The Dairy Edge

Teagasc

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

  1. Claire Mooney on Water Quality Tips

    5D AGO

    Claire Mooney on Water Quality Tips

    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

    21 min
  2. Your Weekly Grass10 Update

    6D AGO

    Your Weekly Grass10 Update

    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

    11 min
  3. Your Weekly Grass10 Update

    MAY 8

    Your Weekly Grass10 Update

    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

    11 min
  4. Grass to Cash: Driving profit through better grazing

    MAY 5

    Grass to Cash: Driving profit through better grazing

    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

    47 min
  5. Your Weekly Grass10 Update

    MAY 1

    Your Weekly Grass10 Update

    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

    15 min
  6. How Reseeding Supports Higher Performance

    APR 29

    How Reseeding Supports Higher Performance

    Tom O’Connell, dairy farmer in Inniscarra, near Cork city, and John Maher of Grass10, join Stuart Childs to discuss the importance and management of reseeding.   John first outlines the national figures which are poor in terms of the amount of reseeding taking place each year and this is a negative for the industry.   Tom is the opposite, reseeding every year on both grazing platform and silage ground. Reseeding every year  is what Tom says allow him to have the confidence to take out the ground safe knowing he has responsive swards that will grow at sufficient levels to meet herd requirements while he waits for the reseed to slot back in, as evidenced by the performance of the spring 2024 and 2025 reseeds.   Tom splits the 10% so that it isn’t all gone out together and generally takes the 2nd piece out when he knows the first bit is nearly ready to come back in. This as an insurance policy against having too high a stocking rate with all ground out at the same time.    Tom has also reduced his overall milking platform stocking rate through land acquisition and a slight reduction in cow numbers so that now his stocking rate with reseeded ground out is where his stocking rate was before he took out ground for reseeding in the past.    This is making the whole thing easier to tackle as at the higher stocking rate, he could be tight for grass at times and this was adding cost as well as compromising production.   For Tom, reseeding is an essential element of each year’s work. John finishes up by highlighting that people often do a lot of the things right but fail to get the post emergence spraying and early grazing of the sward right. Tom is doing this very well as evidenced by his lack of need to spray for weeds between reseeding events in his paddocks.   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
  7. Your Weekly Grass10 Update

    APR 24

    Your Weekly Grass10 Update

    For this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, John Maher says that 42% of farms are well above target AFC (> 750 kg DM/ha) largely due to challenging grazing conditions.   While each farm is individual, these key rules need to be applied: -       Maximum SR of 4.2 LU/ha -       Minimum AFC of 160 kg DM/LU   Now is also a good time to assess clover content in your paddocks and the aim is to identify paddocks with a good clover content.   The target is 20-25% clover content in April to allow for reductions in chemical N in May/June   Meanwhile, the featured farmer is Tom McEvoy from Ballyragget,Co. Kilkenny.    Read more from this week’s Grass10 newsletter and subscribe for weekly updates at:https://bit.ly/Grass10-21stApril   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

    14 min
  8. White Clover: Benefits, Challenges & Learnings with Mike Egan

    APR 20

    White Clover: Benefits, Challenges & Learnings with Mike Egan

    Teagasc Grassland Science Researcher, Mike Egan, joins James Dunne to discuss some of the common questions regarding establishing and managing grass clover swards.    Mike outlines the benefits for farmers but also discusses the challenges and learnings that have been seen throughout the Clover 150 commercial farm trial.     The correct chemical nitrogen strategy is outlined and why clover content should be the key deciding factor rather than fertiliser price when it comes to reducing nitrogen inputs.    Mike also outlines what farmers should be doing now with regards to assessing their own farm clover content and he also identifies opportunities to establish clover on farms over the coming weeks.     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

    32 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.6
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

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

Information

  • Channel
    Teagasc
  • Creator
    Teagasc
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    663
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Teagasc
  • Show Website
    The Dairy Edge

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