The financial landscape for dairy producers has been substantially altered during the last 3-4 years with unprecedented fluctuations in both dairy product prices and costs of inputs.    Patrick Gowing, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, joins James Dunne on this week‘s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss the recent trends in production costs and drivers of profit on Irish dairy farms.   For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page...

For this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses PastureBase data, Dry Matter % and Predicted grass growth, rainfall & soil temperatures for the week.    Joseph also discusses autumn grazing targets as poor weather and growth rates are leaving autumn build up difficult on farms, plus he has a grazing update from contract rearer Billy Gilmore, Tuam Co. Galway.   Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-20thAugust     For more episodes from...

William Burchill, Lecturer in Soil Science in UCC, joins Stuart Childs on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss lower than normal growth rates in 2024 and advice on what to do over the next number of weeks to maximise growth.   William first outlines the factors that drive mineralisation with oxygen, wet and dry cycles and soil temperature all contributing to this process.   He discusses the importance of soil fertility in mineralisation and how pH is the gatekeeper for soil biology,...

For this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses PastureBase data, Dry Matter % and Predicted grass growth, rainfall & soil temperatures for the week.    Joseph also discusses the importance of reviewing where your Average Farm Cover is as we approach mid-August and he has a grazing update from Oisin Gallen, Co. Donegal.   Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-13thAugust   For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page...

Increasing the level of grazed grass in the cow’s diet is a key driver of profitability on Irish dairy farms, and in order to achieve this, good grazing infrastructure is important to access all parts of the farm area and ensure cow performance isn’t compromised through lameness etc.     This week on the Dairy Edge, James Dunne is joined by Paul Maher, Walsh Scholar, to discuss farm roadway infrastructure on commercial dairy farms and how it can be improved.   For more episodes from the Dairy...

Denis Brassil, Teagasc Kerry Joint Programme Monitor Farm Advisor, joins Stuart Childs on the latest Dairy Edge to discuss building grass cover for autumn grazing.   Denis first explains that the farms he deals with are across a range of land types and experience different levels of rainfall.  He describes the current situation for a few of the farmers on the programme and how it differs depending on their location and how growth has been for them in recent weeks.   Denis says farmers need to...

For this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses PastureBase data, Dry Matter % and Predicted grass growth, rainfall & soil temperatures for the week.    Joseph also discusses the importance of getting autumn build-up correct on your farm and has a grazing update from Eugene and Eoin Lawler, Co. Kildare.   Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-6thAugust     For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page...

For this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses PastureBase data, Dry Matter % and Predicted grass growth, rainfall & soil temperatures for the week.    Plus he highlights the increasing grass growth rates and preparing for autumn grass build-up.   Joseph is also joined by Áine Murray, Researcher on nitrogen & clover systems from Teagasc Moorepark to discuss soil mineralisation in 2024.    The link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter...

Given the extended winter at the start of the year and the below average growth rates for 2024 to date, farmers must give priority to ensure they will have enough fodder stocks heading into the housed period.      For this week's Dairy Edge podcast, James Dunne is joined by Dr Joe Patton, Head of Teagasc Dairy KT, to discuss the recent fodder survey and what options farmers should consider.   For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page...

For this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses PastureBase data, Dry Matter % and Predicted grass growth, rainfall & soil temperatures for the week.    Joseph also discusses grass growth rates and grass quality issues that are widespread on farms currently and the featured farmer this week is TJ Ryan from Rossmore, Co. Tipperary.   Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-23rdJuly     For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the...

Cathal Somers, Teagasc Water Quality Specialist, and Deirdre Glynn, Teagasc ASSAP advisor in Kilkenny, and hosts of the Environment Edge podcast, join Stuart Childs on this week’s Dairy Edge to discuss the recently launched Teagasc campaign for water quality, Better Farming for Water.   Deirdre first explains where water quality is currently and outlines the years of work that have gone into water quality from the start of the Agricultural Catchments Programme (ACP) back in 2008 to the launch...

For this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses PastureBase data, Dry Matter % and Predicted grass growth, rainfall & soil temperatures for the week.    Joseph also discusses the 300th Grass10 newsletter, stagnant growth rates and has a grazing update from Joe Murphy, Co. Kilkenny.   Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter:  https://bit.ly/Grass10-16thJuly     For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page...

Maintaining farm productivity and profitability is always top of a farmer’s agenda but doing that in a reducing chemical N environment is challenging and requires the successful incorporation of clover within our grazed pastures.    For this week’s Dairy Edge podcast, James Dunne is joined by Teagasc grassland researcher, Donal Patton, who outlines the current trial being carried out in Teagasc Ballyhaise which looks at transitioning to low chemical nitrogen perennial ryegrass white clover...

For this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses PastureBase data, Dry Matter % and Predicted grass growth, rainfall & soil temperatures for the week.    Joseph also discusses managing grass quality during July and he has a grazing update from Jack Spillane, farm manager in Ballyvadin Research Farm, Co. Tipperary.   Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-9thJuly     For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page...

Ciaran Collins, Teagasc Tillage Specialist, joins Stuart Childs on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss the new herbicide for use in white clover swards and reseeds - ProClova XL.   Ciaran explains that this is new chemistry that has been in development with a number of years. It is the only product that is licenced for use in white clovers leys and reseeds replacing the emergency licence use of 2,4-DB products for white clover with the 2,4-DB still available for red clover swards in...

For this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses PastureBase data, Dry Matter % and Predicted grass growth, rainfall & soil temperatures for the week.    Joseph also discusses tips to increase your Average Farm Cover and improve grass quality on your farm, plus he has a grazing update from Michael Carroll from Co. Limerick.   Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-2ndJuly   For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page...

There has always been opportunities and challenges within the dairy sector and one of those immediate challenges is to continue to improve the environmental credentials of our dairy farms.    Teagasc researcher, Dr. David Wall, joins James Dunne on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss the practices available to farmers to help them do just that.   For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/   The Dairy...

For this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses PastureBase data, Dry Matter % and Predicted grass growth, rainfall & soil temperatures for the week.    As growth rates are static and behind target for late June, Joseph also discusses grazing management and he has a grazing update from 2023 winner of the SGFOY Patrick O’Neill from Co. Longford.   Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-25thJune   For more episodes from the Dairy Edge...

DairyBeef 500 Programme Co-ordinator, Alan Dillon, joins Stuart Childs on this week’s Dairy Edge to discuss late breeding season bull choice.   Alan explains that late born calves are as much a hassle for the beef farmer as they are for the dairy farmer as they don’t fit into any system, so a defined breeding season is important to eliminate May/June calves as they are of no value to dairy beef farms nor to dairy farmers.   Alan then outlines the criteria for bull selection at this stage of...

For this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, Niamh Doyle discusses PastureBase data, Dry Matter % and Predicted grass growth, rainfall & soil temperatures for the week.  As growth rates are lower than average, Niamh also discusses tips to increasing your AFC and she has an update from featured farmer, John Phelan, Co. Waterford.   Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter:  https://bit.ly/Grass10-18thJune   For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page...

Given the significant increase in input costs on dairy farms since 2021, along with the increased feed budget costs this spring due to poor weather, good cash flow management has never been more important to ensure the efficient running of the farm business.    Dairy farmer Sean O’Donnell joins James Dunne on this week’s Dairy Edge to outline how he manages the financial aspect of his dairy business to ensure the correct financial decisions are made in an informed manner.   For more episodes...

For this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses PastureBase data, Dry Matter % and Predicted grass growth, rainfall & soil temperatures for the week.    As growth rates suffer on Irish dairy farms, Joseph also discusses grazing management and he has a grazing update from Enda Armstrong from Co. Galway.   Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-11thJune   For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page...

Terry McElvaney, Veterinary Inspector at the Veterinary Medicines, Antimicrobial Resistance, Byproducts and TSE Division, joins Stuart Childs on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss residues in milk.   Terry first explains the role of the division in which he works and how it is important in facilitating trade.  Terry says that the division tests 15,000 samples annually and carries out 70,000 tests on these samples for many different types of residues in order to report to the EU on our...

For the latest Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses PastureBase data, Dry Matter % and Predicted grass growth, rainfall & soil temperatures for the week.    As the cooler weather dampens pasture growth throughout the country, Joseph also discusses grazing management and he has an update from featured farmer, Arthur Sweetman, Co. Wexford.   Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter:   https://bit.ly/Grass10-4thJune   For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to...

Sustainable Grassland Farmer of the Year, Patrick O’Neill, and Teagasc Grass10 Manager, John Maher, join James Dunne on this week’s Dairy edge podcast to discuss Patrick’s award-winning farming system.     Patrick outlines the farm performance, how he deals with adversity that was the spring of 2024 and details the transition to grass clover swards.    John also outlines what it takes to win the competition and highlights the areas where Patrick impressed the judging panel the most.   For...