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

If you are below target AFC <650kg DM/ha:

-       Reduce demand on the farm to lift AFC to 650kg DM/ha. This may require grazing additional land (silage ground, replacement heifer area)

-       Increase feed supplementation (ration, silage)

-       Remove surplus animals

-       Hold rotation length using these options to ensure growth isn’t further hampered

Walk the farm more frequently as grass growth and grazing conditions can and will change fast.

There is also huge variation in fertiliser and slurry applied to date across the country owing to ground conditions and grass covers.  A focus should be put on getting nutrients where possible to ensure production is on track for the year ahead

Meanwhile, the featured farmer is Declan Flynn from Kilmallock, Co. Limerick.

Read more from this week’s Grass10 newsletter and subscribe for weekly updates at:
https://bit.ly/Grass10-14thApril

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

Mark explains that dairy farms are in various positions: some have moved too quickly into second-round grazing, others are well-balanced with remaining first-round grass, and some (especially on heavy ground) are delayed due to poor weather conditions.

He then outlines the solutions such as housing some or all of the herd in order to get grass cover back up to where they need to be which might only take a week, or where there is a lot of grass on farm, tackling it from a number of angles including grazing, silage immediately once opportunity arises or longer term silage in some cases.

Mark also spoke about the need for silage ground to be fertilised but to have cutting date influence the amount applied. With slurry application to most of this ground not an option, the advice is to cut early and return the slurry then. This will result in the same total yield with better quality than a large application of N for first cut now thus delaying the cut date.

Finally, Mark spoke about the need to follow up on problem cows ahead of the breeding season as it is creeping up on farmers 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

Walk the farm on a more regular basis as growth increases.  Average farm cover needs to stay above 650 kg DM/ha.  Take action by reducing demand if your cover drops below 650 kg DM/ha.

Meanwhile, the featured farmer is Michael Leahy from Co. Kilkenny.

Read more from this week’s Grass10 newsletter and subscribe for weekly updates at:
https://bit.ly/Grass10-7thApril

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

In this episode, Pat Dillon from Teagasc joins James Dunne to discuss the Better Farming for Water campaign. 

Pat explains what the Better Farming for Water campaign is aiming to achieve, why a catchment approach has been taken and the practical actions dairy farmers can take to make a difference. 

We also discuss concepts such as nitrogen use efficiency, nitrogen surplus, stocking rate and how all of these interact with water quality.

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

By early April, dry farms should have about 60 units (75 kg N/ha) of N applied (combination of fertiliser and slurry) and most farms need to assess regrowths on the first 3 paddocks grazed for the next 2-3 weeks.

Meanwhile, the featured farmer is Kieran Kennedy from Nenagh, Co. Tipperary.

Read more from this week’s Grass10 newsletter and subscribe for weekly updates at:
https://bit.ly/Grass10-31stMarch

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

Donagh first explains that breeding is all about numbers. With the uptake in use of sexed semen, the pool of dairy bull calves being born has shrunk and while this was part of the objective of using it in the first place, there is a side effect which has the potential to slow genetic gain in Irish dairy.

He outlines the type of numbers of calves that need to be born each year in order to maintain the genetic growth that Irish farmers have enjoyed since the late 2000s when genomics arrived.

In order to continue this, it will be important to have a structured breeding programme that will see Irish farmers work with the AI companies putting some of their best cows in calf to nominated bulls with a view to delivering the bulls of the future.

Failure to do so will see the progress made in the industry in the last three decades since the introduction of the EBI slow significantly. 

However, Donagh is attempting to avoid this occurrence by bringing industry together during 2026 to discuss the situation, identify the solutions and get them implemented as quickly as possible.

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

Plus, it’s important to get up to date with Nutrient applications – the aim is to have 60 units N/acre applied by early-mid April.

Meanwhile, the featured farmer is Michael Cunniffe from Fuerty, Co. Roscommon.

Read more from this week’s Grass10 newsletter and subscribe for weekly updates at:
https://bit.ly/Grass10-24thMarch2026

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 explains how the scorecard included in the guidelines can be used to identify the herd strengths and weaknesses to allow people to see where they may need to target improvement.

He then discusses the importance of using enough dairy AI straws to ensure there are adequate numbers of replacements coming through to support the needs of individual farms. 25% is required in order to ensure that 18-20% replacement rates can be maintained as not all heifers will go the distance so some surplus will be needed.

He also spoke about the importance of using high DBI with high beef subindex beef sires to generate high quality dairy beef stock and emphasises the need to continue using AI until such time as there is sufficient bull power to meet demand.

Finally Dan spoke about how sire advice is now available on the HerdPlus app which will facilitate more people to use it. 

He highlights the benefits of sire advice, balancing milk and fertility, avoiding inbreeding and lethal mutations and maximising beef merit while minimising calving difficulty risk, all making life easier for everyone involved.

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

There's now an opportunity to get more of the farm grazed:

·      Get animals out (priority groups such as replacement heifers)

·      Day and night grazing for dairy herd

It is especially important to prioritise grazing if:

·      There is a low level of fodder available (do a budget!!)

·      Quality of silage is poor

·      Have a high feed demand

·      Shortage of accommodation

As weather conditions improve, get fertiliser and slurry applied across the farm.  Target 30/35 units N per acre to areas of the farm that have not yet received any fertiliser.

Meanwhile, the featured farmer is Liam Rochford from Co. Wexford.

Read more from this week’s Grass10 newsletter and subscribe for weekly updates at:
https://bit.ly/Grass10-17thMarch

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 first episode aired on 11th January 2018, when Emma-Louise Coffey was joined by dairy farmer, John Leahy, and Teagasc ruminant nutritionist, Brian Garry, to discuss preparing for the spring calving season and managing forage supplies. 

Since then the podcast audience has grown significantly with the series now surpassing one million listens in total.

To mark the milestone, we’re taking a look beyond the farm gate to the wider dairy industry with James Dunne speaking to Conor Mulvihill, Director of Dairy Industry Ireland.

They discuss the remit of Dairy Industry Ireland withing the wider industry, the current market outlook, what ‘value-added’ really means for Irish dairy, the importance of the grass-fed story, and some of the key challenges and opportunities facing the 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

Plus, getting the farm ready to move and having fertiliser ordered and in the yard will allow farms to take the opportunity spread when conditions allow

Meanwhile, Michael Smith from Ballyjamesduff, Co. Cavan is this week’s featured farmer.

Read more from this week’s Grass10 newsletter and subscribe for weekly updates at:
https://bit.ly/Grass10-10thMarch

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

Marie Louise also discusses what farmers can do from a management perspective over the coming weeks to ensure good cow and calf health throughout the month of March. 

Topics covered include transition cow management, milk fever, displaced abomasums and calf management.

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

Plus the featured farmer is Enda Walsh from Oranmore, Co. Galway.

Read more from this week’s Grass10 newsletter and subscribe for weekly updates at:
https://bit.ly/Grass10-3rdMarch

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

John explains how February has been wet and people have been holding off grazing in the hope of dry weather, however, the forecast is middling at best for the next few weeks so people will have to make a start for the good of the grass and the good of the cow.

Mike Bermingham is on a high north facing farm just outside Fermoy. He has experienced plenty of rain in the last few weeks like many others, but he is getting cows to grass most days and even some evenings now too. 

Mike explains how he feels the effort to get the cows out is less for him than the work in the yard and this drives him on to get cows to grass at every opportunity.

Mike outlines how he is doing this and explains that the thought of what he will be paid on April 22nd for his March milk is a further incentive to get grass in every day if possible.

Mike finishes by saying that grass is the best feed available and nothing you can buy in the yard can compare to it.

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 featured farmer is Shane Seymour from Nenagh, Co. Tipperary.

Read more from this week’s Grass10 newsletter and subscribe for weekly updates at:
https://bit.ly/Grass10-24thFeb26

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 roadmap sets out clear KPIs across profitability, sustainability, breeding, labour and environmental performance.

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 featured farmer is Ger Whelan from Ballinahinch, Co. Clare.

Read more from this week’s Grass10 newsletter and subscribe for weekly updates at:

https://bit.ly/Grass10-17thFeb

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

Donal says that the Irish dairy sector is entering 2026 from a position of financial strength. Farm debt levels are nearly half of what they were in 2009. Meanwhile, farm cash balances have doubled over the same period. Overdraft utilisation in dairy is currently at its second lowest in 20 years and despite tighter milk prices this year, the sector overall has stronger balance sheets than in previous downturns.

Cost inflation is now the primary financial pressure. Total dairy farm operating costs have risen by 46% since 2020 with the key drivers of this being fertiliser and energy and concentrate feed which is up 56% and now averaging 9 c/L of production cost.

Production costs range from mid-30s to mid-50s c/L, creating major resilience differences between farms. Knowing your break-even milk price, preparing 2025 accounts early (especially for tax liabilities), and targeting cost control will be important this year.

Finally, Donal offers some advice around being prepared for a year like 2026, he recommends financial buffers such as €500 per cow working capital available at start of year and where debt level is >€3,000/cow, hold a reserve to cover 12 months of repayments. 

Farmers should complete simple forward cashflow projections (even in a notebook) to quantify funding needs accurately before approaching banks. Consider financing capital projects or tax liabilities rather than depleting cash. Banks can offer overdraft increases, term loans, interest-only options, or retrospective CapEx funding to help ease any cashflow pressures people might experience however, it is important that people identify pressure early and engage early as cashflow support is more effective when proactively structured than reactively requested.

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 featured farmer is Stephen Burchill from Bandon, Co. Cork.

Read more from this week’s Grass10 newsletter and subscribe for weekly updates at:

https://bit.ly/Grass10-10thFebruary

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

With spring calving commenced on the majority of dairy farms it places an increased demand on farm workload and for this episode, we’ll be discussing what the research tells us about managing workload, what practical changes farmers can make to reduce pressure, and how small system adjustments can make a big difference to both efficiency and quality of life.

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

Plus he discusses the importance of completing a spring rotation planner in PastureBase with the target for March 1st to have about 30% of the farm grazed.

Read more from this week’s Grass10 newsletter and subscribe for weekly updates at:

https://bit.ly/Grass10-3rdFebruary

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 discusses the management of the freshly calved cows as a separate group.  Keeping these cows in for a few days after calving in a fresh-calved group allows recovery, easier observation and reduced bullying. Control of the colostrum group also simplifies milking management and use of available help.

Padraig then talks about testing colostrum quality with a refractometer.  Use a Brix refractometer (target >22%) to quickly check colostrum quality. This helps ensure adequate passive immunity for calves and flags potential diet issues. If readings are low, review the dry cow diet. Short-term protein supplementation (e.g., soybean meal pre-calving) may help improve quality.

With reports of many cows over-conditioned this year, milk fever is a real risk. Padraig recommends focussing on correct dry cow minerals (especially magnesium), appropriate body condition (≈3.0–3.25), and controlled feeding for later calvers where feasible. Milk fever is a gateway disease linked to retained cleanings, mastitis, and fertility losses.

Finally, Padraig advises people to prepare early for spring grazing opportunities.  Even with poor weather, monitor drier paddocks and be ready to turn cows out for short (2-3 hour) grazings to reduce feed costs and support production. Set up fences and access in advance to act quickly when conditions allow; short grazing bouts can work without paddock water if cows have good access in sheds.

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

Read more from this week’s Grass10 newsletter and subscribe for weekly updates at:

https://bit.ly/Grass10-27thJanuary

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

TB continues to be a major challenge for the dairy sector, with herd incidence rising above 6% in 2024. There are now significant changes being introduced through the new TB Action Plan.

James Dunne hosted the webinar and was joined by Damien Barrett, Head of the Ruminant Animal Health Programme with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and Joe Patton, Head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer with Teagasc. 

Together, they outlined the key policy changes, current TB trends, and what these developments mean in practical terms for dairy farmers, particularly around herd management, animal movement and biosecurity.

Link to webinar:

https://youtu.be/naefVhMC-ZU

Link to new TB action plan:

https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/d4cfc18d/7784-DAFM_TB_Action_Plan_LR.pdf

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

Read more from this week’s Grass10 newsletter and subscribe for weekly updates at:

https://bit.ly/Grass10-20thJanuary

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

Join us on the Dairy Edge each day of Nutrient Management Week for special episodes from farmers and experts and for more go to:
https://teagasc.ie/news--events/news/grass10-nutrient-management-week-2026/
 
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 was the winner of the Nutrient Management category as well as the overall winner of that Grassland Farmer of the Year Competition in 2024 and he talks to John about the importance of driving growth with early fertiliser application on his farm as well as how to use GPS technology to minimise losses to ensure you get full value from the fertiliser allowances for your farm.

Join us on the Dairy Edge each day of Nutrient Management Week for special episodes from farmers and experts and for more go to:
https://teagasc.ie/news--events/news/grass10-nutrient-management-week-2026/
 
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

Plus he speaks to Mike Ahern who is farming near Ballyduff, Co. Waterford. Mike was the winner of the Nutrient Management category as well as the overall winner of that Grassland Farmer of the Year Competition in 2024.

Join us on the Dairy Edge each day of Nutrient Management Week for special episodes from farmers and experts and for more go to:
https://teagasc.ie/news--events/news/grass10-nutrient-management-week-2026/

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 was one of the joint winners of the Nutrient Management category at the 2023 Sustainable Grassland Farmer of the Year awards. 

He won this award for his understanding of managing slurry on his farm to drive grass growth and reduce his chemical N inputs and today he shares his way of looking at and managing slurry to reduce his chemical N input without compromising on the growth required to feed his herd as much grass as possible.

Join us on the Dairy Edge each day of Nutrient Management Week for special episodes from farmers and experts and for more go to:
https://teagasc.ie/news--events/news/grass10-nutrient-management-week-2026/

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

Pat discusses recent research across 100 farms that he has completed on behalf of the Dept. of Agriculture that is showing slurry production rates are about 20% higher than the current regulatory assumptions (≈0.4 m³/cow/week vs 0.33m3).

This means many farms that may currently be compliant on the basis of the current regulations, do not have sufficient physical storage, leading to pressure to spread slurry at less than ideal times.

Both Pat and Philip talk about how this situation is forcing poor nutrient management decisions as when storage runs tight, farmers end up spreading slurry in poor weather/soil conditions. 

The return for these applied nutrients are lower and the risk of nutrient loss to water can also be greater so increased storage capacities would help take away pressure but also improve nutrient recovery subsequently.

Philip speaks about the role of buffer zones for protected waterways and says that expanded buffer zone requirements (e.g. 10 m near waterways early/late in the spreading season vs 5 m for the rest of the year), risky fields, and wet soil conditions can remove 10–25% of land area from safe spreading. Storage capacity is therefore essential to provide flexibility.

Both emphasise that adequate and indeed excess storage, allows slurry to be applied at the right time, rate, and place, improving nutrient efficiency, protecting water quality, avoiding soil damage from heavy machinery, and maximising the value of home-produced nutrients.

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

Read more from this week’s Grass10 newsletter and subscribe for weekly updates at:

http://bit.ly/13thJanuary2026

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

Michelle highlights best practice regarding colostrum management, calf rearing and weaning whilst also outlining what farmers can learn from the current Teagasc/Animal Health Ireland Calf Care events which are happening across the country. 

To find out more visit:

https://teagasc.ie/corporate-events/calfcare-events/

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

Laurence starts by acknowledging that there is a constant state of flux in the world now and that we are constantly adapting to change. This is no different to what we did in the run-in to the milk quota removal.

Laurence talks about the pent up energy in the industry post-quota removal that has delivered a 100% increase in milk solids production from just a 50% increase in cows, indicating the advances made in terms of productivity.

There are always challenges and costs were high on the agenda again in 2025 as there has been an upward shift in costs. There is a need to focus on getting on top of them again and key to that is efficiency and growing the cheapest feed we can – grass.

The other challenges facing the industry include generation renewal as some of the people that have delivered the expansion are now looking for the person to carry on the business. 

Greenhouse gas emissions and water quality challenges also exist but are trending in the right direction and can be overcome by implementing the research.

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

He also offers insights into what he has learned along the way and why he is as passionate about dairy farming today as he was 20 years ago.

Image: https://www.midwestdairy.com

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

In the first of a two part interview, Rodney outlines how he went from farming 140 dairy cows in Maguiresbridge, Co Fermanagh to operating two large scale dairy units in the US. 

He describes how the business has grown over time, some of the challenges met along the way and how he overcame them. 

Rodney discusses what farming KPIs matter in the running of the business and how he manages costs and market volatility. 

Image: https://www.midwestdairy.com

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

John first describes the disease and explains how it presents in sheep, cattle, alpacas and other cloven hooved animals.

He then explains how, in reality, the risk period should have passed at this stage of the year as midges that act as the vector for the disease should be gone by now.

The cold weather is a help in that midge activity will be reduced or eliminated but that doesn’t mean the risk isn’t still there. People must remain vigilant and notify their vet and relevant authorities in the event of suspecting an animal has bluetongue.

Trading implications could exist were a case to be identified in the Republic which would have ramifications for livestock movements, but currently there are no restrictions as the country is still bluetongue free.

If a case were to be discovered, vaccines are available to reduce the severity of the disease but one would have to get an emergency license from the Department of Agriculture.

Careful monitoring of stock for any signs are advised and swift notification, if identified, to facilitate rapid control is advised.

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

Read more from this week’s Grass10 newsletter and subscribe for weekly updates at:

https://bit.ly/Grass10-9thDecember2025  

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

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

Read more from this week’s Grass10 newsletter and subscribe for weekly updates at:

https://bit.ly/Grass10-2ndDec2025

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 Dunne caught up with Joe Patton, Martina Gormley and Stuart Childs to gain an insight into some of the main messages from the conference.

Link to conference papers and presentations: 

https://teagasc.ie/publications/national-dairy-conference-2025/

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

Read more from this week’s Grass10 newsletter and subscribe for weekly updates at:

https://bit.ly/Grass10-25thNov25

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

Edmund was always interested in farming as a child, however, due to the scale of the home farm, he didn’t think he had a future in farming. A transition year placement at a nearby father and son partnership opened his eyes to ways to potentially making farming a viable career option.

Edmund is now farming in partnership with his father and they have expanded their land base in the last 12-18 months through leasing and as a result have pushed up their cow numbers. 

Edmund also acknowledges the significant influence that the two farmers that he did his placements with have had on him and how he got such benefit from his time with them.

Finally, he outlines what he would like to see to encourage generational renewal including a potential incentive to lease to a young farmer or revision of TAMS costings to more accurately reflect the true cost of machinery and building works so that a 40% grant would be just that. 

He is hopeful that other opportunities to expand will present themselves and that they will be in a position to act on them if they come.

Don’t forget, this week the National Dairy Conferences are being held in Clonmel and Cavan on November 26th and 27th and for more info, go to: 

https://teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/events/

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

Read more from this week’s Grass10 newsletter and subscribe for weekly updates at:

https://bit.ly/Grass10-18thNov25

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

With sudden drops in milk price catching many farmers off guard and even many of those who work in the area of forecasting prices, Joe explains, however, that the best-performing farms remain the best ones regardless of price cycles.

Farmers shouldn’t overhaul their system each time the price rises or falls. Instead, consistent fundamentals — good cows, strong grazing management, stable stocking rates and control of costs are what carry farms through the lows of the volatility cycle.

High-margin farms succeed because they invest strategically rather than overspending on the back of a good year only to find themselves short of cash in a tight year. Joe emphasises the need for cash planning, avoiding impulsive “tax-driven” spending and having approximately €500 per cow available to get through to the next big milk cheques in late spring.

Joe also highlights the long-term value created by EBI-driven genetic improvement, the growing role of data (grass prediction tools, cost benchmarks), and the importance of collaborative farming and succession planning. These enable better decision-making, smoother transitions between generations, and continued productivity despite policy and cost pressures.

If you want to hear more on these topics, you are welcome to attend the National Dairy Conferences in either Clonmel or Cavan on November 26th and 27th and for more info, go to: 

https://teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/events/

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

Read more from this week’s Grass10 newsletter at:

https://bit.ly/Grass10-11thNov25

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

Philip explains that his role focuses on addressing agricultural pressures on water quality across the wider Blackwater catchment, beyond the already targeted high-priority areas, through providing clear, consistent advice to farmers and advisors, helping to raise awareness where one-to-one guidance is not currently available.

He outlines how targeted areas are selected using EPA monitoring data and highlights the difference between nitrogen and phosphorus impacts, noting phosphorus affects rivers while nitrogen impacts in the estuaries.

Finally, Philip emphasises that improvements take time, often years, but farmers are already doing positive work. His key message is for farmers to engage with advisors, consider schemes like Farming for Water, and continue adopting practical, farm-specific measures to protect local water quality.

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

For more information go to:
https://teagasc.ie/education/apprenticeships/farm-manager/

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

Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter:

https://t.co/d7P7FYlZi5

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

Firstly, John outlines the figures for the week explaining that on the majority of farms, there is currently way too much grass and that action needs to be taken to manage this situation sooner rather than later. 

He also talks about the impact of another spell of long rainfall on a proportion of farms along the south and east coast and what is happening there.

Then he gets into the topic of autumn build-up and how to go about it:

·      Increase N application rates in August to increase supply

·      Remove young stock from the platform to reduce demand

·      Silage ground coming back increases supply

·      Reseeded ground coming back increases supply

·      Remove poor performing cull cows will reduce demand

·      Introduce supplementary feeding in the form of meal (may not be enough), silage, zero grazing etc. will lower the demand for grass thus giving it a chance to build

The majority of people need to make autumn grazing management happen by doing something is the long and short of it and John recommends that people farm with ‘the head up’ to see what is happening and responding to it. 

For those that do and don’t measure, rotation length is a useful guide and the objective is to move to a 30 day rotation by Sept 1st. This is grazing 1/30th of the farm each day so 3 acres a day on a 90 acre platform for example.

The objective is to build a wedge of grass to graze into in the autumn when growth eventually drops below herd demands which will normally start to happen in mid to late September. If you don’t have it then, you won’t be able to create it.

John finishes by saying that the grazing season starts in the autumn not in the spring.

The week’s Grass 10 newsletter features Cork dairy farmer Con Lehane and can be accessed at:

https://sh1.sendinblue.com/3iqx0f848slpfe.html?t=1754411905519

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 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

Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter:

https://bit.ly/Grass10-29thJuly

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

Muireann discusses the impact of lameness on Irish dairy farms, detecting and dealing with lameness issues and putting prevention measures in place 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

Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter:
https://bit.ly/Grass10-22ndJuly

 
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

Conor discusses the importance of managing time to keep the length of the working day in check and also the importance of getting time off or away from the farm also. This can be helped by being structured in the way work is approached.

This element of work organisation and the potential that it has to create a good working environment is critical to attracting the next generation of farmers into the fold.

Generational renewal is a big ticket item now with people looking at their options and it can no longer be taken as a given that there is a natural successor that will be interested in taking over the farm. 

On the other hand there may also be people out there that are looking to farm but have no access to land. This creates opportunity and Conor goes on to discuss the idea of share farming as a solution to generational renewal in the absence of a natural successor.

Conor says these arrangements can be win-win for both parties but that they are built on trust and communication. 

Conor highlights the importance of farms being well maintained ahead of the owner potentially stepping back in order to ensure there isn’t a mountain to climb in terms of investment in the business when the decision is made to take the next step.  

This can be a significant handicap to the young person coming in as it will undermine the technical efficiency of the business in the early years which is critical to driving the financial success of the arrangement.

Finally, Conor says that people should try to get time off in the next few weeks and then look to the future in terms of what they can do on their own farms to reduce the hours that they have to work and what they need to put in place to facilitate them taking as much time off as they want or as they feel is necessary to allow them have a good balance in their own lives.

The preliminary National Farm Survey report for 2024 can be accessing at:

https://teagasc.ie/wp-content/uploads/uploads/NFS-Preliminary-Report-2024.pdf   

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

Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter: 

https://bit.ly/Grass10-15thJuly

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 are running a series of events looking at good farmyard design and investment and Pat outlines what will be discussed across these events nationally.

For more information go to:

https://teagasc.ie/rural-economy/farm-management/farm-buildings/events/

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

Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter: 

https://bit.ly/Grass10-8thJuly

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

Emma explains how the survey works and how the 300 or so dairy farms that supply data to the survey are used to create a representation of the dairy farms across the country and how they adjust their survey to ensure it continues to be representative of the farming population.

Emma discusses the headline figure that gets reported outlining what has to come out of that for the farmer themselves and that it isn’t the same as the annual take home pay of a salaried employee.

Emma then delves into the increase in production costs, the shift in milk prices that have helped insulate farmers from this rise in costs and she looks at a number of ‘sticky costs’ that all farmers need to be conscious of to reduce their exposure to price volatility in future years.

Finally, Emma talks about structural change that is important for the industry and how this will need to be assisted through funding for generational renewal from the perspective of both the new entrant or young farmer and the older generation that also need security as they step back from their careers in farming.

The preliminary report for 2024 can be accessed here:

https://teagasc.ie/wp-content/uploads/uploads/NFS-Preliminary-Report-2024.pdf

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

John also reviews where fertiliser nitrogen use is at and what should be left for the rest of the grazing season, plus there is a grazing update from Enda Armstrong from Galway, who is currently growing lots of grass!

Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter:

https://bit.ly/Grass10-01stJuly2025

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 are also joined by Cork dairy farmer Sheena Murphy who outlines her experience of being in the programme and how it has benefited her herd.

Moorepark Open Day

The Teagasc Moorepark Dairy Open Day will take place on Wednesday, 2nd July 2025, 8:30am - 5pm, at the Teagasc Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, P61 C996.

The theme of this year’s event is ‘Innovating for the future’.

Join us on Wednesday, 2nd July at Moorepark!

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

John also has a grazing update from Mike Ahern, from Co. Waterford, who was announced as the Sustainable Grassland Farmer of the Year 2024. The Moorepark Open Day is also discussed.

Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter:

https://bit.ly/Grass10-24thJune2025

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

Laurence starts by acknowledging that there is a constant state of flux in the world now and that we are constantly adapting to change. This is no different to what we did in the run-in to the milk quota removal.

Laurence talks about the pent up energy in the industry post-quota removal that has delivered a 100% increase in milk solids production from just a 50% increase in cows, indicating the advances made in terms of productivity.

There are always challenges and costs were high on the agenda at previous Open days and they are well up the agenda again in 2025 as there has been an upward shift in costs. There is a need to focus on getting on top of them again and key to that is efficiency and growing the cheapest feed we can – grass.

The other challenges facing the industry include generation renewal as some of the people that have delivered the expansion are now looking for the person to carry on the business. 

Greenhouse gas emissions and water quality challenges also exist but are trending in the right direction and can be overcome by implementing the research.

The Moorepark Open day is on July 2nd starting at 08:30am and we encourage all to attend and engage on the day.

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

Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter: 

https://bit.ly/Grass10-17thJune2025

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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 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

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 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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

John first gives a range of scenarios that he has heard from across the country.  He encourages people to get grazing if not already. For those who are, they need to manage their grazing to ensure they don’t leave themselves short of grass at the end of the 1st round.

John advises to get cows into the habit of grazing by grazing lower cover – this will also help get ground grazed off and growing for the 2nd rotation. Then move to the heavier cover to take it off before it starts to deteriorate in mid-March. This will also aid recovery of this type of ground.

Finally John says that it is very important to get early N out in the right conditions asap. The equivalent of a bale of silage/ha is up for grabs by doing it and if you’re not in a position to do, seek the help of a contractor as you cannot afford to miss the early application of fertiliser.

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

Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter:

https://bit.ly/Grass10-11thFeb

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

David outlines how the correct timing, rate and type of fertiliser is key to ensure efficient use of the nutrients available on farm. 

He makes the point that when conditions are correct, it would be an opportunity lost not to apply the required nutrients in order to increase the amount of grass grown and set the farm up for subsequent grazings.

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

Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter:

https://bit.ly/Grass10-4thFebruary

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

Raymond recommends washing the bulk tank and the plant in advance of putting milk in the tank as it has been idle for a number of weeks now.

He also suggests checking the level of uptake of chemical to ensure the tank and any autowashers are using the right quantity of detergent and descaler.

High SCC in February is not acceptable and Raymond recommends people try to respond as early as possible in order to deal with the source of the problem. This may require consultation with your vet as to the best course of action but getting on top of SCC at the start of lactation is important to have good control for the full lactation.

Finally, Raymond speaks a lot about the process, whatever the process is, whether it is washing the milking machine, dealing with a mastitis case, dealing with a freshly calved cow, it is important that people put a system in place and stick to it so that it can be repeated consistently. 

This, in his experience, is what delivers results from a milk quality perspective but can also contribute to the smoother running of the farm during busy periods such as during calving.

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

Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter: 

https://bit.ly/Grass10-28thJanuary

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

Aisling outlines the energy requirements required to minimise body condition loss and optimise animal performance over the spring period and how these can be met with a simple diet of grazed grass, high quality silage and concentrates. 

The importance of achieving at least one grazing per day was discussed whilst also giving an understanding as to what’s needed at farm level when this isn’t achievable in difficult periods.

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

Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter:

https://bit.ly/Grass10-21stJanuary

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

Cathal gives a summary of the factors that need to be considered before spreading slurry or manure even though the closed period has ended.

Cathal sympathises with the challenges farmers face trying to make this decision as it can be a challenge.  In an ideal world, he suggests that farmers should try to hold off spreading slurry until mid-February as day length increases, growth increases to use the nutrient applied, plus ground conditions might be better – although he does acknowledge that we can’t say if that will be the case in any given year. 

If you are going to spread, you need to watch the rate, so 1500-2000 gals/acre, and target it to the right fields, which would, in most cases would be silage fields where the greatest demand for P and K will be and then to adhere to the 10m buffer zones for the two weeks after the closed period has ended. 

Cathal also says that the 1.5m distance for fencing can allow for a vegetative buffer to grow inside the wire that can act as a second line of defence in the event of heavy rainfall washing nutrients towards a dyke or a drain, so the combination of this with the correct buffer can help prevent nutrients getting into waterways.

He also suggests that if farmers are finding themselves under pressure to spread currently, they think about where the excess of slurry is coming from. Is there water making its way into tanks that shouldn’t? If yes, can it be stopped or is additional capacity needed and should consideration be given to this?

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

Link to this week’s Grass10 newsletter:

https://bit.ly/Grass10-14thJanuary

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

Paddy explains what he does to ensure he is best prepared for calving, while explaining how he manages labour on a part-time basis. 

Plus he explains how he has adopted several simple practices that ensures a high level of efficiency in the busy spring 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

John discusses several elements that people can control to help drive grass growth on their farms.  Getting the basics right is what makes the difference. Soil fertility has always been important but it is more important still where nitrogen is reduced as has been the case in the last number of years.

Grazing infrastructure to get grass to cows but not damage ground, was a significant issue for farmers in 2024. This doesn’t have to be elaborate, it may just be a few extra gaps into paddocks.

John went on to say that a big challenge for farmers to address in 2025 is replenishing feed reserves. While the extended autumn in 2024 has helped, people need to plan to increase feed stocks in anticipation of the weather challenges that are becoming more frequent. 

This means farmers need to do a root and branch review of their farming system and establish how they will deal with one of these weather challenges when it comes again. This means looking at how to increase grass growth on the farm, is the stocking rate appropriate, a plan for quality silage etc.

Finally, John outlines the fertiliser plan for early 2025 and how it is important to get nitrogen out in the form of either slurry or chemical nitrogen early to get growth going. It’s only a low rate application and it should only be spread in appropriate conditions but it needs to be spread if the weather is right to stimulate growth.

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