Podcasts about farming ireland

Teagasc dairy specialist, Pat Gowing, joins James Dunne on this week's Dairy Edge to discuss farmyard infrastructure and why good planning and design are key to ensuring good animal performance, ease of management and allow for future development.  Teagasc are running a series of events looking at good farmyard design and investment and Pat outlines what will be discussed across these events nationally. For more information go to:https://teagasc.ie/rural-economy/farm-management/farm-buildings/events/ For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

For this week's Grass10 grazing management update, as we enter July, Joseph Dunphy discusses current grazing advice and he has a grazing update from Sean Barry, Co. Limerick. Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-8thJuly For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

Tom Kelly, Scheme Manager of the Irish Grain Assurance Scheme, joins us on this week's Tillage Edge to discuss how Irish grain meets high quality standards.  We explore the key elements of the scheme, its role in ensuring traceability and market confidence, and what it means for farmers on the ground. Tom also outlines new requirements around trailer identification and what farmers need to do in 2025. For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

Teagasc Scheme Support Unit Specialist, Seamus Nolan, is on this week's Beef Edge podcast with an update on the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme - known as TAMS - to discuss items that are eligible for grants to make various improvements to farms.  TAMS consists of ten different schemes and seven of these, including: the Animal Welfare, Nutrient Storage Scheme (AWNSS); the Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme (YFCIS); the Organic Farming Capital Investment Scheme (OFCIS); the Dairy Equipment Investment Scheme (DES); the Low-Emissions Slurry Spreader Scheme (LESS); the Tillage Capital Investment Scheme (TCIS); and the Pig and Poultry Capital Investment Scheme (PPIS) were previously available under TAMS 2.  The Women Farmer Capital Investment Scheme (WFCIS), the Farm Safety Capital Investment Scheme (FSCIS) and the Solar Capital Investment Scheme (SCIS) are new additions to TAMS 3. There is grant-rate of 60% in respect of investments under the Low Emission Slurry Spreading Equipment, Organic Capital Investments and Farm Safety Investments. The scheme consists of a €90,000 ceiling for individuals, joint ventures and companies, while a higher ceiling will be in place for DAFM-registered farm partnerships.  For the full list of eligible items and reference costs, click here:https://www.gov.ie/en/service/4255c-targeted-agricultural-modernisation-scheme-3-tams-3/ For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

Emma Dillon, economist and senior research officer with the National Farm Survey joins Stuart Childs on this week's Dairy Edge to discuss the recently published preliminary results for the 2024 survey. Emma explains how the survey works and how the 300 or so dairy farms that supply data to the survey are used to create a representation of the dairy farms across the country and how they adjust their survey to ensure it continues to be representative of the farming population. Emma discusses the headline figure that gets reported outlining what has to come out of that for the farmer themselves and that it isn't the same as the annual take home pay of a salaried employee. Emma then delves into the increase in production costs, the shift in milk prices that have helped insulate farmers from this rise in costs and she looks at a number of ‘sticky costs' that all farmers need to be conscious of to reduce their exposure to price volatility in future years. Finally, Emma talks about structural change that is important for the industry and how this will need to be assisted through funding for generational renewal from the perspective of both the new entrant or young farmer and the older generation that also need security as they step back from their careers in farming. The preliminary report for 2024 can be accessed here:https://teagasc.ie/wp-content/uploads/uploads/NFS-Preliminary-Report-2024.pdf For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

For this week's Grass10 grazing management update, John Maher discusses current grazing advice as some farms are coming into a surplus in grass supply while others, particularly on the southern coast, are tight on grass supply.  John also reviews where fertiliser nitrogen use is at and what should be left for the rest of the grazing season, plus there is a grazing update from Enda Armstrong from Galway, who is currently growing lots of grass! Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter:https://bit.ly/Grass10-01stJuly2025 For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

We continue our coverage from the recent Teagasc Crops and Technology Open Day in Oak Park, Carlow.  Michael Hennessy speaks with John Spink about the launch of the Tillage AgNav programme which is an important new decision support tool for Irish tillage farmers.  Richie Hackett shares advice on growing winter rye, a crop gaining popularity in recent years. And Stephen Kildea discusses wheat diseases, with a focus on why yellow rust has become more problematic in 2025. For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

Teagasc DairyBeef 500 farmer Charlie Smyth is on this week's Beef Edge podcast to give an insight into his dairy beef system and upcoming farm walk on 10th July at 7pm. Charlie explains how he purchases and rears 100 dairy beef calves every spring and operates a steer and heifer finishing system. Whether sourced directly from farms, or through local marts, calf selection is based on strong beef genetics and high Commercial Beef Values (CBV), with Charlie placing a firm emphasis on quality. Despite sourcing calves from a wide range of suppliers, a strict health plan keeps calf mortality low. All calves are put on a vaccination programme for pneumonia and IBR shortly after arrival.  Calves are outdoors about three weeks now, and they will receive their first worm dose shortly. Charlie highlights the extensive paddock system on the farm with 24 extra drinking troughs installed this year to improve grass utilisation. As the farm is fragmented in 5 blocks, managing stock groups to match demand is important and to date over 200 bales have been removed as surplus.   Along with the Smyths, Teagasc advisors and specialists will also be available on the night of the farm walk for interactive discussions and to answer all questions that arise. There will be a lot of valuable information and experiences to be shared and anyone with an interest in dairy calf-to-beef systems should attend and admission is free. For further information on the event go to: https://teagasc.ie/event/dairybeef-500-smyth-php/ For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

Jonathan Higgins, who with his father Philip, runs a mid-season lambing sheep flock, alongside a contract heifer-rearing system in Skreen, Co. Sligo, joins us on this week's OviCast. The duo are also hosts of this year's Irish Grassland Association Sheep Farm Walk. Jonathan talks to us about their contract rearing system and we delve into the performance and management of the ewe flock in detail. We also explore the challenges of farming on a fragmented unit with varying land types. Plus we spend time discussing the role of mixed-species swards on the farm, with Jonathan sharing his experience of managing them over the past few seasons.  For more details about the farm walk go to:https://www.irishgrassland.ie/event-detail/sheep-event-2025/ For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

ICBF business analysts, Mark Waters and Gearoid Slattery, join James Dunne on this week's Dairy Edge to discuss the National Genotyping Programme, how it has performed to date, the benefits of genotyping, some the challenges that have been faced and the opportunity for new participants in the next phase of the programme.    We are also joined by Cork dairy farmer Sheena Murphy who outlines her experience of being in the programme and how it has benefited her herd.Moorepark Open DayThe Teagasc Moorepark Dairy Open Day will take place on Wednesday, 2nd July 2025, 8:30am - 5pm, at the Teagasc Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, P61 C996.The theme of this year's event is ‘Innovating for the future'.Join us on Wednesday, 2nd July at Moorepark!For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

For this week's Grass10 grazing management update, John Maher discusses current grazing advice as some farms are coming into a surplus in grass supply while others - particularly in the southern coast - are tight on grass supply. John also has a grazing update from Mike Ahern, from Co. Waterford, who was announced as the Sustainable Grassland Farmer of the Year 2024. The Moorepark Open Day is also discussed. Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter:https://bit.ly/Grass10-24thJune2025  For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

For this week's Tillage Edge, we bring you highlights from the Teagasc Crops & Technology Open Day in Oak Park, Carlow.  Michael Hennessy chats with Dr. Ewen Mullins about the event and farmer feedback, Veronica Nyhan gives a tour of the soil pit, and Jack Jameson discusses his wheat variety trials.  Packed with practical insights and research updates, this episode captures key moments from a busy and engaging event. For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

Noel Prunty and Liam McWeeney, from Teagasc Ballyhaise College, join Catherine Egan on this week's Beef Edge Podcast to give an update on breeding season and how the bulls performed finishing under 16 months. Noel gives a review of calving season 2025 and discusses how AI was used for the start of the breeding season before the stock bull. Liam highlights the management of the heifers calving at 24 months while Noel discusses grassland management on the farm and managing the different grazing groups to maintain quality.  Liam also highlights the U16 month bull performance and the management of the bulls during the finishing period. For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

Laurence Shalloo, Head of the Animal and Grassland Programme in Teagasc Moorepark, joins Stuart Childs on this week's Dairy Edge. Laurence starts by acknowledging that there is a constant state of flux in the world now and that we are constantly adapting to change. This is no different to what we did in the run-in to the milk quota removal. Laurence talks about the pent up energy in the industry post-quota removal that has delivered a 100% increase in milk solids production from just a 50% increase in cows, indicating the advances made in terms of productivity. There are always challenges and costs were high on the agenda at previous Open days and they are well up the agenda again in 2025 as there has been an upward shift in costs. There is a need to focus on getting on top of them again and key to that is efficiency and growing the cheapest feed we can – grass. The other challenges facing the industry include generation renewal as some of the people that have delivered the expansion are now looking for the person to carry on the business.  Greenhouse gas emissions and water quality challenges also exist but are trending in the right direction and can be overcome by implementing the research. The Moorepark Open day is on July 2nd starting at 08:30am and we encourage all to attend and engage on the day. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

With surplus grass on most farms, Grass10 Manager, John Maher, has grassland management tips for the coming weeks. You can subscribe to the Grass10 newsletter here:https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/grassland/grass10/grass10-enewsletter/ For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

For this week's Grass10 grazing management update, John Maher discusses current grazing advice as many farms are coming into surplus grass, grazing grass covers that are too high and he has a grazing update from Denis Finnegan, Co. Cork. Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-17thJune2025 For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

The Teagasc Crops and Technology Open Day is taking place next week in Oak Park and on this week's Tillage Edge podcast, Dr Ewen Mullins, Head of Crops Research, and Dermot Forristal, Crops Researcher in Teagasc, preview the event. As Ewen explains, it will take people most of the day to get through the full array of research and agronomy stands, crop workshops and machinery demonstrations, not to mention the horticulture area and potato desiccation area.  All are welcome and entry is free and for more details: https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/national-events/events/crops-open-day.php    For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

Sheep 2025 – the largest dedicated sheep-focused open day on the island of Ireland – takes place on Saturday, 21st June, from 10am to 5pm at the Teagasc Mellows Campus in Athenry, Co. Galway.For this week's OviCast, Teagasc's Michael Gottstein and Margaret O'Donovan preview this free event for us. Michael acknowledges the vital contributions of industry partners and sponsors who help make the event possible and he also walks us through the extensive range of technical information that will be available on the day. Michael highlights the breed competitions and shares some of the other key attractions attendees can look forward to.Margaret provides insights into the trade stands that will be present and discusses additional features of the day – from butchery and cookery demonstrations to sheep shearing and dog training demos. Tune in for a full preview of what's on offer at Sheep 2025 – a must-attend event for anyone involved in or interested in sheep farming.For more info: https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/national-events/events/sheep-2025.php For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Teagasc Technician, Chloe Millar, from the Dairy Calf to Beef Demonstration Farm in Co. Tipperary gives an update on this week's Beef Edge podcast on rearing calves this spring and management on the farm currently.  There were 381 calves sourced on the farm this spring with the calves sourced from seven farms from specific sires with high dairu beef indexes. There was a focus on selecting sires with high CBV and beef carcass in the sub-indexes. Chloe talks through the process from once the calf arrives on the farm up to weaning. They were on average 80 days of age and 93 kg at weaning. Chloe also outlines the key targets for these calves over their lifetime and how the cattle finished last year. Performance at grass is very important to every beef system with Chloe outlining the management at grass currently and the reseeding that was carried out this year. The farm is hosting an AHI Teagasc calf care event on the farm on the 24th June @ 7pm and further details are at:https://animalhealthireland.ie/event/calfcare-event-ballyvadin-beef-farm/ There are a number of calf care events taking place from 23rd-26th June and for further details go to: https://animalhealthireland.ie/event/calfcare-event-peoples-farm/ For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

Padraig McCormack, dairy advisor at Teagasc Moorepark, joins Stuart Childs on this week's Dairy Edge to discuss what's currently happening on the farms in his area. Padraig outlines the grazing situation in the area which is beginning to get back on track followed a prolonged spell of dry weather a month ago. Quality has been variable but people are looking at removing surplus in the coming week as growth is exceeding demand on average. Padraig spoke about fertiliser advice from nitrogen rates to sulphur and also P and K where surplus is removed.  Padraig discussed breeding performance in his area which is looking good and he reminded listeners to plan a date to stop breeding prior to July 20th with it being the cut off to avoid May calvers in 2026.  From his profit monitor meetings in the spring of 25, the justification for calving a cow in May is non-existent given the cost of keeping the cow and the return she will generate in her 2025 lactation. Padraig then tells us about the investments that his clients are considering with slurry storage on some people's minds but clarity around storage requirements and planning is slowing movement in that area.  Investing in things to make life easier is where it is at with people looking to avail of grants on heat detection systems, drafting gates and calf feeders.    Finally, Padraig ends by telling us that currently, his groups are either planning or heading away on some visits away from their own farms. He suggests that people should plan to take holidays and plan to get a few days off when things quieten down once breeding is finished and he reminds listeners of the excellent day out that is the Moorepark Open day coming up on July 2nd.   For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

It's that time of year again -  the 2024 Teagasc National Pig Herd Performance Report is fresh off the press providing a fascinating insight into the Key Performance Indicators attained on farms across Ireland last year.  The report provides the detailed performance analysis of the pig farms that participated in the Teagasc Profit Monitor (PM) recording system in 2024. To delve into the results and analyse the trends in more detail we are joined on this episode of the Pig Edge by Specialised Pig Advisor, Ger McCutcheon.  For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

For this week's Grass10 grazing management update, John Maher discusses current grazing advice as some farms are coming into surplus grass and he has a grazing update from John Phelan, Co. Waterford. Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-10thJune2025 For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

With the shearing season in full swing, on this week's OviCast, we're joined by Pat Coffey, merchant, wool exporter, and member of the Irish Grown Wool Council. Pat brings four generations of experience to the wool industry and gives us a valuable insight into the current state of the wool market, explaining some of the key factors influencing it today. We discuss best practices in shearing and how they impact wool quality, including the importance of the Shear Success guide recently distributed to farmers as part of the 2024 census. Pat also walks us through the journey that wool takes from the farm to market, explaining how it's often blended with fibres from other countries to meet customer specifications. We wrap up with a look at ongoing work in the sector, including a new initiative piloted last year that delivered higher returns for farmers. Shear success guide: https://irishgrownwoolcouncil.com/shear-success-guide-for-sheep-farmers-2/ For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Sprayer technology has advanced significantly over the past decade, yet the core principle remains the same: delivering the correct spray quality and rate to the target area. For this week's Tillage Edge podcast - the second of a two-part series with Dermot Forristal, a researcher with Teagasc - Dermot discusses the latest developments in sprayer technology, including nozzle technology and where this technology can be best used on farms.  For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

As part of Men's Health Week, Laurence Gaughan, Regional Project Manager in the west of Ireland with the HSE, is on this week's Beef Edge podcast with some tips and advice on mental health for farmers. Farmers tend to prioritise farm work and the health of their animals and Laurence discusses how to keep healthy.  He also outlines financial planning actions that can also help overcome stress and worry and he discusses the new mental health initiative, Taking Stock. Further information is available on www.westbewell.ie and you can also contact:·      Samaritans, 116 123 (24 hours)·      Pieta, 1800 247 247 (24 hours)·      Your Mental Health, 1800 111 888·      Text About It, 50808·      MABS, 0818  072 670 (Money advice service, Mon-Fri, 9am-8pm)·      Alone, 0818 222 024 (National support and referral line for older people, 7 days a week, 8am-8pm)·      Citizens Information, 0818 07 4000 (Mon-Fri, 9am-8pm)  For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

James Dunne is joined this week by Teagasc grassland science researcher, Mike Egan, to discuss the correct management of grass-clover swards to ensure high levels of pasture and animal performance.   Mike also discusses the findings from the recent external assessment of Teagasc's Clover and Multi-Species Sward Research Programme. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

For this week's Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses current grazing advice as some farms are coming into surplus grass, plus he has a grazing update from Tim Walsh in Co. Kerry. Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter:https://bit.ly/Grass10-3rdJune For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

The grain harvest in the United States has a significant impact on global markets - and directly influences harvest prices here in Ireland. So, for this week's Tillage Edge, Brian Caldbeck, an Irishman running a seed business in Kentucky, returns to the show to discuss how US farmers are faring this season. Brian explains that farmers in the Kentucky area are currently facing very wet conditions, which are delaying the completion of planting.  However, he notes that overall plantings across the US are only slightly behind the seasonal average. For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/ Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

Tim Meagher from Roscrea, Co. Tipperary, who will host this year's Irish grassland Association Beef Event, is on this week's Beef Edge podcast to discuss his farm system, while Paddy Casey from the Irish Grassland Association highlights what to expect at the event. It will take place on Tuesday June 10th, with the event kicking off at 6:30 pm sharp and will conclude at 8:30 pm.  Tim operates a store-to-beef system on 88 ha of grassland and 24 ha of tillage. When he took over the reins, he pushed suckler cow numbers to 90 – they were predominately Limousin which were crossed with a quality Charolais stock bull; heifers at the time were ran with an Angus bull. Separately, weanlings were also purchased from the west of Ireland. At the time, the farm was also home to roughly 200 ewes.  However, over a decade ago, Tim moved to simplify the operation and focused on moving to a traditional store-to-beef enterprise, prioritising on incorporating as much grass into the diet as possible.  Looking at the stock present on the farm, it's evident that Tim - who does all the purchasing from marts in the west of Ireland - has a keen eye for quality. Heifers and bullocks are bought in September and October each year weighing in the 500 – 520 kg bracket. These are then finished the following year from July to October as they come fit for slaughter; all cattle are slaughtered under 30 months-of-age.  Currently, there is 252 head of cattle on the farm - 160 bullocks and 92 heifers. During the grazing season, the cattle are run in large batches of roughly 40-50 head in a paddock system; there are roughly 43 paddocks on the farm. Strip wires are also used to achieve desired clean outs and to manage paddocks correctly.  In the springtime, all cattle are grouped according to age (January, February, March and April-born calves) to ensure easy management during the summer period.  Tim places a huge focus on preserving top-quality silage as a winter feed. If he can hit 75% plus DMD silage, he can cut out the need for meal over the winter.  However, due to weather conditions in 2024, silage quality ranged from 68% to 73% DMD on the three cuts harvested last year.  As part of the operation, Tim places a big focus on animal health to ensure all animals reach peak performance during their stay on the farm. Vaccination and dosing are carried out when required, and Tim has invested in state-of-the-art handling facilities to manage animals efficiently and safely. Tim first introduced clover onto the farm in 1998 and now both red and white clover play a pivotal role in silage production and on the grazing platform. Since incorporating clover into the system, he has reduced the reliance on chemical nitrogen (N), while not negatively impacting the kilograms of beef sold off the farm.  A slurry aeration system is also present on the farm. Tim places a huge emphasis on health and safety and outlined his handling facility and technologies he uses to be safe and labour efficient Paddy Casey said that the Irish Grassland Association National Beef Event is an event not to be missed. Following such a fantastic event on Martin Shaughnessy's farm in Mayo last year, Paddy says really it's a very social evening for all beef farmers.  Everyone is invited to the free event kindly sponsored by FBD Insurance and the move this year from a suckling farm to a finishing farm will showcase the top quality stock that Tim is purchasing in the west and finishing efficiently with grass key to his system. Further details available at:https://www.irishgrassland.ie/event-detail/beef-event-2025/  For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

Irish dairy farms are making huge progress when it comes to improving their sustainability metrics, with the Teagasc/FBD Environmental Sustainability Awards highlighting the farms which are leaders in this regard.  For this week's Dairy Edge, James Dunne is joined by dairy farmer, Brendan Walsh, who was the overall winner in 2024.  Brendan outlines how he farms to meet high levels of performance, whilst also keeping the long term sustainability of his system in mind.  For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

Brian McConnell, Technical Consultant for Elanco in Ireland, joins us on this week's OviCast to discuss blowfly strike prevention for the upcoming season.  Brian outlines the duration and severity of the seasonal risk period before delving into how blowfly strike occurs, the life cycle, and why early intervention is critical for effective control.  Brian also walks us through the range of available treatment options and emphasises how proper application techniques can significantly influence the effectiveness of each product. In relation to the products mentioned:-       CLiK™ EXTRA 65 mg/ml Pour-On Suspension for sheep contains dicyclanil and is indicated for the prevention of blowfly strike on sheep caused by Lucilia sericata or Wohlfahrtia magnifica. -       CLiK™ Pour-On for sheep contains 5% (w/v) dicyclanil and is indicated for the prevention of blowfly strike due to Lucilia sericata or Wohlfahrtia magnifica on sheep -       CLiKZiN™ Pour-On Suspension for Sheep contains the active ingredient dicyclanil and is indicated for the prevention of blowfly strike on sheep due to Lucilia sericata.  Legal category for all: POM in IE. Information regarding the side effects, precautions, warnings and contra-indications can be found in product packaging and leaflets; further information can also be found in the Summary of Product Characteristics.  *Spreads to areas covered by fleece, other areas may not be protected, including the feet. CLiK EXTRA, CLiK, CLiKZiN, Vector, FleeceBind, Elanco and the diagonal bar logo are trademarks of Elanco or its affiliates. Use medicines responsibly (IE) Advice should be sought from the prescriber prior to use. For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

For this week's Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses current grazing advice as growth rates are expected to bounce back with rainfall received, plus he has a grazing update from Killian Brennan, Co. Cavan. Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter:https://bit.ly/Grass10-27thMay For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

Teagasc Grass10 Programme Manager, John Maher, joins Stuart Childs on this week's Dairy Edge to discuss managing mid-season grass quality.  John outlines the significance of getting grass quality right with 40% of the milk being produced in May, June and July. He talks about why grass management is difficult, because it doesn't grow consistently with as much grass growing in the last 7 days of the rotation, as it does in the first 14 days. The main aim is to graze 1400 Kg DM/ha as this is the cover that optimises grass performance and cow performance and means the paddock is grazed well to facilitate good quality in subsequent rotations. There are challenges in terms of management of grass quality currently with drier than normal conditions. However, people need to try to get back into the right cover as soon as they can if rain comes. Nutrient status of paddocks is important and K is critical in water management in the plant, so some K and indeed S are important to deal with stress periods.  Rainfall should bring a surge in growth and that will have to be managed but having nutrient status in control allows for a quicker return to normal as grass can deal with the stress better when nutrient status is adequate. John finishes up by saying that it is important to walk the farm before the rain comes to know where you are at and then walk it again once the rain comes to reassess, with the objective being to get to the right pre-grazing yield of 1400 or 10cms in height as soon as possible to underpin midsummer milk production and milk price. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

For this week's Grass10 grazing management update, with rainfall amounts variable throughout the country, Joseph Dunphy discusses current grazing advice and has a grazing update from Michael Walsh, Co. Laois. Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter:https://bit.ly/Grass10-20thMay For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

Costs over the last number of years in running a commercial dairy farm have increased significantly, albeit farm gate milk prices are higher than the long term average, and it's important that investment decisions are made that benefit the business in the long term.   Teagasc farm management specialist, Kevin Connolly, joins James Dunne on this week's Dairy Edge to discuss and explain why farmers should make informed decisions when it comes to managing their farming business, managing cash surpluses and how to best complete an investment appraisal. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

On this week's Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses managing a surplus grass situation as soil moisture deficits begin to bite on some drier farms, plus he has a grazing update from Sean O Sullivan, Co. Cork. Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-13thMay For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

Dairy farmer, Paul Hyland, who runs the farm with his brother David near the village of Ballacolla, Co. Laois, joins Stuart Childs on this week's Dairy Edge to discuss silage quantity and quality. They have an objective to provide 4-5 bales of quality silage to feed cows in the autumn and again in the springtime but also have a July reserve to be prepared for dry weather at that time of the year. Paul discusses how they cut covers of 2500-3000 kg DM/ha, baling out at 4-5 bales per acre ideally until they have the reserve they need and then they will focus on main crop silage. Interestingly, the Hylands always split their fertiliser applications to give themselves options with silage ground. Also they plan silage, targeting to cut younger, more recently reseeded ground for the quality silage. Finally, Paul explains how the frequent cutting system that they employ on their farm delivers the same quantity of silage at the end of the year but far better quality than big bulky crops. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

For this week's Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses managing surplus grass currently on farm and he has a grazing update from Raymond Niblock, Co. Monaghan. Link to this week's newsletter Grass10 newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-6thMay  For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

Seamus Nolan, Teagasc's Scheme Support Unit Specialist, who has a particular focus on the Target Agriculture Modernisation scheme, better known to many as the TAMS scheme, joins James Dunne on this week's Dairy Edge. Seamus discusses the recently announced nutrient storage investment scheme under TAMS 3 which offers farmers an increased rate of grant aid for nutrient storage investments on their farm.   For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

For this week's Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses keeping a handle on pre-grazing yield as growth rockets throughout the country and he has a grazing update from Danny Bermingham, Co. Clare. Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-29thApril For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

The ICBF's Dan O'Riordan joins Stuart Childs on this week's Dairy Edge to discuss the ICBF Sire Advice Programme which remarkably has been around for 18 years! Dan first explains what sire advice is and how it works to try and balance the milk and fertility sub-indices to deliver a balanced cow. Dan also speaks about the benefits of the programme from preventing lethal gene mutation matches in the background, to checking inbreeding to maximising the beef merit of the calf whilst minimising calving risk to the cow with the objective being to deliver a live calf each time. Finally, Dan highlights the numbers of sire advice being completed, how they have increased in the last few years but that there is scope for more.  One of the other benefits of completing the sire advice is how it streamlines the breeding season for both the farmer and that AI technician with the decisions made in advance in relation to what cow is getting what bull and giving technical clear instructions on the same with options if necessary also.  If people are interested in completing a sire advice for 2025, they can contact their advisor, breeding advisor or ICBF directly. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

For this week's Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses managing grass supply, he previews upcoming reseeding events and has a grazing update from John Cashen, Co. Tipperary. Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter:https://bit.ly/Grass10-22ndApril  For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

Teagasc Kerry Dairy Ireland Joint Programme Demonstration Farm Advisor, Claire McAuliffe, and Programme Demonstration Farmer, Pa O'Hanlon, join Stuart Childs on this week's Dairy Edge to discuss pre breeding management to drive submission rate and ultimately 6 week calving rate for the next calving season. Pa first explains how calving has gone on the farm in 2025 and how he has delayed his calving start date over the last few years in order to better align with grass growth on his farm.  In the past no matter how much quality silage he tried to have available, Pa found that he ended up feeding poorer silage to milking cows which was hitting his milk solids production so he has moved the calving date to try to calve closer to grass. This means that he has to achieve the 90% 6 week calving figure to get the best return from the herd. Consequently, Pa is ‘afraid' not to make the effort in terms of pre-breeding management as he can't afford to let calving slip. He went on to explain how he has a chart which is very visual for keeping track of cows coming in heat post calving and uses the same chart for tracking AI in the 1st 3 weeks.  This chart helps him to drive his 3 week submission rate and then identify any cows that haven't been served as soon as the 3 weeks are past. He find this visual trigger much better than info on his phone as he would have used in the past. Claire then highlights the performance of the demonstration farmer group and gave examples of some of the effort they are putting into pre-breeding management to drive the submission rate once AI commences.  She also pointed out that many of the farms had opened with lower covers than they should have and found that they weren't able to exploit the excellent grazing conditions this spring as much as they would have liked to.  The recent uplift in growth has helped their cause and their action has ensured they now have adequate grass moving into the 2nd rotation.  This needs to be a key focus for all of the farms at the end of this year to ensure they hit the closing cover targets so that there is adequate grass on farms in the spring of 2026.  This is a major weakness at commercial farm level as pointed out by Michael O'Donovan on a recent episode. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

For this week's Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses key grazing targets throughout April and he has a grazing update from Matthew Draper, Co. Cork. Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter:https://bit.ly/Grass10-15thApril For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

Mike Dineen, a Teagasc researcher whose work focuses on animal nutrition, and Chris Heffernan, who recently completed his PhD in Teagasc Moorepark, join James Dunne on this week's Dairy Edge to discuss the factors affecting milk fat production in dairy cows under pasture-based management systems.   Mike and Chris explain the typical reduction in milk fat during late spring and early summer and outline some results from their recent research project. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

For this week's Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses beginning the 2nd rotation and has information on upcoming reseeding events countrywide, plus he gets a grazing update from Oisin Gallen, Co. Donegal. Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter:https://bit.ly/Grass10-April8th For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

For this week's Grass10 grazing management update, as excellent grazing conditions prevail, Joseph Dunphy discusses managing supply and he has a grazing update from David French, Co. Wexford. Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter:https://bit.ly/Grass10-1stApril For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

Michael O'Donovan, Head of the Grassland Science Department at Teagasc Moorepark joins James Dunne on this week's Dairy Edge. Michael discusses the grassland performance on Irish dairy farms over the last number of years, how farmers can increase the amount of pasture grown on farm and outlines key decisions that need to be made over the coming weeks to ensure high levels of animal performance over the coming months. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

For this week's Grass10 grazing management update, as AFC drops with the excellent grazing conditions, Joseph Dunphy discusses feeding the cow appropriately, plus he has a grazing update from Eoin Corrigan, Co. Meath. Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-25thMarch  For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

Sean Coughlan, CEO of the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF), joins Stuart Childs on this week's Dairy Edge to discuss Irish dairy, dairy beef breeding and everything in between. Sean discusses the National Genotyping Programme, the changes that they have made to improve for 2025 and how they have even more herds taken into the programme and will be looking to recruit more later on this year with the long term view to have a fully genotyped national herd in the future. Sean highlights what he feels might be a lost opportunity in that we're not able to filter some of the surplus replacements from the top EBI herds to the lower genetic merit herds. He would love to see the top herds breed the replacements for the bottom herds as it is just too much of a mountain to climb for those lower genetic merit herds and the performance levels that those top herds are actually achieving is so good: 500 litres more milk; producing 53 kilos more milk solids per cow; 16 days better calving interval which is translating into a 12% better 6 week calving rate, and low CO2 emissions. Sean also spoke about the potential of dairy beef by choosing easy calving sires that have more carcass weight than the easy calving bull as was often the choice in the past – no extra calving difficulty but significantly better beef merit calves. Sean then outlines some changes that are on the cards for the EBI this year such as a review of the economic values used in the index and a base change to reflect better the cows that are now in the country. Sean finishes by outlining how the benefits of genomics in terms of its ability to identify lethal genes such as HH3 which results in embryonic death. Identifying the carriers and using sire advice to avoid the breeding of positive cows and bulls can eliminate this negative embryonic death which is a major issue for seasonal calving systems.  For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com