.

Swyft Energy provide a full turnkey solution for farmers, managing the entire solar PV process from design through to installation, Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) and aftercare.

Up to 60% of a solar PV and battery storage system can now be covered by TAMS.

This grant, plus Accelerated Capital Allowances and the ability to sell excess solar electricity back to the grid, mean that farmers can recoup the entire cost in as little as three years.

Electricity costs

With average electricity costs still around 53% higher than in 2021, Swyft Energy’s co-founder said that using solar power offers Kerry Agribusiness milk suppliers a proven method of cutting costs, while also reducing the carbon footprint of the farming enterprise. 

Swyft Energy co-founder, Adrian Casey said: “Kerry Agribusiness’ Evolve programme highlights their commitment to supporting the adoption of sustainable farming practices.

“We are delighted to help local milk suppliers take a step that’s a clear win-win: using solar PV to protect the environment while also making a clear, positive impact on their own business’s bottom line.”

Kerry Agribusiness milk supplier, PJ O’Halloran, from Ballyheigue in north Kerry, said he was looking for a solar PV system that would reduce his energy bills, work in a dairy parlour environment and would be supported by the installer before, during and after the installation.

The Swyft Energy solar PV system he installed delivered on all these requirements and led to a 57% reduction in Mr O’Halloran’s electricity costs for his 55-cow dairy farm.

With a dedicated team in place solely focused on serving agricultural clients, Swyft Energy conducts a site visit and provides the client with a tailored Solar PV proposal based on their electricity consumption and farm needs.

From there, Swyft Energy will manage the grant application process and complete the installation once TAMS approval is received.

“Having worked on many solar PV farm installations, we have a very clear idea of what’s needed to ensure the application process is straightforward and the TAMS grant is obtained,” Casey added.

“This partnership with Swyft Energy marks another step forward in our commitment to supporting milk suppliers on their sustainability journey,” said Kerry Agribusiness general manager, James O’Connell. 

“Our objective is to provide a structured and reliable solar solution for our milk suppliers that will assist them in reducing on-farm emissions and in managing energy cost volatility,” O’Connell added.

The post Dairy farmers can reduce electricity costs through new partnership appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Controlling weeds in newly sown leys containing clover has become easier following the launch of ProClova XL, the new herbicide manufactured by Corteva Agriscience.

ProClova XL contains two active ingredients – Rinskor and amidosulfuron – which together, provide the widest spectrum of weed control in newly sown leys.

A totally new ingredient to the Irish market, Rinskor’s reduced ecological profile and low dose rate when compared to many other herbicides has earned it several awards.

With many fields now sown and more to follow, a post emergent spray should be targeted approximately six to eight weeks after reseeding.

ProClova XL will kill seedling docks and chickweed along with many other annual weeds like Fat hen, redshank, red-dead nettles, fumitory and more.

This will ensure weeds are eliminated and a clean productive sward gets established.

Checking on chickweed

The above photos illustrate the damage that chickweed can inflict on a reseeded paddock.

The first picture (left) shows an unsprayed area. The following year, dead chickweed is visible where it has smothered out the grass (right) with perennial weeds including docks and thistle beginning to germinate within the bare patches.

“Chickweed can be devastating to newly-sown grasses,” said Chris Maughan, weed control specialist and technical manager of Whelehan Crop Protection, distributors of ProClova XL on the Irish market.

“In some cases, chickweed can get established and smothered out the grass completely.

“In situations like this, if these fields are not sprayed soon after reseeding, the chickweed can smother out the grass seedling leaving bare area for other weeds such as docks, thistles and buttercups to germinate and flourish. 

“The end result will be a very poor pasture and a wasted investment.”

Chris continued: “ProClova XL is the ideal product of choice here. The wide range of weeds controlled includes chickweed, docks, and other annual weeds including Fat hen, red dead nettle, redshank and fumitory.”

Chris also highlighted the damage docks can wreak on a new reseed: “Killing docks at the seedling stage is vital. This ensures total kill and prevent the docks from establishing a deep taproot.”

Timing is everything

ProClova XL should be applied when the grass is at the tillering stage and the clover has three trifoliate leaves.

Clover fixes nitrogen (N) from the air by using special bacteria in its roots, which is essential for plant growth.

Autumn reseeds

Many autumn reseeds from last year may not have got a herbicide application on yet. These fields may have been grazed or cut for silage, however perennial weeds like docks may still be present and these should be targeted as soon as possible.

If docks are allowed to get established, they will produce a large tap root which makes them harder to kill in subsequent years. Targeting them ensures total kill and prevent the docks from establishing a deep taproot.

Following over 10 years of research and investment, ProClova XL is the first new herbicide active ingredient for grassland since Corteva launched Forefront T back in 2008.

Corteva Agriscience has an annual R&D spend of over $1.3 billion which equated over $3.5 million each day.

ProClova XL is available in a box containing two bottles  – ProClova and XL.

ProClova contains the herbicides, Rinskor and amidosulfuron while the XL bottle contains an adjuvant oil which improves and reliability of weed control, while providing maximum safety to both the grass and clover.

The area to the right was sprayed with ProClova XL in April 2022 before the silage was cut the following month. This picture was then taken a few weeks later following a cut of silage.

ProClova XL Facts

• Use from April to October in new leys;
• Rate in new sown leys: 85g + 165ml/ha (one pack treats three ha);
• In established grass or where ground cover is greater than 90% use the higher rate 125g + 250ml/ha (one pack to 2ha);
• Controls key weeds including docks, chickweed, fat-hen, redshanks and red dead nettle;
• In established grassland, it also controls dandelions, buttercups, plantains, cow parsley and hogweeds;
• Rainfast in one hour and livestock should be kept off for seven days post-treatment (in the absence of ragwort);
• Use from the tillering stage of the grass and when the clover has three trifoliate leaves present.

Clover safety: A transitory effect (leaf deformation/growth inhibition) may be seen following application, but full recovery will follow after two/three grazings.  

Red clover: When used on grass leys containing red clover, ProClova XL should be applied in the year after establishment – so reseeds sown last autumn containing red clover can be sprayed this spring. 

Established grassland: ProClova XL can also be used on established grassland where clover preservation is key. It provides the highest level of dock control available in clover swards and is also effective on other weeds like dandelions, buttercups, plantains, hogweeds and cow parsley.

For optimum control, spray actively growing weeds at the correct growth stage, eight to 10” across and at the rosette stage. If weeds have grown beyond the correct growth stage, top them and spray regrowth with ProClova XL.

Best practice advice

• Apply ProClova XL with at least 75% drift reducing nozzles.
• Do not apply ProClova XL to fields where an intersecting watercourse is present (i.e. where the land parcel slopes towards a watercourse and any surface water run-off would drain into that watercourse).
• When spraying fields, respect an unsprayed buffer zone to watercourses of 3m.

Scan the QR code for best practice guidelines

The post ProClova XL: The ideal post-reseeding herbicide appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Dairy farmer from Co. Offaly, Brian Tooher, has received a 90% success rate.

Situated just a short distance from Birr, Brian presides over a vast dairy operation spanning 300ac, managed in conjunction with his brother John, where they care for approximately 250 milking cows.

“I had a cow with a bad case of mastitis. We tried antibiotics and the infection kept coming back,” Brian said.

It was the Flash Bolus from Ark Animal Care that proved to be the breakthrough.

“I couldn’t believe it, the next day the infection had cleared up,” he added.

Formulated as a supplementary animal feed, the Flash Bolus by Ark Animal Care is meticulously designed to support udder health during challenging periods such as mastitis outbreaks or times of heightened stress, particularly around calving.

Animals susceptible to stress or illness, especially during crucial periods like calving, are at an increased risk of developing mastitis, which can have significant implications for both milk production and overall herd health.

Hence, ensuring optimal conditions for the animals is imperative, with the Flash Bolus playing a vital role in naturally enhancing udder health.

“The main reason we use these boluses, is for the convenience in the parlour. With the Flash Bolus, there is no milk withdrawal period,” Brian added.

By sidestepping the need to withdraw cows from milking, the risk of milk contamination is minimized, ensuring the integrity of the milk supply.

90% success rate

Additionally, the financial consequences of discarding milk from cows undergoing prolonged antibiotic treatments are evaded, further underscoring the practicality of bolus usage.

“We are all trying to get away from antibiotics, and this seems to be the way to go,” Brian said.

As farmers and veterinarians alike are encouraged to reduce their reliance on antibiotics, the bolus provides invaluable natural support without escalating the use of antibiotics on the farm.

Moreover, the Flash Bolus doesn’t just benefit the cows; it also simplifies the management process for Tooher and his brother.

With its ease of administration and lack of milk withdrawal, integrating the bolus into their routine saves valuable time and resources, allowing them to focus on other aspects of herd management.

Furthermore, the usefulness of the Flash Bolus extends beyond individual cow health to the overall sustainability of the dairy operation.

By promoting udder health and hopefully reducing the need for antibiotics, Tooher’s farm contributes to the broader goal of sustainable agriculture, minimizing the widespread impact associated with antibiotic use and fostering a healthier ecosystem.

In essence, the Flash Bolus by Ark Animal Care represents not only a natural support to udder health but also a step towards a more sustainable and efficient dairy industry.

It empowers farmers like Brian Tooher to prioritize animal health, minimise their environmental footprint, and ensure the long-term viability of their operations.

Contact Mark today on 045433552 for your free bolus consultation

The post Watch: Offaly dairy farmer achieves 90% success rate appeared first on Agriland.ie.

This year of all years, after the challenging spring we have had, the added work of continued heat detection when breeding is not appealing.

Sexed semen has reduced the demand for conventional dairy artificial insemination (AI) and the stock bull is being considered much earlier in the season to get the remainder of the herd in calf once the best cows have been chosen to breed replacements from AI.

The goal is to breed calves of value from every cow in the herd, whether they are replacement stock or dairy beef calves that are saleable next spring.

So, the stock bull chosen must have the genetic merit to produce the right calf.

More critical to the dairy enterprise is guaranteeing calving ease and short gestation so that the six-week calving rate is maintained, and cows get through calving safely and do not end up with production or breeding impacts due to calving difficulty.

Bull power for breeding

Choose your stock and AI bulls with high reliability for calving ease, particularly for maiden heifers.

Always check on any bull being offered for the number of records behind the calving proofs, as this dictates reliability.

There are ‘cheap’ bulls offered that look like good value on the day but have little or no records to support proven calving ease.  

There are practical considerations when introducing bulls into a herd when only 50% of the herd may be in calf.

The first risk is overwork. A mature bull can serve three cows in two days and a young bull can serve three cows in four days.

The general rule of thumb is one young bull to 10 empty females and one mature bull to 20-30 empty females.

Remember that in large herds, bulls take time to adapt and find their way so there may be a lull in calving the following year after their introduction.

Also, the gestation length of these bulls may be longer than the top AI sires that are specifically selected for short gestation, and calving will slow down the following year.

So, when introducing a stock bull to the herd, inseminate for the first 10 to 14 days of the bull being released and each day where there are two or more cows on heat per bull.

This allows the bull to adapt and catch up, or use AI until you are certain that the number of potentially empty cows in the herd matches the capability of the number and age of the introduced bulls.

Have some spare capacity if one gets lame or injured. If a bull shows any sign of lameness or being off form, get them out of the system immediately and revert to AI or bring in a sub.

Short gestation, low calving difficulty, AI dairy beef bulls with high carcass weight breeding values, produce saleable calves at low cost and should be used either exclusively or as an adjunct to stock bulls to secure calving for 2025.

The Dairy Beef panels that you will find in the Munster Bovine catalogues are sires that have been proven in the dairy herd.

There is a considerable amount of data available on these highly reliable sires, and Munster Bovine can be sure how these sires will perform on their customer’s dairy herd.

Herdowners can be assured of the following when using beef sires for the dairy herd from Ireland’s largest dairy beef programme:

1. Minimum calving difficulty;
2. Shortest gestation;
3. Maximum value for calf crop.

Check out the Munster Bovine superb range of Dairy Beef Sires here: Dairy Beef Bulls – Munster Bovine

The post Watch: Ensure sufficient bull power this breeding season appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Kilkenny dairy duo / father and son, Martin and Edward Delahunty from Freshford, milk a herd of Friesian cows on a large grazing platform.

Their dairy enterprise is run in conjunction with a well-managed dairy beef system. The herd predominately uses Hereford stock bulls to breed with their cows.

Four Hereford bulls, as well as one Friesian bull, were used in the 2023 breeding season, and calving this year had very positive results yet again.

Farming on over 300ac, Martin has lived on this farm all his life and began at an early age. He left school at the age of 14 to stay and work the farm after the sudden passing of his father.

Martin loves the buzz of farming and said that “it can give great independence and can also be very satisfactory too”.

Why Hereford?

Martin does not follow stars or indexes to the letter of the law. However, he does believe that they are a great advancement in science, and when used correctly can be extremely helpful, however, like most farmers Martin still goes by the appearance of the animal when making his final decision.

He recognises that generating quality stock is heavily reliant on genetics. To maximise the profits on his farm, he aims to produce good calves from his dairy cows.

He prefers Friesians, as they tend to be the tall animal, which are then crossed with the long and well-shaped Hereford to produce quality beef stock.

When finishing his animals, he aims to match his farming system with a young age-at-slaughter. He aims to finish his heifers at 20 to 22 months, while the steers are finished at 24 to 26 months. 

Among the four Hereford stock bulls used within his herd, each have different traits, which he targets at his cows and heifers.

Martin’s love for the Hereford breed is down to many factors, their ability to hold a good shape and length, while maintaining the docile temperament.

Safety is key in many herds now, especially as Martin would commonly be accompanied by his grandchildren, as they too show great interest in the agricultural industry.

Calf-to-beef system

Still working a winter milking system, with this decision being made over 40 years ago due to the greater profits at the time and good bonuses involved.

Martin has remained milking this system as he seen many benefits. One of which is his calves, Martin keeps all calves born on the farm and fattens them to slaughter.

As his calving season is well spread out, he has a constant supply of fresh milk for the calves readily available.

There is no milk replacer used and he feels this benefits the calved immensely.

Martin believes that winter milking also means that when the weather improves in spring, his calves can go straight out to grass, maximising the utilisation of the grass as the lighter stock can work on the softer ground.

Social life

From a young age, Martin had a great commitment with Macra na Feirme, competing in many debating events in the south-east with Freshford Macra club.

Winning the 1968/69 debating against Kilkenny city still lives on well in Martins mind. He believes that the events and guest speakers greatly benefited his knowledge in which he may have missed out on. 

This encouraged Martin to attend Teagasc events to gain alternative perspectives on agriculture. 

The independence he has now has allowed Martin to travel. His local Teagasc group have toured the world, visiting countries such as China, Brazil, Australia and many more.

Animal nutrition

To coincide with genetics used on his farm, Martin says that nutrition is a key attribute to the animal’s performance.

With all the calves obtaining quality milk from an early age, Martin ensures that targets are continued to be met with quality feed.

The finishing animals obtain a feed consisting of silage, maize and beet.

Beet is costly; however, Martin feels the Herefords produce a lean cover of meat with this addition.

Irish Hereford Prime Membership

Martin has been a member of Irish Hereford Prime for many years. He believes they have significantly enhanced the status of the breed.

Their varied marketing strategies aim to appeal to a wide range of individuals, from farmers who purchase the calves to consumers of the meat.

Farmers can evaluate their alternatives for the future when they purchase calves.

Furthermore, the Irish Hereford Prime bonus encourages more farmers to keep their stock through to slaughter and reap the full rewards available.

He said that Hereford calves are extremely sought after and are now easier to sell due to their consistent performance over their lifetime and the significant carcass weights and bonuses that are achievable. 

Upcoming Hereford society sales

The next Hereford bull sale is in Nenagh on Thursday, May 16. The entries close for this sale on Thursday, May 2.

Irish Hereford Prime will sponsor €200 towards any bull sold for €3,200 and above during the sale.

The post Kilkenny dairy duo use predominately Hereford stock appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Breeding season is now approaching, meaning that cows very vulnerable to metabolic disorders.

Naturally, she will always devote nutrients and energy to milk production, prioritising this over body condition and key hormonal processes, which underpin fertility.

The 2023 and 2024 seasons have been testing. The prolonged wet weather has brought a myriad of challenges at farm level, which have varied greatly depending on location, soil type and other factors.

Typically, this time of year sees milk yield and its quality rocket, as cows enjoy lush, highly digestible swards. This year, however, a delayed start to grazing has left a wide range of covers on farms.

With the second round delayed in most cases, many herds have been grazing stronger than normal covers, are moving onto lower covers and in turn, a lift in grass quality.

Breeding season

Most herds are now approaching peak milk and solids yield, which in turn will dictate production for the rest of the lactation. This includes how much milk can be produced from grass into the summer and backend of the year.

There are a number of reports of lower body condition and reduced yields on many farms, owing largely to the wet start to the year and inability to graze.

These herds will be particularly vulnerable in the run up to peak yield and breeding.

Grass quality

Grazing conditions have rapidly improved and while cows are out full time, we must act with caution now and ensure nutritional requirements are met by realistically assessing what is produced from grazed grass and supplementing accordingly.

Farmers should calculate this with their nutritionist based on their herd’s requirements to eliminate the guess work.

Rapidly cutting feed rates may help with clean outs, however owing to the difficult start of lactation for many herds, now is not the time to push cows, particularly in moderate to higher yielding herds.

Further to this, it is reported that grass crude protein levels are testing quite variably, with levels as low as 16%.

With increasing regulation on the crude protein content of compound feed, it may be worth sending some grass samples for analysis, as exemptions are available to raise the protein content of the compound in conjunction with your feed adviser.

However, grass regrowth coming into the second round is containing significantly lower NDF than usual and will have an increasing rapidly fermentable fibre content, leading to lower rumen pH and a risk of cows developing sub-acute rumen acidosis (SARA).

The risk of SARA

An acidic rumen slows down or kills the activity of fibre-digesting microbes, which has the knock-on effect of reducing feed digestion and energy output from the rumen, resulting in more grass passing through undigested.

Low butterfat levels can be used as an indicator of SARA when combined with other cow signals we can monitor.

Butterfat levels are related to rumen function. The digestion of fibre is a significant component of butterfat synthesis, with high unsaturated fatty acids in grass at certain periods also having a separate suppressive effect.

However, a low rumen pH amplifies the fat suppressive properties of unsaturated fatty acids found in stressed grass plants, reducing butterfat levels.

SARA can have a significant impact on rumen efficiency, herd performance and fertility, leading to a negative impact on milk solids, which negatively impact revenue depending on the contract.

Additionally, excess body condition loss because of SARA predisposes cows to several disorders including lameness, ketosis, milk fever, fatty liver and poor fertility.

Identifying the problem

One way to identify SARA is by looking at dung which can appear bubbly and loose. This results from excess production of acids in the rumen due to the rapid fermentation of grass resulting in SARA.

Undigested fibre particles in the dung and cud balls in yards can also suggest reduced rumen digestion due to lowered pH.

Other signs of SARA:

• Excessive body condition loss due to reduced dry matter intakes resulting from sub-optimal rumen function
• Drop of 0.3%-0.5% in butterfat over a week or a 0.3% drop in protein
• Milk yields drop by around 2-3 litres/cow/day over the course of a week
• More than 10% of the herd has a higher milk protein % than milk fat %
• A fat to protein ratio of less than 1.15 to 1.

The below table illustrates the effect on profitability after a sharp drop in butterfat levels on a 100 cow herd over the course of one month.

If you think your herd may have SARA, be sure to consult with your vet, as symptoms can also be associated with low protein and magnesium levels or liver fluke.

How to check for healthy rumination:

• Look at rumen fill three to four hours after morning milking – poor rumen fill can be caused by reduced dry matter (DM) intake due to acidic conditions in the rumen;
• High protein grass can also cause poor rumen fill as passage rate increases.
• More than 65% of the herd should be ruminating two to three hours after milking, unless they are drinking or actively grazing;
• Drool and saliva should be observed around the muzzle, with more than 65 chews/cud where strong rumination is evident.

If you suspect SARA in your herd, research has shown you can reduce the risk by adding Actisaf Sc 47 live yeast to your compound feed.

Actisaf significantly improves rumen efficiency, leading to increased digestion and utilisation of grass. Its stabilising effect on rumen pH reduces the threat of SARA and improves nutrient output from the rumen microbes.

By enhancing the rumen environment Actisaf has been consistently proven to improve fibre digestion, which can be particularly useful on heavier covers and when grass quality begins to decline mid-summer, increasing the nutrients harvested from every bite of feed.

Add Actisaf

Feeding Actisaf in during spring grazing replicates some of the effects of including structural fibre in the diet without adding gut fill.

Phileo by Lesaffre UK & Ireland recommend Actisaf is included at a minimum rate of 1kg/t, with an estimated cost of €10/t.

Adding Actisaf Sc 47 to animal feeds has been seen to boost the performance of animals by improving their rumen/gut microbiota.

This not only improves feed digestibility and energy supply but also the overall health status and well-being of animals, even in challenging conditions.

This helps optimise herd management to deliver full genetic potential, improving breeding efficiency and profits.

The post Watch: Setting cows up for breeding season and hitting peak milk appeared first on Agriland.ie.

With repeat customers every year, Jim, Pat and James Mulcahy believe optimising the milk feeding stage is the key determinant of a calf’s lifetime potential.

The Mulcahys manage their dairy herd in Burncourt, Co. Tipperary. The father and son partnership keeps approximately 40 replacement heifers every year, with remainder calves being sold locally or through marts.

The Mulcahys are an excellent example of optimum calf husbandry and management.

Once the calf hits the ground, quality colostrum is given immediately within 30 minutes. All calves remain on transition milk for seven to 10 days in groups of five to 10, before moving onto the automatic calf feeder.

Calves are in groups of 20 and are being fed Dairygold’s Prime Elite 23 calf milk replacer.

Prime Elite 23 is a 23% protein and 20% fat milk replacer, providing optimum frame growth and mammary development for heifer calves, while also ensuring carcass gain for beef calves.

Milk feeding stage

Upon introduction to the feeder, calves begin on 5L of solids milk replacer at 12.5% concentration for three to five days, then build up to 6L by 200ml/day.

This ensures a smooth transition as it moves a calf from whole milk to a replacement powder and also an automated system and larger group size. It is imperative to keep stress to a minimum during this timeframe. 

During the full feed period, calves are fed of milk replacer per day at 125g/875ml or 750g/calf/day to encourage intake of concentrates.

Due to the suboptimum weather conditions faced by farms this spring, temperatures varied and put stress on sheds, so the Mulcahys decided to blanket feed Precision Microbes for first 40 days of life to give the calf crop the best start and prevent any stress induced upsets.

All calves have access to ad lib straw and fresh drinking water.

As soon as calves go into groups of 20 on the automated feeder, they receive:

1. Prime Elite Rumi Starter mix, 18% calf muesli;
2. Kaf Gro 16%;
3. Prime Elite Rumiforce 16% at grass.

Calves are fully weaned at 11-12 weeks-of-age. They then move to a paddock adjacent to the calf shed and have access day and night to both grass and shed for first two to three weeks of transition.

Since deciding to use Prime Elite 23 due to its high-quality whey protein, the Mulcahys have seen a huge difference in their calves.

“It allows the calves to get the right start, which helps them to double their birth weight by the time they are weaned,” Jim said.

“The consistent performance and added health packages of the of the Prime Elite 23 is also a deciding factor for us,” Jim added.

The Mulcahys find it gives the calves a better frame for confirmation and calves are more uniform. It also helps achieves key performance indicators (KPIs) on the farm.

The family aims for an appropriate live weight target of >100kg. This is often surpassed, as calves gone to the mart this year at three-weeks-of-age averaged between 55-70kg, which is a testament to the calf rearer.

The Mulcahys use a four-station Forster Technik DeLaval CF100S supplied and fitted by Condon Dairy Services.

The key ingredient in Prime Elite 23 is Immunopro, which contains:

• Over 4.5% IgG which are responsible for the calf health found in colostrum;
• High levels of key amino acids for growth and development;
• High levels of bovine milk oligosaccharides, which help develop a healthy gut bacterial population;
• High levels of lactoferrin important for gut health and has been shown to reduce scours.

Immunopro is carefully blended at low temperatures to ensure all ingredients are evenly combined and that none of the proteins are denatured.

The blend is balanced with the correct levels of proteins, fats and sugars for maximum growth and development of the calf. Once blended in the liquid phase, it is then sprayed dry to ensure great mixability, palatability and consistency.

Prime Elite 23 also contains the following added health packages:

1. Gardion gut conditioner which is derived from garlic. It can enhance the immune system of the calf. This helps to improve the gut health in the calf, which is important to maintain good growth and thrive. “Since using Prime Elite 23 we have found a significant reduction with scour or sick calves.”;
2. Butyrate a fatty acid energy source with anti-microbial properties that improves gut function;
3. Acidification helps to maintain optimum gut conditions encouraging beneficial gut bacteria and discouraging the pathogens that cause scours and limit performance.

The post Tipperary farmers believe optimising milk feeding stage is key appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Protecting grassland effectively is vital for maximising farm profitability. Weeds such as docks, compete rapidly for space, light, water and nutrients, and reduce grassland productivity quickly if left to establish.

Ensuring the right product choice this season in a planned approach to weed control management is essential.

Dockleen Ultra, distributed by Goldcrop and Croplink, provides exactly what is needed for tackling docks and other problem weeds this season.

A powerful co-formulation containing the active ingredients fluroxypyr and triclopyr, Dockleen Ultra provides an affordable, reassuring choice for growers to protect the quality of grazing or silage.

With reliable, effective control of broad-leaved and curled docks, the product comes in either a handy 2L pack (1ha treated at full rate) or a larger 5L (2.5ha treated at full rate) pack for added convenience.

The product is best applied at rosette stage when docks are 150-200mm in size, actively growing with leaves a healthy green and not under stress. 

Group crop protection manager at Goldcrop, Scott Lovell said: “Goldcrop was delighted to launch Dockleen Ultra into the Irish market in 2023.

“As we all remember it was a difficult year in terms of the weather, however, the feedback we received from farmers that used the product was very positive, highlighting the excellent control of docks achieved in the field.”

Effective control of docks is vital

Controlling docks and other broad-leaved weeds can improve grass yields (severe weed infestations can cause 10-20% yield losses) and improve silage quality which can be detrimentally affected by docks particularly.

Effective weed control increases grassland utilisation as stock often avoid grazing close to, or around, weed patches and prolongs pasture life, ensuring less productive weeds are kept out so the need for pasture renewal is less frequent.

Thriving in fertile pastures, docks compete for valuable space but only provide two-thirds of the feed value of grass from the same area.

One dock plant can produce up to 60,000 seeds which can remain viable for many years.

Open swards which can result from poaching, over-grazing or winter kill provide space for docks to establish and infest fields, so care should be taken this season especially following the very wet winter which has made conditions in established grassland difficult.

“Dockleen Ultra provides the ultimate dock control solution in grassland, and we’re looking forward this season to more growers having the opportunity to use the product and benefit from its cost-effective weed control,” Lovell added.

Click the video below to see the product being applied in a field via a tractor-mounted sprayer.

Chickweed also targeted

Dockleen Ultra gives growers the added flexibility for effective, non-label control of other troublesome weeds too.

The non-label weed control ratings are based on anecdotal use experience, limited field trials data and wider agronomy experience.

Dockleen Ultra provides good control of many annual weeds including chickweed (before flowering), a problem in established grassland, particularly silage ground, where it grows quickly and colonises bare soil areas competing strongly with grass.

Click here for product details or contact your local Goldcrop representative to find out more information.

The post A reliable, affordable option for managing docks in grassland? appeared first on Agriland.ie.

2024 Ireland European Parliament election – south candidate, John Mullins

As an MEP candidate, I will fight for the good name of farmers and ensure that their future is safe and stable.

The vast majority of farmers have been, through the generations, great custodians of the land, while enduring constant change and instability in incomes.

They have constantly adapted to modern agricultural techniques and we have been fortunate in Ireland that this has been assisted by Teagasc and other bodies.

They are also adapting to the impact of climate change – they know more than most the impact of climate change on nature and the land.

None more so than the winter and spring just gone, when we have endured unprecedented levels of rainfall, which has delayed planting and delivery of animals to the green fields of Ireland.

We need to remember that average farm income in 2023 was only €24,800. They are under pressure in 2024 already.

If elected, I will be seeking a new rural contract with farmers which is based on a just transition based pragmatism rather than green ideology and overregulation.

In my own career, I have worked with farmers in renewable energy and in way leaving land when CEO of Bord Gáis Éireann.

In my experience, farmers are willing to change once the change is incremental, measured and where there is a benefit for all.

Farmers have given up land for renewables right across the country and they have received little credit for that contribution. They have changed breeding and feeding practices so that methane/carbon emissions can be reduced.

They have invested with the support of grants in new buildings and storage to reduce water emissions across the country.

Regrettably, all we hear is that the farmer is the enemy and not the custodian of our environment. The narrative has to change and I will help change that narrative here and in Brussels.

I come to politics with a successful career in public and private sector businesses. Like farmers I have had to make tough daily decisions – decisions I have never avoided in any way.

I will be working on a number of initiatives:

1. Reform of the CAP which will deliver higher payments;
2. Simplification of the CAP application process;
3. Supplementary income through a new Environment Fund for recognised transition of agricultural practices;
4. Reduce costs of regulation and ensure that there is no duplication across agencies seeking agricultural information;
5. No compulsory land restoration obligations on farmers;
6. We must retain the nitrates derogation and support our most efficient grass based system;
7. Carbon sequestration should be incentivised through the delivery of credits;
8. A biodiversity credit scheme should be introduced where farmers reintroduce species to their land;
9. Farmers who contribute to renewable energy should benefit from tax free leasing and recognition of long term commitment for inheritance;
10. Ireland should introduce a Solar PV scheme similar to France where greenhouses and barns with Solar PV roofs are supported by energy tariffs.

Succession is a major issue in agriculture and this must be addressed as an urgent matter. Uncertainty of the future and the demonisation of an honourable vocation in life of tending the land must be encouraged to young men and women.

In my experience, no young person is attracted to an occupation that is in an ever decreasing circle – this must change and can only change through EU and domestic support for farmers.

We need to reverse the decades long trend of young rural people emigrating abroad or moving to our cities.

With the National Broadband Plan rollout there is an opportunity for young professionals to return home and live where they grew up.

The establishment of local hubs for remote working is breathing life into our towns and villages across the country.

Local councils should support the return of these young people to enliven communities across our nation.

I am saying to the environmentalists “stop the demonisation and allow a just transition for our farmers. Our farmers are the answer and not the problem. Our farmers will get my support as an MEP if elected”.

The post MEP candidate vows to fight for futures of farmers if elected appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The area planted to winter barley and winter wheat is far less than planned, primarily due to rainfall patterns since last autumn.

High rainfall levels usually correlate with mild conditions and this combination of wet and mild weather inevitably broadens the disease spectrum on crops.

Winter barley will have received its first fungicide by now. The wet weather diseases, Rhynchosporium and net blotch, will have been the most visible but many crops also had or have significant brown rust infections.

The promised settled spell of weather will help to keep wet weather diseases in check, but will increase the threat of brown rust.

Winter barley

The next fungicide on winter barley will be the middle or flag leaf spray. For many this is a holding spray, keeping current diseases in check but also laying the foundation for control of the inevitable Ramularia challenge.

Billy Cotter, from Syngenta said that ‘”the middle fungicide on winter barley can be the difference between a relatively clean crop during grain filling, or significant leaf loss before the crop has reached its yield potential”.

He continued: “The traditional wet weather diseases must be kept in check, but brown rust must also be a target because once established it is a difficult disease to eradicate.  

“Elatus Era controls the spectrum of diseases targeted at the middle and indeed the final fungicide on winter barley. Folpet is also a must at both timings for Ramularia control.

“We recommend our brand Mirror with Elatus Era at both of these timings in winter barley. Its inclusion is essential.”

Winter wheat crops are approaching their T1 fungicide application. 

Weather conditions in many cases didn’t allow for a T0 fungicide, where that had been planned.

Crops are predictably showing significant Septoria infection but in many cases in combination with established or establishing yellow rust infections.

Billy added that “the T1 on wheat lays the foundation of disease control for the season. Septoria is, of course, an important target disease. 

“In most cases it will require an SDHI / triazole mixture product combined with folpet to deliver control and get the crop to the flag leaf stage. Because yellow rust is also a target the choice of SDHI / triazole mix is an important consideration.

“Elatus Era contains Solatenol, widely regarded as the best available yellow rust fungicide active ingredient. It is the best choice where rust is a target disease and it will also deliver robust Septoria control, as well as activity on eyespot and mildew.”

The post Challenging disease spectrum on winter wheat and winter barley appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The art of round baling took a massive leap forward with the unveiling of the Kverneland FastBale – a revolutionary non-stop round baler wrapper combination that cleverly integrates a pre-chamber with a main chamber and a wrapper.

Product manager at Kverneland Group Ireland, John Doyle, anticipates that the FastBale will be a game changer this summer, especially with shorter windows for contractors.

Doyle said: “As we face increasingly narrow timeframes for crucial farming tasks, such as baling, the FastBale’s non-stop operation and efficiency will prove invaluable.

“I believe this summer will showcase the FastBale’s ability to maximize productivity during these critical periods, ultimately revolutionising the way farmers and contractors approach their work.”

Unveiling the FastBale in the midlands

Gary Roe, a seasoned contractor hailing from Ballacolla, Co. Laois, unveiled the transformative power of the Kverneland FastBale.

“In my experience, I’d recommend a FastBale to farmers and contractors without hesitation,” Gary said, his statement resonating with the challenges and demands of modern farming.

“The efficiency, the quality of the bale it makes, compactness, and how well it travels the land – this year, it truly showed up,” he added, underlining the machine’s performance that surpassed expectations.

Non-stop baling

Reflecting on his first year with the FastBale, Gary expressed his profound satisfaction with its efficiency and compactness.

He said: “From a point of efficiency and compactness as well, we find that it’s a lot easier on the driver – emphasising the seamless workflow facilitated by this innovative equipment.

“You’re constantly moving, you’re not racing around the field,” he explained, highlighting the machine’s ability to streamline operations and enhance productivity.”

Kverneland FastBale represents two world firsts – it is currently the world’s only non-stop fixed chamber baler and secondly, it is the world’s only non-stop fixed chamber baler-wrapper combination.

High-quality bales

Gary commended the FastBale for its ability to produce high-quality bales consistently.

“It’s making a very good bale as well,” he said, attributing this achievement to the pre-chamber’s unique design that ensures the formation of a hard centre bale.

“The pre-chamber makes like a hard centre bale, so that’s given us the good compact bale out the back, which the farmer seems to be happy with and like,” Gary added, illustrating the machine’s ability to meet the demands of both contractors and farmers alike.

FastBale features two bale chambers – a full-sized main chamber and a pre-chamber which is about two-thirds of the size of the main chamber.

Baling starts in the conventional manner with the main chamber producing the first bale. However, once the bale is fully formed, instead of having to stop to apply the net, FastBale diverts the crop flow to the pre-chamber.

This allows the net/film to be applied to the bale in the main chamber and for the bale to be ejected onto the wrapper.

When the pre-chamber is full, the incoming crop flow, together with the pre-compressed crop are both then transferred into the main bale chamber. Here the bale is formed to its final size and density.

“Output-wise, we’re very happy with, especially with silage,” he added, highlighting the FastBale’s ability to keep pace with other equipment in the field.

Gary’s decision to invest in the FastBale was confirmed by a demonstration from the experts at Kverneland Group Ireland.

“If it was ever a demo sold a machine, it was the day that the lads from Kverneland came up displaying the demo to us,” he said.

Smart wrapping concept

In addition to its performance, Gary highlights the FastBale’s film on film feature, which has garnered praise from farmers for its effectiveness and efficiency.

“Film on film is also a very good thing,” he said. Some of the benefits of this technique include improved silage quality, easier handling and feeding out of bales and simpler recycling of plastic waste.

Conventional baler-wrappers have to stop to apply net to the bale, which takes at least five seconds, plus more time to open/close the tailgate.

Wrapping with net replacement film needs more wraps due to the ‘tail’ which has to be formed at beginning and end of cycle.

This results in the binding cycle taking over 10 seconds – so at least five seconds extra spent stationary for every bale made.

FastBale continues baling during binding so all of this time is saved.

Massive intake rotor with a huge appetite

Huge 800mm diameter intake rotor equipped with 50 Hardox tines, gives unrivalled intake capacity.

Close mounting of the pick-up to the rotor eliminates any dead areas when working in short crops while the 25-knife SuperCut chopping system features group selection giving a choice six, 12, 13, 25 knives to match all conditions, all backed up with the security of a drop floor in case of blockage.

2.2m wide pick-up

The FastBale’s pick-up is equipped with five tine bars, with each bar supported by two intermediate bearings, while a cam track at both ends reduces cam loadings by 50%, giving assured long term durability.

A unique internal drive system keeps overall width to a minimum, with the result that pick-up guide wheels do not need to be removed or folded for transport, reducing unproductive time between jobs.

A contractors perspective

As a contractor striving to meet the demands of farmers, Gary sees the FastBale as a valuable asset that enables him to deliver exceptional service while ensuring operational efficiency.

“So, from a contractor’s point of view, that’s great, as you’re trying to meet the demands from the farmer as a contractor,” he said, underscoring the FastBale’s role as a game-changer in the world of agricultural machinery.”

Supporting Irish farmers and contractors

Conor Vaughan of Kverneland Group Ireland, emphasises the company’s dedication to assisting Irish farmers and contractors with their agricultural needs through the 0% finance offer covering 100% of the VAT inclusive selling price.

“Our aim at Kverneland Group Ireland is to empower Irish farmers and contractors by providing accessible financial solutions.

“This initiative reflects our commitment to supporting the agricultural community in Ireland, ensuring they have access to cutting-edge equipment without the financial burden,” he said.

Click here for more info on the finance packages.

Contact Kverneland:

• John Doyle, product manager Harvest: 00353 87 101 3053
• Greg Tennyson, area south: 00353 87 700 9689
• Allan Hetherington, area north: 0044 7826 544 630

The post Kverneland FastBale to set the pace with shorter foraging windows appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Censortec CowControl is a collar-based activity monitoring system that gives dairy farmers heat alerts, health alerts, and custom management reports to improve their herd’s fertility and production.

Dick and Eoghan O’Neill, who are based in Ballymacoda, installed Censortec CowControl seven years ago.

According to Dick: “Cow numbers had gone up to 260, and we felt there just had to be an easier way to manage our heat detection.

“We were watching the cows, and tail painting, and someone had to go and watch the heifers on an out farm every morning too. We were spending a lot of time and labour on getting heat detection right.

“We’re quite happy with the system. You learn how to use the information you’re given, and when you get the results, you put more faith in it,” Dick said.

He continued: “As well, it’s been very reliable. We haven’t had any issues with the collars in the six years since we installed them. The reliability is one of the main reasons we chose Censortec in the first place, and it’s proven itself time and time again.

“The collars make the whole thing very compact. They can’t take all the credit, but they’re definitely a big help. They have cut out a lot of the labour around heat detection, and our submission rates have gone up. We’d a 9% empty rate this year.”

Censortec CowControl powered by Nedap has made Dick and Eoghan’s life far easier by reducing labour and helping to improve results. Stock bulls were an integral part of the O’Neills breeding system before installing CowControl.

“There was always an issue with the bulls, you could never have enough of them. One would get lame, another would get injured, and suddenly, heading into the last few weeks of breeding you’ve four or five bulls not able to do their job, with more cows still to serve,” Dick explained.

Now, Dick and Eoghan use 100% AI across the herd. The use conventional semen on the cows, dairy on the top 40% and beef on the remainder. Their maiden heifers are on an out block and are also fitted with collars.

Dick said: “We pick the best heifers based on genetics and breed them to sexed semen. We used a Fixed Time AI programme, and find it works quite well.

“The heifers that got sexed semen had a 60% conception to first service this year, and we had 70% conception rate across the whole group.”

CowControl

Dick and Eoghan find the benefits of CowControl’s Health Monitoring a real bonus. CowControl measures the time a cow spends eating, ruminating, being inactive and showing other active behaviour.

The system then compares this behaviour with standards for optimum condition, the previous behaviour of the cow and the behaviour of the herd.

It turns this information into relevant alerts, to-do lists and reports for farmers to effectively manage the health of each cow and the entire herd.

Dick continued: “If a cow has a health alert, there is an issue there. It might be underlying, and it might not be visible, but if you ignore it, you’ll regret it, and you’ll end up with a bigger issue.

“It’s still working while the cows are dry. We were feeding a high straw diet one year, and that affected the cow’s digestion.

“When we started getting alerts from different cows it made us look at them as a group and we changed the diet. As well, we now foot trim the cows at dry off, because of the alerts we were getting due to lameness when cows were dry.

“The routine trimming has solved a lot of that, but CowControl drew our attention to the issue in the first place.

‘We’ve definitely saved money in the years since we installed CowControl. We’ve saved labour, and the herd’s health and fertility has improved. It’s showed us issues that we were able to solve once we knew there was an issue.”

Under the new TAMS III scheme, Censortec CowControl powered by Nedap is eligible for up to 60% funding, depending on which scheme the applicant applies through.

If a farmer applies through the Animal Welfare and Nutrient Storage Scheme, the technology including collars and base station, is eligible for 40% funding, while under the Young Farmer Capital Investment, Organic Farming Capital Investment and Women Farmer Capital Investment Schemes, farmers can receive 60% TAMS funding.

Tranche 4 of the scheme is currently open for applications.

Censortec CowControl powered by Nedap is available from Censortec, who are based in Co. Kerry. Censortec are the agents for Nedap CowControl in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Censortec have been supplying Nedap SmartTag since 2016 and have a long-established relationship with Nedap. Nedap is based in Groenlo in the Netherlands.

They are the leading supplier of bovine activity monitors globally having over 40 years’ experience in developing, supporting, and marketing their SmartTag.

You can contact the Censortec team at 066-9713000.

The post Heat detection made easy with Censortec CowControl appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Farm & Home Store, the retail arm of Kerry Agribusiness, has been a trusted provider of essential farm inputs and associated requisites to the farming community for over four decades.

Now, with the advent of its online platform, the company is excited to extend its quality service to a broader audience.

The business has proudly been offering an extensive array of gardening supplies, hardware, household items, pet essentials, as well as clothing and footwear.

Launched in June 2022, the website aims to cater to a national audience. With its user-friendly interface, customers can swiftly navigate through the comprehensive product catalogue to find the best deals. Additionally, they’ve seamlessly integrated the existing store network with the convenience of click-and-collect functionality.

Online store manager, Gavin O’Toole, said:

“We’ve observed a remarkable increase in customer engagement with our online service. This expansion has enabled us to reach customers nationwide.

“The recurrence of orders from satisfied customers underscores the value of our service and we’re now reaping the rewards of embracing the digital landscape.”

The post Trusted agri-business serves the farming community for over 40 years appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Docks are a major problem in grassland and can have serious impacts on productivity and palatability of forage.

They compete with grass for light, nutrients and moisture, thus reducing grass yields. They have only 65% of the feed value of good grass and are generally unpalatable to livestock.

As a long-term problem, docks require a long-term solution.

As well as cutting yield, docks can lead to a decline in silage quality through poorer fermentation. Dock stems inflict serious damage to the quality of baled silage through puncturing of the film.

The benefits of eliminating docks and other weeds before silage is cut, are unquestionable. In addition to higher dry matter (DM) yield and better quality, it will also ensure a clean, productive sward for subsequent grazing or a second silage cut.

Distributed by Whelehan Crop Protection, Doxstar Pro represents the ideal product for controlling docks in silage swards, along with grazing pastures and silage ground.

Manufactured by Corteva Agriscience, Doxstar Pro contains two powerful actives: triclopyr and fluroxypyr, ensuring the most effective kill of the dock root system, which can be up to a metre deep.

It is also highly effective on common chickweed and mouse-eared chickweed and on dandelions. Most significantly, it doesn’t result in any check to grass growth.

The recommended application rate of Doxstar Pro is 2L/ha as a single application, or two applications of 1L/ha six to 12 months apart.

Technical manager at Whelehan Crop Production, Chris Maughan, said:

“The ideal time to spray silage swards is seven to 14 days after fertiliser is applied. The docks should then be actively growing and be 15 to 25cm (six to 10″) high or across and before a seed head begins to appear. This is the ideal stage for best long-term control.

“Leave a minimum of three weeks between spraying with Doxstar Pro and cutting the sward in order for the chemicals to get fully translocated down to the dock root system.”

Doxstar Pro

• Doxstar Pro contains two powerful chemicals, triclopyr and fluroxypyr;
• It works powerfully on docks and is highly effective on chickweed and dandelions;
• Best results are achieved when docks are actively growing, are 15 to 25cm (six to 10″);
• Doxstar Pro should be applied at a rate of 2L/ha as a single application, or two applications of 1L/ha to 12 months apart;
• Leave at least three weeks between spraying and silage harvesting.

Tackling chickweed

Common chickweed seems to be a growing problem in silage and grazing swards.

It appears to be a particular problem in swards that were tightly grazed. This results in chickweed seeds being disturbed.

The seeds germinated during the autumn and continued to grow during the relatively mild winter and spring. Where chickweed is the dominant weed in a silage sward, Envy – a herbicide for broad-leaved weed control in grassland – is the product of choice.

Mouse-eared chickweed is also a problem, particularly in recently re-seeded swards. It differs from common chickweed as it contains many tiny hairs on the leaves, which can prevent the spray droplets reaching the plant leaf cuticle.

Because of the combination of active ingredients and its formulation type, Envy is particularly effective on mouse-eared chickweed.

The post Eliminate docks before first-cut silage with Doxstar Pro appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The US has undoubtedly become a crucial hub for the Irish dairy industry, with exports reaching €681 million in 2023 – a doubling of value from 2019 figures.

This growth has contributed significantly to Ireland’s overall expansion in dairy exports.

During the four years between 2019 and 2023, the US accounted for nearly 26% of total Irish dairy export growth. In 2023, 24% of all Irish butter exports found their way to American households, alongside 6.5% of cheese exports.

The US market also accounts for approximately 20% of Ireland’s exports of casein, the highly valued dairy ingredient used for a variety of applications including medicine and dietary supplements. 

US dairy consumption

The US is one of the world’s largest consumers of dairy with the average US citizen consuming approximately 295kg of dairy/annum, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

This position looks to be cementing as 2023 consumption figures released by the USDA saw an increase across several categories, with particular interest in the consumption growth of both butter and cheese, two important categories for Irish dairy products in the US. 

Indeed, the US plays a significant role in the global supply of milk. Of the six main milk producing regions, the US accounted for 34% of total milk production in 2023.

Fluctuation in US dairy production, export volumes and trade policies can have an impact on the global dairy market.  

Proving grass-fed status

Growing consumer demand for ‘natural’ products has led to increased interest in grass fed dairy and products claiming to be grass-fed, often without any real proof.

The ‘Bord Bia Grass-fed standard,’ is the first national programme that verifies that products carrying it have been produced from milk from cows with at least 95% of their diet from grass (fresh weight).

Sustainable sourcing

Part of Bord Bia’s remit in the US is to regularly meet with influential trade customers to build preference for Ireland as a preferred dairy supplier.

These customers are placing increased significance on environmental sustainability in their procurement strategies.

On a recent government led trade mission to the US, meetings were held with several important retail and foodservice customers.

Notably, these buyers commended the Irish dairy sector for its commitment to a more sustainable supply chain, from on-farm through to processor level.

The Kerrygold story

The Kerrygold brand is Ireland’s most successful food export and the only Irish made and owned food brand to reach over €1 billion in sales globally.

In the US, Kerrygold holds the number two position for branded butter and number one for imported butter.

Having first launched in the US in 1990 with Kerrygold cheese, the very first pallet of Kerrygold butter arrived to US shores nine years later.

Since then, Kerrygold has grown from strength to strength, underpinned by Ornua’s investment in the brand and focus on building strong connections with US consumers.

Ireland’s grass-based farming system distinguishes Kerrygold from other dairy products available in the market.

Kerrygold lovers value the premium quality and great taste owing to the grass-fed difference, along with the strong sustainability credentials of Irish dairy.

Communicating this ‘green advantage’ and Ireland’s reputation as a sustainable producer of dairy, is supported by a programme of engagement with key buyers and influencers from global markets, including the US.

Farm visits

This involves bringing buyers to visit farms and meet the families that work tirelessly to produce the world-class milk that makes Kerrygold a world-famous butter.

Farm visits also provide an unrivalled opportunity to showcase the deep-rooted commitment of Ireland’s dairy farmers to consistently enhance sustainable practices, supported through programmes like the SDAS.

Kerrygold has built a large consumer following in the US, yet there is significant scope for further growth.

Building towards future growth will be supported through the recent doubling in production capacity of Ornua’s flagship butter production facility, Kerrygold Park in Mitchelstown, Co. Cork.

This major investment underpins Kerrygold’s plans to become Ireland’s first €2 billion food brand.

The development of the facility, which can now produce up to one million retail packs of Kerrygold butter each day, responds to the continued growth in demand for Kerrygold in major international markets like the US.

The brand is well-placed to meet that demand and reach more dinner tables across the US, supported by the continued confidence retailers and consumers have in the quality of the product and the high standards of sustainability through which it is produced.

The post Growing importance of the US for Irish dairy exports is evident appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Heightened risks of soil and slurry contamination in first-cut grass silage after the wet winter, due to increased wheel ruts in fields and delayed slurry applications, will require extra vigilance with silage-making this season, an expert is urging.

According to Ecosyl silage specialist, Peter Smith of Volac, uneven, rutted field surfaces left by machines such as fertiliser spreaders travelling on wet land increase the risk of soil bacteria, such as clostridia, getting into silage crops at harvest.

“Clostridia feed on the sugars and proteins in grass. They can also feed on lactic acid, which is the beneficial acid produced during fermentation which preserves silage.

“They waste up to half the dry matter (DM) and a fifth of the energy contained in the lactic acid they consume. Clostridia also produce compounds that make silage less palatable, which can reduce silage intakes.

“Meanwhile, late slurry applications reduce the time available for slurry bacteria to decline before first cut is taken.

“Enterobacteria, which are found in slurry, waste about 40% of the DM and 16% of the energy contained in the grass sugar they ferment.”

Ideally, Mr Smith says there should be a 10-week gap between slurry application and cutting grass for silage. For anyone who typically cuts on May 15, this means slurry should have been applied by 6 March, but few farmers managed this, he adds.

“Always apply slurry as soon as possible after taking a cut of silage as this can reduce slurry contamination as the sward might be able to grow through the applied slurry layer. But there’s less chance of this with heavy grass crops,” he said.

“To reduce soil bacteria risks, roll rutted and uneven fields, where this is an option. But be aware that if there is heavy grass cover, rolling can check grass growth.

“Also, when making silage, make sure machines such as tedders and rakes are set up correctly so they are not constantly raking soil into the grass. Far too many rakes and tedders scratch the ground when the tractor is stationary, showing that the machine is set too low.”

Wherever slurry or soil contamination is a risk, Mr Smith says wilting cut grass rapidly to 30% DM will help by allowing unwanted microbes less time to act on the crop – although this is not always possible.

“You don’t want to ensile grass too wet in these situations. Drier silage is more forgiving. Equally, treating with a proven silage additive is important.

“By dominating the fermentation with large numbers of efficient, lactic acid-producing bacteria from a proven additive, it will help to quickly reduce the pH and overcome the undesirable bacteria – leaving a more palatable silage of higher energy to feed,” he explained.

Smith continued: “Research on the additive, Ecosyl, has shown it to produce a very fast pH fall soon after ensiling, with DNA fingerprinting – a technique used in forensics – providing visible evidence of its effect.

“While untreated silage quickly became dominated by enterobacteria, there was very little growth of enterobacteria in the treated silage as the beneficial MTD/1 bacteria in Ecosyl dominated the fermentation.

“Whenever silage is made, best practice clamp management techniques – such as effective consolidation, sealing and weighting – are always important.

“When there are heightened risks of soil and slurry bacteria contamination, their importance for creating the correct clamp conditions cannot be overstated.”

DNA fingerprinting results have revealed the benefit of a silage additive for reducing unwanted bacteria.

Horizontal bands represent the DNA of different bacteria. Darker banding indicates more of that bacteria is present.

The post Take steps to minimise aftereffects of wet winter on silage appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Trace mineral supplementation is often an overlooked aspect of reproductive management in adult cows.

Reproductive success is paramount in livestock farming, particularly in the dairy and beef industries.

Maximising the efficiency of breeding programs is essential for maintaining herd productivity and profitability.

Here, we delve into the importance of topping up adult cows’ trace mineral status through a pre-breeding injection, highlighting its impact on fertility, immunity, and overall herd health.

Understanding trace minerals

Trace minerals play a crucial role in various physiological processes essential for reproductive health in cattle.

Zinc, copper, selenium, manganese, and cobalt are among the key trace minerals required in small quantities, but with significant biological importance.

These minerals serve as cofactors for numerous enzymes involved in reproductive processes, including follicular development, ovulation, fertilisation, and embryo development.

Impact on fertility

Optimal trace mineral status is directly linked to reproductive efficiency in adult cows.

Zinc, for instance, is essential for the synthesis of reproductive hormones like oestrogen and progesterone, crucial for regulating oestrous cycles and maintaining pregnancy.

Copper is involved in the synthesis of enzymes necessary for follicular growth and ovulation.

Selenium plays a vital role in protecting oocytes and embryos from oxidative stress, thus improving conception rates and reducing early embryonic losses.

Ensuring adequate levels of these trace minerals before breeding may significantly enhance fertility outcomes in adult cows.

Boosting immunity

Apart from their role in reproductive processes, trace minerals also play a pivotal role in bolstering the immune system of adult cows.

Zinc, copper, and selenium are known for their antioxidant properties, protecting cells from oxidative damage and supporting immune function.

Adequate levels of these minerals help in combating infections and reducing the risk of reproductive diseases that can hamper fertility.

By boosting immunity, a pre-breeding injection of trace minerals may contribute to overall herd health, reducing the incidence of diseases and ensuring cows are in optimal condition for breeding.

Preventing nutritional deficiencies

Nutritional deficiencies in trace minerals can have detrimental effects on reproductive performance.

Soil depletion, inadequate dietary intake, and poor mineral absorption can lead to deficiencies even in well-managed herds.

A Pre-breeding injection offers a strategic approach to addressing potential deficiencies and ensuring adult cows have adequate reserves of trace minerals before the critical breeding period.

By providing a targeted boost, the injection helps mitigate the risk of suboptimal reproductive outcomes associated with mineral deficiencies.

Economic benefits

Investing in a pre-breeding injection of trace minerals for adult cows may yield substantial economic benefits for livestock producers.

Improved fertility rates result in shorter calving intervals, leading to more efficient reproductive cycles and increased lifetime productivity of cows.

Higher conception rates and reduced embryonic losses translate to fewer open days and lower replacement costs.

Moreover, healthier cows with robust immune systems are more resilient to stressors, leading to reduced veterinary costs and higher returns on investment.

Management considerations

Implementing a pre-breeding trace mineral supplementation program requires careful planning and management.

It is essential to conduct regular herd assessments to determine the specific mineral requirements based on factors such as age, reproductive status, and environmental conditions.

Consultation with your veterinarian can help develop a targeted supplementation strategy tailored to the herd’s needs.

Additionally, monitoring body condition scores and reproductive performance indicators can aid in assessing the effectiveness of the supplementation program and making necessary adjustments.

Trace mineral supplementation

Ensuring optimal trace mineral status in adult cows before breeding is a critical component of reproductive management in livestock farming.

By addressing potential deficiencies and boosting fertility, immunity, and overall herd health, a pre-breeding injection of trace minerals may contribute to maximising reproductive success and profitability.

Investing in targeted supplementation programs tailored to the specific needs of the herd may yield substantial economic benefits and supports sustainable livestock production practices.

By prioritising trace mineral supplementation, farmers can enhance reproductive outcomes, leading to healthier herds and improved profitability in the long run.

The post Trace mineral supplementation in cows before breeding appeared first on Agriland.ie.

In order to maximise grass yields, weeds need to be controlled urgently, and what a very difficult spring it has been on Irish grassland farms.

Continuous rainfall has left fields waterlogged in many cases. Where stock have been out grazing, heavy poaching has occurred.

Higher temperatures have meant that grass and weed growth rates have increased.

For many years, individual weedkillers have controlled only a narrow range of weeds leaving farmers with difficult choices regarding which product would be suitable for their situations.

Now, with either GrassCare Pro or Santro, the choice is made easier due to the broad range of weeds controlled effectively.

According to Denis Madigan of DHM Agrochemicals: “The ingredients in these products have been proven to provide effective control of dock, buttercup, thistle, dandelion and other weeds over many years.

“Now, these weedkiller formulations are available at much better value to farmers.”

DHM Agrochemicals have been introducing effective and good value weed control solutions to the Irish market for the past 30 years.

These products are supplied by Sharda Cropchem, a leading global provider of agrochemicals.

GrassCare Pro and Santro contain three powerful and effective proven weed control ingredients.

The product makeup is as follows:

Fluroxypyr: 100g/L

Florasulam: 2.5g/L

Clopyralid: 80g/L

1. Fluroxypyr is a highly effective herbicide for the control of docks and chickweed. This ingredient is contained in some of the leading brands of grassland herbicides. Following application, fluroxypyr moves to the weed root systems thus allowing for effective root kill;
2. Florasulam is effective against a broad range of grassland weeds. The inclusion of this ingredient in GrassCare Pro and Santro ensures a much wider level of weed control in pastures;
3. Clopyralid adds a powerful additional ingredient particularly for thistle control in grassland.

This combination of  ingredients provides probably the widest spectrum and best value of weed control products available for Irish pastures.

GrassCare Pro and Santro are available in convenient 3 and 5 litre packs sufficient to cover between 1.5 and 5ha.

Reseeded pastures

GrassCare Pro and Santro are gentle on grass and so are ideal for use on newly reseeded pastures. The application rate is 1.0L/ha and is best applied when weeds are small and actively growing.

Weeds controlled

The list of weeds controlled by GrassCare Pro and Santro is as follows: dock, thistle, buttercup, daisy, and dandelion and plantain, among others.

Application rates:

Reseeded pastures: 1.0L/ha

Established pastures: 2.0L/ha

GrassCare Pro and Santro come competitively priced and are available now in your local AgriStore.

The post How can farmers maximise grass yields this spring? appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The recent prolonged wet weather has not only had an impact on farms’ cashflow, but also on farmers’ personal wellbeing, warned Susan Maher, agri development manager at Bank of Ireland.

Bank of Ireland’s key message is: if you feel under financial pressure, engage with your bank early – don’t wait.

The stresses of the recent prolonged wet weather that has seen animals housed indoors longer than usual in some parts of the country, as well as delaying the planting of spring crops, is taking its toll on Ireland’s farming community.

Some farmers are seeing bills and costs mount making cash reserves tight. This is on top of lower profitability in 2023 due to farm gate prices, high input costs and inflated tax bills.

Coupled with this, in some instances healthy cash balances from 2022 were invested in farm machinery and infrastructure in 2023, making early 2024 the perfect storm.

Bank for farmers

However, it has been the challenging weather of recent months that has probably done the most damage, said Maher.

The agri-development manager continued: “Farmers are now forced to provide supplementary feeds to livestock who remain indoors, slurry tanks are at capacity whilst the sowing of crops remains on hold as the country waits for a sustained dry spell.

“Many farmers’ silage and fodder stocks are fully depleted and they are in need of additional working capital or funds to enable them to purchase additional silage and other fodder until animals can be turned out to grass.

“Cashflow is tight on some farms. The mental pressure, stress and reduced confidence to invest will take their toll. I have never seen the weather as bad for so long in my career.”

Maher said that it is important for farmers to maintain perspective but not to endure in silence.

“We understand that this is a particularly challenging time for farmers as they deal with the unrelenting wet weather, and that a level of flexibility is required when engaging with your financial provider.

“We are encouraging any farmer seeking assistance to talk to us, so that we can ensure farm finances are properly structured and devise a plan that will help overcome the current challenges.

“The rain will stop falling eventually, and with the right financial plans in place we can ensure that agri-businesses nationwide can look forward to brighter days ahead,” she explained.

Make a plan

The impact of the current crisis, she explained, is occurring in two ways: in terms of cashflow tightness and farm profitability.

“Some farmers are experiencing increased costs driven by a very long winter and inclement spring, which is also impacting animal performance and crop growing conditions.

“They are experiencing cost overhangs from 2023 due to weak farm gate prices and ever-rising input prices, along with inflated 2023 tax bills.

“Some, not all, farmers used cash balances that were available and invested in infrastructure and farm machinery last year – and are now unfortunately dealing with decreased cashflow as a result.”

Because the sowing of crops has been delayed, this is impacting on farm profitability.

“We have adjusted down our outlook for profitability, as we don’t see an uplift in commodity prices to make up for the fall in output.

“While the price/t for inputs is down, the cost will be up due to increased usage. Farmers will now also need to build up stock of reserves for winter 2024/2025. This will cost money,” she said.

Maher said that while only some farmers have been impacted in terms of cashflow, farmers of all sizes have been negatively impacted in terms of profitability.

She said it is important that farmers have adequate cash flow and that Bank of Ireland is actively engaged with its customers and key stakeholders across the agri-sector including the Department of Agriculture, Teagasc, agri-merchants, co-ops as well as the respective farm organisations.

The bank has trained and upskilled its agri-lending teams in response to the current crisis on farms.

“We have taken on the feedback from these stakeholders and we are taking steps to alleviate the pressure on farmers. We have set up an Agri-Weather Crisis Squad and we are now prioritising agri-loan applications to speed up the time from application to money in farmers’ accounts,” Maher said.

Key to this is the range of flexible supports from the bank ranging from overdrafts and stocking loans to various SBCI schemes for working capital/investments, tax loans, retrospective finance and debt management.

Returning to the stresses endured by farmers during the weather crisis, Maher said that above all farmers must remain positive, they have weathered many climate related challenges before, and so must look after their mental and physical health.

“Look after yourself and try not to get too much under pressure. The rain will stop and the weather will get better.

“Talk to someone, be it your advisor, your bank, your accountant and connect with other people. That is the basis of getting through this at the moment,” she said.

Bank of Ireland is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

The post Bank of Ireland supporting farmers whatever the weather appeared first on Agriland.ie.

MSD Animal Health and XLVets Ireland’s ‘Day in the Life of a Vet’ series captures the busy reality of life as a vet in four different veterinary practices.

Last week, through the Instagram feeds of both MSD Animal Health and XLVets Ireland over the course of four days, each veterinary team offered first-hand insight into the demanding workloads in each practice.

Viewers got the opportunity to follow a host vet each day to gain an insight into just what a typical day looks like for a vet in practice.

They also got to learn about the vet’s practice, be introduced to the team and learn about different disease threats to watch out for at this time of year.

Paddy Morrisey of O’Connor & Julian Vets had a busy day lined up, with cases ranging from scanning mares and cows, to a suspected LDA, to performing knockdown disbudding.

Paddy provided insights into the advantages of disbudding for both animals and farmers, and highlighted some of the common challenges for calves this spring.

Michael O’Connor also of O’Connor & Julian Vets based in Cashel, Co. Tipperary, said:

“The phone never stops ringing. In the mornings, we book in dogs for appointments, operations and so on; we’d then have farmers coming into us for day-to-day things like mastitis tubes, dealing with sick calves, etc. I also plan tests and head out for testing – it’s never dull here.

On day two, we met Kieran O’Mahony and the team at Glen Vets which is a typical mixed animal practice in rural Ireland and also Ireland’s oldest veterinary practice.

O’Mahony said: “The predominance of our work is large animal-based, mostly dairy and a little horse work and about a third of our work is companion animals.”

He continued: ” We’re just coming into the season where cows will be coming back in-calf. Everything is on a go-slow on account of the bad weather and that has made things a little tricky, but scanning is an essential element of our work at this time of year.”

In Co. Clare, Killaloe Veterinary Clinic’s mixed daily practice deals with livestock and companion animals on a daily basis.

Footage from the practice’s work included a farm visit to administer IV fluids to a calf that Tadhg diagnosed with cryptosporidium.

“Cryptosporidium is an infection that currently we don’t have a vaccine for, but MSD has a vaccine on the way and that’ll be very welcome,” Tadhg said.

Kevin O’Sullivan of Glasslyn Vets, which has four clinics in north and west Cork, took viewers through the BVD booster vaccination of heifers, as well as carrying out a procedure for a teaser bull.

This, he said, is then used to pick up cows that are in heat so that they can be AI’d.

“We used to do a lot more of them, but with the advent of collars, there are less and less of them happening but where farmers don’t have collars, it remains a useful aid,” he added.

To catch up on the series, check out the highlights on MSD Animal Health Ireland and XLVets Ireland on Instagram MSD Animal Health Ireland (@msdanimalhealthireland) • Instagram photos and videos  and XLVets (@xlvets) • Instagram photos and videos. 

The post ‘Day in the Life of a Vet’ series captures the reality of veterinary life appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Now in its 12^th year, Emerald Expo returns to the Virginia Show Centre in Co. Cavan on Saturday, April 27.

This all-dairy breeds cattle show is the very first show of the year in Ireland with a substantial prize fund on offer.

The Emerald Expo main sponsor is FBD Insurance, with supporting sponsorship from the Irish Holstein Friesian Association (IHFA) and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).  

The prize schedule includes seven championships. A new introduction to the show this year, is an individual championship for Red and White Holstein Friesian animals.

The Emerald Expo youngstock confined class is a dedicated class open to breeders from the surrounding IHFA club areas, Breffni Oriel, North Eastern, West Midlands and Donegal.

Once again, all eyes will be on the top calibre stock in contention for the Emerald Expo Senior Champion and the prize of taking home the Seamus Kelly memorial perpetual trophy.

The Virginia Show Centre is an impressive facility and all visitors to the show can be assured of an hospitable welcome from the show centre personnel.

The location is very convenient and is amenable to exhibitors and visitors from Northern Ireland.   

Young Members (YMA) handling classes will kick-start the show proceedings on the day. The three handling classes kick-start the annual YMA Showmanship League competition with qualifying points on offer towards the final.

A publicity Emerald Expo press launch will take place on Thursday, March 28 in the Virginia Show Centre, Co. Cavan at 11:00a.m.

Judging

Renowned UK-based judge David Booth of Feizor Holsteins will judge the 12th Emerald Expo. David is a fourth-generation farmer and the family farm, Old Hall Farm, is located in the Yorkshire Dales National Park in Northern England.

The Feizor Pedigree Registered herd consists of a 120-cow milking herd with 170 youngstock followers. The milking herd has an annual average production of 12,300L, twice-a-day (TAD) milking, with the herd housed all year-round.

The milking cow diet is predominantly an all forage-based TMR, with attention to detail on producing top quality home-grown multi-cut crops of grass silage and maize silage. 

The Feizor herd has won many showing successes including Senior Champion of the Royal Show in 2005, and also exhibited the Agri Scot Super Heifer in recent years.

The herd was judged the winner of the prestigious Holstein UK Premier herd competition in 2012.   

A member of the Holstein UK National Judges panel for a number of years David is a renowned judge.

He said that he is very fortunate to have judged numerous National shows including the Holstein UK Dairy Day, Royal Welsh Show, All Britain All Breeds Calf Show, Balmoral Show and the Diageo Baileys Champion Cow in 2022.

David said: “I look for a balanced cow with a really good udder who moves freely on a quality set of feet and legs. I also like to see a cow having that breed character of dairyness in addition to her overall quality and balance.

“It is an honour to have been asked to judge the Emerald Expo and I am very much looking forward to it.”

A word from the show director

Director of the Emerald Expo Show, Richard Whelan, said that the continued success of the Emerald Expo, now in its 12^th year, is a reflection of the commitment from all stakeholders involved including sponsors and cattle exhibitors.

Richard said: “On behalf of the organising committee, I especially thank FBD as title sponsor and also thank the IHFA, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and all class sponsors.

Without this sponsorship support the show could not take place. In seeking to continue the popularity of what was the RDS Spring show, a number of like-minded breeders from the border, midlands and north eastern region formed an organising committee and successfully held an annual Spring Fair show, with the first show taking place in 2004.

Emerald Expo continues to build upon this Spring Show foundation. It fills the calendar void and as it is the first show of the year, it is a unique platform for breeders to turn out their stock and put their herds in the shop window.

It is an opportunity to meet up with fellow breeders and to enjoy a social and educational day out. It is also a commercial opportunity for the agri-industry to showcase new products and services.

Admission is free on show day, Saturday April 27, and all are welcome.      

New Emerald Expo sale

In conjunction with Denis Barrett Auctions, the organisers are excited to announce the first Emerald Expo Sale, which is an online timed auction taking place over Emerald Expo weekend.

They hope to encourage consignors to enter their animals into the show as a preview for sale. Stay tuned for more sale information and lots of previews across social media channels.

For further information on IHFA contact:
Laura Helen
Marketing and Breed Promotion, IHFA
Email: lhelen@ihfa.ie

The post Emerald Expo dairy show to return to Cavan this month appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Cork-based seed supplier, John Howard of Sunnyside Farm has come up with a new pre-mixed seed mixture for the Winter Bird Food option of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES).

He has a four-way pre-mixed seed composition made up of the exact ratios of the department’s recommended varieties.

Three varieties are the normal recommendations for this scheme, but because John has seen at first-hand the different soils and conditions across the country, experience has taught him that with a fourth variety, there is a far better chance of the plot establishing.

Triticale is used as the cereal in this and indeed all of John’s game crop mixes, as it is well proven at this stage to stand all winter without lodging and therefore does not attract rats like oats or other cereals would.

The other important advantage of triticale, is that the cereal is enclosed in a good layer of chaff and the crows find it difficult to dislodge the seed  from the cereal head, so they generally don’t bother with these plots until well after Christmas.

The phacelia in this mix is a magnet for attracting bees all summer long, as well as bringing in a huge array of other insect life. The mustard also draws bees, along with white butterflies in droves.

The butterflies will in turn then produce caterpillars, which are great for feeding bluetits and other small birds at nesting time.

Pre-mixed seed mixture

The fodder radish is also beneficial to wildlife and insects, as well as having the added advantage of being  deep rooted.

It aerates the soil by breaking through layers of compaction. It is also used for increasing organic matter in plots. It will stand throughout the winter also and therefore also helps in giving good cover to the plot.

The sowing rate is 54kg/ha and the mixture comprises 45kg of triticale, 4kg of mustard, 3kg of fodder raddish, and 2kg of phacelia. It is sold bags of 18kg, so three bags/ha.

The cost is €45/bag, €135/ha, which is cheaper than the previous Wild Bird Cover crop, so another plus for the farmer, as well as their increased payment to €1,000 from the previous €900.

These bags come ready mixed and can be direct drilled or broadcast. If broadcast, the seed must be covered by a light harrowing or rotavating to ensure as much of the triticale is hidden from the crows.

The crows are the problem immediately after sowing, as they will take the cereal seed if it is not covered and they absolutely need to be kept off the plot for 10 days or so.

Rolling also helps if the weather is dry. Some farmers have had good success at keeping the crows off the plot by spreading slurry immediately after sowing.

John will again be travelling the country during the month of April and early May offering a free delivery service at locations  en-route advertised on Facebook and on the website that he uses to sell these crops.

Game crops

John sells game crops such as the hugely popular John’s  Delight all over the country, but this year, this beautiful wildlife  attracting cover crop containing triticale, linseed,  gold of pleasure (golden linseed  type), mustard, crimson clover, phacelia, field poppies and cornflower will not be eligible because of  the  changes to the  scheme.

Even though this particular mix is not qualifying for ACRES, John has many of his customer, including gun clubs  that are still demanding and going to sow an acre for wildlife and to enhance their holdings.

The cost is €80.00/23kg bag, which will sow one acre.

Stockists for the ACRES Winter Bird Food

• McDonnell Bros, Coolagown, Castletownroche and Saleen.
• Creamery Farm Supplies, Croom, Co. Limerick.
• O Sullivan’s Beaufort Bridge, Killarney, Co. Kerry.
• Pat Tierney Supplies, Kilkishen, Co. Clare;
• P. Coffey and Sons, Lecarrow, Co. Roscommon.

For more details contact John at Sunnyside, Rathcormac. 025 36253.

E-mail: sunnysidefruit@gmail.com.

Sunnyside wildflower meadow meadows  are attractive to everyone and loved by wildlife.

Wildflowers grow best on poor dry soil and should not be mixed with grass, because the native grass in the plot will come itself anyway and too much will smother the flowers.

The Sunnyside Wildflower Meadow is especially attractive to bees, insects and butterflies.  

It contains some game crop seeds to give extra colour and added feeding value for finches.

The wildflower meadow mix should be sown into a clean patch of ground that is clear of perennial weeds such as nettles, thistles and docks. This is vital before you begin.

Paradise headland

This year, John is concentrating on a new mixture for  both headlands  and field strips. Modelled on a similar mixture designed  by the game and Wildlife Conservation Trust in the UK for the Grey Partridge, this is designed to last up to 10 years  with no management for the first two years and only a little from the third year onwards.

“This is something that I am always being asked for and have been researching for a few years now,” John said.

For bees, John has phacelia and borage, which are absolute magnets for attracting both honey bees and bumble bees.  

These plots will be humming with the sound of bees six to seven weeks after sowing and both crops will regerminate again next year with a very light cultivation in the spring although the Borage may not need this as it does  tend to come back year after year. 

Sunflowers brighten any space and are increasing in popularity according to John, who has plenty in stock.

Full details of all these and a short video presentation of the New Paradise Headland on the website and on Facebook.

The post Cork supplier creates new pre-mixed seed mixture for ACRES appeared first on Agriland.ie.

European agriculture stands at a critical juncture. While our farmers continue to uphold the highest standards of quality and sustainability, they face mounting challenges in an increasingly competitive global market.

The EPP Group recognises these challenges and is committed to supporting our farmers in navigating them.

Over the past two decades, the EU has witnessed a significant decline in the number of farms and the share of the population employed in agriculture.

In Ireland, the number of farmers under the age of 35 is currently at less than 5%. Ageing demographics underscore the urgent need to attract young people to the sector.

The EPP Group advocates for measures to address barriers such as access to land and finance, while also promoting education and training opportunities for aspiring farmers.

The current farmers’ protests in Ireland and across Europe reflect an acute need to take into account farmers’ concerns at European, national and local levels.

That is why the EPP Group defends a European Farmers’ Deal that anchors a long-term vision, offers a high degree of investment security and brings back calm to the farming sector.

Being a farmer requires a lot of drive and deserves respect every day – in the field, at the table, and in our policies.

Furthermore, we believe in a level playing field for European farmers in global trade. We demand that imported products meet the same stringent standards upheld by our own producers, ensuring fairness and environmental sustainability across the board.

Future of European agriculture

Innovation and investment are central to the future of European agriculture.

Embracing cutting-edge technologies and practices, such as precision agriculture and eco-friendly innovations, will not only enhance productivity, but also minimise the environmental impact.

We call for streamlined approval procedures for new techniques and increased investment in technology and infrastructure, including rural broadband access – a key priority for Fine Gael in government.

At the heart of our approach is a commitment to science-based decision-making.

We advocate for the use of new breeding techniques and other innovative solutions to enhance agricultural efficiency while also reducing inputs.

Additionally, we support initiatives such as carbon farming, which offer opportunities for farmers to diversify their incomes while delivering environmental benefits.

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) remains a cornerstone of support for European farmers. The EPP Group stands firmly behind a robust and well-funded CAP, ensuring fair distribution of support among member states and effective crisis management tools.

As we look to the future, we must foster greater understanding and support for sustainable agriculture within society.

Consumers play a crucial role in driving demand for sustainably-produced food, and we encourage them to make informed choices that support our farmers and promote environmental stewardship.

The EPP Group is committed to championing the economic and social prospects of farmers in Ireland and across the EU.

We stand alongside them in facing the challenges of today and building a resilient and sustainable agricultural sector for the future.

Conference

On Friday, April 19, the EPP Group will host a conference in Carlow on the future of the agricultural sector across the EU with the keynote speaker, Taoiseach Simon Harris.

This event will bring European policy-makers, Irish farmers, agricultural specialists and commentators together to discuss the EPP vision for a farmer-led, productive and sustainable model for agriculture.

The event is open to anyone to attend but pre-registration is required. You can click here for more information and the registration form.

The post EPP Group committed to supporting investment in agriculture appeared first on Agriland.ie.

With a myriad of pre and post-milking teat disinfectants on the market, what to use can be a difficult choice.  

In the current milk market, striving to achieve all available revenue for farm raw milk to ensure as much of the income is realised as possible, should be a significant focus, according to Diversey’s agriculture specialists Siobhan Hennessy and Eddie Courtney for the dairy hygiene brand, Deosan.

“Identifying the challenges that can jeopardise total bacteria count (TBC) and cell count payments, coupled with making the correct choice of teat hygiene product is an important recipe for success,” Siobhan said.

Siobhan adds high hygiene standards are crucial to reduce the levels of micro-organisms that challenge the udder, particularly at calving, leading to mastitis outbreaks and fluctuating SCC and TBC levels.

She also stresses the need for hygiene both pre and post-milking: “Udders need to be thoroughly clean and dry before milking. A routine involving a pre-milking disinfectant and individual paper towel, or cloth wipe will ensure bacteria and soiling is effectively removed.”

Pre and post-milking

Deosan Target Pre Post is designed to meet these requirements. Aggressive on bacteria and soil but exceptionally kind to skin; Target Pre Post delivers an efficient, speedy removal of dirt, bacteria and yeast from teat skin before milking leaving the teat clean and dry and ready for milking.  

With exceptional detergent and disinfectant properties, it can be applied as a spray and produces a foamy solution that clings; improving its efficiency to remove soil from the teat surface. It can also be effectively foamed or dipped. 

To counterbalance the rigours of the milking process on the teat skin and to prepare them for the challenges that wait outside the parlour door, Deosan Target Pre Post contains skin friendly ingredients and glycerine – making it the perfect post-milking product to generate silky teat skin.

This is particularly useful to farmers who wish to deliver a single product through a teat sprayer system. 

Siobhan said: “After milking, make sure the teats are totally covered with a post-milking disinfectant to ensure removal of bacteria from the whole teat surface and to promote supple and conditioned teat skin. It should take four seconds to post spray each cow.

“The cow should also leave the parlour to a well scraped feeding area before being given access to well prepared and freshly bedded housing.” 

Ensuring teat skin condition is at its best during the initial stages of lactation is very important. Where a boost in condition is required, the use of a viscous barrier product is a sensible alternative to creams and lotions.

Target Barrier is a product designed to effectively remove bacteria and yeast from the teat skin and maximise teat health, through its superior skin conditioning properties.  

Siobhan continued: “The addition of glycerine and allantoin ensures the continuity of skin condition during challenging weather and transitional lactation periods; the teat skin retains moisture, is softened and soothed between milkings. 

Explaining why barrier dips are seeing an increasing interest, Eddie said: “Barriers are incredibly effective, and are highly recommended, in times of transition.

“Wherever there is a challenge to the cow, she is more at risk of infections and teat health issues, so its sensible to use teat hygiene products that offer the most protection. 

“Some people always use barrier products on the whole herd, due to their experience in seeing how teat condition improves and the cow’s teat health benefits.

“The highly viscous properties of Target Barrier, also promotes more accurate coverage and less wastage. It stays put directly on the teat skin, which also allows the ingredients to get into all the nooks and crevices of the skin promoting excellent skin conditioning,” he explained.

Eddie continued: “This can also remove the reliance on teat creams, which present little value in terms of disinfection, can become contaminated with flies and faeces and add complexity to the milking routine. It is simply investing in the right product, at the right time, with the best ingredients, which will ensure that good teat skin condition is maintained.  

“The choice of teat disinfectant product cannot overcome compromised habits, poor application or inconsistent hygiene routines.

“Optimising clean, disinfected teats before milking relies on giving the product time to kill the bacteria and lift the dirt, typically 60 seconds, before wiping off thoroughly.

“It is important to select products carefully to meet your herds needs. Choose a product with high skin conditioning properties, such as Target Pre Post or Target Barrier, during critical periods such as at calving, early lactation and during high environmental challenge to ensure teats remain hydrated and in good condition,”

For more information contact:

Siobhan (086)7910777

Eddie (085)8266206

The post Deosan pre and post-milking disinfectant for healthy teats appeared first on Agriland.ie.

In the realm of dairy and beef farming, the pre-breeding period is a critical phase that sets the stage for the reproductive success and overall health of the herd.

Within seasonal grass-based calving systems, as we have in Ireland, ensuring optimal nutrition and health for cows during this period is paramount.

One key aspect of pre-breeding cow management involves the supplementation of trace minerals, essential for reproductive performance, immune function, and overall productivity.

Traditionally, trace minerals are administered orally through feed or mineral supplements.

However, recent advancements in veterinary medicine have introduced the option of injectable trace mineral formulations.

While both methods aim to address trace mineral deficiencies, the benefits of injectable trace minerals often outweigh those of orally administered ones, particularly in grass-based seasonal calving systems.

Let us look into why injectable trace minerals are a superior choice for pre-breeding cows in such systems.

Efficient absorption

Injectable trace minerals offer superior absorption rates compared to oral administration.

When administered orally, trace minerals must navigate through the digestive system, where they may encounter various absorption barriers, leading to reduced bioavailability.

In contrast, injectable trace minerals bypass the digestive system and are directly absorbed into the bloodstream, providing efficient utilisation by the cow’s body.

This absorption is crucial during the pre-breeding period when cows require optimal levels of trace minerals to support reproductive processes.

Rapid replenishment

The pre-breeding period is a critical window for ensuring cows are at peak health and fertility.

Injectable trace minerals provide a rapid means of ‘topping up’ or replenishing depleted stores, especially in cows transitioning from the low forage quality of winter to the lush pasture of spring.

This rapid replenishment ensures that cows have adequate trace mineral reserves to support reproductive processes such as oestrus cycling and conception, ultimately enhancing breeding success rates.

Targets high demand periods

In a grass-based seasonal calving system, where cows rely heavily on pasture for nutrition, there are “high demand periods”, such as pre-breeding and pre-calving where injectable trace minerals provide a fast and effective solution to topping up subclinical or clinical deficiencies of essential trace minerals when the cow really needs support.

Reduced risk of environmental contamination

Some oral trace mineral supplements are susceptible to environmental factors such as moisture and microbial degradation, potentially compromising their efficacy over time.

In contrast, injectable trace minerals are not exposed to such environmental risks; maintaining their potency and efficacy until administration.

This reduced risk of contamination ensures that cows receive the intended dose of trace minerals without fluctuations in quality, contributing to consistent reproductive performance and overall herd health.

Targeted delivery

Injectable trace mineral supplements allow for precise dosing and targeted delivery, ensuring that cows receive the exact amount of trace minerals needed to address sub clinical or clinical deficiencies.

This targeted delivery is particularly advantageous in grass-based systems where nutrient content in forage may vary across pastures or seasons.

By providing a controlled and precise dose, injectable trace minerals help mitigate the risk of over or under-supplementation, optimising reproductive performance and minimizing unnecessary costs associated with excess supplementation.

Improved immune function

Adequate trace mineral levels are essential for supporting immune function; particularly during periods of physiological stress such as the pre-breeding period.

Injectable trace mineral supplements bolster immune function by ensuring cows have sufficient levels of key minerals such as selenium and copper, which play crucial roles in immune response and disease resistance.

This enhanced immune function not only improves the overall health and well-being of cows but also reduces the risk of reproductive disorders that can compromise breeding success.

In conclusion, the benefits of injectable trace minerals outweigh those of orally administered ones in the pre-breeding period of cows in grass-based seasonal calving systems.

From efficient absorption and rapid replenishment and targeted delivery, injectable trace minerals offer a comprehensive solution to addressing trace mineral deficiencies and optimising reproductive performance and overall herd health.

By incorporating injectable trace mineral supplementation into pre-breeding management practices, farmers may enhance breeding success rates, improve immune function, and ensure the long-term productivity and profitability of their herds in seasonal grass-based calving systems.

Contact your vet to learn more about the benefits of using injectable trace minerals in your herd at high demand periods.

The post Watch: Maximising pre-breeding cow health in grass-based calving systems appeared first on Agriland.ie.

In many parts of rural Ireland, the collaboration between dairy and beef farmers not only shapes the present but also paves the way for a sustainable future in agriculture. With over 60% of beef produced in Ireland starting out in the dairy herd.

Amie Coonan, a seasoned beef farmer, highlighted the symbiotic relationship between these sectors, emphasising the pivotal role of genetics in maximising profitability for both dairy and beef farmers.

Before the breeding season begins, it is important to plan ahead for next year and be prepared in terms of choosing bulls, record keeping and more.

Coonan’s partnership with dairy farmers demonstrates the interconnected relationship of the dairy and beef industries.

In The AgriPod by Herdwatch, Amie explained that “I’m linked up with two dairy farmers who work with me and I work with them”, underscoring a relationship built on mutual understanding and shared goals, rather than mere transactions.

When it comes to selecting bulls, Coonan stressed the importance of genetics in achieving desired outcomes for both sectors.

“I advise around best practice in terms of genetics for the best results in carcass and confirmation, easy calving and short gestation for the dairy farmer,” she said.

This collaborative approach ensures that both dairy and beef farmers benefit from selecting bulls with traits that optimise profitability and efficiency.

Coonan’s strategic approach to beef farming revolves around selecting Angus/Hereford calves known for their rapid growth and easy management.

By focusing on breeds that finish quickly and exhibit docility, she maximises productivity while minimising risk.

In her quest for efficiency, Amie aims to get her cattle to the factory before their second winter, typically at 21/22-months-old.

This timeline underscores her commitment to strategic beef production, where every decision is geared toward optimising resources and minimising costs.

The price difference and carcass weight variation within dairy beef calves can vary significantly depending on factors such as breed, genetics, age, sex and management practices.

Generally, typical dairy bulls tend to fetch lower prices compared to traditional dairy beef breeds due to differences in growth rates, carcass confirmation, and market preferences.

In terms of price difference, traditional beef breeds like Angus or Hereford may command higher prices compared to dairy beef crosses, such as Friesian bulls.

Similarly, there can be differences in carcass weight between dairy bulls and traditional beef breeds.

Traditional beef breeds typically have a better feed conversion efficiency, leading to larger carcass weights at slaughter.

On the other hand, typical dairy bulls will have a lower carcass weight and confirmation score, but will usually finish much sooner.

Strategies such as selecting bulls with favourable genetics, implementing appropriate nutrition and management practices, and targeting specific markets can help maximise returns on investment for both dairy and beef farmers.

Amie combines the relationship with the dairy farmers alongside her seamless record keeping within the Herdwatch app to ensure an efficient practice on her farm.

The records associated with the calf from birth are available to view up until and after that calf is finished.

The performance of each calf in your herd can be compared across different insights available in the Herdwatch app.

This ensures educated and informed decisions can be made in you herd which will optimise profits for all sectors.

How Herdwatch can help you this breeding season

Heat detection / serve records

With the impending breeding season upon us, it is important to track your pre/post-breeding records for your herd to ensure an efficient system for the next 10 months.

The Herdwatch app will notify you when your cow is due to come into heat after calving, and allow you to record a serve for your records.

With full compatibility with ICBF, AI serves carried out by a technician will automatically come down onto the app for seamless record keeping on your phone / PC.

Serves carried out by your stock bull can be inputted manually for each cow and a report can then be printed out to track your cows due dates.

What else is available?

• Scanning records;
• Cows with no serve;
• Cows with no heat
• Cows awaiting scan;
• Due to calf reports;
• Calf registration;
• Weight recording;
• Factory / mart insights;
• Medicine records;
• Sync with ICBF.

How can I get the app?

You can join Amie Coonan and over 22,000 other farmers on Herdwatch by downloading the app and say goodbye to farm paperwork once and for all.

To get started on Herdwatch, click here to download the free app today or visit Herdwatch.com for more information.

The post How dairy and beef farmers strategise for more money appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Granular quality is essential for the best fertiliser spreading pattern. No matter how good and technically advanced a spreader is, optimal and even spreading can only be achieved by using a fertiliser with high quality granules that are hard, uniform, and with the right density.

Quality fertiliser is as essential as spreader settings.

In the age of increasingly precise crop nutrition, it is more critical than ever for each fertiliser granule to be distributed as optimally as possible.

For the best spreading pattern, the quality of the fertiliser granules is just as important as accurate spreader calibration – especially if the spreading width exceeds 30m.

OCI Nutramon can provide the ideal solution. The calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) fertiliser is suitable for all agricultural crops, and stands out as the best-recognised granule quality on the market.

Its 50:50 combination of nitrate and ammoniacal sourced nitrogen ensures rapid and long-lasting absorption.

Three crucial properties for a high-quality fertiliser

To achieve such a high-quality fertiliser, three physical properties are essential: fraction distribution, hardness, and density.

Fraction distribution:

Fractional distribution refers to the amount of size variation in fertiliser particles.

The highest quality fertilisers contain a large percentage of granules with the same size.

Uniform size ensures an even spreading pattern when applied, and also allows for more accurate spreader calibration.

If the granules vary too much in size, larger granules may be thrown further than smaller ones, resulting in uneven distribution.

This disrupted spreading pattern can lead to over-application in some areas and under-application in others, impacting crop growth and yield.

A maximum of 1% of the granules should be smaller than 2.00mm, and at least 90% of the granules should be between 2.00 and 4.75mm.

OCI Nutramon CAN meets these requirements, with a mean particle size of 3.8mm.

Fertiliser hardness:

The hardness of a fertiliser is measured on the extent to which a granule can withstand the forces exerted during handling, transport, storage and spreading.

Measuring hardness requires a representative sample of sufficient size. Like the fraction composition, the right hardness varies per fertiliser.

Harder granules are more resistant to degradation and compaction during storage. They are less likely to clump together, aiding in flow and handling.

Reduced breakage and dust generation mean mores more of the applied fertiliser reaches the target area, maximising its effectiveness and minimizing the need for re-application.

This also reduces the risk of nutrient leaching, runoff, and volatilisation, minimising pollution and improving nutrient efficiency.

Nutramon CAN’s hard and round granules are dust-free for a safer handling experience.

Granule density:

The density of a fertiliser granule affects spreading distance and flow rate. It is measured as bulk weight, expressed in kg/l or kg/m³.

Granules of equal diameter and greater density have better spreading properties; they can be distributed further, allowing for wider application widths and increased efficiency during fertiliser application.

Those with higher density are also less susceptible to wind drift. This helps prolong nutrient availability to crops, reducing the need for frequent re-application and improving nutrient use efficiency.

The correct bulk weight depends on the type of fertiliser.

Nutramon’s high-density 50:50 formulation provides a quick boost of nitrogen to support initial crop growth and development, as well as a slower-release supply that ensures more consistent nutrient availability throughout the growing season.

Nutramon – your solution to efficient fertilisation.

Nutramon facts

• Formulated with a 50:50 ratio of nitrate nitrogen and ammoniacal nitrogen for efficient crop absorption and better answer to crop needs;
• Contains four percent magnesium, essential for protein synthesis and chlorophyl production , plus six percent calcium oxide to balance soil pH;
• Best recognised quality on the market, with hard, uniform granules that ensure even distribution, delivering spreading distances of up to 50m;
• Easily identified through its orange granules;
• Dust free for a safer handling experience.

Nutramon can be used as a straight or part of a blend and is available from merchants across the UK and Ireland.

The post Are you confident in the quality of your fertiliser? appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) are hosting nationwide in-person farmers clinics for Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS), and other scheme applications.

Department staff are available to assist farmers who require help with various applications.

This would be especially beneficial to farmers who do not have a Farm Advisory System (FAS) – approved advisor to guide them through the process.

Scheme applications

Farmers can apply for all elements of direct payments (BISS, Eco-Schemes, Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers, Protein Aid, National Reserve, transferring of entitlements) on the day.

No registration is required. Farmers are reminded to bring photo ID with them to these events. 

Listed below are the remaining locations and times of the clinic. Each clinic takes place from 10:00a.m to 4:30p.m.

The Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS), co-funded by the European Union is designed to provide a direct income support to Irish farmers to underpin their continued sustainability and viability.

It functions as a safety net by guaranteeing a minimum level of agricultural income for all active farmers and ensures a fair standard of living for the agricultural community.

Consequently, basic income support plays a key role in supporting food security. 

Closing date for BISS 2024 applications is Wednesday, 15 May 2024.

Important contact numbers

Farmers who want to contact the department in relation to online applications can do so at:

(049)4368288 in relation to queries on registering for www.ag.food.ie – e.g. queries on lost passwords, how to register, etc.

(057)874422 in relation to queries on completing the BISS applications once registered on www.agfood.ie, or to request a paper copy of the terms and conditions.

Department staff are also available to assist with applications in the government buildings, Old Abbeyleix Road or Portlaoise at any stage during the application period.

The post Free guidance for farmers on scheme applications  appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Hillary Courtney is a part-time beef farmer who was like many farmers throughout Ireland – looking at ways to improve her farm, but was hampered by access to farmer-friendly finance.

That’s when she decided to reach out to her local Credit Union for a Cultivate loan.

Hillary wanted to improve the housing for her cattle on her farm, so with her Cultivate loan, she has invested in a new slatted unit to house her cattle over the winter, while also having the opportunity to add onto other sheds and improve her handling facilities.

Cultivate is an initiative created by a group of 53 Credit Unions to provide short-to-medium-term loan finance built specifically around the growing needs of Irish farmers.

It is a farmer-friendly finance option for farmers seeking unsecured funding up to €75,000 for up to 10 years. Cultivate loans are available from almost 170 Credit Union offices nationwide.

To help Hillary develop her beef enterprise, she turned to her local Credit Union and applied for a Cultivate loan. The result of which has been an easier life not just for Hillary, but also her livestock.

“Even for the cattle, it was the best thing we have ever done really,” Hillary said.

Having gone through the full process of applying and securing a Cultivate loan, Hillary’s words of advice reflect a very positive experience of dealing with Cultivate.

“Go and talk to them. They’ll help you in every way they can and that’s so important for anyone,” she said.

Farmer-friendly finance

Key to Hillary’s decision to avail of a Cultivate loan, was the fact that the loan was unsecured, making it much more accessible.

“With the Cultivate loan, they offer unsecured lending, so that helps someone like me who’s only a part-time farmer,” Hillary said.

As a farmer-friendly finance option, loan repayment schedules are available up to a period of seven years, with flexibility to repay at times that make sense for the individual farmer.

Cultivate loans are unsecured, and there is no need to be an existing credit union member to avail of a loan.

Farmers can sign up in their local participating Credit Union office and be eligible to apply for a Cultivate loan immediately.

The average Cultivate loan application from farmers for 2023 was for €32,841.

Cultivate loans are used by farmers like Hillary for a wide range of key on-farm activities, including:

• Stocking or working capital (30%);

• Upgrading farm buildings and facilities (23%);

• Purchasing farm equipment (17%).

These loan purposes underline the importance farmers are placing on investing in their farms, while also highlighting the ongoing pressures facing farmers due to rising input costs.

Cultivate loans are offered by almost 170 credit union locations in Ireland. A full list of participating Credit Unions is available here.

Why farmers are choosing Cultivate loans

• Farmers do not need to be an existing credit union member to apply for a loan;
• Unsecured funding of up to €75,000 over 10 years;
• Quick and easy application process;
• Competitive interest rates tailored for the farming sector;
• Flexible repayment plans that make sense for the farmer;
• Personal service – the Credit Union will deal directly with the farmer’s accountants;
• Loan protection insurance is provided at no extra cost. If the borrower dies, the loan is cleared (subject to terms and conditions, age and health restrictions);
• No penalties for early repayment;
• No transaction, administration or set-up costs.

National Cultivate Week

Following on from last year’s success, National Cultivate Week is back and will take place from April 8 to April 14.

It will bring together Credit Unions and their members to celebrate farmers and the contribution they make to local communities.

On Thursday, 11 April, Cultivate will host a live virtual event which brings together an exciting panel of experts to give viewers insights on what lies ahead for farming in 2024.

The webinar “Cultivate Conversations: Farming in 2024” will be livestreamed on www.cultivate-cu.ie and across Cultivate’s social media channels.

There will be a range of speakers there on the night including; Karina Pierce, Philip O’Connor, Adam Woods & Joe Healy.

The post How one beef farmer discovered Cultivate’s farmer-friendly finance appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Minerals and vitamins, while accounting for a small percentage of dietary requirements, play a very important role in animal function.

They assist in areas such as bone development, muscle contractions and good nervous system and immune function.

Subsequently, growth and fertility can be compromised if a good mineral balance is not maintained. In a year with continuously rising input costs, avoiding having to pay for anything avoidable is important.

In terms of getting adequate minerals, dietary sources typically include forages, concentrate feedstuffs, mineral supplements and water.

Mineral requirements are typically classed as macrominerals and microminerals (trace elements).

Macromineral requirements are usually expressed as a percentage of the total diet, while micromineral requirements are generally expressed as milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) or parts per million (ppm).

There are any number of mineral interactions which can result in minerals either tying up or making other mineral elements unavailable, causing imbalances.

Potential problems from lack of minerals

Mineral imbalances (toxicities or deficiencies) can trigger nutritional disorders in animals. 

Typical examples include grass tetany, urinary calculi, white muscle disease and milk fever in cattle.

While these disorders can sometimes produce dramatic signs, mineral imbalances are quite often unnoticed or overlooked because only subclinical signs are present.

Some identifiable signs of mineral, vitamin shortages or imbalances in animals, include loss of hair around the eyes and back; discolouration of the coat; ill-thrift; infertility; swelling of the joints; scour; poor conversion; and growth below their genetic potential.

Less obvious signs can result in reduced productivity or conversion rates in both cattle and sheep, ultimately resulting in increased costs to the farmer.

Farmers should consider mineral supplementation at grass as mineral deficiency is often quite prevalent in soils, and concentrate intake is often reduced or not included in the diet.

In summary, appropriate intake of minerals and vitamins is essential for productivity and health.

In selecting a mineral and vitamin supplement, consider the class of animal; age; weight; breeding status; forage conditions; mineral and vitamin levels in feedstuff; and water sources. 

Univet recommends blood sampling to determine status within the herd. For more information, please consult your veterinary surgeon.

Click here to see an outline of the main minerals and vitamins

The Growvite range

The Growvite range of nutritional supplements provides a balanced formula of chelated minerals, vitamins and trace elements essential for optimum thrive and performance.

The range, which is molasses based, includes Growvite Forte, Growvite Sheep, Multi Birth, Growvite Vitamin B12 & Cobalt, Growvite Cobalt Drench and Growvite Vit E + Sel. 

All Growvite products are manufactured in a good manufacturing compliance (GMP) compliant facility, thus ensuring consistent high-quality as standard. GMP is a European Pharmaceutical Quality Manufacturing Standard. 

The products have been proven on Irish farms for over thirty years.

Trials carried out in the University of Wales showed Growvite Sheep to increase the number of live lambs born by 22%. Similar results are demonstrated in cattle. 

Full trial results are available on request through Univet.

More information on the Growvite Range and Univet can be found by clicking here.

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In the dynamic world of farming, where time and labour are precious commodities, the quest for efficient calf feeding and productivity is ever-present.

As spring unfolds and the demands of calf rearing intensify, farmers across Ireland are seeking innovative solutions to streamline their operations and maximise their resources.

At the forefront of this movement, is the Urban Alma Pro and FitPlus, a cutting-edge automated calf feeder revolutionising how farmers care for their youngstock.

Creva International proudly stands as the official importer of Urban calf feeders since 2023, taking the reins from Volac and continuing a legacy of excellence that spans over two decades in Ireland.

Understanding the challenges faced by beef and dairy farmers, Creva recognises the growing demand for advanced technology to alleviate manual labour burdens during the busy spring season. 

This year, Urban Germany celebrates its 40th anniversary, a testament to its enduring commitment to quality and innovation.

Calf feeding

The Urban Alma Pro is not just a feeder—it’s a complete solution empowering farmers to meet the individual needs of each calf with precision and efficiency.

Leveraging state of the art technology, farmers can optimise their work processes and ensure species-appropriate feeding around the clock.

From metabolic programming, to maintaining consistent milk concentration and temperature, the Urban Alma Pro delivers unparalleled benefits, translating into improved growth rates and overall herd health.

Farmer Phil from the Stewart Family Farm in Co. Longford is a testament to the transformative impact of the urban automated feeder.

Reflecting on his experience, Farmer Phil said: “The Urban calf feeders have been an integral part of our farm operation since 2015.

“We’ve just started our second season with the FitPlus and have another new FitPlus coming to replace our second feeder for this season.

“We invested in automated calf feeders to save on time and workload. Before we bought our first Urban feeder, it was taking me four hours twice a day to get around 180 calves in pens of six, milk, water, meal, hay, and bedding.

“When the first feeder went in, it cut that back to 1.5 hours twice-a-day. Now, with two automatic Urban feeders, we can feed up to 300 calves and spend no more than 30 minutes twice-a-day on a good day feeding, mealing, and bedding.”

The benefits of the Urban Alma Pro & FitPlus extend beyond convenience—they are rooted in science and innovation, offering farmers a reliable tool to enhance livestock well-being and optimise farm management practices.

With health monitoring capabilities and improved feed hygiene, the Urban Alma Pro sets a new standard for calf care in the modern agricultural landscape.

Farmer Phil continued: “With the new FitPlus, the feeder is able to pick up calves that are sick before they become physically sick.

“Within two days of a calf starting to slow down the rate at which they drink, it’ll flag the calf for checking. So, we’re catching illnesses earlier, and it’s having less of a detrimental effect on the calves’ health and performance going forward.”

As the calf rearing season continues, now is the time to plan for next season.

Just like securing a great German car, getting an excellent German Calf Feeder requires getting in the production queue.

Join Farmer Phil and countless other farmers across Ireland who have embraced automation and have unlocked new levels of productivity and profitability. 

The commitment to service is underpinned by Urban engineers and technicians across the country, ensuring farmers have access to expert support and service whenever they need it.

Contact Creva International today to learn more about how the Urban Alma Pro & FitPlus can revolutionise your calf rearing operation.

Creva International would be delighted to offer a personalised quote and assist you in understanding which system would best suit your specific needs. 

As an additional incentive, we’re offering free calf jackets with all quotes issued up until April 19, while stocks last. 

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to transform your calf feeding operation.

The post Transforming calf feeding: The Urban Alma Pro and FitPlus appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Paddy Morrisey from O’Connor Julian Veterinary kicks off the series on Monday, April 8.

MSD Animal Health in conjunction with XLVets Ireland are delighted to announce the launch of their ‘Day in the Life of a Vet Series’.

The series will focus on the day-to-day life of different vets during one of the busiest times of the year.

As April reaches its peak, calving and lambing is in full swing, farmers are gearing up for the start of the breeding season, some animals are being turned out to grass and the threat of disease looms.

Farms are stretched to capacity and vets are at their busiest.

Ever wondered what a vet’s working day entails during such busy times? Here’s your chance to find out, join MSD Animal Health on Instagram from April 8 to April 11.

Over the course of four days, MSD Animal Health will shadow a different vet and their team, capturing the essence of a day in the life of a busy veterinary practice.

Stay tuned and follow MSD Animal Health Ireland on their Instagram channel (@msdanimalhealthireland) for live updates.  

Viewers will get the opportunity to follow our host vet each day to gain an insight into just what a typical day looks like for a vet in practice.

They will also get to learn about the vet’s practice, be introduced to the team and learn about different disease threats to watch out for at this time of year.

The series will run on Instagram from Monday, April 8 to Thursday, April 11, kicking off from 10:00a.m and finishing at 4:00p.m.

Series schedule and featured vets:

• Day 1: Monday April 8 – Paddy Morrissey, O’Connor Julian Veterinary, (pictured top), we will meet vet Emma Corbett Coffey and some of the other team on the day;
• Day 2: Tuesday April 9 – Kieran O’Mahony, Glen Veterinary, Kieran will introduce the whole team throughout the day;

• Day 3: Wednesday Wednesday 10 – Tadhg Gavin, Killaloe Veterinary Clinic, we will meet vets Sinead Hennessy and Rebecca Flynn and some other members of the Killaloe team;

• Day 4: Thursday April 11– Kevin O’Sullivan, Glasslyn Vets, join Kevin and his team on the day.

Keep an eye on MSD’s Instagram channel for live updates, or XLVets Instagram.

The post New ‘day in the life’ series follows different Irish vets appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Tackling nematodirus in your flock is a key part of the thrive of your lambs in their first few weeks on the farm.

It is a severe parasitic disease of lambs aged six to twelve weeks which become infected by ingesting large numbers of infective larvae from grazing on contaminated pasture.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), in conjunction with Met Éireann, predict when nematodirus eggs will hatch and every year produce a forecast predicting the peak hatch and advise when farmers should treat to prevent disease due to this parasite.

With lambing underway, and even completed on some farms across the country, preparing a dosing plan for your flock will be important as lambs become susceptible to the parasite.

When can an infection occur?

Unlike that of other roundworms, Nematodirus battus eggs deposited on pasture do not hatch until the following year to release the infective larvae.

This happens during a mass hatching event in spring when soil temperatures increase after a period of cold weather. Disease typically occurs in April, May and June.

See the map below for expected timing of peaks in nematodirus egg hatching on pasture:

 When this occurs, eggs can hatch en masse very quickly, providing a sudden and very high infection challenge.

This is known as the ‘spring flush’ and often coincides with lambs becoming more reliant on grazed grass at 6 – 8 weeks old.

Identifying nematodirus in the flock

Clinical signs usually consist of sudden onset, profuse, watery scours, usually affecting multiple animals within the flock.

Faecal staining of the fleece is frequently seen, and lambs can be dull, off feed and lose weight rapidly.

In outbreak scenarios, lambs can be seen congregating around water troughs due to the severe thirst that develops, and death can occur due to dehydration.

Adult sheep are unaffected by the parasite.

Mortality rates can be high from nematodirus and up to 5% of the lamb crop may die within days.

Alongside the cost of treatment, recovered or less severely affected animals may have severely reduced growth rates and feed conversion efficiency, and may take many more weeks to reach a marketable weight, eroding into profit margins.

To identify nematodirus in the flock, worm egg counts are not useful in diagnosing nematodirus as larvae cause clinical signs before eggs are produced.

Diagnosis can be made on clinical signs, post-mortem examination and likelihood of disease based on forecasting.

Treatment and prevention

Treatment with an appropriate Group-1 white drench is usually very effective and is recommended by Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS).

Appropriate products include Albex 2.5% (Albendazole), Bovex (Oxfendazole) and Zerofen 2.5% (Fenbendazole).

Treatments are usually given three weeks apart through May and all lambs in a group should be treated.

Clinical symptoms of nematodirus and coccidiosis can be similar and in addition the diseases can often occur at the same time of year. Treatment for both conditions may be required and as such it may be worth contacting your veterinary surgeon for further information. Coccidiosis can be successfully managed by using products such as Dycoxan or Chanox.

The need for treatment, and timeframes, are highly variable year on year so always check with your vet.

Be prepared and keep an appropriate product in stock if a hatch is anticipated as outbreaks can occur very quickly.

To avoid selecting for resistance, it is vital to weigh lambs and dose appropriately.

To prevent disease, do not graze lambs on pasture used for lambs the previous year. If this is unavoidable, pay close attention to parasite forecasts.

For more information please click here

The post Nematodirus forecast issued by the department appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The persisting wet weather conditions are causing major challenges on farms, such as difficulties with getting crops established and getting animals out to grass.

Teagasc is advising farmers to focus on simple management steps in the days ahead and has issued advice for various land types.

Tillage crops

• Review your cropping plan based on likely cultivation opportunities and consider future workload and harvest;
• Continue to aim for a range of crops as much as possible;
• Focus on potential crop margin (not just yield) and explore other cropping options, including contracted forage crops;
• Secure a source of seed and fertiliser based on planned crops if not already in place.

Grassland farms

• Take any opportunities to get animals out to grass;
• Assess and secure any additional fodder, feed and fertiliser required – take action to secure supply in good time;
• Look at practical steps to ease stress and reduce workload on farm;
• Support neighbours by making any surplus fodder available for sale.

Events

See www.teagasc.ie for upcoming Teagasc events to help find support and advice, including the series of spring grass and clover walks.  

Click here to see the full list of farm walks. A farm walk will take place today (Thursday, April 4) in Co. Kerry and tomorrow (Friday, April 5) in counties Mayo and Wexford.

All farmers are welcome to attend.

A webinar on ‘Managing the herd in current weather conditions’ took place earlier this week.

At local level, the Teagasc advisory service will facilitate communications between neighbouring farmers who have fodder with those who need animal feed.

Farmers are urged to contact your local advisor or Teagasc office to seek advice and support.

The post Support for farmers during wet weather conditions appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Michael Ring has trialled and tested synchronisation and sexed semen on his farm in Emly, Co. Tipperary.

Michael milks 80 cows with the help of his father Liam and mother Mary.

His path to running the family dairy herd wasn’t conventional. He qualified as a primary school teacher and taught full-time for 13 years until 2019, when he took a year off while Liam underwent surgery for a replacement knee.

He never went back to full-time teaching and now juggles family life, milking cows and subbing in the local primary schools.

His wife Catherine is also a full-time primary school teacher, so between them they look after their young family Caoimhe, Róisín and Cathal.

“Having half your heifer calves born by 3^rd February”, was Michael’s response when asked what the best thing was about having used sexed sorted semen for the first time last year.

“It’s a big boost to your morale, before the calving season really gets going!”

In the past, Liam and Michael used a couple of beef bulls and bought in replacement dairy heifers.  

Over the last few years, Michael was keen to take control of the genetics in his own herd, so making full use of his ICBF reports, he started selecting the best economic breeding index (EBI) bulls for his best cows and heifers.

They are restricted by the size of the grazing platform at home, 23ha, but they have two other blocks of land close to home for silage and grazing the heifers and young stock.

Michael was quick to point out that on all three pieces of land, they have excellent handling facilities with good crushes and pens.

They rear all of their calves and Liam and Mary take on this responsibility. They sell roughly half as yearlings in the springtime and the rest as 18-month-old stores off grass.

Synchronisation

“I had been discussing the pros and cons of synchronisation and sexed semen with Michael for a couple of years” said Marie-Louise Ryan of Mulcair Veterinary.  

“Last year he dipped his toe in the water and synchronised them all, but only used sexed semen on half of them and conventional on the rest.

“He got better success with the sexed than the conventional, but they were the better grown heifers,” Marie-Louise said.

As Michael’s father, Liam pointed out, they learned from this and upped their game regarding the care and feeding of all the calves.

This included vaccination with Rispoval RS Pi3 IntraNasal at about 10-days-of-age, and then in the autumn two vaccine shots against RSV, Pi3 and IBR, to reduce the risk of pneumonia at housing, which had occurred on previous years to a lesser or greater extent.

All of the heifers were weighed at housing and penned and fed accordingly.

They followed the CIDR Synch protocol to a T. Marie-Louise set the programme up and Michael and his parents then did the injections and removed the CIDRs as instructed, which involved gathering the heifers before the morning milking on three occasions.

Sexed semen

“Great to have a good crush and pens and to have trained them with a little feed in advance of the programme. Easy with a little patience, a good team and good facilities,” Michael said.

“This year, we have a much better bunch of maiden heifers. 21 in total, who will all be CIDR Synched and will all be getting sexed semen.

“I have another 20 sexed semen straws and I’m selecting 40 cows for them. The first 20 cows that are going off heat when the AI-man calls, will be served with sexed, and the rest will be getting beef semen.

“Any heifers that repeat will be served with Angus semen for the first repeat and then the bull will be turned out,” Michael explained.

Michael’s encouragement to anyone thinking about trying synchronisation and sexed semen for the first time is:

“Firstly, you have the majority of your heifers born in the first week of the calving and secondly, you don’t have to worry about what to do with Friesian bull calves.”

Michael and Marie-Louise were part of a panel discussion hosted by XL Vets discussing all aspects around fertility in spring calving herds.

Rispoval® RS+Pi3 IntraNasal contains modified live Bovine Pi3 virus and BRSV.

For further information please contact your veterinary surgeon or Zoetis, 2nd Floor, Building 10, Cherrywood Business Park, Loughlinstown, Co. Dublin D18 T3Y1. (01) 2569800 or www.zoetis.ie. Use medicines responsibly (www.apha.ie). ZT/24/09/01

The post Tipperary farmer reaps the rewards of synchronisation and sexed semen appeared first on Agriland.ie.

In Ireland, where agriculture is not only a livelihood but a substantial national economic contributor, the potential of solar energy presents a compelling opportunity for farmers to remove significant costs from their operations, secure long-term sustainability, and contribute to Ireland’s renewable energy goals.

With grants of 60% available on a system valued up to €90,000 and the removal of previous barriers, such as the need for planning permission and the inclusion of the farm dwelling, there has never been a better time for farmers to invest in solar.

Given the increased market for solar products and services, we are seeing a significant increase in solar solutions providers.

Knowing what they should expect from their solar provider can be challenging for farmers, as it’s a space many are only learning about.

 IFA and Bord Gáis Energy combined have over 100 years of experience representing and supporting farmers and providing energy solutions to farms, homes, and businesses around Ireland.

Their combined specialist knowledge and experience means they understand the unique requirements of farm businesses more than most.

The team has installed 1,500 solar PV systems in Irish homes, farms, and businesses and has provided post-installation support to over 2,000 solar PV installations.

Solar energy

James Kelly, from IFA and Bord Gáis Energy Solar, outlines the considerations that farmers should weigh when contemplating solar investment.

• 1. Economic viability

Business decisions must be grounded in a thorough financial analysis.

IFA and Bord Gáis Energy provide expert guidance, conducting detailed cost-benefit analyses to ascertain the economic feasibility of solar investments.

We evaluate installation costs, potential savings on energy expenditure, available incentives, and the anticipated return on investment (ROI) over the system’s lifespan.

• 2. Financial facilitation

Accessing capital is paramount. IFA and Bord Gáis Energy are working with Ireland’s main lenders to ensure various financial mechanisms are available.

• 3. System design and sizing

One size does not fit all in solar energy. IFA and Bord Gáis Energy collaborate closely with farm businesses to devise bespoke solar energy systems aligned with their operational needs and objectives.

We account for available space, orientation, shading, and energy consumption profiles through detailed planning and surveying to optimise system size and configuration.

• 4. Scalability

Forward-thinking businesses anticipate growth. Farmers should plan for scalable solutions that accommodate future expansion or upgrades, ensuring solar systems remain aligned with evolving energy demands and technological advancements.

• 5. Minimal disruption

Your solar supplier should seamlessly integrate solar installations into existing business operations.

Our expert teams coordinate construction activities, minimising downtime and avoiding interference with the day-to-day running of a farm.

• 6. Compliance

Compliance is non-negotiable. We leverage our expertise to guide farmers through the TAMS and NC7 process.

It is important to note that all installations on farms must have prior approval from ESB Networks to connect to the electrical grid.

It is illegal to do otherwise; only qualified and reputable people and companies can perform these tasks.

• 7. Maintenance and lifecycle management

In many cases, your solar system will have a life cycle of 30 years. Like buying any product or service, comeback is critical.

Are you confident that the supplier you purchase from will be there in one, five, or even 15 years should a problem arise?

Your supplier must provide comprehensive maintenance and lifecycle management services to ensure your solar PV systems’ long-term performance and reliability.

IFA and Bord Gáis Energy use the highest-quality technology available, and their suppliers have been selected following an exhaustive tender process.

Additionally, our longevity in the market means that farmers can be completely confident that we will be there for the lifecycle of your system.

If you are interested in finding out more on IFA and Bord Gáis Energy’s solar solutions, and how you can turn your roof into a source of power, visit ifa.ie/solar or call 0818 989 498.

The post Powering Irish agriculture: The case for solar energy investment appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Dr. Jessica Cooke, R&D Manager, Volac Milk Replacers.

Bloat is a condition found in both dairy and beef animals which can affect either the abomasum or the rumen – with calves suffering from abomasal bloat usually less than three weeks old.  

Abomasal bloat is primarily caused by the excess fermentation of high-energy, gastrointestinal contents in the abomasum (i.e., milk or milk replacer) along with the presence of fermentative enzymes produced by bacteria, many of which are always present in the stomach.

The calf must be provided with milk, and many of the bacteria responsible for fermenting the milk are always present.

The two main factors involved in controlling the rate at which milk empties from the abomasum are milk volume per feed and osmolality – the concentration of the milk.  

The volume of milk feed ingested alters the rate of abomasal emptying as a means of ensuring nutrients are presented to the small intestine at a constant rate, while stabilising blood glucose levels.

The larger the volume of milk per feed, the longer it takes for the milk to empty from the abomasum.

As research indicates, abomasal emptying rate for an entire meal is 40% slower when feeding four litres per feed compared to two litres per feed.

On a computerised feeder, it is recommended to set the milk volume to a maximum of two to two and a half litres per feed, whilst ensuring all meals are of an equal size.

For twice daily feeding systems, limit milk to a maximum of three litres per feed.

Increasing solids concentration by adding more powder will delay abomasal emptying, since the concentrated solution must be held in the lumen of the intestinal tract until sufficient water can be secreted to dilute the concentrated solution.

Fluids with an osmolality of more than 600 mOsm/L should be cautiously offered and should never be provided when water isn’t available.

Volac milk replacers

Most good quality milk replacers can be mixed at either 12.5% (125g milk powder per litre of mixed milk) or 15% (150g milk powder per litre of mixed milk) with the aim of keeping the osmolality of the mixed milk at less than 500 to 600 mOsm/L.

To sustain osmolality and delay the rate of abomasal emptying, always provide fresh, clean ad libitum water from day one. If there are more than 20 calves per group, provide two water points.

Mixing milk replacer at 12.5% could also help to minimise the risk of ‘creating’ a high osmolality in calves where water consumption is low or in diarrheic, dehydrated calves.

Good calf health starts with excellent colostrum management, with stomach tubing often the method of choice.

Abomasal motility is predominantly controlled by the ventral branch of the abdominal vagal nerve; vagal reflex is responsible for accommodation and relaxation of the abomasum while the calf is eating.

Oesophageal/pharyngeal injury which leads to oesophageal lesions can damage the intricate vagal nerve branches responsible for eructation, swallowing and forestomach motility.

The incorrect use of an oesophageal tube or a tube that is cold, hard or damaged, will increase the risk of pharyngeal injuries. A bottle and teat to feed colostrum is recommended.

The tube must be soft, clean and in good condition and inserted by a trained individual: a calf should only be tubed once.

The bacterium suspected as the cause of abomasal bloat is a clostridial bacteria, although other organisms may be involved, including salmonella typhimurium; many of which are continuously present in the calf’s stomach.

The low production of acid in the abomasum and limited production of trypsin (responsible for the digestion of Beta toxin, produced by clostridia) in the intestine, coupled with large amounts of milk/milk replacer increase the risk for rapid overgrowth by clostridia.

Clostridium perfringens type A is commonly found in many environments including the normal bovine intestinal tract along with water, contaminated or improperly thawed colostrum/milk and calf housing environments.

Anything that encourages the growth of such bacteria will increase the risk of poor calf health and the onset of bloat. A high level of cleaning and hygiene of the feeding equipment is essential in making any system a success.

Strict adherence to the recommended cleaning protocols is essential to minimise the bacterial load on computerised feeders, with particular attention to the teats and tubes.

Teats should be swapped for a clean one daily (or even twice daily) – and should be removed, washed, rinsed, and placed in a bucket of sterilising solution, ready for next day use.

Running automated cleaning functions on computerised feeders several times a day, together with manual cleaning, helps to reduce bacterial contamination in milk.

The type of detergent used is also paramount, since most feeders are set to operate at temperatures of 45 to 55°C.

Wet weather is also thought to have a significant impact on the microbiological water quality. Using water with a high bacterial load to mix milk replacer and/or as a source of drinking water will pose an increased risk for poor calf health.

If a private water supply is used, consider testing for bacterial content.

Group size is a key factor in calf health. Bigger groups are associated with more stress, more disease and poor health. Calves in larger groups tend to drink their milk feed faster and in fewer visits than calves housed in smaller groups.

An ideal group size for young calves is 12 to 15 calves per group (maximum of 20 calves per group). Computerised feeders are designed to feed 30 to 35 calves per feed station.

If calves are housed in these larger groups, minimise the age range between the calves within the group (ideally seven days, maximum 21 days range) and ensure there are enough water points (as a guide, allow two water points per 20 calves).

The onset of abomasal bloat is a complex issue; its exact cause remains unknown. It is likely to involve a combination of both management and nutritional factors – when several of these risk factors come together at one time, they likely overload individual calves resulting in bloat.

During an outbreak of abomasal bloat, it’s important to consider all potential risk factors and make appropriate changes in response to its unwelcome arrival.  

The post Preventing abomasal bloat in young calves appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Thomas O’Neill’s calves are reared on Auctus Champion Calf Milk Replacer each year. Champion Milk replacer is a 23.5% protein,  20% oil and fat and 7% ash content whey-based milk replacer.  

Thomas has a spring calving herd based in Burgess, Killeagh, Co. Cork, calving down 90 Friesian cows from February 1 to April 1. 

Thomas has been using Champion milk replacer for the past number of years and is “very happy with the health status of the calves and no issues with bloat or coughing in the calf shed”.

Thomas is supplied Champion Milk replacer from his Sales Representative, Bobby McCarthy in AMAC Farm Supplies, Middleton, Co. Cork.  

Thomas is calving down 90 cows and plans to rear the majority of the heifer and bull calves.

Once calves are born, they are all given at least four litres of colostrum and put into individual pens. 

Here they are given transition milk for six days at a volume of two and a half litres in the morning, and the same in the evening.  

Transition milk is fed for six days to give full immunity, as the cows are vaccinated for Rotavirus.

On day seven, the calves are moved into the group pens where they are introduced onto Champion Milk Replacer.  

They are fed through an urban computerised feeder with three stations in the calf shed.  

The feed curve is setup to feed six litres of Champion Milk Replacer per day at 125g/L over a 70 day period. 

Calves are given ad lib access to meal and straw.  

First Fibre

First Fibre from Auctus has just been introduced as an extra fibre source for the calves this year. 

First Fibre gives the added benefit of the inclusion of alfalfa into the diet. With 70% of the product derived from a fibre source and chopped to a one inch chop length, it is ideal for the calf to consume and promote rumen development from an early age. 

The calf shed is regularly cleaned out during the rearing period and Thomas disinfects the pens to reduce the incidence of disease build up in the shed.

As the weather improves, Thomas lets the calves out during the day to get fresh air and to condition the calves to consuming grass.  

However, every night he brings the animals back inside onto the straw bed until they are fully weaned and ready to go out full-time.

Thomas puts a big emphasis on weighing calves. He weighs every six weeks when out on grass and makes sure all the animals are on target.  

Last year’s calf performance at the start of June 2023 averaged 130kg.  

In October of last year (2023), Thomas sold some of the bull calves and they weighed on average 245kg.  

In February of this year (2024), heifers for bulling were averaging 300kg in weight and well on target for AI this spring.  

Thomas was very happy with these weights considering the wet summer and difficult grazing conditions for calves in 2023.

Thomas’ motto when it comes to calf rearing is “to keep it as simple as possible for as long as possible” and Champion is a core part of this.

All Auctus products are competitively priced and are very much worth considering when choosing your calf milk replacer.

Seamus Whitty

Seamus Whitty came to Auctus with a vast amount of experience, hailing from Taghmon in Co. Wexford and qualified with a degree in agricultural science, graduating from University College Dublin (UCD). 

For the past 10 years, Seamus has been working in the south Wexford and Co. Waterford areas for a well respected feed mill, where he also concentrated on selling young animal feed products – namely calf milk replacer. 

Seamus has joined Auctus as business development manager to further develop his experience in the agricultural industry, where Auctus has become a very well respected and household brand to a vast number of farmers throughout Ireland, both north and south.

Seamus will be supporting and promoting the Auctus product range in the south of Ireland, covering counties Cork, Waterford, south Tipperary, Wexford, Kilkenny, Laois, Carlow, Kildare and Wicklow. 

Seamus will be working with the Auctus merchant and milling customers to make sure products are performing correctly, and product enquiries from farmer customers are looked after.

Auctus

Auctus supply a wide range of animal feedstuffs and animal health products to farmers throughout Ireland. 

These include a range of Calf Milk Replacers, e.g., Champion; Opti-mum; Opti-Skim; Turbo Thrive and have the option of adding Lung Guard protection to each product. 

The product offering also has: Lamb Power, a lamb milk replacer; Calf & Lamb Superstart, a colostrum replacement range; Nurtitrace, bolus range; Nutrigain, liquid vitamin & mineral range to name but a few. 

In order to view the full Auctus product range, just visit our website www.auctus.ie and view our on-line catalogue. 

We can also send a full catalogue to you by contacting the office on 043 6683200 or Seamus on the details below.

If you are interested in talking to Seamus on any of the products in the Auctus range, just contact him on 087 4000958 or seamus.whitty@auctus.ie

Contact Auctus

You can contact Auctus by phone on 043 6683200, e-mail info@auctus.ie or contact your local business manager:

Seamus Whitty 087 4000958

seamus.whitty@auctus.ie south of Ireland (south of N7 – excluding Kerry and Limerick)

John Linnane 087 7996247

john@auctus.ie   Kerry, Limerick, Clare and the Midlands.

Brian Geraghty 087 1175971

brian@auctus.ie   west of Ireland, Monaghan.

Daragh O’Rourke 087 1170803

daragh@auctus.ie   Cavan and export.

Lorainne Killen 0044 7342 259225

lorraine.killen@auctus.uk  Northern Ireland and Donegal.

The post Auctus Champion Calf Milk Replacer delivering top results appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Lely Mullingar in conjunction with Lely Kilkenny are running a series of six open days right throughout the country from tomorrow (Wednesday, April 3) to Thursday, April 11, where you can get an in-depth understanding of a robotic milking system.

The open days will take place on six spring calving grass-based farms in counties Wexford, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Galway, Meath and Cavan.

The first meeting is on the farm of the Kiely Family in Co. Wexford. They changed from a 20 unit parlour to three Lely Astronaut A5’s to milk their 190 spring calving cows.

Tomorrow, farmers will hear about how they have massively reduced their somatic cell count (SCC) while also increasing milk solids produced.

Other events feature new entrants milking 120 cows and three farms that upgraded from a parlour and are currently milking on two robots.

The last event in Galway looks at a robot on a 2^nd unit for a farmer that also milks his main herd on a milking parlour on the home block.

There will also be a presentation from Progressive Genetics on “Breeding for a better future” and a presentation from a Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Schemes (TAMS) expert on how to maximise the grants available for an investment in a new milking system.

Some of the other companies available to talk to over the course of the two weeks include Tirlan, Efficient Farm Solutions, Allflex, AIB, Finance Ireland, Bank of Ireland, Arrabawn, Easyfix and Lakeland Dairies.

Experts from Alternative Energy Ireland will also be available to discuss the option of solar for your farm.

For a full list of the venues and to register click here or you can call 044 9330320

All are welcome to attend.

The post Robotic milking system open days to take place nationwide appeared first on Agriland.ie.

If not palm, then what? Understanding the complex story of sustainable palm and the vital role it plays in supporting global conservation efforts, local economies and the dairy supply chain.

There is a future for palm oil in the dairy supply chain, but sustainable sourcing matters.

From ice cream to livestock feed rations, palm oil is a common ingredient found throughout all stages of the dairy supply chain.

Valued for its unique melting point, mixability and low odour, it has become one of the top global edible oils by consumption since the palm oil boom of the early 1990s, according to Catherine Barton, policy lead on Deforestation-Free Commodities and Regenerative Agriculture for Chester Zoo.

“Palm is incredibly versatile and allows for manufacturing methods, product properties and extended shelf life that otherwise would not be possible if replaced with a different ingredient,” Catherine said.

In on-farm dairy production, this goes a step further, with palm oil fractions used in the manufacture of many types of rumen-protected fat supplements as highly energy-dense ingredients with unique fatty acid profiles.

“These supplements are targeted to improve various aspects of dairy production including milk yield, milk fat production and cow fertility,” said global technical manager and nutritionist for Volac Wilmar Feed Ingredients (VWFI), Dr. Richard Kirkland.

These rumen-protected feed fat supplements deliver an energy concentration around 2.5 times that of cereals without disrupting rumen function, as is the risk with liquid oil sources.

Recent research has demonstrated contrasting nutritional effects of palmitic (C16:0) and oleic (C18:1), the two major fatty acids in palm oil, when supplemented to dairy rations.

“Palm-based fat supplements help to optimise rumen conditions for improved digestion and utilization of the entire ration. They also boost milk production outputs, allowing farmers to improve feed efficiency of their herds.

“While energy supply can be increased with non-rumen-protected vegetable oils or cereals, these ingredients can be incredibly disruptive to rumen function with consequences to animal health and productivity,” Dr. Kirkland said.

“The improved production efficiency achieved on dairy farms translates into a similar picture of why sustainability discussions around palm oil aren’t so black and white,” Barton added.

Compared to other vegetable oil crops, the amount of oil produced on one hectare of land growing palm would require up to eight hectares of land from a different vegetable oil crop such as soya or rapeseed oil.

“When looking at what makes one commodity more sustainable than another, it must be both economically and environmentally feasible.

“From an environmental point of view, we need less land to produce the greater volumes of oil that are required for global consumption. The high yield also hits business targets for increased efficiency,” Barton said.

Palm oil industry

Since the early 2000s, huge strides have been made through collaborative efforts by palm industry stakeholders and NGOs to implement stricter production policies and to invest in palm production efficiencies to reset the industry with improved environmental and human rights practices,” Barton said.

Chester Zoo is one of several independent organizations collaborating on-the-ground conservation efforts in Indonesia and Malaysia to safeguard wildlife populations and prevent deforestation, while working with local communities to create sustainable palm production systems.

“Growing sustainable palm requires taking an entire ecosystem approach, and the only way to achieve this is by working at a community level to drive cohesive practices,” Barton explained.

Alongside this work, many major palm industry suppliers have implemented their own sustainability programmes and policies.

These include Wilmar International, the world’s largest palm oil trader, with the implementation of its No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation (NDPE) policy in 2013.

Following an update in 2019, Wilmar’s NDPE policy is the staunchest of any commercial company in the world, according to Gersen Sumardi, sustainability manager for Wilmar Europe.

This includes the immediate suspension of any supplier involved in verified cases of deforestation, and a ‘suspend first’ approach.

“Along with operating its own plantations, more than 90% of Wilmar’s total supply comes from third-party suppliers, which consist of around 900 palm oil mills.

“To ensure NDPE compliance is being met, a multi-pronged approach is taken to identify any risks before working with a supplier and to continue monitoring them,” Sumardi said.

This starts with Wilmar proactively monitoring grower practices through satellite surveillance systems, which notify the company of any alerts related to deforestation.

To identify and assess any environmental and social risks, the company requires extensive reporting from suppliers. To allow for any on-the-ground reporting of malpractice, the company has also created a public and transparent grievance mechanism.

Since its ‘suspend first’ approach implementation in 2019, 12 supplier groups have been suspended due to deforestation.

To re-enter Wilmar’s supply chain, Wilmar requires suppliers to meet certain criteria which include getting practices up to NDPE standards and rectifying any damage caused by malpractice.

As the commercial leader for both production volume and NDPE policy, Wilmar’s strict policies have set the commercial standard for the majority of the supply chain, adding incentive to growers to implement best practices.

“This limits market opportunities for any offenders who refuse to implement best practices.

 “Wilmar’s reputation in the industry for NDPE requirements is highly respected, with the suspension in relationship with any supplier hurting their reputation throughout the supply chain,” Sumardi said.

Food industry sustainability certifications

While major commercial influencers in the industry have been active in palm production reform, third-party work has largely been led by the industry’s flagship independent certification programme, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, commonly referred to as RSPO.

Founded in 2004, the RSPO takes a multi-stakeholder approach, working with environmental organizations, palm oil producers, processors, retailers and investors to provide fully-certified and traceable sustainable palm oil products.

The RSPO also provides full transparency on members, with annual palm usage reports and sustainability targets published for individual members on its website.

VWFI is a partnership company between animal nutrition company Volac International and Wilmar International.

A global leader in feed fat research and product development, VWFI’s policy is to only use palm oil derivatives in products from sources that fulfil NDPE sustainability criteria or RSPO principles and criteria.

If not palm, then what?

Looking ahead to the future of sustainable food production, Ms Barton said so-called “no-palm” policies are not the answer. Instead, sustainable palm production needs to remain part of the food chain, with significant environmental and economic consequences if it does not.

“Growth in the palm industry to where it is now has already been established – trying to shut it down is only going to cause larger issues.

“From an economic standpoint, palm is the backbone of local economies within Indonesia and Malaysia where 85% of the world’s palm is grown. In Indonesia alone, the palm industry employs 4.5 million people,” she said.

“Going palm-free isn’t going to save wildlife or stop deforestation – it will only shift the problem elsewhere. Markets will open up to buyers who don’t have sustainability or human rights standards, or plantations will shift to a different commodity crop that doesn’t have any regulations.

“The global edible oil demand would also need to be met by crops that take up significantly more land and natural resources than palm, creating other environmental issues,” Barton said.

The post Does palm oil have a future in the dairy supply chain? appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Grassland Agro supply a unique, high-performance mineral block solution combined with a digestive aid called Calseagrit Iotech.

The Mineral Block range is proving to be an increasingly popular method of providing free access mineral supplements to dairy and suckler cows in Ireland.

Interestingly, this mineral block range are the only free access mineral supplements to combine sodium base self-regulation with the benefits of Calseagrit Iotech digestive aid technology, therefore maximising the utilisation of minerals supplemented to cattle.

Calseagrit Iotech?

Calseagrit is the result of the milling of calcified seaweed to form a powder substance. It is:

• A 100% natural product;
• Rich in highly absorbable calcium and magnesium;
• Naturally rich in trace elements;
• High rumen buffering power;
• Highly absorbable.

Iotech is a brown seaweed extract which is:

• A 100% natural product;
• Rich in energy and protein;
• Nutritional support for rumen bacteria.

 Benefits of Calseagrit Iotech:

• 100% natural and 100% exclusive;
• Supply of highly available minerals and trace elements required for production, health and fertility;
• Two seaweed extracts work on rumen function to deliver;
  • Favourable pH for bacteria activity
  • Supply Energy for favourable bacteria activity

•  Better digestion of forage in the diet;
•  Prevention of ruminal acidosis.

What is sodium base?

• Sodium is the only mineral element for which ruminants have a specific appetite;
• Ruminants regulate themselves for specific sodium consumption;
• Sodium is an essential element for production.

Benefits of sodium base

• Favourable for forage digestion and animal production;
• Stimulates licking and salivation;
• Production of a rumen buffer;
• Recycling of properties such as urea and phosphorus;
• Creates stress relief for animals;
• Automatic mineral consumption according to animal requirements.

Grass tetany/staggers

Hypomagnesemia is the technical term and it is characterised by a subnormal level of magnesium in the blood. It is generally associated with grazing.

Typical symptoms are reduced milk yield (up to 15% loss of production), nervousness and muscular tremors.

In the acute form, the cow staggers around, froths at the mouth, collapses and dies.

How do cows develop staggers?

The primary cause is a nutritional deficiency of magnesium which is affected by the intake of dry matter (DM), magnesium content and the availability of the magnesium in the DM.

These three factors can be low under certain combinations of grassland management and environmental conditions.

Cattle must have a regular supply of magnesium as bodily storage is low.

When are cows most at risk?

In early spring when cows are put back onto pasture the grass often has a low DM content and is likely to be low in magnesium and other nutrients.

In addition to ‘poor quality’ grass, stress factors such as cold, wet weather, lack of shelter, rough handling and being in season add to this.

Reducing the risk of staggers

Applications of potash fertilisers and slurry rich in urine lower the magnesium content of grass.

Therefore, applications of potash fertilisers should be delayed until late spring/summer. Late applications of slurry should only be applied to fields for grazing in late spring or cropping.

Supply Spadea Fix’N or magnesium to stock two weeks before turning them out to pasture. Ensure the supply is available to dairy cows for ten to twelve weeks.

Beef and suckler cows should have product available for the entire grazing period.

Milk fever

Hypocalcaemia is an acute lowering of the calcium level of the blood serum. This problem is most common post-calving; however, it can occur a few days prior to calving.

With the onset of low blood calcium levels after calving, the earliest signs of milk fever are muscular spasms and partial paralysis, and chronic symptoms which present themselves as paralysis; unconsciousness; and death.

How do cows develop milk fever?

At calving, the demand for calcium to support milk production rises very sharply. At the same time, due to reduced appetite, it is very difficult to meet these needs by dietary supplementation.

Therefore, the cow needs to be able to mobilise her reserves from her skeleton.

If, prior to calving, an oversupply of calcium has been offered the parathyroid glands (which control the mobilisation of calcium) can ‘switch off’. This means that when the cow needs to mobilise calcium from the body reserves, she is unable to do so.

Dry cow solutions

Providing the cow with the correct nutritional support during the dry period is the easiest and cheapest way to reduce the risk of milk fever.

It is essential to provide a low level of calcium to the cow prior to calving as this ensures the parathyroid gland continues to function correctly.

In addition to this, it is important to supply phosphorous and magnesium, which are necessary to support milk production, reduce stress and allow for easier calving.

Calcium borogluconate can be administered intravenously to restore calcium levels, but this means having the product and correct tools at hand.

Dry cow management utilising Luneo Precalver is the long-term, dry cow solution.

Importance of minerals at grass

The grazing period is a time when the dairy farmer should be looking forward to his lowest cost milk production as energy and protein-rich grass should mean lower feed costs.

However, incorrect mineral balance at this time can have a negative effect on yield and fertility as well as the overall health status of the herd.

Problems associated with grazing

Offering powder minerals outside is impractical. Molasses buckets are often over consumed by cows for the sweet taste and some cows are ‘bullied’ away also.

Traditional salt licks have a high-sodium and low-mineral content and therefore rarely meet the needs of the high-producing dairy cow.

When grass is lush it can be difficult to get cows to take any form of mineral and sometimes dairy cake can be rejected as well.

The mineral solution at grazing includes:

• Good pasture management;
• Using higher-quality dairy feeds;
• Offering cows free access to Luneo Vital Phos throughout the grazing period.

Further information

Click here if you would like to find out more about Grassland Agro’s mineral block range.

The post Mineral range provides free supplements to dairy and suckler cows appeared first on Agriland.ie.

With a large herd to care for, the ‘extra set of eyes in the yard’ provided by SenseHub Dairy Monitoring Technology from MSD Animal Health is something which Samuel McElheran couldn’t imagine being without.

Heat detection and spotting the early signs of illness can be major issues on dairy farms. Samuel has 10 years’ experience using technology to help with these areas of herd management.

Samuel is the fourth generation of McElherans to farm near the Dark Hedges in Co. Antrim, where he runs a 350-cow herd of high-yielding Holsteins, along with his father and brother.

He explained: “We have been depending on the system for ten years now between SenseHub and its predecessor Heat Time, and we have 100% trust in SenseHub.”

Samuel has been using SenseHub for three years and previously had Heat Time since 2014.

SenseHub Dairy Monitoring Technology monitors cows on a minute-by-minute basis, assisting users to increase productivity, improve breeding decisions, while also saving time and labour. It can also detect when an animal is in heat and when an animal has a potential health issue.

“SenseHub saves time which would have been spent in the yard observing cows for heats and allows us to get on with other jobs on the farm,” Samuel said.

SenseHub during the breeding season

The McElherans’ herd is housed all year-round with calving spread across the year. Milking duties are shared between Samuel, his brother and a workman.

Each has the SenseHub App on their phone, so they can all work independently with the system.

“It takes the human error out of breeding,” said Samuel.

The accuracy of the timing of insemination, provided by the SenseHub breeding window, has allowed the McElherans to have great success with sexed semen.

“If it says on SenseHub that there’s a cow in heat, then there’s a cow in heat,” said Samuel.

“SenseHub Dairy Monitoring Technology has two breeding windows, one for conventional semen and one for sexed semen. Whoever is milking can decide if the cow should be separated that milking or left until after the next milking,” explained Samuel.

SenseHub can also detect when an animal has a potential health issue.

Samuel said: “If the system says a cow is not well, then the cow is not well.” This allows infections such as mastitis or pneumonia to be detected and treated much earlier, with resulting cure rates and outcomes.

A vital tool

Dairy farming is not the only enterprise on the busy McElheran farm. They also have a beef and cereal enterprise, and with land spread over a considerable area, Samuel explains that even when they are away from the yard, they are still able to know what’s going on with the herd through SenseHub.

Samuel sees the SenseHub system as a vital tool in allowing them to efficiently manage their herd. “I see technology as a very important tool in the future of dairy farming. It is the only way to become more efficient.”

He says he has been introduced to MSD Animal Health’s SenseHub Milking Technology and expects it to have a big part to play in the future of the McElheran farm.

Samuel has complete confidence in SenseHub Dairy and concluded by saying: “I wouldn’t be without it; it’s faultless. There is no human error, and it is one less job for me to do.”

The post SenseHub is like an ‘extra set of eyes in the yard’ for Antrim farmer appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The importance of injectable trace minerals in maiden heifers during the pre-breeding period cannot be underestimated.

As the backbone of agriculture, farmers constantly strive to optimise their herd’s health and productivity.

Among the numerous factors influencing cattle reproductive performance, the nutritional status of heifers plays a pivotal role, particularly in the pre-breeding stage.

Injectable trace minerals have emerged as a crucial component in enhancing the reproductive efficiency of maiden heifers, ensuring their ability to conceive and carry calves to term.

In this article, we delve into the significance of injectable trace minerals and their role in preparing maiden heifers for breeding.

Understanding maiden heifers and reproductive performance

Maiden heifers represent the future of a cattle operation. These young females are yet to experience pregnancy and calving, making their reproductive health paramount for the sustainability of the herd.

Preparing maiden heifers for breeding involves meticulous attention to their nutritional needs, as any deficiencies can impede their reproductive performance.

Nutritional requirements of maiden heifers

Adequate nutrition is essential for optimal growth, development, and reproductive function in maiden heifers.

However, conventional feeding practices may not always provide the necessary levels of essential nutrients, including trace minerals such as copper, zinc, selenium, and manganese.

These micronutrients play a vital role in various physiological processes, including reproductive health and immune function.

The role of trace minerals in reproduction

Trace minerals serve as cofactors for enzymes involved in reproductive processes, such as oocyte maturation, fertilisation, and embryo development.

Deficiencies in these micronutrients may disrupt these critical processes, which may lead to reduced conception rates, increased embryonic loss, and extended calving intervals.

Challenges in meeting trace mineral requirements

While trace minerals are present in forages and concentrates, their bioavailability and absorption rates can vary widely.

Factors such as soil quality, forage type, antagonists and animal factors can influence the availability of these micronutrients to the heifers.

Moreover, the demands for trace minerals increase during periods of stress, such as weaning, transportation, and breeding, further exacerbating deficiencies.

Injectable trace minerals: A solution for sub clinical and clinical deficiency

Recognising the limitations of conventional oral supplementation methods, many farmers are turning to injectable trace mineral formulations to ensure optimal nutrient delivery to maiden heifers.

Injectable formulations bypass the digestive system, delivering trace minerals directly into the body for rapid absorption.

Benefits of injectable trace minerals in maiden heifers

1. Improved reproductive performance: Injectable trace minerals ensure adequate levels of micronutrients essential for reproductive processes, enhancing conception rates and reducing the incidence of embryonic loss.
2. Enhanced immune function: Trace minerals play a crucial role in bolstering the immune system, protecting maiden heifers from infectious diseases and promoting overall health and well-being.
3. Reduced stress: Injectable trace minerals help mitigate the effects of stress on maiden heifers, ensuring optimal nutrient levels during critical periods such as weaning and breeding.
4. Consistent nutrient delivery: Unlike oral supplementation, which may be affected by factors such as feed intake and digestive efficiency, injectable trace minerals provide a reliable and consistent source of micronutrients.
5. Cost-effectiveness: The improved reproductive performance and overall health of maiden heifers can lead to long-term cost savings for farmers.

Injectable trace minerals

Integrating injectable trace minerals into the management practices of maiden heifers requires careful planning and execution.

Farmers should work closely with their vet to develop a comprehensive “top up” program tailored to the specific needs of their herd.

Key considerations include:

• Assessment of trace mineral status: It is essential to conduct regular herd assessments to determine the specific mineral requirements based on factors such as age, reproductive status, and environmental conditions and forage analysis can help determine the baseline trace mineral status of maiden heifers and identify potential deficiencies.
• Selection of injectable formulations: Discuss with your vet the options regarding injectable trace mineral formulations that are specifically designed for cattle and contain optimal levels of essential micronutrients.
• Administration protocol: Follow recommended administration protocols provided by the manufacturer and your vet, ensuring proper dosage and injection site to maximise efficacy.
• Monitoring and evaluation: Regularly monitor the reproductive performance and overall health of maiden heifers following the implementation of injectable trace minerals, adjusting the supplementation program as needed.

Conclusion

The use of injectable trace minerals represents a significant advancement in optimising the reproductive performance and overall health of maiden heifers pre-breeding.

By addressing sub clinical and clinical deficiencies in essential micronutrients, farmers can ensure the long-term sustainability and profitability of their cattle operation.

With careful planning and implementation, injectable trace minerals can pave the way for a thriving herd.

Contact your vet to learn more about the benefits of using injectable trace minerals in your herd at high demand periods.

References available on request.

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Moyne Veterinary Hospital is an independently owned mixed practice with a thriving large animal clinic, operating alongside their small animal hospital and equine unit.

Don Goggin is one of the large animal vets working mostly with dairy, beef and sheep clients in and around the Enniscorthy area in Co. Wexford.

According to Don: “It’s a very busy time of the year and no two days are the same. The last 10 years has seen many dairy herds increase in size, which brings its own challenges.

“A lot of our time is spent trying to prevent disease at the herd level and where it does occur, we work to treat the issue, prevent disease spread and promote a quick recovery. “

One example of this preventative approach is with ketosis, a condition that occurs when the animal’s total dietary intake fails to meet its energy requirements.

The cow begins to draw from her body reserves creating a continuous state of negative energy balance (NEB).

Transition cows

Unfortunately, the ketones released as part of this process suppress the cow’s appetite, creating a vicious circle that results in weight loss and a significant drop in milk yield.

Don continued: “There are a range of contributing factors that predispose some cows and herds to ketosis. BCS at calving, particularly fat cows, are at increased risk of developing ketosis.

“Cows carrying twins or that are stressed following a caesarean or difficult calving can also be at risk. I recommend that farmers use a Ketonor+ bolus on these cows.”

Two Ketonor+ boluses given to ‘at risk’ fresh cows (typically two to seven days post calving) provide a readily available energy source.

This breaks the cycle of ketone production, helping the cow to start eating, regain her energy levels and increase milk production.

“We would have used propylene glycol in the past, but it isn’t always easy to find the time for the required twice daily follow-up treatments during the busy calving period. The bolus is much easier, and you know that’s the full treatment given,” said Don.

Although energy imbalances are usually seen during early lactation, it can occur any time that the cow is off her food.

Don also uses Ketonor+ as a supportive therapy in sick or convalescent cows alongside non-steroidal pain relief and antibiotics.

“I use the boluses a bit more generally on cows that are sick and might be off their food as a result. At this time of the year, I’m often treating cases of metritis or mastitis and as part of their treatment I’ll give a bolus as well as NSAIDs and antibiotics.

“Also following LDA surgery I routinely use Ketonor boluses. It helps their recovery by giving them an energy boost until their appetite comes back.”

For more information, please click here.

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Now might be the time to explore Magnum fodder beet as a viable alternative spring cropping for 2024, with winter cereal planting lagging behind and farmers looking to reduce feed costs further,

Magnum fodder beet is a high energy feed with the potential to deliver financial results for both the grower and the consumer, with demand for the crop increasing over the past few years due to escalating feed costs and the growth of alternative outlets, such as anaerobic digestion (AD) for energy production.

Fodder beet and sugar beet are one of the highest energy sources/kg of dry matter (DM) of all the forage crops grown in Ireland, and around 10,000ha are sown in Ireland each year. 

Teagasc have shown that beet has the ability to deliver one of the highest gross margins per/ha of all crops grown.

Best practice for growing or feeding beet

1) Rotation

Beet should only be grown after two years have elapsed since a beet, brassica or oil-seed rape crop was grown.

Scutch, thistles and volunteer potatoes may be an issue based on the previous rotation. Beet can follow a grass crop, but careful monitoring of soil pests needs to be undertaken.

2) Sowing period

Fodder beet can be sown from early April. Beet is a sensitive crop and will not thrive in harsh conditions. 

Delays after mid-April will reduce yields by about 4% per week. Latest sowing time is late May. It is important to monitor weather to avoid frosts post sowing.

3) Seeding rates

Seeds are precision drilled. Aim to establish 30,000 plants/ac. Average field emergence for fodder beet is +/-81% (this varies depending on conditions).

With 56cm (22in) row widths and 18cm (7in) spacing, 40,700 seeds are planted/ac – assuming 74% establishment, this gives 30,000 plants/ac. It’s advisable to sow at a depth of 3.2cm. Rolling post sowing is advisable where conditions allow

Most precision drills were designed to be driven at 3mph, so watch your forward speed to ensure even depth and seed rate.  Ensure the seed if covered well.

4) Lime and fertiliser

Target a pH of seven and, ideally, lime should be applied one year ahead of growing a beet crop. Farmyard manure (FYM) and or slurry can be applied at heavy rates and should be calculated in fertiliser applications.

Fertiliser recommendations are shown in the following table:

Beet crops need boron. Choose a compound fertiliser with boron and apply before sowing and mix into soil.

A nitrogen top dressing can be applied at the four-to-eight leaf stage.

5) Weed control

Poor weed control is the most common cause of crop failure. The aim is to keep the crop weed-free until at least eight weeks after emergence.

One tall weed above the canopy in a metre square (m²) has the capacity to reduce yield by 10%. T1 timing is generally at 18-21 days with T2 at 10-14 days post T1.

6) Seed treatments

For the 2024 season, Magnum beet seed is coated with a combination of two seed dressings including a fungicide named Tachigaren (hymexazol 14g/u) and an Insecticide, Force 20 CS (Tefluthrin 10g/u).

Tachigaren fungicide protects the seedlings from seed and soil-borne diseases which cause damping off and black leg. It has activity against seed-borne phoma, pythium spp., aphanomyces and fusarium.

Force 20CS provides strong, early season protection against all species of wireworms, optimizing crop establishment. Force delivers excellent seed safety and high flexibility to combine with other seed treatments.

The active ingredient of Force 20CS seed treatment, tefluthrin, expresses a strong vapor pressure (unique level of vapor amongst all SPs) in the soil. Therefore, it spreads in the soil and penetrates the insect’s cuticle, causing a fast feeding stop and death.

In addition, tefluthrin has a strong repellence effect, giving additional protection to seedlings and even helping to repel birds.

It has activity against the following: Corn rootworm (larvae only); wireworm; white grubs; seedcorn maggots; some cutworms (during the infestation phase, when they attack seedlings very close to the ground); springtails; symphylids (centipedes); millipedes; and pygmy beetle.

It does not control against aphid vectors.

7) Efficient feed

Fodder beet on a cost/unit of energy is one of the most efficient feeds per investment of input.

With increased costs this year, the guarantee of consistency of yield and DM % with beet reduces the gamble associated with alternative forage crops such as maize and wholecrop.

8) Feeding beet

Beet is low in protein and minerals, so it needs to be balanced. The sugar content of beet will drive intakes and improve performance.

Ideally, beet should be washed if dirty and chopped to avoid choking. Beet should be introduced gradually with feeding rates increased to 10-15kg/head/day.

A nutritionist will be best placed to plan diets.

Typical analysis:

• Dry matter yield: 13-20t/ha;
• Fresh yield: 70-110t/ha;
• Dry matter: 18-20%:
• Metabolisable energy (ME) as MJ/kg of DM: 13.5.

9) Storage

Beet can be stored outdoors in clamps but be wary of frost.

For long-term storage, beet can be ensiled with maize or pulp nuts at a rate of 5:1. This is an ideal high-energy feed for buffer feeding in spring time or intensive cattle finishing.

Success stories

Brian Kirk, a farmer from Co. Louth, said: “We swapped to Magnum because of the leaf cover and the high dry matter. Magnum yields over 30t.”

Another Co. Louth farmer Patrick Byrne said: “Green energy is the way forward. Magnum is suitable for anaerobic digestion plants. For dairy production it’s unreal, cows go up in their milk.”

Meanwhile, Gerry Giggins, a nutritionist said: “If cattle had pocket money, it would be beet they’d buy. Feeding fodder beet increases DM intakes and increases cattle performance.”

Ronan Carr, Carr Agro Services said: “Magnum is a popular variety because of its high dry matter content and proven results.”

Magnum fodder beat

For more information on Magnum fodder beet and other varieties, contact Interchem by calling; 01 451 8959, or visit the company’s website by clicking here.

The post Is Magnum fodder beet the option for 2024? appeared first on Agriland.ie.

In the latest episode of Agventures with Herdwatch, the team made a trip to The Peak District to visit Kelvin Fletcher, otherwise known as Andy from Emmerdale.

Kelvin played the role of Andy the farmer for 20 years, and only a few years after leaving Emmerdale, Kelvin decided it was time to give farming a go – outside of acting.

Some may be surprised to learn that Kelvin himself does not come from a farming background, he would even class himself as a ‘townie’.

For the Fletchers, it all began in 2020, a year we all remember for its unprecedented challenges and uncertainty.

Kelvin and his wife, Liz, were set to make a big move to California, but with the pandemic kicking off, that quickly changed.

Instead, the intuition of Andy kicked in, and they decided it would be best to move to a farm and live a more rural lifestyle.

With that, Kelvin and his family moved out to a beautiful 120ac farm in The Peak District.

Originally, Kelvin had no intention of actually taking up farming, which was understandable having not come from a farming background, and according to Kelvin himself, he “knew nothing about agriculture”.

But, it didn’t take long before the idea of farming drew him in.

The Fletchers are renting out about half of their farm to a local farmer, and this led to an opportunity for Kelvin to help out with tasks, and ask a lot of questions, before beginning his own farming journey.

Kelvin started off with just 10 sheep on the farm. In time, this number went as high as 100 breeding ewes.

Now, the Fletcher farm has a mix of animals, with 50 breeding ewes, horses, chickens, pigs, goats, and even some alpacas.

Having a low input farming system allows Kelvin and his wife to continue their careers as actors.

At the moment, he is not worried about the level of output and yields on the farm, with the focus more on a new lifestyle, and a lot of learning.

Going forward, Kelvin is interested in adding some cattle to his collection and exploring the beef route.

The Fletchers have been using Herdwatch for almost two years. Kelvin has found that it is easy to use and very user friendly.

“It’s really good, really simple, easy to use,” Kevin said.

Herdwatch app

When it comes to all the paperwork associated with farming such as medicine purchases, treating sheep, and recording breeding, Herdwatch has helped Kelvin simplify and organise his farming practices over the last 2 years.

“In the past, I’ve had little notes here and there, dotted around, and when I need to know that information – it’s not really ideal, so the app’s great because there and then you can find out pretty much everything about your whole flock,” he said.

If you want to join Kelvin and the 21,000 other happy farmers using Herdwatch to simplify their farm management, simply download the FREE app today by clicking here.

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