The Dairy Edge

Claire Mooney, Catchment Coordinator for the Suir, joins Stuart Childs to discuss practical tips for farmers in relation to improving water quality.
 
Claire first explains immediate on-farm actions to improve environmental compliance and efficiency, including better silage management, protecting waterways with fencing and alternative drinking points, improving slurry and effluent handling, using sulphur correctly, and how clover can reduce chemical nitrogen use.
 
Claire discusses the need for farmers to prepare for tighter slurry storage rules in 2028 by assessing storage capacity now, working with advisors, exploring TAMS grants and capital allowances, and planning investments early rather than waiting until compliance becomes urgent.
 
Finally, Claire stresses that small operational improvements can make a significant difference, such as separating soiled water from slurry, reducing rainwater entering tanks, fixing leaks, cleaning yards efficiently, and redesigning cow traffic areas to reduce unnecessary slurry storage demand and avoid a need to reduce stock numbers on foot of the new regulations that may be avoidable. 
 
She also emphasises the importance of using slurry well and distributing it across the whole farm to reduce losses.
 
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 says that the majority of farms are grazing covers too high.
 
As we move further into May, grass composition is changing and keeping grass quality correct becomes more challenging.
 
To ensure grass quality is maintained to maximise animal performance pre-grazing yield has to be between 1300-1400 kg DM/ha.
 
Meanwhile, the featured farmer is Killian Brennan, from Kilcogy, Co. Cavan.
 
Read more from this week’s Grass10 newsletter and subscribe for weekly updates at:
https://bit.ly/Grass10-12thMay
   
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 explains why the target for pre-grazing yield in the mid-season is 1300-1400 kg DM/ha.
 
John also discusses first cut silage and taking surplus bales to be part of grassland management over the next month.
 
Meanwhile, the featured farmer is David Lowry from Churchminister, Co. Donegal.
 
Read more from this week’s Grass10 newsletter and subscribe for weekly updates at:
https://bit.ly/Grass10-5thMay
  
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

Mick O’Donovan, Head of the Grassland Science Department in Moorepark, and Joe Patton, Head of Dairy KT, join James Dunne to discuss how farmers can maximise margin in the months ahead, focusing on the key grazing management practices and feeding decisions that underpin performance on Irish dairy 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 says that we're now entering into higher growth rates and reproductive stage of the perennial ryegrass plant:
·      Pre grazing yield must target 1300 - 1400 kg DM/ha on all farms
·      This will enable the animals to graze and clean out the sward to 4 cm
·      Grass should be green leaf from top to bottom
 
For fertiliser, when spreading on dry stock farms it is important to include P (if allowance available), K and S, especially on paddocks that may have been damaged on the first rotation.
 
Meanwhile, the featured farmer is Danny Bermingham, from Doonbeg, Co. Clare.
 
Read more from this week’s Grass10 newsletter and subscribe for weekly updates at:
https://bit.ly/Grass10-28thApril
 
 
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