452 episodes

The Dairy Edge is Teagasc’s dairy podcast for farmers.

Presented by Emma-Louise Coffey with the latest information, insights and opinion to improve your dairy farm performance.

Visit the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

The Dairy Edge Teagasc

    • Government
    • 4.4 • 17 Ratings

The Dairy Edge is Teagasc’s dairy podcast for farmers.

Presented by Emma-Louise Coffey with the latest information, insights and opinion to improve your dairy farm performance.

Visit the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

    Weekly Grass10 Update

    Weekly Grass10 Update

    On this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses PastureBase data, Dry Matter % and Predicted grass growth, rainfall & soil temperatures for the week.
     
    Joseph also discusses feeding the cow as poor weather forces farmers to house and he has an update from dairy farmer Kevin Murphy in county Wexford.
     
    Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter: 
    https://bit.ly/Grass10-26thMarch

    • 5 min
    The future of Irish dairy breeding with ICBF CEO, Sean Coughlan

    The future of Irish dairy breeding with ICBF CEO, Sean Coughlan

    Sean Coughlan, CEO of ICBF, joins Stuart Childs on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss the origins of ICBF, what it has done since its creation back in 1998 and what the future looks like for dairy breeding.
     
    Sean first gives a brief description of how ICBF came into being under the stewardship of Dr. Brian Wickham as the first CEO in 1998 when it was formed.
     
    He then explains the creases that had to be ironed out when ICBF started highlighting the variation in calving dates that existed initially due to the multiple layers at the time and how over time with the cooperation of all stakeholders, this has become a thing of the past with much more streamlined data flows ensuring accurate recording with no duplication.  
     
    This has allowed ICBF to create the database that is the engine of dairy and beef breeding in Ireland. 
     
    The links with the genetics and modelling departments of Teagasc have allowed ICBF to develop EBI initially, DBI and CBV more recently as well as suckler beef indexes all of which are created to drive genetic gain and ultimately profitability for Irish farmers.
     
    Sean says that the power of genetics is enormous and that while the improvement is often perceived to be slow, it works and that the potential of new technology such as the genotyping scheme to further improve genetic gain is very real and a huge opportunity for the Irish dairy and beef breeding industry.  
     
    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

    • 29 min
    Weekly Grass10 Update

    Weekly Grass10 Update

    For this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses PastureBase data, Dry Matter % and Predicted grass growth, rainfall & soil temperatures for the week . 
     
    Joseph discusses current grazing management with the poor weather, the launch of the Spring clover events throughout the country and has a grazing update from farmer David Dolan in Co. Mayo
     
    Link to this week’s newsletter: 
    https://bit.ly/Grass10-19thMarch

    • 5 min
    Improving silage quality within our dairy systems

    Improving silage quality within our dairy systems

    The need for enough quality silage in our dairy systems is often underestimated. 
     
    With silage stocks reducing and average quality on a lot of farms there is a need for farmers to put a silage plan in place for 2024. 
     
    Dairy advisor William Byrne, and dairy farmer, Michael Lally, join James Dunne on the latest Dairy Edge podcast to discuss some of the key aspects of making quality silage whilst also ensuring good yields.
     
     
    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

    • 34 min
    Weekly Grass10 Update

    Weekly Grass10 Update

    On the latest Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses PastureBase data, Dry Matter % and Predicted grass growth, rainfall & soil temperatures for the week. 
     
    Joseph also discusses the ‘3 checks’ of managing pasture on your farm during March and has a grazing update from William Dennehy from Co. Kerry.
     
    Link to this week’s newsletter: 
    https://bit.ly/Grass10-12thMarch

    • 6 min
    How Liam Brophy’s home farm converted from drystock to dairy

    How Liam Brophy’s home farm converted from drystock to dairy

    New entrant dairy farmer, Liam Brophy, joins Emma-Louise Coffey on the latest Dairy Edge podcast to discuss the conversion process of his family farm as well as successes and challenges along the way.
     
    Towards the end of Liam’s school years, milk quota abolition offered the opportunity to milk dairy cows on his home farm. Following extensive discussion with his father Mark, Liam set about completing the Dairy Herd Management course at Gurteen College and the Dairy Farm Management course at Kildalton College and Moorepark to gain the relevant knowledge and hands-on experience to prepare himself for the process of converting the home farm from drystock to dairy.
     
    Prior to milking, investments included purchasing heifers, building a parlour, installing a water system and paddocks. The most recent building included a cubicle shed which replaced straw bed housing.  
     
    Reflecting on the last 5 years, Liam explained that while they had planning approval to build the parlour almost a year prior to start milking in February 2020, the unanticipated impact of Covid-19 delayed the build of the milking parlour which forced them to milk in a temporary parlour for almost the full year. This delay presented the greatest challenge in the early days.
     
    The Brophy family, now in their 4th season milking, have 142 high EBI black and white cows calving in 2024. In 2023, the cows produced 500 kg MS at 4.5% fat and 3.7% protein.
     
    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

    • 23 min

Customer Reviews

4.4 out of 5
17 Ratings

17 Ratings

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