Podcasts about farming ireland

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 

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

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 

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

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

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 first of a two-part series — Dermot Forristal, researcher with Teagasc, discusses the latest developments in sprayer technology and how these innovations can support farmers in the day-to-day management of their crops.   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 

DairyBeef 500 farmer, JP Hammersley from Co. Tipperary, is on this week's Beef Edge with an update on his farm, management of calves at grass and the plan for finishing cattle on the farm. JP outlines his dairy calf to beef system with cattle finished at 20-24 months of age. All the calves are sourced locally from a nearby dairy farmer.  He discusses how calves are reared and managed up to now and in the coming weeks. The yearling cattle are at grass since February and JP explains how they will be managed at grass for the coming months and rotated in the paddock system to maximise weight gains. Good quality silage is very important to the system, and JP says that while there is a lot of silage still left over from last year, his aim is to maximise quality this year if that leads to less yield overall but higher quality. Herd health planning is also a critical part of the system and JP highlights the vaccination programme being used on the calves and his plan to faecal sample during the year to ensure they are treated for worms timely and correctly. 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 

Teagasc Walsh Scholar, Michael Dever, and Teagasc researcher, Dr. Frank Campion, join us on this week's OviCast to discuss an exciting new project, recently launched in collaboration with SRUC. The project aims to use GPS technology to better understand hill sheep grazing patterns.Frank provides background on the project, while Michael outlines how they will assess animal performance across different groups of sheep that are released onto the hill at various stages. He also explains how the team will evaluate the botanical composition of the different grazing areas.Michael goes on to describe how GPS collars fitted to the ewes will allow the researchers to track their movements and identify specific grazing zones on the hill.We wrap up the episode with Frank sharing insights into the future direction of the project and the next steps in their research.For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

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

Teagasc Grass10 Advisor, Joseph Dunphy, returns with the monthly update on grassland management.In this episode, Joseph covers:·       Current grass growth rates and average farm covers·       Key grazing targets and maintaining sward quality·       Fertiliser recommendations for second-cut silage and how to replenish offtakes·       Tips for managing newly reseeded paddocksWhether you're actively grass measuring or just looking to stay ahead this season, Joseph shares practical, timely advice to help optimise your grazing performance.You can subscribe to the Grass10 newsletter here:https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/grassland/grass10/grass10-enewsletter/For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Challenges like weather, product availability and varying soil types often means that blanket applications are the norm rather than precise, targeted inputs. This week, the Tillage Signpost programme held an event at Don Somers' farm in county Wexford to explore how he's applying inputs with greater accuracy and Michael Hennessy spoke to Don on the latest Tillage Edge podcast to find out more. 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 we are at a critical stage of the breeding season, Dr. David Kenny, researcher in Teagasc Grange, is on this week's Beef Edge podcast to discuss breeding on spring calving suckler herds and he has key tips to be aware of. David says that overall this spring has been good and cows were in good condition going to grass early and fit for breeding.  This spring we have seen the impact of the challenging year last year, with cows calving to second cycle and cows calving later on most farms overall. Body condition score of cows and good nutrition to resume cyclicity is important. David outlines key tips around AI use and in relation to farmers using a stock bull. It is still important to record when cows are showing heat so that the number of repeats can be monitored. Young bulls should be particularly monitored event though they may be fertility checked. Talking with farmers, like every year, there are issues with stock bulls cropping up. David explains that if the bull has had an infection or a rise in body temperature, this may cause the bull to become sub fertile. Scanning of cows may take place after 30-35 days to identify cows that are in calf and the fertility of the bull and to check for any issues. 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 

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

The dry conditions over the past 10 days - and with no rain in the forecast - means that spring crops in particular, are coming under pressure.  John Pettit, a Teagasc tillage advisor in Wexford, and Ciaran Collins, a Teagasc tillage specialist, join the Tillage Edge this week to discuss the key agronomy actions needed over the next week to 10 days. Both John and Ciaran acknowledge the impact of the dry spell and note that, while the weather has reduced immediate disease pressure, the season is far from over.  Diseases such as mildew and rust could still become an issue, and they explain that adjustments to crop protection programmes may be needed on many 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 

Grass10 Manager, John Maher, is on this week's Beef Edge to discuss grass management on the farm at this critical stage of the year.  John gives an update on farms at the moment with some farms having had the best spring in years while other farms are looking for rain. Rain was very localised earlier this week and with not much rain forecast, it will be challenging on some farms. John says that balancing quality is key at the moment to ensure good animal performance and avoid stem in the sward building up for the season ahead. Removing surpluses will be important to ensure quality while making top quality silage for next winter. Some farmers depending on stocking rate and allowances may be tempted to stop applying N and John discusses various options with utilising slurry and including sulphur in fertiliser is essential. The length of time stock spend in a paddock this time of year can also have a big impact on grass growth and quality. The target to maintain is three days per paddock. First cut silage will be harvested on farms in the coming weeks and John outlines the nutrient requirements for second cut on farms where needed. 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 

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

The coming weeks are critical for controlling foliar diseases in cereal crops and Dr Stephen Kildea, researcher at Teagasc Oak Park, joins the Tillage Edge this week to discuss the best disease management strategies for the weather conditions expected in May 2025.    Stephen highlights the increased yellow rust pressure in some crops.“The main fungicide timings should be adequate to control this new yellow rust strain,” he says.  “But I would encourage growers to examine their crops weekly to ensure the disease does not progress.” 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 

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

For this week's Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses managing the remaining grazing area on the 1st rotation and he has a grazing update from Shane Seymour, Co. Tipperary. Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter:https://bit.ly/Grass10-18thMarch  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, and with the great grazing conditions, Joseph Dunphy discusses reviewing grazing progress throughout March and he has a grazing update from Dara Killeen, Co. Galway. Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-11thMarch  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/Tírlan Future Farm programme farmer, David Fennelly, joins James Dunne on this week's Dairy Edge to discuss how the busy calving period is progressing, and he outlines his grazing management to date.  David also explains how he will manage the coming weeks to ensure success as the herd heads towards peak production.   Plus, programme advisor, Sandra Hayes, highlights where the programme farmers are at with regards to grazing and nutrient management this spring.   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 reviewing your AFC in early March and he has a grazing update from the O'Callaghan family in Cork. Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter: https://bit.ly/Grass10-4thMarch 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

Tommy Cox, Teagasc Dairy Beef500 Programme Advisor, joins Stuart Childs on this week's Dairy Edge to discuss calf sales this spring. Tommy outlines what farmers should do from the moment the calf hits the ground in order to have them as fit and healthy as they can when it comes to sale time. He discusses the important relationships that farmers are forging around the sale of calves in the last few years and how it is important that these are maintained for the good of both. While prices are strong presently, compared to previous years, Tommy argues that there is a value in the relationships that have been developed over the years and that people need to factor this in when setting the prices of calves. The price paid is a significant factor in the profitability at the end of the day and that is important for the future sustainability of the calf-beef farms. Tommy also explains that when buying a calf, a farmer should be looking for a healthy calf, a calf of known parentage, otherwise you are buying an unknown animal, and finally, to have a price that you can give for the calf but not to compromise on the health or the genetics of the calf in order to meet that 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, and with the challenging week's weather, Joseph Dunphy discusses getting one grazing per day and he has a grazing update from Ben and Robin Mooney, Co. Wicklow. Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter:https://bit.ly/Grass10-25thFebruary 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

Shane Leane, technical sales manager with Progressive Genetics, joins James Dunne on this week's Dairy Edge to discuss the importance of milk recording.  He also outlines how to ensure efficiency and accuracy throughout the process.  Plus, Shane discusses how to use to data to maximise the benefit to your herd.  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 the challenging weather, Joseph Dunphy discusses getting one grazing per day and he has a grazing update from John Finucane, Co. Limerick. Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter:https://bit.ly/Grass10-18thFeb 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