Irish Farm Business - Vol 8 Issue 1 Autumn/Winter 2021

FANTASY?

Farm Business >> SEE PAGE 22

>> SEE PAGE 38

>> SEE PAGE 46

IRISH

DAIRYING

Volume 68 Issue Edition Issue11 Spring Autumn2019 / Winter 2021 Edition Price 3.95/ £2.95 Price €4.95 £4.50(Stg) (Stg)

Practical Ways To Manage Environmental Challenge PARLOUR PROTOCOLS HELP PG 10 THE COW & THE MILKING PERSONNEL

FARM DESIGN DEVELOP A LONG-TERM PLAN FORYOUR FARM

MANAGING LABOUR ON FAMILY FARMS PG 28

THE ROLE OF ONCE A DAY MILKING IN EARLY LACTATION PG 52

PLAN CALF MANAGEMENT & REAP REWARDS PG 20

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Foreword/Contents/Credits

Farm Business >> SEE PAGE 22

>> SEE PAGE 46

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IRISH

Features 10 Economic and environmental performance in Irish dairy herds?

Can these be made compatible?

DAIRYING

Volume 68 Issue Edition Issue11 Spring Autumn2019 / Winter 2021 Edition Price 3.95£4.50 £2.95(Stg) (Stg) Price €4.95

Life-cycle analysis of the carbon intensity of dairy systems has shown that a system based on grazed pasture can achieve lower CO2 output per kg of saleable product than systems reliant on conserved forages and imported concentrate sources. Joe Patton,

Head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer, Teagasc outlines the present position and future direction.

20 Prepare now for calving 2022 and capture the benefits

PARLOUR PROTOCOLS HELP THE COW & THE MILKING PERSONNEL

10

26

28 Efficient use of Labour on Family Farms

34

In this edition we have three different strands to the magazine. First of all we have to realise that the level of difficulty in dairy farming is going to increase rather than slow down due to the implementation of more rules and regulations. In his article, Joe Patton, gives a good overview of the present position of Dairy Farming and we see that the average herd size is given at approximately 80 cows per herd. Also, the family farm is still at the centre of farm life. In some ways the changes are going to force us to achieve the same or increasing outputs with less inputs. If we are positioned correctly in the world market the price achieved per litre of milk should increase substantially due to the “grass-fed” premium product that is for sale. A change in mindset is also needed to look at efficient production of grass as feed rather than stocking rate per hectare. We have an interesting article on a study into labour practices on Irish Publisher: Denis Lane Editorial: Denis Lane Advertising: Denis Lane Production: Hugh Lane, Lauren McGregor Design: Colin Brennan Email: dlane@dawnmedia.ie Contributors: David Gleeson, Joe Patton, Donal Patton,

Philip O Connor, Aidan Kelly, Richard Walsh, Tom Houlihan, Cara Sheridan, Dave Merrins, Stephen Kelly, Rebecca Dawson, Henry Walsh, Donal Carey, Amanda Dunn, Christine Cummins, Bernadette O’Brien, Marion Beecher, Pat Aherne, Tom Farrington,

Farms. Milking cows and tending to their health takes up the lions share of time across the year. The study concludes that better work practices and particularly better handling facilities can reduce the hours and hardship involved. Continuing the vein of labour- efficiency we have two articles looking at once a day milking for a period and its impact on overall milk output for the full lactation and also looking at the concept of once a day feeding for young calves. The means by which we dry off cows has to change in order to reduce the level of antibiotic resistance in herds. Antibiotics can no longer be used in a preventative manner. We also have a report on a study of the application of teat foam to reduce the incidence of mastitis in early lactation.

Hope you enjoy and gain from this edition…

It is important to identify a strategy that would allow a family farm to be largely self-sufficient in labour in labour while achieving a good work-life balance. A Study by Marion Beecher and Bernadette O’Brien - Teagasc, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork

34 Healthy Soils Lead to Nutritious Crops and Healthy Animals More productive soils with deeper root systems, using less chemical fertiliser is the way forward as proposed by Tom Stapleton of SOBAC.

38 Teat Foam Disinfectant in early lactation to reduce new mastitis infection rates

The objective of this study was to test the benefit of applying foam to teats as a pre-milking teat treatment in early lactation in conjunction with post milking teat disinfection, on reducing new mastitis levels during the application period and any possible impact on infections for a period after teat foaming has ceased. By David Gleeson and Sarah Rose Fitzpatrick of Teagasc Research Centre Moorepark.

48 Selective Dry Cow Therapy

New veterinary regulations will come into force in January of 2022. This regulation change will ban the prophylactic use of antibiotics (using antibiotics to prevent disease rather than treating it). Writes Stuart Childs Teagasc Dairy Specialist.

Until the next time…

The Publisher Irish Farm Business Tom Fallon, Martina Gormley, Pat Griffin, Clive Bright, Alistair Chambers, Diarmuid McSweeney, Des Cronin, Henry Walsh, Sarah Rose Fitzpatrick, Stuart Childs, Tom Stapleton, Michael O Donovan, John Paul Murphy, Kate Sugrue, Kieran McCarthy

24 Regulation Changes for Farmers will increase Costs and require Capital Investment

Planning Services (ADPS) Molough, Newcastle, Clonmel, Co Tipperary.

DEVELOP A LONG-TERM PLAN FORYOUR FARM

Foreword

Cummins of Bonanza Calf Nutrition

There will be a substantial impact on farm costs as a result of changes in regulation being implemented in the areas of Slurry storage & management, Soiled water storage and management, Chemical fertiliser controls. Aidan Kelly provides a ready reckoner to estimate impact. Agri Design &

FARM DESIGN 30

What we choose to feed our calves can have a major impact on their performance, not every feed and every system suits every farm and it is important to remember that. Writes Dr Christine

Distribution: EM News Newspread Published by: Dawn Media Ltd, 2 Barrack St Clarinbridge Co Galway Tel. + 353 91 777 222 Email. dlane@dawnmedia.ie

52 The Role of Once-a-day Milking in Early Lactation

Following 35-weeks (245 days) of lactation cows milked TAD and cows milked OAD for 4 weeks had similar total lactation production (milk and milk solids yield; Table 1), indicating no carryover effect of early lactation OAD milking for up to four weeks. In-Depth study by Emer Kennedy, Michael O’Donovan, John Paul Murphy, Katie Sugrue and Kieran McCarthy of Teagasc, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork

All material contained in this edition is copyright of Irish Farm Business 2020 and may not be reproduced or electronically stored without the permission of the publisher. However items may be freely reproduced provided the source is acknowledged. Content and views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent those of the publishers.

News

Minister confirms approach to new veterinary medicines regulations

T

he Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Mr Charlie McConalogue TD, has set out a roadmap for the implementation of new EU wide Veterinary Medicinal Regulation 2019/6, which will come into effect on the 28th January 2022.

The Minister said that “Whilst the regulations enter into force on 28th January, in response to the concerns of a number of stakeholders on related matters, I have decided to defer implementation of one aspect – that anti-parasitic medicines can only be supplied on foot of a veterinary prescription – until 1st June 2022. This will enable all stakeholders make the necessary business and/or infrastructural adjustments that will ensure compliance with the Regulations. The Regulations will apply in full, from 1st June 2022.”

The Minister also announced that while the new National Veterinary Prescription System (NVPS) will be in place as planned for the end of January, he will also delay its mandatory use for this same period. This requirement is a national measure.

The new veterinary medicines regulations are focused on ensuring increased availability of veterinary medicines across the EU, as well as addressing the key societal One Health One Welfare challenges of antimicrobial resistance, as well as anti-parasitic resistance.

The clear roadmap as decided by the Minister is as follows: 1. The Regulations come into effect on the 28th of January.

2. The new requirements regarding the prescribing of antimicrobials, including antibiotics, and medicated feed, will come into effect on that date.

3. The requirement to only supply anti-parasitic medicines on foot of a veterinary prescription is deferred for a four-month period – until 1st June 2022. A prescription will not be required for such products until that date.

4. The national mandatory requirement to use the NVPS is deferred until 1st June 2022. Veterinary practitioners can continue to issue paper-based prescriptions in the current format until then.

5. The NVPS will be available for voluntary use by vets from the end of January onwards – to ensure that prescribers and dispensers are familiar with the system when its use becomes compulsory.

MORE THAN 50 YEARS IN BUSINESS

6.

7.

Prescriptions issued by vets for anti-parasitic medicines after 1st June will be valid for a maximum period of 12-months.

Antiparasitic medicines can then be purchased by the farmer from his preferred supplier at the appropriate time throughout the period that the prescription is valid From 1st June 2022, the Regulations will be applied in full.

The Minister also announced that “I am in the process of finalising a proposal to introduce a large-scale Targeted Advisory Service on Animal Health (TASAH) programme specifically focussed on parasite control on farms in 2022. The development of a structured parasite control plan is critical to addressing the increasing challenge of anti-parasite resistance.

This measure will allow farmers engage a specifically trained vet to provide advice on parasite control measures in their herd, at no cost to the farmer”.

The Minister further confirmed that once a farmer has a relationship with a vet, that vet can prescribe in line with guidance provide by the Veterinary Council of Ireland with its soon to be published Code of Professional Conduct. A farmer can have a relationship with more than one vet. The Minister also confirmed that he is examining the issue of interchangeable anti-parasitics and how best to serve the industry. He said more information on this will be made available in the coming weeks.

In concluding, the Minister confirmed that he has made these amendments in order to assist farmers, vets, pharmacists and licensed merchants transitioning to the new regulations stating, “I recognise that the new veterinary medicines regulation mark a significant step-change for farmers, vets, pharmacists and licensed merchants – all of whom have, and will, play a key role in upkeeping the health of our livestock.

I have consulted widely and listened to a range of voices on the topic and I believe the steps I have outlined will ensure that we address the challenge of anti-microbial and anti-parasitic resistance, support the health and welfare of our livestock, thus improving productivity, that farmers continue to have access to a range of sales’ points thus helping competition and that licensed merchants will continue to be a trusted source for animal health products.”

SIGNPOST Farmers for Climate Action The Signpost Programme is a collaborative programme to lead climate action by Irish farmers and support the transition towards more sustainable farming systems

The main objectives of The Signpost Programme are to: •

Reduce greenhouse gas emissions

•

Reduce ammonia emissions

•

Reduce nutrient loss to the environment and contribute to improved water quality and biodiversity

•

Save farmers money and improve efficiency of production systems

Open the camera on your phone & scan the QR code to find out more!

The Signpost Programme is a collaborative partnership of farmers, industry and State Agencies, working together for climate action.

For further details of the partners please refer to www.teagasc.ie/signpost

News

Work Permits Needed Urgently to Avoid Staffing Crisis on Farms next Spring

A

survey by IFA, National Co-Op Farm Relief Services and Farm Solutions estimates that at least 200-300 full-time workers are needed on dairy farms next Spring.

IFA Dairy Chairman Stephen Arthur said unless work permits are cleared, there’s the potential of a critical staff shortage on many dairy farms next year. Compared to this time last year, IFA estimate that there has been a 65% drop in the number of applicants for dairy farm vacancies.

IFA will meet Minister Damien English on Wednesday to discuss the urgent need for work permits. “There’s an increasing demand for a skilled workforce to work on our dairy farms which is not being satisfied within the EU, and we need access to workers from outside the EU. The shortage of labour in the dairy sector is not unique. The horticulture, pig and poultry sectors have also been seriously impacted, with an insufficient supply of workers.

“Business Minister Damien English has to launch this pilot scheme again to satisfy demand. Given that the permit process can take in excess of three months, 500 permits need to be introduced immediately to ensure we have sufficient labour on our farms for this coming Spring,” he said.

Recruitment firms report a strong appetite among workers from outside the EU to come to work on farms in Ireland. To date, 15% of applications received by these firms come from outside the EU. This is in stark contrast to the 1% of applicants from other EU Member States.

However, workers from outside the EU are greatly restricted due to existing work permit regulations.

A successful pilot scheme of dairy permits was issued in 2018, but this has expired.

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IRISH

Volume 6 Issue 1 Spring 2019 Edition Price 3.95 £2.95 (Stg)

PARLOUR PROTOCOLS HELP THE COW & THE MILKING PERSONNEL

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Animal Health

Intra Eco-Bath – The Organic Way To Combat Lameness Intra Eco-Bath is an organic, antibiotic free solution for farmers wishing to maintain optimal hoof care in their herds.

Intra Eco-Bath contains a blend of 100% organic ingredients that helps prevent bacteria from growing in damp environments. When cows are lame, or their hooves are not in good condition, their milk yield can be lower, using Intra Eco-Bath will provide clear benefits to herd health and bottom- line profit.

Intra Eco-Bath can be added to a foot bath and contains a long-lasting agent which helps keep hooves healthy for the long term. When a cow’s hooves are passed through a bath containing Intra Eco-Bath, they turn a fresh, green colour. This makes it easy to see which cows have been in contact with Intra Eco-Bath.

The long-lasting ingredients contained in the solution keep the hooves fresh and green for longer. Even after 250 cows have passed through an Intra Eco-Bath, the water retains a fresh green colour. This demonstrates Intra Eco-Bath’s strong adhesion for fresh green hooves and long-lasting activity.

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IRISH

Volume 6 Issue 1 Spring 2019 Edition Price 3.95 £2.95 (Stg)

PARLOUR PROTOCOLS HELP THE COW & THE MILKING PERSONNEL

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Intra Eco-Bath contains peppermint oil which acts as an air freshener, creating an attractive minty smell that reduces hesitancy in cattle in walking through the bath. This means it won’t be a battle to care for herds with Intra Eco-Bath,and will make it easier for farmers to maintain excellent hoof health.

By using Intra Eco-Bath, farmers can be guaranteed that they are using completely 100% natural ingredients. This unique combination of organic ingredients, including chelated zinc and essential oils, are sourced, and mixed in accordance with the highest European standards.

Intra Eco-Bath’s organic formula means that fewer harmful emissions are produced, which keeps our air fresher and cleaner. This gives farmers an opportunity to contribute to creating a safe and healthy organic environment for cow and farmer.

Farmers can access Intra Eco-Bath through local vet shops, merchants, Co-Ops and other agricultural outlets. Distributed by Agrihealth. For more information contact 047 71800. www.agrihealth.ie

V0720-EU

Intra Eco-Bath is the latest addition to the Intra Hoof-fit range, a range of hoof care products containing all-natural ingredients which is available from Agrihealth stockists nationwide.

Areyou youfamiliar familiarwith with Are familiar with organicalternative alternative the theorganic organic alternative totobattle battle lameness? lameness? footbath solutions?

5 REASONS 5 REASONS TOTO CHOOSE CHOOSE INTRA INTRA ECO-BATH ECO-BATH Intra Eco-Bath isaanewly newly developed, innovative A unique with Intra Intra Eco-Bath Eco-Bath is aisnewly developed, developed, innovative innovative hoof hoof Maintenance Maintenance of lameness of organic lameness < 5% < composition 5% hoof bath solution to maintain and support healthy bath bath solution solution to maintain to maintain andand support support healthy healthy hooves hooves andand A unique A unique organic organic composition composition with chelated chelated zinczinc chelated zinc andwith essential oils hooves. Based on natural ingredients the product fits INTRA INTRA ECO-BATH: ECO-BATH: READY READY FOR FOR AA FRESH FRESH AND AND GREEN GREEN FUTURE FUTURE

dermis. dermis.

Based Based on on natural natural ingredients ingredients thethe product product fits fits in in in the European organic farming philosophy. thethe European European organic organic farming farming philosophy. philosophy.

Passing through the bath hooves are given a fresh Passing Passing the bath bath will will givegive thethe hooves hooves a fresh a fresh green green greenthecolour, which clearly indicates which animals colour, colour, which which clearly clearly indicates indicates which which ones ones have have passed. passed. have passed.

TheThe fresh fresh minty minty smell smell stimulates stimulates all cows all all cows to easily to easily walk The fresh minty smell stimulates cows to walk easily through through without hesitation. hesitation. walkwithout through without hesitation.

Even Even after after 250 250 COW COW Bath remains fresh passages passages thethe bath bath & green up to remains remains fresh fresh and and 250 passes green green

andand essential essential oilsoils Strong adhesion forhooves fresh Strong Strong adhesion adhesion for for fresh fresh green green hoovesgreen hooves Long-lasting Long-lasting activity, activity, determined determined by by Intra Intra Eco-Bath Eco-Bath strips strips Safe and friendly forand cow, farmer Safe Safe andand friendly friendly for for cow, cow, farmer farmer and biogas biogas and biogas manure digester manure manure digester digester

Thanks Thanks to to a UNIQUE aa UNIQUE Contains ORGANIC ORGANIC BLEND BLEND UNIQUE BLEND pathogenic pathogenic bacterial bacterial of chelated zinc growth growth is suppressed is suppressed

and essential oils

Essential Essential PEPPERMINT PEPPERMINT Essential OIL OIL relieves relieves joint joint and and PEPPERMINT muscle muscle pains pains and and acts acts asas acts as a natural aOIL natural airair freshener freshener

a natural air freshener

LAMENESS LAMENESS REDUCTION REDUCTION IMPROVES IMPROVES ANIMAL ANIMAL WELFARE WELFARE

V0720-EU

The Intra Hoof &Skin Skin Care Programme includes products TheThe Intra Intra Hoof Hoof & Skin & Care Care Programme Programme includes includes products products apply to apply individually individually as well as as products as products for for full full herd herd totoapply individually aswell well as products for full herd maintenance. maintenance.

This This green green concept concept is farmers’ is farmers’ first first choice! choice! maintenance. This green concept is farmers’ first choice!

LEARN LEARN MORE MORE IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

For more information call Agrihealth Farm Business 9 on 047 71800 or email info@agrihealth.ie Distributed in Ireland by Agrihealth. www.agrihealth.ie TEAT DISINFECTANT HOW TO SELECT FROM 100 PRODUCTS

CLIMATE CHANGE SOLUTIONS COW TOILET: FACT OR FANTASY?

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>> SEE PAGE 22

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IRISH

Agrihealth

Volume 6 Issue 1 Spring 2019 Edition Price 3.95 £2.95 (Stg)

PARLOUR PROTOCOLS HELP THE COW & THE MILKING PERSONNEL

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Environment

Economic And Environmental Performance On Irish Dairy Herds – Can These Be Made Compatible?

Life-cycle analysis of the carbon intensity of dairy systems has shown that a system based on grazed pasture can achieve lower CO2 output per kg of saleable product than systems reliant on conserved forages and imported concentrate sources. The current estimate for an optimized grass- based system in Ireland is 0.86kg CO2 per kg milk, with potential for a reduction to under than 0.75kg CO2 per kg with implementation of new technologies.

Joe Patton, Head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer, Teagasc outlines the present position and future direction.

Introduction

The Irish dairy industry has changed significantly in terms of its output and efficiency over the last 10 years, delivering an increase of over 70% in milk output from a 43% increase in dairy cow numbers in 2020 relative to 2007-2010. This growth and technological progress has added approximately €3bn to the value of food exports from the country and sustains around 60,000 careers across the economy. Despite some concern and commentary regarding the ‘industrialization’ of dairy farms, the supplier base in Ireland has largely retained its family farm profile during the period. The average farm is now milking 82 cows at a stocking rate of 2.1 livestock units per ha (Teagasc National Farm Survey, 2020), with a spring-calving, pasture-fed model predominating.

As with all industries and sectors of society, agriculture is being increasingly challenged to play its part in improving climate and environmental sustainability. Issues such as greenhouse gas (GHG) and ammonia emissions, water quality, and biodiversity are now foremost in the minds of government and private citizens. There is legitimate concern among many dairy farmers as to the implications for economic sustainability of potential changes to their production IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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Volume 6 Issue 1 Spring 2019 Edition Price 3.95 £2.95 (Stg)

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system. Nonetheless, there are a range of practices and technologies that can improve economic and environmental outcomes in tandem.

This short paper summarizes some concepts and examples in this regard.

Optimising stocking rate and pasture utilised

Stocking rate is generally defined and understood as livestock per unit area, e.g. cows per hectare. It is an important driver of the overall system due to its effect on sward utilisation, feed budget inputs, milk yield per cow and farm infrastructure requirements. Stocking rate as a stand-alone measure has a positive effect on profit per ha and accounts for 25-30% of the variation between farms (based on Teagasc eProfit Monitor data). However an obvious limitation is that it takes no account of feed supply per ha; this is dictated by annual pasture growth which can vary from 9 to 15 tonnes DM per ha across proximate farms within a given year (PastureBase). Assuming that a dairy cow requires 5.5t DM per ha pasture grown to meet forage demand, the true stock carrying capacity of a farm may range from 1.6 to 2.7 Lu per ha depending on annual pasture growth rate.

Optimal stocking rate cannot therefore be defined in the absence of

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Environment reliable annual grass production data. Grass utilised on the other hand incorporates purchased feeds, stocking rate, and herd nutrient demand per cow, to calculate a figure for forage utilised per ha. The current industry average is 8tDM grass utilised per ha with a research target of 12tDM per ha. The grass utilised metric explains 55 to 60% of the herd-to-herd variation in profit, so farms with more grass utilised per ha can be reliably expected to have higher profit margins (milk yield per cow explains less than 10% of farm profit variation in comparison).

Importantly, when grass utilised and stocking rate are analysed together, the stocking rate relationship to profit tends to become negative. This indicates that while stocking rate as a metric is linked to farm profit, it is through its effect on grass utilised that the effect is realised, and that increasing stocking rate beyond the point at which grass utilised is maximized may result in lower profit per ha.

How then does stocking rate interact with economic and environmental sustainability? The annual cost of purchased forage and concentrate to sustain stocking rates beyond grass growth capacity

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IRISH

Volume 6 Issue 1 Spring 2019 Edition Price 3.95 £2.95 (Stg)

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of the farm is estimated at €1100-1300 per cow at 2020 input costs, depending on farm circumstances. Overheads, accommodation and other capital costs must also be accounted for, therefore it is vital that farms complete a cost budget relative to herd milk solids output before adding marginal cows to a system. In terms of environmental impact, previous life-cycle analysis of the carbon intensity of dairy system has shown that a system based on grazed pasture can achieve lower CO2 output per kg of saleable product than systems reliant on conserved forages and imported concentrate sources. The current estimate for an optimized grass based system in Ireland is 0.86kg CO2 per kg milk, with potential for a reduction to under than 0.75kg CO2 per kg with implementation of new technologies. Furthermore, a key measure of abatement of ammonia emissions is maximizing days at grass to reduce losses associated with slurry handling. Maintaining a focus on grass utilized, and avoiding a gradual drift into more intensive hybrid indoor/grazing systems, is an important objective that can deliver economic as well as environmental benefits. It is well understood at

Livestock

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Keeping Your Livestock Cleaner, Drier And Better Protected

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igh calcium limestone powder inhibits the pathogenic bacteria present in livestock cubicles, and can aid in the prevention of enviromental mastitis. MasterCAL hydrated lime bedding works as a natural accompaniment to your current bedding solution or as a fully sufficient replacement to traditional bedding methods. Its higher absorbancy, increased protection against bacterial infection and positive impact on pH value makes MasterCAL the obvious choice for your livestock cubicles.

A blend of Cubicle Lime and Hydrated Lime is the recommended solution to aid in both the reduction of environmental mastitis and the lowering of the somatic cell count in your milk. MasterCAL is the standalone ready-blended solution that uniquely balances the bacteriafighting properties of Hydrated Lime with the usability and comfort of regular Cubicle Lime.

Unlike other Hydrated Lime options, MasterCAL is friendly to the user, meaning it will be much less likely to cause coughing, choking or skin irritation. Importantly, it is also gentler on the teat, meaning both you and your cattle can operate happily in the comfort and protection of a cleaner, dryer cubicle.

“In a dry winter, we typically bed with three loads of sawdust. Once we added MasterCAL, even in a wet winter, it dropped to two.” Dairy Farmer, Ireland.

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Farm Business IRISH

Volume 6 Issue 1 Spring 2019 Edition Price 3.95 £2.95 (Stg)

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Environment research and advisory level that issues of scale and fragmentation must be accounted for at farm level, therefore careful case-by-case analysis should be conducted around optimal stocking rate for individual farms.

Targeting Nitrogen use efficiency

EU policy is targeting a significant reduction in chemical fertilizer N application rates in the coming years. The potential environmental benefits include reduced risk on N leaching to water, lower ammonia emissions, and a reduction in the GHG levels associated with fertilizer manufacture and losses post-application. However, N remains a critical nutrient in the production of forage quality and quantity for dairy production systems. A potential risk at a farm level is reduced DM production at farm level, leading to forage shortages and an increase in the level of supplementary feed required. Therefore, improvements in the efficiency of N use, and maximising the contribution of N fixed from legume swards, will be key targets. An important metric in this case is N use efficiency, calculated as the proportion of N imported onto the farm that is transferred to saleable product. Current estimates put average N use efficiency at 25% on dairy farms, with a potential to increase this to 35% and above. The steps to be taken to achieve this also present opportunities for improving economic efficiency.

The potential of white clover swards to transform N use efficiency is the principal avenue to improve N use efficiency while maintain animal performance. Similarly, low emissions slurry spreading (LESS) is a well proven means of maximising the recovery of nutrients from slurry while reducing losses to the environment. This is essential cost-saving technology in the context of higher fertilizer prices. It also improves the flexibility of grazing management at key times of the year. The level

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Volume 6 Issue 1 Spring 2019 Edition Price 3.95 £2.95 (Stg)

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of uptake of this practice on dairy farms is very encouraging and the benefits are clear.

Dairy concentrate rations have traditionally been traded on the assumption that crude protein (CP) content is the primary measure of feed value. However, on typical ryegrass or ryegrass/clover swards, crude protein is rarely limiting for milk production (the exception being in extreme drought conditions). A reduction of 2% in ration CP translates into can reduce ration costs by around €8 per tonne while improving N efficiency and maintaining milk solids performance at grass.

Improving herd fertility and longevity

Better herd fertility increases annual milk yield relative to genetic potential, by maximizing days at peak lactation and increasing the proportion of more productive mature animals in the herd. It also leads to lower involuntary culling and replacement heifer inventory costs.

Herds with better fertility have more control over median calving date and therefore can achieve closer alignment of feed demand and pasture supply across the year. These factors are beneficial from a profitability and carbon intensity perspective alike.

Within the national herd, there has been steady progress in the key fertility metrics of 6-week calving rate and calving interval over the last 8-10 years (Table 1), reversing the dis-improvement that had occurred over the previous two decades. The inclusion of fertility/longevity traits in the EBI and better reproductive management practices have contributed strongly to the trend. This has been verified in results from the Next Generation Herd and numerous analyses of farm data. There remains however ample scope for gains on average 6-week calving rate within the sector. Dairy farmers should continue to focus on

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Environment breeding for fertility traits using EBI, and benchmarking annual herd performance against industry targets.

Age at first calving can be a very important factor in determining carbon intensity of milk production – calving at an older age generates additional C02 from a mature animal for zero additional saleable product. Older heifers will also contribute to higher organic N loads on a whole-farm basis. A similar effect occurs with older age at slaughter for beef animals. There is little or no evidence in the literature to indicate that delaying age at first calving confers any benefit on animal productivity or longevity; in fact the opposite is the case.

On a positive note, ICBF animal-level data shows that the proportion of heifers calving at 2 years old is improving steadily since 2012, with up to 74% now calving at 24 months of age. Further examination of this trend shows that the distribution of mean calving age is polarized between herds. In other words, herds tend to have either a high proportion (>90%) or a very low proportion of heifers calving at target age. These data indicate that herd-level practices are the primary determinant of variation in age at first calving.

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Furthermore, recent survey work conducted by Teagasc showed that fewer than 5% of farms who regularly weighed replacement heifers were failing to meet age-at-calving targets. A specific cohort of farms can therefore make economic and environmental gains by addressing young-stock management protocols.

Summary and practical implications

The issues faced by dairy farmers to maintain family farm income while meeting environmental targets are numerous. However, it should be recognized that the industry has achieved much in the last decade, not by growth alone but by continuous investment in technological improvement. The system of milk production practiced in Ireland compares very well internationally in terms of carbon intensity, and further progress is possible. Much can be achieved by optimizing stocking rate and feed system, and improving herd fertility and genetics. Altering fertilizer N type and rate will contribute much also. The development of methane abatement feed technologies has great potential but requires tailoring for grass based systems; this work continues in Teagasc and elsewhere. As regards N use efficiency, implementation of proven technologies such as LESS, soil fertility management, grass measurement and of course clover swards, offer excellent options. Uptake and implementation of these practices is not simple by any means, but the economic and environmental benefits are clear. The long tradition of dairy farmers meeting challenges by implementing new practices and technologies looks set to continue.

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Calf Management

Prepare Now For Calving 2022 And Capture The Benefits What we choose to feed our calves can have a major impact on their performance, not every feed and every system suits every farm and it is important to remember that.

Writes Dr Christine Cummins of Bonanza Calf Nutrition

Planning

Farmers are advised to walk around the facilities and consider them through the lens of the 2022 calving period, to assess how prepared they are and what needs to be done.

Firstly, consider the feeding plan for the calves. Nutrition is critical from the moment a calf is born.

Colostrum provides the calf with its first source of immunity, through protein antibodies called immunoglobulins and it is also a key source of nutrients and energy.

Its many bioactive components play a major role in gut health and development. Bioactive factors are non-nutritive factors that have a biological function for the health and development of the gut.

A good quality and clean colostrum feed must be given to a calf within the first two hours of life to ensure it gets every opportunity to absorb a sufficient level of antibodies. Furthermore, calves must receive sufficient quantity – for instance, an average Holstein Friesian calf should consume at least three litres.

After colostrum comes transition milk, often also referred to as ‘new milk’ and which falls between colostrum and whole milk in its IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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constituent content. Like colostrum, it has a very high level of bioactive components and, in common with whole milk, it has lower dry matter and immunoglobulin levels compared to colostrum.

This feed plays a very important role in the development of the gastrointestinal tract, building up immunity and minimising harmful bugs.

If a calf does not receive transition milk, it will be less likely to thrive to its fullest capability and is more prone to becoming sick.

The higher the disease burden on a farm, the greater the benefit of feeding transition milk for a longer period. This is more possible in tight calving patterns.

In some circumstances it is not possible to feed transition milk so it is important to consider a good alternative. Some examples include infectious disease such as Johne’s disease and Mycoplasma. Other reasons include labour and positioning of the calves. If calves are far from the parlour, labour is short or calves are moving quickly onto an automatic feeder, cows transition milk may not be a viable option.

This is where transition milk replacer is invaluable.

A transition milk replacer is designed to replace factors aside from

Machinery

Merlo Telehandlers And Komatsu Wheel Loader – Two To See At McHale Plant Sales At a time when the Merlo TurboFarmer telehandler range has been attracting positive comment in industry journals, their distributor in Ireland, McHale Plant Sales is giving heavy exposure to their TF35.7 model, a unit that their general manager Denis McGrath says: “was conceived, designed and developed with the very special needs of farmers in mind”.

Comprising of individual versions – including the TF33.7, TF35.7, TF42.7 TF50.8 and the new TF65.9– alongside a Multifarmer range, the acclaimed TurboFarmer variant is being praised by dairy farmers for its handling and ease-of-manoeuvrability, especially around farm yards and silage bays where room to draw feed and replenish feeders can be tight.

Rathcoole, Co. Dublin, the message from McHale Plant Sales could not be more welcoming.

Another machine worth seeing is the Komatsu WA100-8 wheel loader.

Adapted and specified for agricultural use, the WA100-8 was bred to handle all of the rough-and-tumble that the construction industry could throw at it.

Specifications of the model aimed at farmers include engine power of 94HP, operating weight of 7,200kg, a tipping load of 5,900kg and a stacking height of 3,300mm. Here again, a choice of attachments is available, front bucket and forks being the norm.

Other features that are attracting favourable responses from owners are cab comfort, ease of controls and the all-important matters of lift height, weight and reach.

Of the models most popular in Ireland, the TF35.7 unit is particularly acclaimed. With a road speed of 40km/h and engine power of 140HP, the TF35.7 has an exceedingly favourable lift capacity of 3,500kg with a lift height of nearly 7 metres. Attachments options include large capacity buckets for grain, loose silage or general materials handling, forks and spiked attachment for general lifting purposes, and a grab attachment for handling wrapped silage, straw bales and the like.

With finance available and trade-ins welcomed, plus a team of sales specialists on the road and outlets in Birdhill, Co. Tipperary and

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Calf Management fat and protein, to mirror the special qualities of transition milk.

Transformula, manufactured by Bonanza Calf Nutrition, is the first transition milk replacer and plays a very important role on many farms.

Transformula is specifically designed to provide the calf with sufficient energy while also promoting gut development and protection. It can be fed manually or put through an automatic feeder making it the perfect alternative for any feeding system.

Feeding System

The milk feeding process can have a much bigger impact on a calf in ways we often don’t consider, including consistency in the regime such as in the feed constituents, the volume and the timing.

For example, people often think feeding once a day is less beneficial than twice daily feeding, but providing the right type of feed, in the case of the calf a slow releasing product, once daily typically results in a more consistent regime.

If choosing a milk replacer, it is important to choose ingredients that can be easily digested by the young calf.

There is a wide variety of choice on the market and it can be confusing to select the right one.

If the calf is very young or there is a history of disease, it can be helpful to provide a skim and whey milk replacer as this provides rapid and slow digesting proteins.

This can give the less developed or compromised gut a greater chance to absorb more protein and energy than a milk replacer that moves more quickly through the digestive tract. But, as with all milk replacers, these vary in quality.

“What we choose to feed our calves can have a major impact on their performance, not every feed and every system suits every farm and it is important to remember that,’’ says Dr Cummins.

Regardless of the system, consistency is key, she adds.

“If feeding whole milk or mixing milk replacer, try to ensure that whole milk is as close to consistent as possible and that milk replacer is mixed exactly the same daily.’’

Calving Pens

“Do you have enough calving pens, what facilities do you have for freshly calved cows, do they stay in the calving pen or do you have a post-calving pen? All these questions needs to be considered,’’ If cows are to stay in the calving pens, they will become dirty more quickly and pens will become very crowded.

Farmers need to be able to clean these out because issues that come later in the season are very often due to calving pen hygiene.

“It may take just one calf, one time, for just 20 minutes in the calving pen, to start a chain reaction of havoc among your calves.”

“There are always unavoidable things that happen but if you can manage your pens to allow for cleaning out and minimise them getting dirty, that can reduce the potential consequences of unplanned events

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later in the season.’’

Another factor that needs to be considered is whether calves are moved to individual or group pens.

Size of Pens

If the calving season is compact, having pens for small groups, between 2-4 calves, can make life easier to manage in terms of space and cleaning out.

If the calving period is more spread out, individual pens may be more appropriate as calves will be of different ages.

Baby calf pens need to be kept clean as all calves will move through them and each will leave its own layer of bugs behind.

In the first days of life, the calf is ingesting good and bad materials, and it can take time for this to manifest; the repercussions are often not seen until they have moved on from the baby pens.

Dr Cummins says the aim should be to minimise the presence of bad bugs so that when the calf goes into the bigger group pens, they do not begin to shed bugs among the group of calves while also leaving infection in the baby pen to be picked up by the calf that follows it.

The potential environmental pressures the calf will be exposed to is another consideration, she adds.

Temperature Variability & Draughts

“We typically think of providing fresh air with no draughts but, if we take it a step further, it can really add another level to calf rearing. This minimises stress on the calf and also on you during the season.’’

Cold spring temperatures and the challenges they present are now much more common; this means that the calf requires greater energy to stay warm.

Temperature variability is an issue too - a calf thrives on consistency therefore fluctuating temperatures can have a negative impact.

Calves are not well equipped to adjust rapidly to their environment – a drop in temperature can sometimes lead to chills whereas a rise, when a calf has adjusted to lower temperatures, can cause it stress.

Bugs in the environment favour warmer conditions and can multiply quickly, resulting in a higher disease risk.

This can be especially difficult for the calf if a further temperature dip follows.

To help a calf overcome these challenges, consider introducing solid barriers between pens to keep out draughts and prevent pens from getting colder.

This measure will reduce the risk of pneumonia, especially in large sheds.

Within the pen, having ‘snug’ areas can be very helpful as calves will choose these areas on colder days; this could involve erecting a canopy or false roof in an area of the pen to create a microclimate.

It is important to remember however, that even in these areas, airflow is important so avoid making them too closed in: air must be able to get in and out, without causing a draught.

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Farm Regulation

Regulation Changes For Farmers Will Increase Costs And Require Capital Investment Prepared by Aidan Kelly of Agri Design & Planning Services (ADPS) Molough, Newcastle, Clonmel, Co Tipperary.

Changing Nitrates Regulations are you ready for the future?

Draft Nitrates Action Programme proposed for 2022 Slurry Storage and Management From 1st January 2022 it shall be a requirement that all slurry must be applied by; (a) 30th September for 2022 for Zones A, B and C (b) 15th September for 2023 and subsequent years for Zones A, B and C From 1st January 2023, farmers stocked >170 kg N/ha must demonstrate clear separation of slurry and clean water management in the farmyard.

From 1st January 2022, all newly constructed external slurry stores must be covered.

All existing external slurry stores should be covered as soon as practically possible, but no later than 31st December 2027.

Soiled Water Storage and Management Soiled water must be collected and kept separate to slurry on all holdings.

From 1 Jan 2022- to reduce the impact of nutrient losses in the riskiest period, the spreading of soiled water will be prohibited between 15th November and 15th January.

All holdings producing soiled water must have a minimum of 4 weeks’ storage in place by 31st December 2024.

Livestock Excretion Rates As milk yield increases, the organic output of the dairy cow also increases.

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It is proposed to introduce these new excretion rates in a phased manner into Table 6 of the new Good Agricultural Practice Regulations, commencing on 1st January 2022.

Slurry Gold

Slurry Gold - Tony Now has his T-Day Firmly In Place… Better Results From Your Slurry

T

ony Barrett runs a dairy enterprise just outside Mullinahone, milking 120 cows. During the winter cows are housed on solid floor cubicle sheds, where the slurry is scraped into a large outdoor tank. “My system of keeping the slurry out of the houses and filling the tank is pain free” explains Tony, “however, it feels like I am prolonging the agony when it comes to extracting it.” For Tony his problem is the crusting that occurs in the storage tank. “Having the tank outside does make it easier in that I can mix it whenever I like, and it is quite deep so capacity it not a problem with rain water.

The problem I have is the amount and frequency of mixing I have to do.” As slurry fills the tank the fibre will naturally float to the top and start to form crust. As months go by, this crust will increase significantly, causing a lot of extra work getting it mixed. “I spread slurry throughout the year”, explains Tony, “which means I have to mix it each time. I would hope that after the first mix, it would be easier the next time, however I just end up back to square one”. This was why Tony was interested in using Slurry Gold, after talking to a rep at the Ploughing in 2019. “It really sounded too good to be true, I found it hard to believe something so small and simple could solve such a headache for me”.

“I decided to give it a go and thankfully the rep very kindly called out to advise how to use it on my system. As the slurry is scraped daily, the treatment had to happen in my open tank, however as it is over 30 feet across, getting it treated across the whole tank took a bit of head scratching and a novel solution. We managed to get the product spread across the whole tank however at the time I couldn’t help but feel I was throwing my money away. Thankfully the results said otherwise!”.

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When Tony came to mix his tank he couldn’t believe it. “At first glance there was still a crust on the surface, but as soon as I started to mix it quickly disintegrated. Not only that, I had to hardly mix the tank for the rest of the year!” exudes Tony.

Grass response Further benefits were witnessed when it came to spreading. “My father commented on there being less of a smell, and this was added to the improved grass response I got. Whatever was kept in the slurry, definitely did something in the ground.” Tony is now keen to look further into getting even more from his slurry. “Last season I probably used it as trial and error. Now what I know what to expect, I will be maximising what I can get from it in terms of savings from mixing and fertiliser use”.

Tony sums up his experience, “I suppose it is like most new things, until you have done it, you don’t realise how simple it is. I would advise all farmers to give it a go to see why.”

For more information on Slurry Gold and planning your T-Day, go to www. slurrygold.com or call 01 437 6894

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NOW IS THE TIME TO PLAN YOUR T-DAY! www.slurrygold.com Tel 01 437 6894 #tday #slurrygold IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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25 75

Farm Regulation Chemical Fertiliser Controls The period when the application of chemical fertilisers to land is prohibited will be extended. Schedule 4 of the regulations precludes the application of chemical fertilisers from 15th September to 31st January, depending on location. It is proposed to extend these dates as follows; In counties Carlow, Cork, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow, the application of chemical fertilisers to land will be prohibited in the period from 15th September to 31st January.

In counties Clare, Galway, Kerry, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Roscommon, Sligo and Westmeath, the application of chemical fertilisers to land will be prohibited in the period from 15th September to 3rd February In counties Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim and Monaghan, the application of chemical fertilisers to land will be prohibited in the period from 15th September to 19th February.

What does this mean for the farmer?

Example Spring Calving Dairy farm in zone A Cows milking 6600L per year Spring calving 100 cow dairy herd 2021 vs 100 cow dairy herd 2022 16 Weeks slurry storage required Cow is 5.3m3/16 weeks 100 x 5.3m3 = 530m3 18 Weeks slurry storage required Cow is 5.9m3/16 weeks

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100 x 5.9m3 = 590m3 11.3% increase in slurry storage requirement 10-day soiled water storage 27L X COW X 10 DAYS 27 X 100 X 10 = 27,000L 28 days soiled water storage 27L X COW X 28 DAYS 27 X 100 X 28 = 75,600L 180% increase in soiled water storage requirement Cow 89 kg N/Kg organic output 100 X 89kg = 8900 kg N/Kg Cow 106 kg N/Kg organic output 100 X 106kg = 10600 kg N/Kg 19.1% increase in kg N/Kg requirement What does it all mean?

• Bigger costs to farmers to comply with proposed regulation.

• Less grass grown on the farm meaning more winter fodder/meals required to purchase.

• Smaller cow stocking rate, less animals on the farm.

• This will move more farmers into derogation. Putting them above 170 kg livestock manure nitrogen/ha.

• Investment in additional slurry storage and soiled water storage required Contact Details: Agri Design & Planning Services (ADPS) Molough, Newcastle, Clonmel, Co Tipperary. 0857466211, Aidan@ADPS.ie www.adps.ie

Kingswood

Kingswood – 35 years serving Irish Agriculture

K

ingswood enters its 35th year in business in a strong position – both financially and in terms of its product development schedule for dairy and beef farmers. Nearly all of its 2,000 strong customer base are now on the Cloud using one of Kingswood’s three main Apps – Herd App, Field App and Billing App (for agricontractors). This is timely as it’s only now - in 2021 - that most of rural Ireland has adequate broadband for cloud-based services. Until now inviting farmers to use cloud-based software was akin to asking them to take their new car up a rocky boreen. Thanks mainly to the Covid crisis, that’s changing rapidly.

Kingswood’s focus has always been on supplying functional, easy to use and cost effective software to the leading dairy and beef farmers in Ireland and the UK. They’ve done this effectively over the three main IT eras – from simple DOS systems in the 80s and 90s, through the Windows era earlier in this century to the current Cloud-based technology. Very few specialist software companies have managed these transitions as successfully as Kingswood. This has important advantages for their customers as they’ve been able to retain they’re cow histories and breeding data over the last three decades.

Scott Mernagh from Wexford was a young farmer in his teens when he first installed a Kingswood system in the late 80’s. Now 35 years later as an established and successful dairy farmer, he’s as keen on Kingswood technology as ever – but now he uses his phone app rather than a DOS PC! “I now do 90% of my recording on Kingswood’s phone App – calvings, heats, services, fertilizers and grass measurements.”

Eddie Jordan, Farm Manager on UCD’s Lyon Estate Research Farm, is another keen Kingswood customer. He likes the range and power of Kingswood Technology from their powerful Windows based software, which enables him and his research colleagues filter, analyse and report on their cow records to the simplicity and ease of use of their EID Readers linked to the Kingswood App. Eddie is one of many farm managers on leading dairy group farms and beef feedlots in the UK and Ireland taking advantage of the scope and flexibility of Kingswood Farm IT systems.

This is illustrated by the number of leading agri-technology companies eager to link up with Kingswood. In recent years these have included Saber drafting systems, Allflex’s SenseHub, Trutest weighing scales, Agrident EID Readers and Scotland’s Ice Robotics. These companies are conscious of the fact that as well suppling sophisticated herd management software, Kingswood can guarantee their customers compliance with state bodies and quality assurance schemes in five jurisdictions – Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales.

Kingswood look forward to another 35 years of service, fearlessly putting their farmer customers’ interests first and foremost above all other considerations.

If you’d like to discuss your Farm IT requirements in greater depth, email us at info@kingswood.ie or contact Gerry Lynskey directly at 0872564486.

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Family Farms

Efficient use of Labour on Family Farms It is important to identify a strategy that would allow a family farm to be largely self-sufficient in labour in labour while achieving a good work-life balance.

A Study by Marion Beecher and Bernadette O’Brien

Introduction

A core strength of the Irish dairy industry is the role of the family in the operation of the dairy farm. The success of family farms is highly dependent on the efficient use of labour input. However, recent trends have indicated a decreasing family workforce and an increasing reliance on hired workers. The availability of skilled workers has declined due to the perception of long working hours, precarious working conditions, and low wages. Therefore, it is important to identify a strategy that would allow a family farm to be largely selfsufficient in labour while at the same time achieving a good work-life balance. Such a strategy would help maintain the viability of the family farm unit.

The Study

This study focused on farmers who had the ability to manage their dairy herd with minimal external labour input, while still achieving a good work-life balance and good output performance. Four spring calving farms were selected based on data from previous labour studies

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on Irish dairy farms. Two farms met the pre-defined selection criteria of: (a) farmer working hours equal to or less than 50 hours/week for the overall year; (b) family and hired workers contributing 500 hours or less, and (c) total annual hours less than 3,860 hours (farmer hours (2,860 hours) + family and part-time hours (500 hours) + contractor hours (500 hours)). Two further farms were selected based on data from a spring-time labour study. These farms met the selection criteria of (a) farmer working hours equal to or less than 60 hours /week; (b) family and hired workers contributing 600 hours or less, and (c) total hours for the 23-week period (mid-January to June) less than 1,900 hours.

Results and discussion

The herd size and total labour input for each of the four farms are shown in Table 1.

Table 1 Average herd size and overall labour input for the four case study farms based on time-use data collected for either 1 year (Farm 1 and

Family Farms

Farm 2) or between mid-January and June (Farm 3 and Farm 4) A total labour input of approximately 3,000 hours was observed on farms 1 and 2 with an average cow number of 119. Farms 3 and 4 required approximately 1,500 hours between mid-January and June. This indicates that the farmer, with little input from family, hired workers and contractors, can manage a herd size of 119. This was enabled by good facilities and efficient practices, as observed on these farms. The springtime peak labour requirement of Farms 3 and 4, during 42% of the year (23 weeks) in this study, was 50% of the annual demand of Farms 1 and 2. Farmers generally describe the spring-time as a difficult period, and this study indicates that the ‘spring-time peak’ can be alleviated by good and efficient facilities and practices. All four farms were operating to a very high standard in terms of physical performance indicators for pasture-based seasonal calving farms. These farms also had significantly lower labour requirements when compared to some corresponding farms in the studies from which they were selected. These results emphasise the importance of managing the farm facilities and operations in an efficient manner, particularly those associated with the most time -consuming tasks such as milking, cow care, calf care and grassland management.

The average length of the working day for the farmer (excluding breaks and other enterprise tasks) was 7.5 hours/day. Average hours worked per week annually for Farmers 1 and 2 was 47 hours, while Farmers 3 and 4 worked 53 hours/week, on average, between midJanuary and June. The labour contributed by the farmer represented 79% of total labour requirement over the full year and 88% of labour requirement between mid-January and June. Contractors,hired workers or family members (Table 1) contributed the remaining labour input.

Labour efficient farms require low levels of labour input (minimal input

from hired workers or contractors) to complete the remaining work after the farmers’ input is accounted for. Therefore, the cost of either hired labour or contractors is low. This emphasises the importance of managing the farm facilities and operations in an efficient manner. The working hours of the four farmers in this study could be considered as very comparable to many industries and highlights the possibilities for those working in the sector to achieve a desirable work-life balance, irrespective of the industry. Case studies such as the one presented here, can provide an opportunity for the dairy sector to actively engage with the public to present facts about the realities of working in the industry to encourage more people into the industry.

Previous studies have shown that the greatest proportion of work time was associated with the milking process (herding, milking and washing; 33 % and 34 %) and cow care (17% and 10 %), respectively.

The annual average total dairy labor input across task categories for Farms 1 and 2 in this study are shown in Figure 1. The milking process was associated with 30% and 35% of time on Farms 1 and 2, respectively, while the milking and washing tasks combined (excluding herding) represented 20% and 31% of time. Both milking parlors operated efficiently in terms of efficient milking facilities and practices. These practices included (i) having one operator in the milking pit during milking; (ii) milker not leaving the pit to bring in cows; (iii) cow entry and exit gates operated from anywhere in the pit (eliminating the necessity to walk to specific points); (iv) efficient collecting yard cleaned using a low pressure, high volume washer; and (v) fully automatic bulk tank cleaning.

The quantitative analysis employed for this study describes the characteristics of the four labour-efficient farms but tells us little about the choices the farmers made and the factors important to them with regard to being time-efficient. Thus, each of the four farmers were IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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Family Farms

interviewed to gain insights into the management processes of labourefficient farmers. A number of themes emerged from the interview data, namely: system of production; work organization and practices; people and technology and facilities. It also demonstrated the choices that the interviewees made in order to increase their free time to pursue their own interests. The choices farmers make regarding work organization such as farm system, delegation of tasks, work practices and technology implemented can all affect the daily workload and consequently the free time available.

Summary

A family farm with a herd size of approximately 117 cows with good facilities and practices can be operated effectively with 3,000 hours/ year and 1,500 hours between mid-January and June Annual average number of hours worked by the farmer per week was 47 hours, but 53 hours per week between mid-January and June, i.e.

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79% and 88% of total labour, respectively Good and efficient facilities and practices are key to alleviate the ‘spring-time peak’; in this study, labour requirement during 42% of the year (23 weeks; mid-January to June) was just 50% of annual demand

Conclusion

The study highlights that the overall labour requirement is minimized by applying appropriate farm facilities and efficient practices. The farmer can then decide what proportion of the labor that he/she wishes to contribute based on his/her lifestyle choices. The remainder can then be contributed by contractors and hired workers, the cost of which is reduced as a consequence of increased efficiency. The results emphasize the importance of managing the farm facilities and operations in an efficient manner, particularly those associated with the most time-consuming tasks (milking and calf care).

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www.firstcitizen.ie PARLOUR PROTOCOLS HELP THE COW & THE MILKING PERSONNEL

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Soil Improvement

Healthy Soils Lead to Nutritious Crops and Healthy Animals More productive soils with deeper root systems, using less chemical fertiliser is the way forward says Tom Stapleton of SOBAC.

Introduction

Farming is facing a period of rapid change that has been on the horizon for some time. The price of fertiliser has soared over the past number of months. China and the United Kingdom have both publicly stated that they will be reducing the amount of chemical fertiliser they manufacture in 2022. It is probable that the price of fertiliser will increase across the board and who knows what that price ceiling will be. Recently Minister for Agriculture has tasked Teagasc to produce an ‘urgent’ plan to cut chemical fertiliser use on farms. He also has launched a soil sampling programme and in a recent social media post he said that it ‘is an important step in helping farmers use untapped potential in our soils to reduce our use of chemical fertiliser’.

Soil Sampling

One company that has been tasked to carry out the soil sampling is Farm Eye. Farm eye was set up in 2017 and won the Ag Tech award at the National Ploughing championships in 2019. It offers a service that GPS locates the field position where the soil sample came from and it uses GPS to track the path taken by the sampler.

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Liquid Nitrogen

It is not just the chemical fertiliser that is the issue, there are so many contributing factors that need to be considered rather than just cutting the mount of fertiliser straight away. There will have to be a transition period to allow for change and the advisory services will have to stepped up. How can we improve the efficiency of the fertiliser and how is the fertiliser applied?

Using a nitrogen in a liquid application can improve the efficiency of uptake by the plant it can potentially reduce the amount of nitrogen needed. One of the key advantages of the liquid application is accuracy.

William Corrigan a farmer and contractor in Kilkenny who offers this service explains that ‘the accuracy of using the liquid nitrogen in the sprayer with autosteer and a GPS reduces overlapping and underlapping with very little leaching. If it is a windy and wet day you can still spray as there is no spray drift’. William also explained that it should not be applied on a warm day as it could evaporate and therefore it is an advantage spread in the evening time.

Root Systems & Soil Health

There are so many emerging technologies developing within agriculture

Soil Improvement

helping farmers to restore soil health. My view is that it all starts in the soil. In recent years more farmers are focusing on the health of their soil, worm population and root depth. The soil is organic matter, rock particles, air, water, and micro life. A healthy soil will help the uptake of nutrients into the plant and the animal will have access to better quality forage. One of the main challenges with soil on farms is that the root systems of grass and crops are not growing deep enough in the soil and during drought conditions they are not able to access the moisture and during heavy rainfall they are not helping to drain the land. We need to go away from farming and feeding the top three inches and get the soil working from within. If we get the root systems and biology right the efficiency and utilization of nitrogen will increase and therefore, we can reduce the amount on nitrogen needed to grow a crop. The use of seaweed soil amendments and bio stimulants can play a major part in bring the soil back to life. The problem is if the roots are shallow the plant becomes reliant on the chemical fertiliser instead of working from within the soil.

SOBAC

This company works for the health of our soil. A living soil is a healthy soil, and its humus content is the primary sign of that. While decades of chemicals, erosion and adverse weather have degraded soils all over the country, SOBAC’s products Bacteriolit and Bacteriosol have proved that it is possible to give them back their fertility by boosting their humus content. Humus is the natural storage capacity of the soil, and it is more important than ever that we are looking after our soil. SOBAC’s products work for the overall health of our soil, and the results speak for themselves. In livestock farming, SOBAC’s solutions focus on the relationship between soil, plants, and animals, to produce high-quality forage, beneficial to both animal health and plant quality. For crops, they reduce the use of fertilisers and pesticides to enhance the nutritive quality of the products, boosting both quality and yield while respecting the environment. The overall concept provides real solutions for the sustainability of farms. There currently exists no other way of producing humus as fast, in as many types of soils and weather conditions.

SOBAC is committed to implementing a new form of agriculture that is productive and environmentally friendly, whereby farmers regain their freedom and their pride in being farmers “for the soil for a long time”.

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Product News

Effective Foot-bathing

Without Antibiotics The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has issued advice warning against the ‘off label’ use of soluble antibiotic powders such as erythromycin and lincomycin in footbaths to treat lameness in dairy cows. The unauthorised use of antibiotics carries a significant risk to public health, due to potential residues in milk and meat, antimicrobial resistance and environmental contamination. Alternatives to antibiotics must be the first choice for use in footbaths as part of a prevention programme to control lameness.

F

oot-bathing for lameness control helps to reduce the incidence of new infections and improve the condition of the hoof - effective foot-bathing can reduce lameness by up to 70%! Renowned cattle veterinarian Roger Blowey, FRCVS steadfastly advises fellow farmers to treat hoof issues as you would treat mastitis and footbath all milking cows daily, just like teat dipping. He emphasises that for effective control of lameness, prevention is the best approach. He also asserts that greater economic benefit comes from foot-bathing more frequently than any other animal health change made on farm.

Mortellaro, or digital dermatitis (DD), is an infectious condition and one of the major causes of lameness reducing mobility, comfort, feed intake, milk yield and fertility. This infectious condition can spread quickly through the entire herd and can reduce milk yield by at least one litre per cow per day. Foot-bathing throughout the year consistently keeps the number of lame cows to a low number and is an important way to reduce the DD challenge.

Footbath solution

Formaldehyde and copper sulphate are the most commonly used non-antibiotic footbaths and both have issues for sustained use. These chemicals quickly become ineffective when in contact with organic matter so choosing a scientifically proven footbath solution which also has robust on-farm data is important. A clinical trial by the Royal Veterinary College compared Hoofsure Endurance to formalin. 90 cows were involved in a 24 week split footbath study. Results after 12 weeks showed Hoofsure Endurance to be 19% more effective than formalin*. The Journal of Dairy Science published a study comparing Hoofsure Endurance to copper sulphate. After 9 weeks, Hoofsure Endurance was 7% more effective than copper sulphate at reducing the incidence of lesions*.

Topical application

While foot-bathing plays a vital role in preventing many lameness conditions, topical applications to lesions is required where infection rates or pressure are high.

Hoofsure Endurance can be used as a 25% topical spray in conjunction with or as an alternative to foot-bathing. Provita Konquest Gel (see image 1) is a unique concentrated blend with potent penetrating action and advanced bio-adhesion properties. Can be used with or without a bandage on those larger lesions. Provita Combat is a unique film-forming spray which provides long-lasting activity, it can be used easily in the parlour.

New Developments

Spraying infected animals with 25% Hoofsure Endurance Solution Hoofsure Endurance can be used as a 25% topical spray using an acid resistant sprayer in conjunction with or as an alternative to footbathing. This involves 4 simple steps: 1. Clean feet if necessary.

2. Do not overfill the sprayer, leave at least 1 litre space at the top. If overfilled and/or over pumped the sprayer will be damaged.

3. Spray feet with Provita Hoofsure Endurance (1 part product to 3 parts water).

4. Apply for three consecutive days.

For further information please contact Whelehan Animal health at 01 4688900. *References available on request

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NATURALLY BETTER than formaldehyde and copper

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Research

Will The Application Of A Teat Foam Disinfectant In Early Lactation Reduce New Mastitis Infection Rates?

The objective of this study was to test the benefit of applying foam to teats as a pre-milking teat treatment in early lactation in conjunction with post milking teat disinfection, on reducing new mastitis levels during the application period and any possible impact on infections for a period after teat foaming has ceased. By David Gleeson and Sarah Rose Fitzpatrick of Teagasc Research Centre Moorepark.

Introduction

Post milking teat disinfection is a widely used practice in the dairy industry worldwide to prevent and control mastitis. Pre-milking teat cleaning is essential to reduce the risk of exposing the open teat end to environmental pathogens and is an important step in the production of high quality milk. An important source of contamination can be soiled teats and if pre-milking teat preparation is ineffective, bacterial counts on teat skin may be increased, which may impact on bulk tank milk quality. Exposure of teats to environmental bacteria can happen while cows lie down or during their movement to the parlour and pathogens can enter the mammary gland through the teat end.

Reducing the teat end bacterial load and exposure can result in reduced occurrence of inframammary infections. Therefore, premilking teat preparation and post-milking teat disinfection is an important step in mastitis control.

The objective of this study was to test the benefit of applying foam to teats as a pre-milking teat treatment in early lactation in conjunction with post milking teat disinfection, on reducing new mastitis levels during the application period and any possible impact on infections for a period after teat foaming has ceased.

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Research trial details

This study was undertaken under the approval of the Teagasc Animal Ethics Committee (ref. TAEC168-2017) on two spring-calving Teagasc research herds (Herd 1, 330 cows and Herd 2, 145 cows) between January and July 2019. The mean herd parity was 2.8 and 3.5 for herd 1 and 2, respectively. Mean calving dates were 14th and 16th February for herd 1 and 2, respectively. Four pre-milking teat preparation treatments were applied in a split udder design experiment, with two treatments applied per herd.

The pre-milking teat preparation treatments were applied over a 12 week period (DIM, 78) starting within 4 days post calving. In herd 1, the left front (LF) and left hind (LH) teats of all cows received a running water wash, foam application and dry wipe with paper towels (WFD). The right front (RF) and right hind (RH) teats received a running water wash and dry wipe with paper towels (WD). In herd 2, the left front (LF) and left hind (LH) teats of all cows received a foam disinfectant application and dry wipe with paper towels (FD).

For treatment FD, The disinfectant was applied to teats without any pre-cleaning of teats. In all situations where teats were disinfected, teats were dry wiped approximately 30 secs after disinfectant application

Research

and before cluster attachment for milking The right front (RF) and right hind (RH) teats received no teat cleaning preparation treatment (NP) but were washed and dried with paper if teats were considered dirty.

The pre-milking teat disinfectant used was Keno™ pure (lactic acid, CID Lines NV) and was diluted for use, following manufacturer recommendations, as a foaming disinfectant. This product was applied as a foam using the Cotsworld™ Pure Foamer Foaming Gun which is vacuum operated. A post-milking disinfectant (Deosan teatfoam, chlorhexidine, polyhexamethylene, Johnson Diversey) was applied as a spray to all teats in both herds during the study.

A high standard of cow and environmental hygiene was maintained throughout the study. Collecting yards and parlour approach yards were cleaned twice daily and roadways were maintained in good condition. Cow tails were clipped post calving and during the trial period. Cows from both herds were managed outdoors on pasture within two weeks post-calving.

Quarter milk Sampling Procedure

Individual quarter foremilk milk samples were taken on 4 occasions during the study: post-calving (4 days post-calving; sample 1), 2 weeks after first sample (18 days post-calving; sample 2), May (Average days in milk (DIM = 78; Sample 3) and July (Average DIM = 138; Sample 4).

Sample 3 coincided with the termination of the foam application. Sample 4 was taken to determine if there was any carryover effect in terms of the pre-milking cleaning treatments.

A critical value of 300,000 cells/mL was set for somatic cell count (SCC). Quarter foremilk samples with a SCC count greater than the critical value both on day 4 and also on day 18 were considered infected at calve down and were excluded from the data set, but continued to receive pre-milking treatments. Quarters treated for clinical mastitis during the trial were recorded and excluded from the SCC data set.

Quarter foremilk samples with a SCC >300,000 cells/mL with or without the presence of bacteria in 2 consecutive samples were considered subclinically infected.

Teat Swabbing Procedure

Teats of 20 randomly selected cows within each teat preparation treatment were swabbed approximately 30s after each teat cleaning treatment and before cluster application on 2 occasions (average DIM of 34 and 62) during the study to establish the bacterial load on the teat skin.

Impact on SCC and new infections

Results from this study showed that the average SCC across all teat preparation treatments was higher for the post calving sample on day 4 (192k cells/mL) as compared to the average SCC for day 18 (72k cells/

mL), day 78 (81k cells/mL) and day 136 (113k cells/mL) (Figure 1).

Across the two herds, the lowest SCC was observed for the ‘Foam and Dry wipe’ treatment (FD) on day 18 (43k cells/mL) and day 78 (74k cells/mL). The rate of sub-clinical infections tended to be the lowest (7.2%) from teats washed, disinfected and dry wiped and highest where no teat preparation (12.7%) was undertaken (Table 1). Furthermore, the lowest rate of clinical infections was observed with the FD treatment (0.7%), with the no preparation treatment (NP) having only a marginally higher rate of infections (1.1%). While the total infections (sub-clinical + clinical) was not significantly different within herds, the lowest rate of total infections were observed for the WFD treatment (9.3%) and the highest with the NP treatment (13.7%). The application of a foaming pre-milking teat disinfectant had no significant impact on individual quarter SCC, within each herd. The results of this study were similar to previous studies which measured the benefit of pre-milking teat disinfection in pasture-based herds in Australia and New Zealand. These studies concluded that pre-milking teat disinfection, in addition to postmilking disinfection, did not reduce SCC. However, other studies in the US found pre-milking teat disinfection effective against new infections caused by Str. uberis and E. coli in dairy herds which were housed indoors. In the current study, no benefit was observed in applying a foam disinfectant pre-milking to high SCC quarters (quarters which exceeded the critical value of 300,000 cells/mL) when compared to a wash and dry wipe or no teat preparation treatment.

During the current study, seven cows (Herd 1 = 6, Herd 2 = 1) had sub-clinical infections in both disinfected and non-disinfected quarters.

This may be a negative aspect of the split udder design where a cow may cross infect another quarter, with an infected quarter influencing the neighbouring quarter. The majority of clinical and sub-clinical cases in the current study were predominately associated with Staphylococcal isolates, which was also the most prominent isolate identified on teat skin swab samples, followed by streptococcal and coliform isolates within both research herds. Bacterial counts were significantly lower on teats treated with foam compared to teats which did not receive a foaming teat disinfectant (Figure 2). The use of an effective pre-milking teat cleaning regime may also be beneficial in terms of milk let down and overall herd milking speed, due to the extra teat stimulation.

While teat skin condition may be expected to have improved for teats which received a foaming treatment, due to teats being cleaned with a disinfectant containing teat skin conditioners (emollients), no visual differences were observed in the 12 week period of this study.

Although pre-milking teat foam disinfection showed marginal benefit in the current study from an infection point of view, it may be of more benefit when teats are heavily soiled and may help to improve the quality of milk as bacterial contamination is reduced through the cleaning of teats.

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Research

Conclusions

Total herd infection levels were lower where pre-milking teat preparation procedures were applied as compared with no teat preparation.

Pre-milking teat disinfection using a foaming product may be of little additional benefit as compared to other teat preparation treatments in early lactation in reducing new infection rates, for a pasture-based dairy herd where there is a high standard of cow and environment cleanliness, post-milking teat disinfection is practised and herd parity is low. Seasonal use of pre-milking teat disinfection may be of more benefit for winter milking herds where cows are housed indoors. Furthermore, pre-milking teat disinfection may help to improve milk quality by reducing the possibility of milk contamination from dirty teats. The Cotswold™ Pure Foamer Foaming Gun allowed for fast and effective application of the foam to teats.

Table 1: Percentage of quarters with sub-clinical and clinical infections for each teat preparation treatment

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Figure 1: Average SCC (cells/ mL) for 4 different pre-milking teat preparation (WD = wash with water and dry wipe, WFD= wash with water, foam application and dry wipe, NP = no teat preparation, FD = Foam application and dry wipe, across 2 dairy herds.

Figure 2: Least Square means of the Log10 bacterial counts of staphylococcal, streptococcal and coliform isolates on teat swabs taken after 4 different premilking teat preparation regimes across 2 dairy herds (WD = wash with water and dry wipe, WFD= wash with water, foam application and dry wipe, NP = no teat preparation, FD = Foam application and dry wipe.

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Dry Cow Therapy

Selective Dry Cow Therapy New veterinary regulations will come into force in January of 2022. This regulation change will ban the prophylactic use of antibiotics (using antibiotics to prevent disease rather than treating it). Writes Stuart Childs Teagasc Dairy Specialist.

Introduction

Antimicrobial resistance or AMR as it is known as is now recognised as being a significant threat to human health. AMR, simply put, is when a bacterium that was previously controlled by a particular drug is no longer susceptible to that drug i.e. it has become resistant to it.

As the number of families of antimicrobials that exist in medicine are limited in the first place, development of resistance to any class is a concern. It is of such concern that it is believed that if left unchecked, antimicrobial resistance will cause the death of more people than cancer by 2050.

As a consequence of the importance to preserve antibiotics for not only human health but also animal health, new veterinary regulations were agreed in 2019 that will come into force in January of 2022. This regulation change will ban the prophylactic use of antibiotics (using antibiotics to prevent disease rather than treating it). This impacts on dairy farming predominantly through its impact with regard to dry cow therapy. In the past, dry cow therapy has been used both as a curative and preventative agent during the dry period. This was seen as best practice as dry cow mastitis was a significant issue. The blanket use of dry cow antibiotics was very successful in dealing with this issue to the point that dry cow mastitis is very rare now. However, as with

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many things, over time, the thinking on this practice has changed and the new regulation coming in 2022 will see antibiotics only allowed for use where cows have udder infections that require treatment.

This will be challenging for farms to adapt to but the change to selective dry cow therapy (SDCT) as it is known can be successful if people get advice and do the practice correctly and most importantly cleanly.

What you need

1. Milk Recording Milk recording data is extremely useful as a herd management tool to ensure that you are milking the best cows. In terms of SDCT, milk recording information is critical to its success. You must know the SCC status of all cows in the herd before you embark on the SDCT journey. Milk recording gives you more than just SCC information for each cow, it creates a picture of the infection status of the herd, the movement of infection within the herd (over a number of recordings) and also helps to identify the level of success (or failure) of your drying off routine. This final piece of information can only be acquired by recording before dry off and then early in the next lactation so if you haven’t been recording to now, you need to plan to start recording in

Dry Cow Therapy 2022.

2. Milk Culture and Sensitivity Milk culturing will need to become part of farmer’s routines as they prepare for dry off. This is already the norm for many. What does this do for you? It identifies the bacteria that are in your farm and identifies the tubes and injectables that can be used against them. This is related to the right product piece of antimicrobial resistance as use of an ineffective product against bacteria can increase AMR as well as failed response to treatment which will be the more immediate observation.

The best practice in relation to culture and sensitivity is to use milk recording data to identify the cow, use the Californian Milk Test (CMT) to identify the infected ¼ or ¼ s and take your sterile sample from these ¼ s. This needs to be done correctly as up to 30% of all milk culture samples submitted to Department labs are contaminated. This means the results from these samples are of no use to the farmer. What it also means is that we need to improve our technique for sampling.

If we use this failure at sampling as a proxy for the level of hygiene at drying off, we will need to significantly up our game in this regard if we are to be successful in a non-antibiotic dry off era.

3. Surgical Cleanliness Milking parlours are not surgically clean and in reality they can never be however, we must make every effort that we are working in as clean an environment as possible when we are drying off cows. There are a number of things that we can do to achieve this; 4. Preparation There are a number of things that you can do to prepare cows for drying off. Firstly, it is advisable to clip their tails in advance of drying off to enhance the cleanliness of the udder environment in the run in

to dry off. Secondly, help the cow to prepare herself for drying off. You don’t want cows bursting with milking post dry off so don’t drive her to produce in the week before she is going to be dried. This can simply be done by reducing concentrate supplementation in the parlour to a minimum or eliminating altogether. This will significantly reduce milk production in advance of drying off which will be a benefit to retention of the sealer applied 5. Dry off cows after milking not during milking Drying off while milking increases the row time, increases the level of agitation of cows and increases the likelihood of dung. Instead, identify the cows to be dried off and draft them out as they are milked. Let them return to the collecting yard post milking and get the parlour washed up before you commence the drying off process. This will allow time for the cows to dung further if they need to. This will help to reduce the risk of contamination of the cow stand while you are drying off by reducing the level of contamination likely to occur 6. Don’t bite off more than you can chew Only dry off five or six cows at a time. While you might be drying off more than this on any given day, it is good for both the cows and the operator to get a break between groups so only present five or six at a time. This keeps cows more settled as cows standing in the milking parlour for a long period will become agitated. From an operator perspective, changing of groups will allow for refocusing on the job at hand by breaking the monotony of the task as well as giving an opportunity to reset the cleanliness of the area by washing down between groups if necessary.

7. Surgical Cleanliness As already stated, a surgically clean environment is an impossible ask

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Dry Cow Therapy

in a milk parlour, however, it is not impossible to be surgically clean at the teat end. This is where it matters! If you can have this area sterile, you are well on your way to success in terms of applying the sealer in near as ideal conditions as you can hope to do.

Clean the teat end with cotton wool and methylated spirits and repeat if necessary to ensure it really is clean. If you wipe the teat end and you see dirt on the cotton wool or teat wipe you are using, then the teat is not clean enough so you must repeat.

Disinfect teats from the front to the back to avoid contaminating clean teats. Then apply sealer from the back to the front for the same reason.

Remember to pinch the top of the teat when sealing to keep the sealer in the teat as it is no use up in the udder.

Finally, either dip or teat spray the cows and leave to stand on a clean yard for a period of time to avoid cows lying down.

8. The Final Step House cows in a clean environment post dry off. It should be of similarly cleanliness to that of milking cows. It is preferable that cows would have a cubicle per cow available for lying however, if this is not the case, prioritise cows that have been dried recently for greater cubicle access for the first week or two post dry off. Clean and lime cubicles daily to maintain as hygienic an environment as IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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possible for you dry cows. Run automatic scrappers frequently to keep passages clean to reduce contamination of the cubicle beds. It would be important to avoid overstocking sheds in general but particularly those with low rooves as they will be excessively warm, resulting in high levels of moisture in the environment which will allow bacteria to multiple increasing the level of challenge the cows will have to face.

Solutions to this issue may involve selling empty cows early to reduce housing pressure. It may be advisable to look at ways of improving the ventilation of the house also.

Conclusion

Selective Dry Cow Therapy will become the norm on Irish farms from 2022 onwards. It is being practiced on farms across the country currently with high levels of success when done correctly. Advice and guidance is available in relation to the subject and should be sought before embarking on the journey as it is not without risk. While the dry off season of 2021 is the last opportunity to complete blanket dry cow therapy, don’t just do it for that reason, discuss whether you are eligible to consider SDCT with your advisor and vet and if you are, try some this year to prepare yourself for next year.

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Milking

The Role of Once-a-day Milking in Early Lactation Following 35-weeks (245 days) of lactation cows milked TAD and cows milked OAD for 4 weeks had similar total lactation production (milk and milk solids yield; Table 1), indicating no carryover effect of early lactation OAD milking for up to four weeks.

In-Depth study by Emer Kennedy, Michael O’Donovan, John Paul Murphy, Katie Sugrue and Kieran McCarthy of Teagasc, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork Introduction

Spring 2022 is fast approaching, and thoughts are beginning to turn to the imminent calving season. Recent reports from ICBF show that sixweek calving rate is continuing to increase, having risen from 65% in 2020 to 67% in 2021. More cows calving within a six-week period will increase labour requirement on farms. Difficulties sourcing labour for a short- term period – especially during the calving season, means that alternative strategies to alleviate the peaks in labour requirement need to be identified. Once-a-day (OAD) milking, even for a short period at the start of lactation, may provide a solution for some farmers.

Over the past number of years, Teagasc Moorepark has been investigating the effect of short-term OAD milking in early lactation and comparing it to twice-a-day milking (TAD) for the full lactation.

The studies compared milking cows OAD for four, six or eight weeks at the start of lactation; cows were assigned to their treatments directly post-calving. Once they had completed their period of OAD milking, they returned to TAD for the remainder of lactation. For example, a cow who calved February 1st, was milked OAD for four weeks and returned to TAD milking on March 1st and was milked TAD for the rest of the year. The cows used in the studies were HolsteinFriesian (HF) and HF x Jersey (JEX); approximately 30% of the herd were crossbred. One quarter of the herd were cows in their first lactation. Milking was at 07:00 every morning, if an OAD cow calved after the morning milking, they were not milked until the following morning, unless colostrum was required – in this instance they were milked immediately and colostrum fed. It should be noted that colostrum quality reduces once cows are calved more than nine hours.

Consequently, all colostrum fed to calves should be tested using a Brix

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refractometer to ensure the quality is sufficiently high to feed to calves for their first feed within an hour of birth. High quality colostrum is 22% or greater on the Brix refractometer.

Effects during the period of OAD milking and immediately after During the first four-weeks of OAD milking milk yield was reduced by 21%, and milk solids yield was reduced by 20%, compared to TAD. When OAD milking continued until week six or eight of lactation the reduction in daily milk yield increased to 24 and 26 %, respectively, compared to the TAD herd. The production level per cow influences the magnitude of the decrease in milk production, with low producing cows/herds having little to no decrease, and higher producing cows/herds having a greater decrease in production. Once all OAD herds returned to TAD milking their milk production immediately increased. Although, it did not immediately increase to the same level as the TAD herd. It took up to 4 weeks to achieve a milk yield similar to the TAD cows. The effects of early lactation OAD milking on MSY after 4, 6 and 8 weeks is presented in Table 1.

Table 1. Milk solids yield (kg) production after 4, 6 and 8 weeks of oncea-day milking in early lactation compared to twice-a-day milking

Milking

It was interesting to note, during the period of OAD milking milk yield reduction was the same for first lactation animals and mature cows, i.e. Heifers had the same proportionate decrease as older cows – they both reduced milk production by approximately 20%. While some New Zealand studies have found less of a reduction in milk production with Jersey crossbred animals there was no difference in production between the HF and JEX in the Moorepark studies.

Full lactation milk and milk solids yield Following 35-weeks (245 days) of lactation cows milked TAD and cows milked OAD for 4 weeks had similar total lactation production (milk and milk solids yield; Table 1), indicating no carryover effect of early lactation OAD milking for up to four weeks. However, when cows were milked for 6 or 8 weeks at the start of lactation their 35week milk production was 8% less compared to the TAD herd. The magnitude of the initial loss in milk production of the cows milked OAD for 6 or 8 weeks, when compared with the TAD, was reduced during the rest of the lactation as the period of OAD milking in early lactation represented only 17% and 23% of their respective lactations.

This allowed the initial effects of reduced milk production to be diluted across the rest of their lactation. On average the cows used in the study produced 5,300 kg/cow, which was a high level of production from a pasture-based herd offered a moderate concentrate input (<500 kg DM/cow).

There were differences in MSY at the start of lactation when cows were milked OAD but minimal differences existed by the end of lactation. This was due to the rapid recovery of the MSY of OAD cows when they returned to TAD milking. Cows milked OAD had returned to the same MSY as cows milked TAD within two weeks of changing to TAD milking, this is key to maintaining the profitability of herds practicing OAD during early lactation.

Somatic Cell Count One of the most common concerns with OAD milking is an increased somatic cell count (SCC). In the Moorepark studies, milking cows OAD increased SCC compared to cows being milked TAD. However, SCC reduced again when cows returned to TAD milking. Across the full lactation, there was no difference in average SCC between milking IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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Milking cows OAD for a short period in spring, compared to milking them TAD for the entire lactation. Furthermore, OAD milking did not increase the likelihood of cows being diagnosed with clinical mastitis.

A good milking routine is necessary to maintain a low SCC and should be designed to minimise occurrence of subclinical and clinical mastitis.

Labour The main reason OAD milking, for a number of weeks in early lactation, may be attractive to farmers is the reduction of labour. In the Teagasc Moorepark studies milking time (i.e. cluster-on time) was reduced by 30% with OAD milking when compared to TAD milking.

If time taken to collect and return the cows to their grazing paddock, and time taken to wash the milking parlour and collecting yards after milking were included the time saving would be even greater. This time saving can be used to complete other jobs during the calving season

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e.g. feeding/bedding calves and may overcome issues sourcing and employing additional labour units.

Conclusion

While different lengths of OAD milking were investigated in reality on most farms OAD milking might be undertaken for a calendar month e.g. February. This means that the earliest calved cows will be milked OAD for the longest period of time (i.e. four weeks) while the later calving cows (e.g. those calving ~25th February) are milked OAD for less than a week. Consequently, milk production losses during the period of OAD milking are very small. Given the labour saving and the minimal production losses it is clear that OAD milking in early lactation can have a role on all farms next spring.

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