Podcasts about Teagasc

For this week's Grass10 grazing management update, John Maher discusses current grazing advice, while the featured farmer is Will Griffin, Co. Carlow. Read more from this week's Grass10 newsletter at:https://bit.ly/Grass10-4thNovember25  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 Oak Park is Ireland's most visited tillage farm, welcoming plenty of open days, international visitors, and discussion groups throughout the year.  This week, we're joined by Oak Park Farm Manager, Brendan Bourke, for an autumn update from the farm. Brendan chats about the different establishment methods they've been using, the new roller that's been put to work, and how they're adding extra vermin protection to the harvesting equipment ahead of winter. 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 

Pearse Kelly, Teagasc's Head of Drystock, is on this week's Beef Edge podcast to give an insight into what's in store at the Teagasc National Beef Conference which is taking place on 18th November in the Raheen Woods Hotel, Athenry, Co.Galway, starting at 5pm. This year's theme is ‘Beef Farming 2025: Value, Profit and Renewal', with a strong focus on producing high-value weanlings, managing farm profitability, and supporting generational renewal.  There are two action-packed sessions featuring expert speakers, farmer insights, and panel discussions: Session I: High-Value Weanlings – From Breeding to the MarketTime: 5.00pm Chair: Keith Fahy, Teagasc Drystock Advisor & Host of Country Life on Galway Bay FMSpeakers and topics include:·      Prof. David Kenny, Head of Animal & Bioscience, Teagasc Grange – Managing the suckler cow before and after calving for better fertility and performance·      Dr. Katie Quigley, Geneticist, Irish Cattle Breeding Federation – Understanding the myostatin gene and finding the right balance between muscling and calving ease·      John Barry, Future Beef programme participant, will share his approach to breeding weanlings in demand at home and for export·      Thomas O'Connor, Beef finishing farmer from Co. Kildare, will discuss what he is looking for when buying cattle to finish on his farm·      Brendan Egan, Manager, Castlerea Mart – What the market wants and how to meet that demand Following this, there will be refreshments and an opportunity to meet Teagasc advisers and industry stakeholders Session II: Beef 2025 and Beyond – Prices, Profits & Passing on the FarmTime: 7.15pm Chair: Damien O'Reilly, former presenter of RTÉ Radio 1's Countrywide·      Rupert Claxton, Meat Director at GIRA – Global beef market trends, what's driving prices, and where the market is going·      Trevor Boland, Beef Farmer & IFAC Accountant – Farm profits in 2025 and beyond: practical advice on tax planning and staying profitable Following this is a panel discussion on Generational Renewal – tackling the challenges and solutions of succession on Irish beef farms.  Panellists include:·      Dr. Emma Dillon, Teagasc National Farm Survey Economist·      Ruth Fennell, Collaborative Farming Specialist, Teagasc·      Trevor Boland, Beef farmer & IFAC Accountant·      Eamonn & Donnchadh McCarthy, suckler farmers from Youghal The evening wraps up by 8.45pm.  Experts from the following Teagasc programmes will be available on the night to answer your questions:·      Future Beef & DairyBeef500·      Teagasc Organic Team·      Signpost Programme·      Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme As International Men's Day falls on 19th November, the conference will also highlight farmer health and wellbeing. There are information stands and free health checks with Croí, plus foot care advice and mental health supports, while local health initiatives like Healthy Galway and Taking Stock will also be present, offering resources and support. For further details: https://teagasc.ie/event/national-beef-conference/ For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast and to listen back to the other two episodes in the ‘Getting Winter Ready' series, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

Teagasc advisor, Tom Coll, is on this week's OviCast with some practical management tips as the breeding season draws to a close. Tom highlights the importance of ram management at this stage — from identifying repeats to dealing with injured or lame rams.  We also chat about why it's a good idea to group ewes in the latter half of the breeding period and the benefits of having a spare ram available. The discussion then turns to managing ram lambs, reducing the risk of fighting post-mating, and best practices for ram care once the breeding season ends. We finish up by talking about the importance of monitoring and managing ewe condition in the lead-up to housing. For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Aisling Claffey, Teagasc ruminant nutritionist, joins James Dunne on this week's Dairy Edge to discuss what's important to remember when it comes to the upcoming dry cow period. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

This week on the show we chat to John Smyth from Cavan who speaks to us about his involvement with the Aberdeen Angus Youth Development Programme which has taken him around the world for competitions. He's a suckler farmer at home and is currently completing a PhD in Teagasc, Grange on reducing slaughter age. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. David Wall, Senior Research Officer, Teagasc, and Cathal Redmond, Advisor, Teagasc, joined Noel Meehan on the latest podcast version of the Signpost Series to discuss ‘Increasing the precision of nutrient use in tillage and the tools and technology to achieve this'. A questions and answers session took place at the end of the webinar which was facilitated by Teagasc's Fiona Doolan. To register for future webinars visit:https://www.teagasc.ie/corporate-events/sustainable-agriculture-webinars/                        For more podcasts from the Signpost Series go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/signpostpodcast/ 

For this week's Grass10 grazing management update, John Maher discusses current grazing advice and closing up for early spring grass.    The featured farmer is John Payne, from Co. Longford who is targeting a closing AFC of  800 kg DM/ha on Dec 1st. Read more from this week's Grass10 newsletter at:https://bit.ly/Grass10-28thOctober2025 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're taking a closer look at recent markets trends and what we can expect as we move towards 2026 for this month's Pig Edge podcast. Joining Emer McCrum is Shane Callaghan, Procurement Officer with Rosderra Meats, who provides an update on current market conditions, gives an outlook for the year ahead and an overview of the new pig quality payment system.  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 

Conor Kavanagh, a Teagasc tillage advisor in Tipperary, joins Michael on this week's Tillage Edge to discuss weed control strategies in winter cereals. Michael also chats with John Pettit, a Teagasc tillage advisor based in Wexford, about BYDV control strategies. Conor first explains that it's important to apply post-emergence herbicides as early as possible, as they're far less effective on grass weeds when applied late.  John notes that, for now, the approach to controlling aphids in BYDV-tolerant varieties remains the same as for non-tolerant ones, though ongoing research is expected to provide clearer guidance on future strategies. 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 

For the final part of the special series, ‘Getting Winter Ready',  Natascha Meunier from Animal Health Ireland is on this week's Beef Edge podcast to discuss ‘Health at Housing'.   As always, there  are liver and rumen fluke, lice and mites, and going in to housing, gutworms or lungworm (hoose) might still be problematic.  Natascha says to be particularly careful about lungworm as it has been ideal conditions over the last few weeks.  She outlines the products for treating worms and fluke and says the product is very important, particularly when it comes to performance over the winter.  Immature flukes keep growing and affect the animal's performance, so Natascha advises that you might need to go in again a number of weeks later with the same type of product, or you could use a product that targets the younger life stage of the parasites.  Natascha then discusses the products to be used for biting and sucking lice and she also outlines the importance of a health plan for purchasing cattle on the farm. For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast and to listen back to the other two episodes in the ‘Getting Winter Ready' series, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

Bridie Uí Chonámha, Teagascóir cúrsaí oíche. Tá cúrsa stair áitiúl á chur ar fáil ag Bord Oideachais agus Oiliúna na Gaillimhe agus Ros Comáin i gcomhar le hIonad Diaspóra na Gaeltachta agus Údarás na Gaeltachta.

Dr. Mike Egan, Research Officer, Teagasc, joined Mark Gibson on the latest podcast version of the Signpost Series to discuss ‘The role of white clover on commercial grassland farms'. A questions and answers session took place at the end of the webinar which was facilitated by Teagasc's Cathal Somers. To register for future webinars visit:https://www.teagasc.ie/corporate-events/sustainable-agriculture-webinars/                        For more podcasts from the Signpost Series go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/signpostpodcast/ 

Teagasc Dairy Specialist, Patrick Gowing, joins James Dunne on this week's Dairy Edge to discuss how to best manage surplus cash, build financial resilience, review production costs, and ensure farmers best prepared for 2026. As 2025 draws to a close, it will be remembered as one of the best farming years in recent memory due to strong milk prices, increased stock values and good weather for most parts. This means that dairy farm incomes are in a good place for the 2025 calendar year.   Although it has to be acknowledged milk prices have seen significant reductions in the last number of months, the effects of this will be felt more so in spring 2026 as higher constituents at this time of year are having a positive impact on the farm gate prices received.   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

Grass10 Manager, John Maher, joins Catherine Egan on the latest Beef Edge with grassland management tips for the month ahead. John discusses current grazing conditions and explains the different scenarios across the country. John discusses an action plan for closing up paddocks and he highlights the importance of being flexible and to ensure swards that are closed are not re-grazed again before winter. 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 

Benchmarking helps farmers see where they stand and identify opportunities to improve profit and efficiency. For this week's Tillage Edge podcast, Michael Hennessy talks to Dr. Fiona Thorne, Teagasc Economist, and Ciaran Collins, Tillage Specialist, about the latest Cereal Enterprise Factsheet and how to use Teagasc Costs and Returns to measure real farm performance. They discuss the importance of calculating your own fixed costs, what sets top-performing farms apart, and how tools like the Teagasc Profit Monitor and Machinery Cost Calculator can help in assembling and analysing your figures. See more here:https://teagasc.ie/publications/national-farm-survey-enterprise-factsheets-2024/  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 advisor, James Doran, discusses the practicalities of grazing forage crops on this week's OviCast. James and Ciaran cover key topics such as estimating yield, calculating carrying capacity, and setting up grazing systems—including fencing, crop allocation, and utilisation.  James also shares advice on introducing animals to forage crops and outlines important management considerations for ewes and lambs grazing for extended periods.  For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

John Maher has the latest Grass10 grazing management update, and this week's featured farmer is Niall O'Regan from Mallow, Co. Cork. Read more from this week's Grass10 newsletter at:https://bit.ly/grass10-21stOctober2025 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

James Strain, nutritionist with Inishowen Co-op, is on this week's Beef Edge Podcast to discuss ‘Winter Nutrition'.  James highlights the importance of a good herd health plan which is key before looking at nutrition to maximise winter performance.  When assessing silage quality James explains Dry Matter Digestibility, Dry Matter, Crude Protein and pH, while he also discusses feeding rates to gain 0.5-0.6 kg/head/day on a weanling over the winter. When it comes to rations, James highlights at to look out for on the label, with ideally 5-6 main ingredients:-       Energy is the most important nutrient-       Protein is needed for growth Information is power – read the feed label carefully & speak with your merchant. For finishing farmers that have cattle housed, James explains what to look for in a ration and building up cattle on ad lib to be managed without any issues. When it comes to mineral inclusion rates James discusses what is important in a pre-calving mineral. Finally, James highlights the upcoming mart events taking place in Donegal on 22nd Oct at the Donegal Livestock Mart, 29th Oct at the Inishowen Livestock Mart and on 4th Nov at Milford Livestock Mart.  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 

Das Durchschnittsalter der Landwirte in der Europäischen Union liegt bei fast 60 Jahren. Der Generationswechsel – also dafür zu sorgen, dass jüngere Landwirte den Beruf ergreifen, um die Kontinuität zu gewährleisten – gehört daher zu den dringendsten Prioritäten der Gemeinsamen Agrarpolitik. Es geht nicht nur darum, die Lebensmittelproduktion aufrechtzuerhalten, so wichtig dies auch ist. Es geht auch darum, die einzigartigen Landschaften Europas zu pflegen und sein ländliches Erbe zu bewahren. Die Landwirtschaft ist eng mit der Geschichte, Kultur und Gesellschaft Europas verflochten, und jedes Mal, wenn ein Landwirt aufhört, verlieren wir ein Stück unserer Identität als Europäer. Für Folge 60 von 'Nahrung für Europa' sind wir nach Irland gereist, um mehr über die Herausforderungen und Chancen des Generationswechsels in einem Land zu erfahren, dessen Wirtschaft von qualitativ hochwertigen Lebensmitteln für den Export abhängt. Wir treffen den irischen Junglandwirt des Jahres 2024, Chris Cahill, der eine Partnerschaft mit einem älteren Landwirt, Tony McCormack, eingegangen ist. Da Tony keine Nachfolgemöglichkeiten hatte, entschied er sich für eine Partnerschaft, die gut funktioniert: Tony stellt das Land und seine Erfahrung zur Verfügung, während Chris technische Kompetenz und Innovationskraft in den expandierenden Betrieb einbringt. Wir sprechen auch mit Patrick Brady vom Land Mobility Service über dessen Arbeit zur Förderung des Generationswechsels durch für beide Seiten vorteilhafte Vereinbarungen, die sicherstellen, dass junge Landwirte über die Ressourcen verfügen, die sie benötigen, um voranzukommen. Und wir treffen Ruth Fennell, Beraterin bei Teagasc, einem landwirtschaftlichen Beratungsdienst, der Lösungen anbietet, zur Unterstützung junger Landwirte und ihres Traums, ihren Lebensunterhalt mit der Landwirtschaft zu verdienen.

The average age of a farmer in the European Union is almost 60. The task of generational renewal – ensuring younger farmers take up the profession to ensure continuity – is therefore among the most urgent priorities of the Common Agricultural Policy. It's not only a question of maintaining food production, important though that is. It's also about caring for Europe's unique landscapes and nurturing its rural heritage. Farming is deeply intertwined with Europe's history, culture and society, and every time a farmer leaves the land, we lose a piece of our identity as Europeans. For episode 60 of Food for Europe, we have travelled to Ireland to discover more about the challenges and opportunities of generational renewal in a country whose economy depends on high-value, high-quality food products for export. We meet Irish Young Farmer of the Year 2024, Chris Cahill, who has entered into a farm partnership with an older farmer, Tony McCormack. Tony's lack of succession options led him to consider a partnership arrangement, and it's working well – with Tony providing the land and experience, and Chris bringing technical excellence and innovation to the farm's expanding operations. We also talk to Patrick Brady from the Land Mobility Service and its work to promote generational renewal through mutually beneficial arrangements that ensure young farmers have the resources they need to move forward. And we meet Ruth Fennell, an adviser with Teagasc, a farm advisory service that is driving new initiatives that deliver solutions to support young farmers and their dreams of making a living from the land.

A l'occasion du lancement, par la Commission européenne, d'une nouvelle stratégie pour susciter des vocations dans l'agriculture, Nourrir l'Europe consacre son 60ème épisode à la question du renouvellement générationnel dans le secteur. Il y a urgence : alors que l'âge moyen des agriculteurs est de 57 ans dans l'UE, la relève n'est, à ce jour, pas assurée. Au cœur du problème pour les jeunes : l'accès au foncier et aux financements. Trouver des solutions est fondamental pour notre sécurité alimentaire et la préservation de nos campagnes. Nous vous emmenons en Irlande à découverte du Service de mobilité foncière (Land Mobility Service), qui met en relation des jeunes sans terre et des agriculteurs plus âgés qui souhaitent lever le pied, afin de les faire travailler ensemble. Chris Cahill, jeune agriculteur élu jeune éleveur de l'année en 2024, et Tony McCormack, propriétaire exploitant, nous parlent de leur partenariat réussi dans l'élevage laitier. Patrick Brady, leur conseiller du Land Mobility Service, nous explique les tenants et les aboutissants de sa mission. Ruth Fennell, conseillère spécialisée dans l'agriculture collaborative à l'Autorité irlandaise de développement de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Teagasc, nous expose le contexte irlandais et les autres pistes explorées pour faciliter l'installation des jeunes. Enfin, Sandra Sanmartin, chargée de mission au sein de l'unité « durabilité sociale » de la Direction générale de l'agriculture et du développement rural de la Commission européenne, évoque les grandes lignes de la nouvelle stratégie visant à rendre les professions agricoles plus attrayantes.

John Maher, Grass10 Manager, and John Leahy, dairy farmer in Athea, Co. Limerick, join Stuart Childs on this week's Dairy Edge to discuss applying lime. Despite difficult weather a few weeks ago, things have improved, John explains, and ground conditions, rotation length and money in the bank will allow people to spread lime. John outlines that we are very short of where we should be in terms of lime applied to where we should be. It's more than 40 years since we spread over 2 million tonnes of lime which is what we should be applying. John Leahy tells of his experience of increasing the pH on his farm. He went after it hard at the start and got it up to where it should be now and he's at the point where 20-40t keeps him on point each year. John also outlines how he went after the lime as he felt he could spend a lot of money on fertiliser with little return. He has gotten a phenomenal response to his lime applications.  His soil fertility has taken nearly 10 years to get right but he got his lime right from the start.Opportunities will present themselves, people need to take them, he says. For a list of suppliers of lime go to: https://www.grolime.ie/ 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 Researcher, Sarah Woodmartin, gives us the monthly update on grassland management. In this episode, Sarah covers:-       Current grass growth rates and average farm covers-       Autumn closing plan and its importance-       Achieving good cleanouts on swards-       Tweaking the closing plan for new grass/clover and multispecies leys Whether you're measuring grass weekly or just keeping an eye on conditions, Sarah shares timely, practical advice to help you get the best from your grazing this autumn. You can also sign up 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

Professor Maeve Henchion, Principal Research Officer, Teagasc, joined Cathal Somers on the latest podcast version of the Signpost Series to discuss ‘The Irish Bioeconomy: opportunities, challenges and strategic considerations'. A questions and answers session took place at the end of the webinar which was facilitated by Teagasc's Fiona Doolan. To register for future webinars visit:https://www.teagasc.ie/corporate-events/sustainable-agriculture-webinars/                        For more podcasts from the Signpost Series go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/signpostpodcast/ 

For this week's Grass10 grazing management update, John Maher discusses current grazing advice and closing up for early spring grass.  It's a great opportunity to spread lime - the cheapest fertiliser one can buy!   The featured farmer is Mark Lonergan, who is from Co. Tipperary and is targeting a closing AFC of  750 kg DM/ha on Dec 1st.  Read more from this week's Grass10 newsletter at:https://bit.ly/grass10-14thOctober2025 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

Professor Andrew McGuire from Washington State University joins Michael Hennessy on this week's Tillage Edge podcast to discuss how to assess the real value of crop inputs. Andrew discusses practical ways to evaluate new products, bio-stimulants, and other supplemental products, highlighting the importance of evidence-based decisions and on-farm trials.  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 

In the first part of a three-part series, ‘Getting Winter Ready', on the Beef Edge, Teagasc Beef Specialist, Niall Kerins, discusses ‘Winter Housing'. Housing is a key part of maximising winter performance, farmers can have the nutrition of the animal correct and the animal treated to have them healthy and yet still not be achieving 0.6kg/head/day over the winter period on weanlings. Space allowance is important to determine, how many weanlings/stores/cows should be housed per bay. Feed barrier spacing is often overlooked. Good ventilation is also critical, we often see sheds and maybe there is an issue even though you would think there's loads of air coming in at either end of the shed. Draughts are just as bad, if not worse, than poor air movement and stuffy conditions.  Niall outlines what farmers can do to avoid draughts and assess sheds. Every winter a significant number of cattle are housed and fed in rented sheds. Niall outlines what are the key things to consider if you are interested in renting a shed. Further details at: https://teagasc.ie/news--events/daily/4-key-winter-housing-considerations/ 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 

Jerry spoke to Ireland South MEP Sean Kelly about proper hedge cutting and why he feels local authorities are ignoring Teagasc advice on how to cut hedges, and they are butchering them instead. He also spoke about the peace deal with Gaza and Israel.

Dr. Philip Murphy, Catchment Coordinator, Teagasc, joined Eddie Burgess on the latest podcast version of the Signpost Series to discuss ‘Targeting water quality actions in catchments of concern.' A questions and answers session took place at the end of the webinar which was facilitated by Teagasc's Fiona Doolan. To register for future webinars visit:https://www.teagasc.ie/corporate-events/sustainable-agriculture-webinars/                        For more podcasts from the Signpost Series go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/signpostpodcast/ 

Teagasc Research Officer, Pablo Silva Boloña, whose work focuses on milk quality, dairy cow mastitis and selective dry cow therapy, joins James Dunne on this week's Dairy Edge.  Pablo explains selective dry therapy and why it is being implemented on Irish dairy farms, plus he highlights the important management steps to ensure its successful implementation at farm level.  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 and the start of closing up for early spring grass.  It's a great week to reseed paddocks sprayed and grazed.  The featured farmer is Jason Coulter, who is from Co. Sligo and trying to get autumn closing sorted out after a very  difficult weekend.  Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter:https://bit.ly/grass10-7thOctober2025 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, Teagasc Senior Research Officer, joins James Dunne on this week's Dairy Edge to discuss the fundamentals to optimising performance from freshly calved cows by making informed decisions around the winter diet.   Winter feed is obviously a significant cost to producing liquid milk therefore it is important farmers get it right.  Mike explains how forage quality is key to generating the best possible margin and outlines some simple management practices that will improve animal performance and feed efficiency. 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 and the start of closing up for early spring grass.   The featured farmer is Shane Hegarty from Co. Carlow and Shane was the Young Farmer Category Winner of the Sustainable Grassland Farmer of the Year. Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter:https://bit.ly/grass10-30thSeptember2025 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

Kevin Downing of ICBF joins Stuart Childs on this week's Dairy Edge to discuss the recent changes to the EBI incorporated into the September Evaluation run. Kevin outlines the reason for the base change in order to make sure we are comparing the current cows with as representative population as possible to best reflect the on farm performance of herds. Kevin then discusses the changes that have been introduced in economic values. This is the first update since 2017. This adjustment is done as required and takes a long term view of revenues and costs. It is not responding to annual market returns and costs. One other major change is the movement of the rearing cost of heifers into the maintenance sub index from the beef sub index. This means that estimating the weight of a mature cow from the maintenance sub index has changed as the heifer rearing element is now included in the € value on the report.  There is a ready reckoner that can be accessed at: https://webapp.icbf.com/v2/app/msi-calculator Farmers can use this to estimate the liveweight of their cows based on the new value or use a predicted weight to get the value that they should use in the future. Evaluations are now live and farmers can look at them on their own ICBF profile on both the website and the app now. 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 management and advises using the higher grass growth now to build grass into the autumn as many farms are behind on grass supply.  He also has tips on dealing with some difficult grazing conditions. Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter:https://bit.ly/grass10-23rdSeptember2025 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 podcast we go through the figures on crop profits, tillage incomes and what's bringing about the best return with Dr Fiona Thorne of Teagasc. We also talk about a new Irish ration on the market. This week's show was recorded live at the National Ploughing Championships. The Tillage Podcast is supported by Bayer crops Science. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Conroy, Dairy Advisor in Teagasc Nenagh, and Jim Delahunty, dairy farmer, join Stuart Childs on this week's Dairy Edge to discuss closing the farm for 2025. John says it has been an exceptional year for the most part, in the area he covers, with people complaining about making bales at this stage which is a far cry from the situation experienced in 2024.  However, the recent dry spell has reduced the building of grass having come from a very strong position in early to mid-August. John encourages people to continue to work on building the cover between here and the start of the last round. Jim says that he has grown well in the last week but his demand is high so he is considering housing cows by day in order to reduce demand to exploit growth over the next week or two to increase farm cover. He has also blanket spread the farm to drive growth once the rain came and this has helped close the gap. Jim also discusses how he is going to drop his stocking rate next year as he isn't getting enough reseeding done at his current stocking rate. John and Jim then cover the targets of closing the farm to ensure that there is grass in the spring as this worth multiples to him more than it is in the autumn. Finally, John says to close the farm in the way you want to graze in the spring targeting the best, most accessible for the early grazing which means targeting these for grazing in the second half of October to have the right cover to acclimatise the cows to grazing again. 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 management and advises using the higher grass growth now to build grass into the autumn as many farms are behind on grass supply.  He also highlights this week's feature farm, the O'Dea Farm Partnership, who are having a phenomenal grazing year with 14 tons DM/ha grown already with an input of 140 units N/acre and superb clover! Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter:https://bit.ly/grass10-16thSeptember2025 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 Kearney, Teagasc Tirlán Joint Programme Co-ordinator, joins Stuart Childs on this week's Dairy Edge to discuss soil fertility actions that can still be taken despite the chemical fertiliser deadline passing for 2025. Firstly, Seamus outlines the reduction in chemical nitrogen in the last 9 years and these reductions are becoming more conspicuous where soil fertility isn't on point. Seamus explains that lime is magic as it frees up 70-80kgs of N and frees up P and K that are locked up in the soil. With increased output and output value in 2025, farmers may be exposed to the higher rate of tax and every €1 invested in lime can generate a return of 7:1 and if you're in that high tax bracket, there is another win in that you can reduce the tax exposure but get really good value from the spreading of it this year and for subsequent years also. Seamus also talks about K fertiliser applications and recommends that farmers apply 1 bag of Muriate of Potash (MOP) to increase the K levels as this will improve N utilisation and increase grass growth.  Seamus discusses bringing soil samples to life either by having the map on the tractor or by some form of markings out in the paddocks that will quickly identify the paddocks that need the different nutrients Finally, Seamus says that people should keep things simple and by using protected urea and 18-6-12 and MOP for their fertiliser programme it is both environmentally friendly and €20/cow on current prices cheaper than other fertiliser regimes which can save €2000 for the average 100 cow 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, John Maher discusses current grazing advice and as many farms are behind on grass supply, he advises using the higher grass growth now to build grass into the autumn.  The featured farmer is Patrick O'Neill from Longford, who is having a good year with grazing and is on target! Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter:https://bit.ly/Grass10-9thSeptember2025 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

Padraig O'Connor, technologist with Teagasc, joins James Dunne on this week's Dairy Edge to outline how farmers should manage their herd somatic cell count this autumn, how to make best use of the milk recording information and what to do with identified problem cows. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ 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 dealing with low grass supply.  He also talks about the featured farmer Mike Ahern, who is the Sustainable Grassland Farmer of the Year, and who is opening his farm to the public on Tuesday Sept 9th at 11am , in Ballyduff Co. Waterford. For more go to:https://youtu.be/kbrAbDg7Hrc  Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter:https://bit.ly/Grass10-2ndSeptember2025  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

Ruth Fennell, Collaborative Farming Specialist, joins Stuart Childs on this week's Dairy Edge to discuss the various collaborative farming options that exist. Ruth outlines the options that range from contract heifer rearing, nutrient sharing, machinery trading and land leasing to more commonly thought of collaborative farming options such as registered farm partnerships and share farming. Effectively, collaborative farming is of mutual benefit to both parties. Ruth then explains how the various options work in different scenarios and how different arrangements may be more appropriate for a given set of circumstances.  The key to all of these arrangements are the people. If you have two people that work well together then you can decide the structure that suits their circumstances.  Legal agreements need to be developed to protect everyone involved as, like any business, it could need to be dissolved for any number of reasons in years to come. If that situation arises, it is important that the structure can be dismantled relatively easily and this starts at the beginning with a clear exit strategy. There are financial incentives that are associated with some of the collaborative arrangements such as young farmer top-ups which should be accessed if appropriate but this will be case specific and what is right for you will depend on the circumstances.  The availability of various grants should not be the sole reason for entering a registered farm partnership, especially if share farming is the more appropriate structure for your circumstances. Ruth finishes by outlining the planned Generational Renewal Week that will take place from 8-12thSeptember and people interested in viewing some of the webinars which will cover these arrangements, starting the conversation on succession and making a will as well as the taxes and reliefs available, can access the registration page by clicking here:https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_e2st24BhQu6uJ1CdjETOGA#/registration 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 grass growth and predicted grass growth.  Plus the featured farmer is Arthur Sweetman from county Wexford. Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter:https://bit.ly/Grass10-26thAugust2025 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 'Ours To Protect', we take a closer look at biodiversity, sustainability and the broader issue of Climate Change as it relates to Clare. This week, Pat Flynn chats with James Rambaud about the work Teagasc is doing in Clare around monitoring CO2 emissions in agriculture. Ours to Protect brought to you by Clare FM, the IBI and funded by Coimisiún na Meán, with the Television Licence Fee.

Shay Phelan, crops and potato specialist with Teagasc, explains why new potatoes are harder to find this year.

Clare farmers are calling on the Minister for Agriculture to address income volatility in order to sustain the sector. It follows the official launch of a new conference which will aim to address both local and national issues affecting this county. The 'Farming in Clare: What the Future Holds' event will take place in Hotel Woodstock on September 12th, where farming experts in a range of disciplines and the Minister for Agriculture, Martin Heydon will be in attendance. Among the key issues on the agenda will be generational renewal, red tape in the sector, the nitrates derogation, profitability and sustainability. Speaking at the official launch from his farm in Doora, Clare Irish Creamery and Milk Suppliers Association Chair Mícheal O'Dwyer says ensuring income stability has to be the greatest priority. According to the latest Teagasc report, the average family farm made over €36,000 in 2024, an 87% rise on the previous year. However Kilnamona farmer and Clare Macra Na Feirme Rep Catríona Power says the volatility in the sector is making it increasingly hard for family farms to continue. The average age of a farmer in this county meanwhile is now 60 years of age. Clare's Fine Gael TD Joe Cooney says red tape needs to be removed to make the sector more viable and encourage more young people to take it up.

George Ramsbottom, Head of the Teagasc Signpost Advisory Programme, joins James Dunne on this week's Dairy Edge to discuss how Irish dairy farmers can improve their farms' carbon footprint.  George outlines how there is a dedicated team of 21 climate advisors available through the Signpost Advisory Programme to offer farmers help and advice on how they can improve the environmental credentials of their own farms. 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 dealing with low grass supply. He also focuses on reviewing where fertiliser use needs to be. Link to this week's Grass10 newsletter:https://bit.ly/Grass10-19thAugust2025 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