Issuu

FANTASY?

Farm Business >> SEE PAGE 22

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IRISH

DAIRYING

Volume 6 Issue 1 Spring 2019 Edition Vol 9 Issue 1 Spring / Summer 2022 Edition Price 3.95/ £2.95 Price €4.95 £4.50(Stg) (Stg)

Five Ways To Manage Costs, Increase Margins & Have A Better Life

PARLOUR PROTOCOLS PG ??? HELP THE COW & THE MILKING PERSONNEL

FARM DESIGN DEVELOP A LONG-TERM PLAN FORYOUR FARM

MANAGEMENT OF COCCIDIOSIS IN CALVES PG 10

NEW SILAGE PIT: GET THE DESIGN RIGHT PG 24

TROUBLE SHOOTING IN THE PARLOUR PG 52

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Foreword/Contents/Credits

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IRISH

Features

DAIRYING

Volume 6 Issue 1 Spring 2019 Edition Vol 9 issue 1 Spring / Summer 2022 Edition Price 3.95£4.50 £2.95(Stg) (Stg) Price €4.95

4 Mid-Year Resolutions will pay off in 2022

We are about 160 days into 2022, which is more than enough time to have forgotten about all those new-year farming resolutions! It’s certainly very understandable that the best intentions may have fallen off the radar this year, given the genuine worries over fertilizer and feed prices, silage stocks, prospects for energy prices, and the feeling of ever-increasing compliance burdens. Joe Patton.

10 Animal Health: Coccidiosis in Calves

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14 Cattle Crush Design: Safety First In Ireland, we have come a long way with cattle crushes and handling yards in the past 30 to 40 years. I have visited farms overseas and talked to farmers from all around the world and I expect to find some marvellous improvements on what we have in Ireland but in fact there is a high reliance on locking barriers. Paul Lyons.

FARM DESIGN DEVELOP A LONG-TERM PLAN FORYOUR FARM

Foreword The inflation trend has taken hold and is likely to continue for some time into the future. The price of butter is moving upwards, (€6800 per tonne) and the price of milk powder, (€4,000 per tonne) is in decline due to hold-ups in some Chinese ports; China remains the main world importer of powder. These high prices can be linked to a slowing down of milk production in the main world exporting regions. During the last year milk production has stabilized in the European Union, has fallen by 3% in New Zealand and has shown growth of less than half a percentage point in the United States. Over one year this means milk powder is up 55% and butter is up 70%.

Publisher: Denis Lane Editorial: Denis Lane Advertising: Denis Lane Production: Hugh Lane, Lauren McGregor Email: dlane@dawnmedia.ie Contributors: David Gleeson, Joe Patton, Donal Patton, Philip O Connor, Aidan Kelly, Richard Walsh, Tom

24 New Silage Pit…. Make a Plan • • • •

Calculate volume you require to store Is this pit deigned for one cut or two cuts? Is it for grass silage, maze, beet, grain or whole crops? Always allow for 10 to 20% extra to allow for buffer of fodder

Writes Aidan Kelly.

www.coopsuperstores.ie for Nationwide Delivery

The economic impact of the clinical disease syndrome is widely acknowledged, but the negative effect of subclinical coccidiosis on feed conversion and growth rates is often overlooked – even though it is encountered more frequently. Clinical cases can be deemed the tip of the iceberg, with an estimated five per cent of affected animals showing clinical signs and the remaining 95 % subclinical in nature. By Mike Reynolds.

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, Tom Fallon, Martina Gormley, Pat Griffin, Clive Bright, Alistair

Nitrogen Fertiliser: Russia normally exports nearly 20% of the world’s nitrogen fertilisers and, combined with Belarus 40% of the world’s exported potassium. As both of these are now under sanction and/or export restrictions it is easy to understand the follow-on shortages and price increases of inputs. Furthermore, with less fertilizer across the world it is expected that yields will be down leading to price increases for the consumer. For farmers, the difficult task is to balance the levels of inputs at increased costs with the expected increased return on outputs to achieve a profit margin…not easy. Hope you enjoy and gain from this edition… Until the next time…

Control strategies are based on limiting/preventing build-up of infective larvae on grazed pastures with disease outbreaks typically seen from July onwards, following the ingestion of large numbers of the infective form. By Mike Reynolds.

46 Controlling weeds in grazing pastures

Choosing the right herbicide is the key to effective control of weeds in grazing pastures. Spraying at the right time in order to ensure the most effective kill of the weeds present is another critical consideration. Where there is a combination of weeds such as docks, thistles, chickweed, dandelions and buttercups, it is important to use a broad spectrum systemic herbicide. Writes Chris Maughan.

The Publisher Irish Farm Business

Chambers, Diarmuid McSweeney, Des Cronin, Henry Walsh, Sarah Rose Fitzpatrick, Stuart Childs, Tom Stapleton, Michael O Donovan, John Paul Murphy, Kate Sugrue, Kieran McCarthy, Michael Reynolds, Paul Lyons

38 Animal Health: Parasitic gastroenteritis and lungworm in cattle

52 Trouble Shooting a milking machine cleaning program Distribution: EM News Newspread Published by: Dawn Media Ltd, 2 Barrack St Clarinbridge Co Galway Tel. + 353 91 777 222 Email. dlane@dawnmedia.ie

Research trials and observations on commercial farms have shown that milk residue can build up on the internal surfaces of some milking plants, particularly in those where chlorinefree cleaning products are used incorrectly. This residue build-up is generally associated with insufficient hot washes, low detergent levels and frequency of acid washes applied each week. The current recommended use of chlorine-free cleaning products (in place of detergent-steriliser products) requires some changes in the cleaning protocol to avoid such a build-up. 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 2022 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.

Dairy

Mid-Year Resolutions Will Pay Off In 2022 Joe Patton, Head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer, Teagasc Introduction We are about 160 days into 2022, which is more than enough time to have forgotten about all those new-year farming resolutions! It’s certainly very understandable that the best intentions may have fallen off the radar this year, given the genuine worries over fertilizer and feed prices, silage stocks, prospects for energy prices, and the feeling of ever-increasing compliance burdens. The feedback from numerous dairy discussion groups bears this out. Nonetheless, a few simple objectives for the remaining 205 days of the year can help to benefit your dairy farm business. Get to grips with grass quality mid-season Failure to manage mid-season grass quality can cost thousands of euro in lost milk revenue and/or higher meal inputs. Simply put, cows will eat less stem than leaf, digest it slower, and produce less milk solids as a result. It is often said at discussion groups that ‘an extra pull’ of meal in the parlour is giving a good response. Is this true, especially this year at high milk price but high meal cost? It depends on rate of feed and grass quality really. From the table below, we can see that the best meal responses per kg fed come at lower feeding rates and also on poorer quality grass. So a high response is not always a good thing! Fixing grass quality to have cows grazing leafy swards through June and July will pay a much bigger dividend than tinkering with meal rates. Measuring covers and removing heavy covers as bales really helps.

High Quality Leafy Grass Meal kg as fed

Grass Intake x

DMI

Milk kg

Response per kg as fed

16.8

23.9

16.2

17.9

26.2

1.15

15.6

19.1

27.8

0.8

14.9

20.2

0.55

Poor Quality Stemmy Grass Meal kg as fed

Grass Intake x

DMI

Milk kg

Response per kg as fed

14.8

17.1

15.8

19.7

1.32

13.6

17.1

21.8

1.03

13.4

18.7

23.7

0.95

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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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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

Dairy Protected Urea The research on protected urea is conclusive. Across numerous soil types, locations and years, it returns similar growth rates to the equivalent N spread as CAN, with a much reduced greenhouse gas emissions level. It is also cheaper per unit N than CAN. Protected urea also emits much less ammonia N lost to the atmosphere compared to straight urea. There are no issues with residues in milk, meat or soil. Make the switch. Milk recording Milk recording is on the rise. There are now almost 1 million cows recorded each year, up from 600,000 just 5 years ago. It can seem like hassle on the day but the benefits of having cow-by-cow data are great. Speaking to some milk recording technicians, over the years they have managed to milk record successfully in anything from a 4 unit abreast parlour up to a 60 point rotary installation, so parlour type is not an issue. Is it too late to start for 2022? Certainly not, getting 2-3 recordings done from now until drying off starts would be a great start in getting a handle on SCC management. Make the call. Dairy Beef Sexed semen usage, better herd fertility through EBI, and a gradual slow-down in rate of herd expansion, have all contributed to a reduced requirement for dairy inseminations. This will create an opportunity for more and better beef AI usage on dairy farms. In time, this can lead to a more integrated dairy beef sector based on higher quality calves traded for mutual benefit. The advice is to continue with beef AI for at least 3-4 weeks after dairy AI is complete, matching sire calving and carcass traits to individual cows. Next year’s calf crop will be much better as a result. Finish milking by 5:30pm at the latest The end of the working day on dairy farms is largely dictated by evening milking time. Most dairy farmers will agree that June to December brings much less work pressure than January to May. However, research done recently by Teagasc showed as expected that milking times do not change across the year. This suggests that milking interval is more dictated by habit than by workload on a given day. The same study a large farm-to-farm variation in evening milking time and interval- up to 2 hours longer for no extra milk yield. Surveys with potential dairy farm employees (students, part time farmers) highlighted that ‘late hours’ and ‘uncertain finish times’ are a major impediment to taking up job opportunities on dairy farms. The essential point here is that dairy farmers can improve their own work life balance and attract more relief help by finishing milking earlier in the evening. If you are not already in the habit, from July to December this year start evening milking at a time that allows a 5.30pm finish. It makes a very positive difference to how the farm operates overall. No more lame excuses in autumn 2022 Teagasc studies have estimated the cost of chronic lameness at

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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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around €350 per case. However, the real issue is compromised animal welfare- lameness is painful and needs to be treated with urgency! Unfortunately, some farms have not yet come to grips with this reality due to lack of stockmanship, facilities or both; there is no pattern in terms of herd size. Lameness in Irish dairy herds tends to be >90% due to mechanical injury (bruising, white line disease, ulcers) and the rate is twice as high in autumn. Also, cows that were lame in spring are 10 times more likely to have problems in autumn. Therefore, cases can be much reduced by tackling problem surfaces and ‘minding’ high risk cows. The target is for <2% chronic lame cows and ‘0% untreated acute cases. Practical steps for this autumn are to i) repair problem areas like poorly drained corners and worn surfaces; ii) manage the interface where cows step from concrete onto roadways (laying astro-turf for 50-100m in these zones is helpful); iii) remove sods built up along road verges to improve drainage iv) allow cows to move at their own pace when coming in for milking and v) keeping high risk cows back from long autumn walks. Regular foot-bathing is a part of the solution to lameness but is not a ‘silver bullet’. Manage hedgerows to benefit bio-diversity on your farm Well-managed hedgerows have immense value in the Irish landscape, providing cover and food to birds and small mammals, increasing biodiversity of plant species, as well as sheltering livestock. Cutting hedges in a 3-year cycle and/or retaining one thorn tree every 300m are required at a minimum for derogation farms. However, more can be done to maximize the value of hedges. Best practice for biodiversity is to have a variety of hedge types. This includes some escaped hedges which remain un-topped but can be side–trimmed, and some topped hedges trimmed to a triangular profile from a wide base. Have a simple plan ready for the hedge-cutting contractor this autumn. And if possible, plant some new hedging for winter 2022. Weighing calves The old cliché of not being able to manage what you don’t measure certainly applies to young-stock, and grazing calves in particular. A simple rule of thumb is 20kg liveweight gain per month, and 30% of mature weight by 6 months of age. Owning your own weighing scales is essential to get the job done regularly- experience would suggest a scales shared by many is used by nobody. Invest. Silage stocks for winter 2022-23 The final but possibly most important mid-year resolution is ‘don’t be short of winter feed in 2022’. Teagasc fodder surveys have been relatively positive in terms of national fodders stocks, but every year there are about 10% of dairy farms who are more than 20% short of silage heading into winter. That will be a very risky strategy this year given the cost of alternative feeds. Measure pits, count bales and do a quick budget of stock numbers. Allow and extra month’s feed for contingency. The first option if short is to take out marginal animals early. Despite the high milk price, this is not a year for passengers.

Animal Health

Intra Eco-Bath – The Organic Way To Combat Lameness

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

Intra Eco-Bath is an organic, antibiotic free solution for farmers wishing to maintain optimal hoof care in their herds.

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

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

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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 OIL acts as a natural a natural airair freshener freshener

a natural air freshener

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’ firstfirst choice! choice! maintenance. This green concept is farmers’ first choice! LEARN LEARN MORE MORE

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

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

LAMENESS LAMENESS REDUCTION REDUCTION IMPROVES IMPROVES ANIMAL ANIMAL WELFARE WELFARE

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.

V0720-EU

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 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.

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.

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

Agrihealth

For more information call Agrihealth on 047 71800 or email info@agrihealth.ie Distributed in Ireland by Agrihealth. www.agrihealth.ie

Health

Coccidiosis in Calves The Occurrence,cause,symptoms and different forms of this commonly found parasitic disease of calves and youngstock are discussed here by Dr. Michael Reynolds BVM&S DCHP MRCVS Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Recognised Specialist in Cattle Health and Production. Farm Animal Clinical Lead (N. Ireland) CVS UK Ltd.

occidiosis, caused by a protozoan parasite plays a major role in youngstock health and production. It can be assumed all cattle kept under conventional farming conditions will experience infection with coccidia at some point in their life-time, with clinical and subclinical disease most often encountered in animals from three weeks to six months of age. The economic impact of the clinical disease syndrome is widely acknowledged, but the negative effect of subclinical coccidiosis on feed conversion and growth rates is often overlooked – even though it is encountered more frequently. Clinical cases can be deemed the tip of the iceberg, with an estimated five per cent of affected animals showing clinical signs and the remaining 95 % subclinical in nature. Life Cycle Infective ooycts are passed in large quantities in the faeces of infected or carrier animals. They are resistant to many modern disinfectants and can lie dormant for a period of years (particularly in the presence of moisture and the absence of sunlight) before the appropriate conditions of humidity and temperature are reached, and development to the infective state occurs. At this point, should ingestion occur, the parasite will undergo a series of replications and maturation within the intestine of the individual, causing profound intestinal damage, malabsorption and the release of many more infective occysts. Predisposing factors High levels of environmental challenge are a common occurrence in modern farming systems. Adult and older animals serve as passive carriers, not succumbing to disease themselves, but serving as potent contributors to environmental contamination. In rearing units where there is a history of disease outbreaks, or inadequate hygiene and cleansing between groups of animals, there will be an increased risk of disease breakdowns. In beef suckler herds, calves will be at increased risk of infection

if natural water sources become contaminated with faecal matter, or there is significant poaching of land surrounding troughs or creep feeders. Individual field burdens will also be higher if they have been utilised by adults and youngstock in the previous twelve month period, due to infective oocyst’s resistance to desiccation and their ability to remain infective for a prolonged period of time. While 95 % of infections remain subclinical in nature, clinical outbreaks are most often linked to a very high environmental challenge, in conjunction with a period of physiological stress. For example, concurrent disease such as bovine viral diarrhoea virus [BVDV]; overcrowding; mixing different groups of animals; weaning and dietary changes; transportation or castration/dehorning, highlighting, perhaps, the opportunistic nature of the organism. • poor hygiene – particularly wet and soiled bedding; or poaching of land around drinkers/feeders • high stocking density • concurrent disease; for example bovine viral diarrhoea virus causing immunosuppression. • poor nutrition; for example trace element deficiency • physiological stress; for example, disbudding, weaning, transportation and so on.

Clinical signs Both acute and chronic forms of the disease exist, though, in intensive farming systems, the chronic – and perhaps, more insidious form, is more often encountered. The clinical signs of diarrhoea and, in heavy disease burdens, the passage of fresh blood occur as a result of a loss of absorptive capacity through loss of, or damage inflicted on, cells lining the intestinal tract. The severity of disease is directly related to the number of infective oocysts ingested – the greater the number of oocysts ingested, the greater the severity of disease.

MORE THAN 50 YEARS IN BUSINESS

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Health

Adult animals do not succumb to clinical disease themselves, but serve as potent contributors to environmental challenge experienced by young calves.

Calves born into, and housed in heavily contaminated environments are more likely to experience clinical and subclinical disease.

Maintaining hygiene, for example, clean dry bedding, is crucial to disease control plans.

Thorough cleaning and disinfection of accommodation between batches of calves will significantly reduce disease transmission rates.

Feed troughs should be raised off the ground to help reduced faecal contamination and therefore disease transmission.

Profound intestinal haemorrhage is a common finding in post mortem examinations (photo courtesy of AHVLA).

Acute: • blood/mucus-tinged diarrhoea • lethargy • dehydration • anaemia • inappetance • secondary bacterial infections • straining and eversion of the rectum. Chronic form: • ill thrift and under-performance • chronic passage of pasty scour • inappetence/reduced dry matter intakes • a protracted period of recovery/convalescence in affected animals Diagnosis A tentative diagnosis can be made by considering case history and the presence of clinical signs consistent with disease. In the presence of a typical clinical syndrome, large numbers of oocysts in faecal samples from affected animals is suggestive of disease, but interpretation can be difficult. Large numbers of non-pathogenic coccidial oocysts may be present, which may contribute to faecal oocyst counts, yet originate from coccidia that do not cause overt clinical disease in the animal. Oocysts can also be shed in low numbers in clinically normal animals, yet their presence does not necessitate the need for therapy. Whilst in severe, acute disease situations caused by a very high environmental challenge severe clinical disease and death may occur before large numbers of occysts are detected in faecal samples. A definitive diagnosis can be reached through histological findings of high numbers of coccidia in post-mortem samples from dead animals.

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Treatment Traditionally, sulphonamide antimicrobials were the drug of choice for treating infection. However, these have largely been superseded by more targeted anticoccidial therapies (Decoquinate, Totrazuril and Diclazuril), with treatment often starting around 14 days after an anticipated period of risk either through strategic dosing, or provision via in feed medication. Exposure to low levels of sporulated oocysts will allow immunity to develop without the occurrence of overt clinical disease and is essential in long term disease control strategies. This acquired immunity is required to prevent clinical disease occurring in older animals – a phenomenon that has been more widely reported in recent years. Prevention As with most disease situations in livestock, prevention is always better than cure. Ensure hygiene is not compromised at any stage of the production cycle. For example, clean dry bedding at all times. Ensure adequate ventilation to prevent oocyst build up in warm, moist areas. Reduce stocking density. Where possible operate an “all in – all out” policy with calves to allow appropriate cleansing and disinfection of the facility between groups of animals. Feed should be given in troughs raised off the ground, and feed and water troughs should be kept clean of faecal contamination. Rotate pastures and move creep feeders/troughs regularly to prevent poaching. Infected animals should be isolated to ensure adequate nursing and prevent disease transmission. Older animals serve as potent transmitters of disease in younger individuals, therefore, where possible it is advisable not to mix different age groups of animals. Strategic dosing or in feed medication in times of anticipated disease risk based on advice by your veterinary surgeon.

Tel: 057 9151417 Email: info@banagherslats.com Web: www.banagherslats.com

Jim O’Gorman: 087 2570755 Billy Guilfoyle: 087 2526723 Johnathan Sutton: 087 6572249

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Trusted by Irish farmers for over 40 years

Steel

Safety By Design

is a choke point, this may be where the cattle will balk and stop. They have a strong instinct to go back the direction they came from and if that instinct can be be harnessed in the direction of a head-gate, it is a powerful tool. The second point is also important, if the animal handler positions themselves in the correct spot near an open gate, the cattle will move around you and straight through the gate often without you even taking a step. Item 3 on the list is a ‘safe area’. In all cattle penning and handling situations, there needs to be both a means of escape and a safer area to carry out some work. For means of escape this means a small gate that is easily opened in an emergency or a simple ‘pass through’ which is wide enough for the human handler but too narrow for an animal to pass through. A safe working area is important now more than ever, some-place to take notes, prepare doses and also a safe place for assistants or visitors that are not used to your cattle or vice versa, your cattle may become more agitated with strangers around. Finally, one of the simplest principles to implement is to have solid gates in vital areas. Cattle are very easily distracted or agitated by movement, strangers and even shafts of light casting shadows on the ground. These can often stop them dead in their tracks. Sheeting off gates on the exterior of the entrance to a cattle race or going round a corner can often make a big difference to the ease at which the animals will move forward.

The first point is one that is often forgotten, in many crushes I see there is a linear pattern to the path of the animals and often if there

A basic, safe set up Matt Casey is a suckler and sheep farmer based in Connemara, Co Galway. Matt works full time in a local hardware supplier and had seen his fair share of poor cattle crushes. Even though his cattle numbers were low, he wanted a set-up that was above all safe but also efficent as he has to fit farming around work and family life. He took some time to consider different designs that might suit both his budget and his animal numbers and settled on the design in Figure 3 with further pictures in Figure 4 and 5. Broadly speaking the yard is set up into two pens with one leading to a semi-circular forcing pen that brings animals to the rear of the cattle race via a crowd pen. The set-up has block walls all the way round. The walls were initially to cut constuction costs however as mentioned previously, having the sides of a pen solid so that animals can’t see through is a bonus. The animals are significantly more settled when there is less distractions from outside be it human or other. Running parrallel to the cattle race is a safe or working area which the animal handlers can work seperate from cattle. The safe area can be accessed via a gate on either end and also via a ‘pass through’ from Pen 2.

Figure 1 - Out farm crush in bad repair

Figure 2 - Cows in crush

Some principles In Ireland, we have come a long way with cattle crushes and handling yards in the past 30 to 40 years. I have visited farms overseas and talked to farmers from all around the world and I expect to find some marvelous improvments on what we have in Ireland but in fact there is a high reliance on locking barriers overseas. Traditional handling yards and races are actually hard found in some parts. This is fine until there is an accident, injury or even worse a fatality. If you are buidling a new or are considering an upgrade to existing handling facilities, here are some principles that are a good basis to work from: • Under excess pressure, cattle will want to come back from where they came from. • Animals want to go round you. • A means of escape or safe areas/Refuge are key. • Sheeted/solid gates ensure less distraction for animals.

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>> SEE PAGE 38

IRISH

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

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BOBMAN Bedding Machines

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By Paul Lyons f you have worked with cattle at all, you know the feeling when they just don’t want to go someplace. I can remember trying to round up some animals one time in a very long narrow field with my father that is part of an out-farm. You would think that ‘long and narrow’ would be your ally in that situation but on that day the cattle turned and fled time after time. Each time they took off down to the the bottom of a long, hilly, 5 acre strip of land. Each time we would go back down after them and I can remember the Father saying, ‘Its OK they will get tired’, my only thought was what about us! And so its no surprise that no amount of brute force can overcome a cattle handling set up that is poor or causes cattle to balk at the critical moment. It is extremely difficult to summon help with ever more frequent cattle operations and often it falls to a single person. However, in this article I will highlight how some small changes can make a big difference and if you can consider some investment in better designed facilities, there is a big payoff in the form of reduced time spend handling animals and far better peace of mind with less stress for Farmer and animals alike. Later in this article I will tell you about a handling yard that was recently completed for a Mr Matt Casey near Carna, Co Galway. When I called Matt to see how the new yard was working for him, his main comment was ‘Its a relief ’. I find that a lot, if you have poor crush set-up, its a bit like having a bad lawnmower. If the lawn mower is hard to start and gives bother, its likely you won’t be cutting the grass very often.

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Figure 3 – Handling yard with revolving forcing gate. Matt also gave some careful consideration to the type of headgate. After looking at manual and semi automatic options, he opted for a side locking, ‘sissor or Morris’ type head-gate. This type of gate takes a little bit of getting used to as it is fully open as the animal approaches, then using a lever the gate can be closed just as the animal is in postion. The lever is postioned 2 metres back from the end of the race. This head gate also has the advantage of being easily adjustable either by how far it is closed (via the lever) or a hand wheel regulates the final closing distance of the two bars that engage around the animals head. Construction took approximately two weeks including clearing the ground and laying the concrete slab. Matt had a calving gate that he purchased previosuly and decided to include it as both a dividing and calving gate. Since installation in April 2022, Matt has had his annual herd test but has also used the set-up a number of times for dosing and clipping of both cows and young calves. He says that the two biggest advantages are the safety and the time that it takes to do simple tasks. He has often come home from work, had his cattle in and jobs done in less than an hour when in the past this was a job he would have put off until a Saturday. He also has the peace of mind that the pen is there at all times and its easy and convient to use. Cattle handling can be exteremly stressful on both farmer and animal resulting in a poor enviroment for the sucess of both. But it

Figure 4 – Yard layout

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Figure 5 – Headgate setup doesn’t have to be so, it will take some investment in infrastruture but often the biggest investment is the time to plan the layout of the headgate, race, forcing pen and also crush exit routes. The payback is often instant, animals under stress for smaller periods of time and the farmer free to go about other tasks including those not on the farm. Paul Lyons is a Design Engineer with Bó Steel Ltd who specialise in cattle handling solutions. paul.lyons@built2last.ie

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>> SEE PAGE 38

IRISH

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

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Dairy News

Trevor Cobbe, DOOLAGH Pedigree Registered Holstein Friesian herd is the winner of Young Farmer of the Year 2021, Dairy category award Prestigious National award for talented and accomplished young Laois dairy farmer nine years after Grading Up the herd with the Irish Holstein Friesian Association (IHFA).

revor Cobbe (aged 33 years) achieved National fame and renown as the winner of the Young Farmer of the Year 2021 Dairy category award writes Donal Carey. Also, short listed for the overall National title it is a fabulous honour for Trevor, his family and for his local Mountmellick Macra na Feirme club who initially nominated him at the outset of the competition. Farming in partnership with his Dad Roy, the Cobbe family farm is located near Portarlington in Co. Laois. The Doolagh Pedigree Registered Holstein Friesian herd of 120 cows is managed on 200 acres in total with a milking platform consisting of 120 acres. (Not in derogation). Since returning home to farm full time over ten years ago Trevor has consistantly adopted best farming technologies and efficiencies. The excellent technical performances achieved was a key contributory factor in the Judging panel’s adjudication to award Trevor with National honours.

• • • •

Agricultural and Environmental protection and sustainability knowledge Involvement in the agri sector and the community Personal development Farm safety

Trevor comments “The high level of technical performance for the herd and the farm overall, achieved from building upon pre-existing solid foundations probably helped me in the Judging as in this regard I had followed my own dairy path away from the system of pushing stocking rates to the absolute limits. Neither had I added significant debt onto the farm balance sheet”. Returning home to farm full-time after 3rd level education

Sponsored by FBD the Young Farmer of the Year competition is in association with Macra Na Feirme and in partnership with the I.F.A. & the National Rural Network (NRN) for Ireland.

Trevor returned home to farm full time ten years ago following a Level 7 qualification in Architectural Technology from Carlow Institute of Technology. 2016 was the year when the current milk production system of allSpring calving was adopted, succeeding the previous era where a mixed farming enterprise of dairy, beef and tillage was practised on the farm.

Competition Adjudication Criteria

Holstein Friesian breeding and the value of Pedigree

• • •

The Herd was Graded up to Pedigree in 2012. “Pedigree Registered status adds to the interest and enjoyment of dairy farming everyday. It is also a cornerstone of continued genetic

The Young Farmer of the Year Competition

Farm business initiative and innovation Knowledge of production costs and returns Vision and planning for the future farm business

Trevor and his dad, Roy, in front of the ancestral family home dating from the 1700s improvement into the future, providing benchmarks to achieve improved performance efficiencies generation upon generation. Pedigree status makes a big difference when offering stock for sale. The bedrock of the herd is Holstein Friesian breeding over many decades. Dad always used Dovea British Friesian AI over the years, and we are dedicated to 100 % AI as the pathway towards continued Holstein Friesian genetic advancement for the herd into the future. Including a blend of Friesian breeding is vitally important in terms of the optimum cow type to suit our milk production and farming system in overall output productivity terms, calf quality and cull cow value. This significant Friesian breed fraction proportion results in a cow phenotype which really fits our requirements”. Overview of landmark achievements by Trevor with the help and support of his Dad in the past ten years • • • •

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Installed 65 additional cubicle spaces with pro-rata additional barrier feed space Soil sample 50% of the farm every year Reseed 10 % of the farm every year with increasing inclusion rate of clover 100 % of the chemical nitrogen applied is Protected Urea New calf rearing shed conversion with installation of computerised calf feeders completed in 2022

Holistic Environmental viewpoint “The sustainability of the farm in terms of performance and success as a business is in deference to our environmental footprint. Practical pro-active environmental measures that are reasonable and deliver results are embraced and this will continue to be the case. As an example, my Dad and I are keen to plant native trees. We secured our own L.E.S.S. slurry tanker early last year and the results have been phenomenally positive. We spread 20 kgs less of Chemical Nitrogen in 2021 yet the farm grew an extra 0.6 tonne grass DM/Ha helped in no small part by this new improved efficiency of nutrient recycling into the soil. I am a participant of the national PastureBase programme. The farm grew 14.2 tonne grass dry matter per hectare last year. The increased grass growth performance of the farm observed every year since first measuring grass in 2014 is positive for enhancing the environmental footprint of the farm, it’s a positive for farm finances in terms of efficiency of inputs purchased and it’s a positive in terms of helping to drive increased production of kgs of milk solids. Overall, it’s a clear win-win all round. IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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>> SEE PAGE 22

CLIMATE CHANGE SOLUTIONS COW TOILET: FACT OR FANTASY?

• • •

Registered the Doolagh Holstein Friesian herd and Graded Up to Pedigree status Surpassed productivity target of 520 kgs milk solids output per cow average. This benchmark was achieved ahead of schedule. Set up a new paddock system of 3.5 – 4-acre paddocks with all fencing work done by Trevor (upon completion of a Macra skills course) Doubled up the milking parlour and installed automatic cluster removers Modernised the farm roadways Joined local Discussion group (Dunamaise group) Started measuring grass and is participating in PastureBase

•

>> SEE PAGE 46

>> SEE PAGE 38

IRISH

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

HELP THE COW & THE MILKING PERSONNEL

DAIRYING

>> SEE PAGE 22

>> SEE PAGE 46

>> SEE PAGE 38

IRISH

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

HELP THE COW & THE MILKING PERSONNEL

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Dairy News Herd Performance

Herd Average

Ranking relative to all co-op suppliers

Fat + Protein kgs per cow

570 kgs

Top 2 %

Litres/cow/day

18.9

Top 4 %

Fat %

4.42 %

Top 18 %

Protein %

3.65 %

Top 23 %

SCC

Top 5 %

6 week calving rate

90 %

Top 6 %

Herd EBI

156

Top 19 %

EBI of 2021 inseminations

303

Top 4 %

2021 Co-Op Performance report extract Herd EBI is €158 rating the herd in the top 15 % of herds on EBI Nationally. Further ratings include fivestar rating for Fertility and Calving Sub Indexes with a four-star rating for Health. Meal feeding averaged 900 kgs per cow last year. Herd Longevity The mature cows of 4th lactation and older averaged 7,254 kgs, 598 kgs milk solids, 4.61 % Fat and 3.63 % Protein per cow. Calving Interval average for these mature cows was 367 days. SCC was 88. Numerically this mature cohort totalled 36 cows (38 % of the herd) a significant proportion signalling inherent longevity and ability to produce, to perform and to last. The herd is almost entirely home bred. A closed herd policy has been practised for the past fifteen years now and counting. The importance of Communication with the Public

Stock Judging - Trade Exhibition - Stock Sale - Awards - Family Fun and much more... For more info: IHFA, Clonakilty, Co. Cork. Tel.: 023 8833443 web: www.ihfa.ie email: enquiries@ihfa.ie

Items on the horizon for 2022 & beyond Recently engaged, Trevor and his fiancé Mary Kelly have plans in place to get married next year. The couple plan on renovating the now derelict farmhouse lived in by three previous generations of his family since they bought the farm in 1922. Structurally sound and dating from the 1700’s, it is a property of historical and architectural importance. A beautiful threestorey house, it is situated at the entrance to the farm. Just after the centenary year of the family’s arrival at Doolagh, a young newlywed couple will once again make the house their family home, breathing new life and renewed vigour into the ancestral homestead. TEAT DISINFECTANT HOW TO SELECT FROM 100 PRODUCTS

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Farm Business >> SEE PAGE 46

>> SEE PAGE 38

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

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Ballytigue Herd FREE ADMISSION - ALL WELCOME

Further to his stance on the powerful potential of personal farming communication Trevor recently set up a social media profile on Instagram; doolagh-farm. “The unique aspect of Instagram as a social media forum is the photographic aspect with comments restricted to brief, perfunctory points. Thus, very little room for grey areas or for messages to get misrepresented. I like to post about the nuts and bolts of everyday goings-on of family life. Recent photos and content posted on Instagram include the layout and functioning of the new calf rearing accomodation, the installation of the new IHFA herd sign and the depth of detail captured on herdbook certificates received of the early crop of heifer calves born this Spring.

>> SEE PAGE 22

The Frawley Family

THURSDAY 7TH JULY

Social Media engagement

IRISH

hosted by

Bruree, Co. Limerick

“It is more important now than ever to let people know what is happening on the farm. As farmers we can all be pro-active in putting our story out there to the public in a direct way and on a human level. We are all custodians of the land. The farm is passed down from one generation to the next generation. I’m conscious of wanting to do my level best, to take care of the land and to nourish it such that when the next generation gets their opportunity, they will inherit a vibrant, healthy farm brimming with opportunities and potential”.

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NATIONAL HOLSTEIN FRIESIAN OPEN DAY

Cows from Doolagh Pedigree Herd

Silage

New Silage Pit: All You Need To Know Prepared by Aidan Kelly of Agri Design & Planning Services (ADPS) Molough, Newcastle, Clonmel, Co Tipperary. Reference material S120 Concrete Walled Silos - May 2018 S128 Concrete Silage Bases - November 2015

Key points to remember What size pit do I need • Calculate volume you require to store • Is this pit deigned for one cut or two cuts? • Is it for grass silage, maze, beet, grain or whole crops? • Always allow for 10 to 20% extra to allow for buffer of fodder Calculating Size 100 cows x 1.6 tonnes (per 1 month) x 4 months = 640 tonnes required Plus 20% = 128 tonnes Total require 768 tonnes Calculation 100(F) x 40(f) x 9(ft) = 36,000 tones ÷ 45 PRECISION CHOP = 800 TONNES 100(F) x 40(f) x 9(ft) = 36,000 tones ÷ 50 WAGGON CHOP = 720 TONNES

Width of different silage pits The width is normally determined by how long it will take the farmer to get across the face. If the face is too wide silage will start to go off and if the pit is too narrow you will be striping the pit each day. There are no hard and fast rules here as each farm is different and will depend on diet at different times of the year. • Grass silage pit size minimum 10.6m /35 ft to maximum 30m /100ft • Maze silage pit size minimum 4.5m/15ft to maximum 12m /40 ft Site Location • Do not build on filled ground, poor or wet ground or area liable to flood or hold water • Locate the proposed pit close to existing feeding area for ease of access • Should be located not less than 50m from any waterbody in new farmyards • Not less than 10m in the case of extensions/modifications to an existing facility • Minimum distance from well public or private, either surface or ground, shall be 60m • In vulnerable situations this distance shall be increased up to 300m

Site preparations • All top soil and soft material shall be excavated to a minimum depth of 150mm • Compacted hardcore extended a minimum of 300mm in each direction beyond the edge of the finished structure • Hardcore blinded over with fine sand or a 50mm layer of blinding concrete finished smooth • 1000-gauge polythene membrane shall be laid with 600mm overlaps, sealed with suitable adhesive tape. The polythene shall be brought up on the inside of the timber or steel formers. Falls /slopes • Minimum fall of 1 in 60 shall be provided for base, apron and channels.

Mesh in floor • To strengthen the slab A 142 steel mesh may be installed 50mm above the bottom of the slab. • Advised to use in all apron areas. Channels • Silage bases shall have channels at the back, sides and front. • Channels should be 400mm in from the edge of the concrete base or walls. • This 400mm concrete verge shall have a fall towards the channel. • It is recommended a 70mm land drainage pipe be placed in all channels.

Concrete The concrete shall be ordered using the appended form for ‘S.100 Mix A’ or by requesting ‘45N concrete with 360kg cement minimum, 0.50 water cement ratio maximum, and slump class S2 or S3, certified to IS EN 206, for use to Specification S.100’. Thickness of Concrete • Minimum 125mm/ 5 inches with the recommended 150mm / 6 inches. • Under channels the concrete shall be thickened to at least 150mm / 6 inches. Curing of Concrete A minimum of 28 days/4 weeks but we advise client to allow 42 day/6 weeks before use. IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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TEAT DISINFECTANT HOW TO SELECT FROM 100 PRODUCTS

CLIMATE CHANGE SOLUTIONS COW TOILET: FACT OR FANTASY?

FINANCE CHANGING FARM STRUCTURES

Farm Business

PARLOUR PROTOCOLS

>> SEE PAGE 22

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

CLIMATE CHANGE SOLUTIONS COW TOILET: FACT OR FANTASY? >> SEE PAGE 46

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IRISH

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

HELP THE COW & THE MILKING PERSONNEL

DAIRYING

>> SEE PAGE 22

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IRISH

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

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Silage Aprons • Apron shall be constructed at the front of a silage base, for the full width of the silo. • Apron normally extend 6m minimum from the front of silo and maximum 10m. • Apron shall have either channels or kerbs along its sides to collect clean water. • It is recommended that a channel be constructed along the back of the apron, forming a double channel so that rain falling on the apron can be separated from the silage effluent on the main base.

Walls • The top of all cast-in-situ walls shall be 225mm thick. • A batter of 1:12 on the inside face, or 1:12 on both faces where a wall forms a common wall. • A double silo and a batter of 1:12 on the rear wall. • Contraction joints shall be formed by a planned joint in the wall at a maximum of 12m intervals for all walls longer than 16 metres. • A 200mm patent water bar shall be located at the joint in the centre of the wall and in the wall footing.

Placing of Concrete • Concrete shall be laid in alternate bays measuring not more than 4.5m wide by 6.0m long. • Used a vibrating screed or poker vibrator all over. • Joints (in bays not exceeding 6m x 4.5m) shall be cut by disc-cutter to a depth of 30mm and to a full 12mm width formed by a double cut in the hardened concrete within 24 hours of placing. • These joints shall be brushed/ blown out and filled when dry with acid resistant mastic sealant or hot tar. Diversion system • Effluent must be collected but you will need a diversion system to control clean water. • Once silage base is empty and clean water can be diverted as clean water. • • •

Please see example below If the ‘T’ piece is faced up clean water goes to soakaway. If the ‘T’ piece is faced down the effluent with go to slatted tank

No.1 in Holland & USA. 25mm floor, 22mm Auger and 8mm side walls

Safety Rail • A horizontal guide rail of tubular steel 48mm x 3.2mm, or box iron or 50mm x 6mm thick angle iron shall be fixed in over the top of all silo walls. • The rail shall be supported at 1.5m centres with the same section steel either grouted into the wall or rail bolted to the wall.

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JOHN O’DONNELL | TEL: 086 2497983 | EMAIL: anneragri@gmail.com IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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IRISH

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

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WEB: www.anneragri.com | Killaloan, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary

Silage

Technology

Terra Nutritech Launches Worlds First Mobile Mineral Dispenser System For Herds Of All Sizes

he technology is the first mobile, battery powered, appcontrolled dosing system in the world which gives full visibility and control to farmers from the palm of their hand. The device is capable of precisely dispensing mineral blends to any type of stock, from precalver and fertility mixes, bloat, magnesium and blends for beef animals. It works away without any piping or electricity. Padraig Hennessy CEO of Terra NutriTECH said: “Farmers are going to love this new mobile unit; it means farms of any size can now bring precision to minerals for their herd. You simply connect it to you phone, select the product, select the animal numbers, select the dosage rate and hit start. Away it goes. This doses the exact amount minerals to that herd each day.” Having listened closely to its customers’ challenges and needs the company has responded with a small, mobile precision dosing system to suit any farm. Farmers now have an accurate mineral system solution for any size herd. The unit is fully controlled by the farmer using the ORBVIE app. Padraig went on to say that “the feedback we have been receiving from Ireland and abroad regarding the ORBVIE has been excellent. With farmers looking for better and more efficient ways to improve results on farms, they see our new technology as a way to do this. Units are now available to order directly from Terra NutriTech. Contact: Ronan Gorry Tel: 087 7086714 Email: sales@terranutritech.com

CLOVER = BLOAT RISK BLOAT-OIL & DISPENSER AVAILABLE! • SUITS ALL FARM SIZES •

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• DAIRY • BEEF • SUCKLER • Contact Details: Agri Design & Planning Services (ADPS) Molough, Newcastle, Clonmel, Co Tipperary. 0857466211, Aidan@ADPS.ie www.adps.ie IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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Farm Business >> SEE PAGE 22

>> SEE PAGE 46

>> SEE PAGE 38

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• THROUGH WATER SYSTEM OR IN-TROUGH •

Trusted by farmers...

Kingswood

Kingswood – Still Best Value After 35 Years From famine to feast - that’s how it must look to the bemused dairy farmer keen to use the latest phone technology to ease his recording burden. A few short years ago herd recording apps were thin on the ground. Now there’s an app for this and an app for that on every salesman’s phone. owever, the old adage of buyer beware still holds. Apart from the fancy prices for these apps (usually only apparent in year two!), does a busy dairy farmer really benefit from a multiplicity of apps – one to register a calf, the next to bull a cow and a third and a fourth to start the milking parlour and close the drafting gates? The short answer is NO! The only person clearly benefiting from this app circus is the aforementioned salesman. What the busy dairy farmer needs is an integrated system, which will tie together his data coming from his phone, his EID reader and the sophisticated electronic recording in his parlour and elsewhere. Ah, says the salesman – ‘but with our app, it’ll all end up in the ICBF’. Well maybe SOME of the data will but some of it will be well past its ‘sell by’ date by the time it does. What Kingswood can offer to the keen dairy farmer looking to put some shape on his herd recording is a herd app which will do the basics – calf reg, cattle movements, breeding events and animal remedies – but also links to EID readers, milking parlours, heat detection units and drafting gates. The cost of the basic app is €190 per year – a lot cheaper than our rivals. The links cost extra but nothing to break the bank or at least nothing compared to the price of the technology you’re linking to. And no, we don’t have fancy salesmen with apps in their pockets (and their fingers in yours). But we do have a couple of phone numbers and a website address (see below). Maybe that’s why we’re such good value!

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.

Kingswood can be contacted at 01-4596677 or 087-2564486. Check us out online at www.kingswood.ie

The Kingswood Dashboard - your herd stats at a glance

The Kingswood Record Card - all you need to know about a cow

The Kingswood Herd Grid - your herd details at a glance IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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www.firstcitizen.ie

UNIT B NURE HOUSE CLONCOLLIG INDUSTRIAL ESTATE TULLAMORE CO OFFALY

CALL LIAM BERGIN 086 607 9564 EMAIL: LIAMBERGINGREMO@HOTMAIL.COM WWW.LBGREMO.COM

When things get tight, the articulated steering system causes the rear carriage to automatically follow the front end. Neither the working tool nor the rear end of the machine protru-de beyond the turning circle. That makes it easier to manoeuvre in tight areas! With the additional swing function, it is possible to easily navigate large attachments through tight areas.

PAUS IRELAND

German loader - designed and built in Germany by PAUS who have been building construction, lift, mining and agriculture machines for over 50 years The PAUS TSL 9088 is a telescopic swing loader - 180 degree swing gives unrivalled visability - Makes loading and unloading in tight spaces much easier - telescopic reach of 4.8 m - Payload: 1.7 ton fully extended to 4.8m, 2.5 ton fully retracted and 800 kg on swing at 3.2m Hydraulic lock makes changing attachments very quick and easy. Can be paired with multiple attachments eg bucket, grapple, ﬂail

NATIONWIDE SERVICE Sales and servicing for all PAUS machines is provided on a nationwide basis. Same day or next day service is facilitated by our team of outstanding ﬁtters and by our strategic location in the Midlands in Tullamore Co Offaly. We have a wide range of parts in stock at all times and have developed a very efﬁcient supply chain that enables overnight delivery of parts when required ensuring that there is minimal disruption to your operations. We provide complimentary advice to all of our customers by phone or video conferencing to enable you to get the most from your machines and to be your partner in business. Contact us to discuss your needs and requirements so that we can develop a bespoke product solution for you and be your trusted partner. Call us on 086-6079564 to speak with our sales department.

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Ergonomic cab design making driver comfort a priority Volume 6 Issue 1 Spring 2019 Edition Price 3.95 £2.95 (Stg)

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IRISH

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IRISH

CALL LIAM BERGIN 086 607 9564

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McGuinness Seeds

McGuinness Seeds: Bring it home with Multi-Species Swards Multi-species swards can produce DM yields that are comparable to perennial ryegrass swards while using much less nitrogen fertilizer. This might be worth up to 150 units of nitrogen per year.

ulti-species swards provide a high-quality source of highly digestible, high-protein fodder that may be maintained throughout the growing season. The addition of legumes and mineral-rich plants to a grass sward provides a better-balanced diet for grazing livestock, with species like chicory also giving some anthelminthic advantages (which expel internal parasites). Multi-species plants are more drought resistant. The sward’s diversity of species increases intake and animal performance. Because the root systems create more pathways for water and air to travel through the soil, changes in soil structure are also a benefit. Deeper root depths result in higher rates of carbon sequestration Research trials clearly show that multi-species mixtures are excellent at resisting weed pressure. Weed control options are very limited and the only option currently available is mechanical. i.e. cutting. Multi-species mixes are great at resisting weed pressure, according to research. Weed management alternatives are restricted, and mechanical control is currently the only choice. i.e., chopping.

Optimum soil fertility & pH is required. pH: 6.3-6.5. P & K indexes: 3-4. Multi-species does not tolerate poaching. The growing point of red clover and plantains are above ground level and over-grazing, or poaching can severely damage regrowth. Grazing management - longer rotations, bigger pre-grazing covers, and higher residual covers work best for a multi-species sward. Grazing at covers 27cm and taking then out at 6cm. Cutting and ensiling are limited. Multi-species swards typically have a lower DM content and are harder to preserve. Therefore, it is recommended that multi-species swards for silage are cut in dry conditions and allowed a sufficient wilt period to improve the chances of successful preservation. Cutting heights also need to be monitored to avoid crown damage. At McGuinness Seeds we have 6 years’ experience supplying Multi Species with great results. www.mcguinnessseeds.com

McGuinness Seeds

www.mcguinnessseeds.com Tel: (041) 982 4142

GRASS SEED MIXTURES FOR SILAGE, GRAZING AND HAY Best Digestibility, Palatability, Productivity.

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Farm Business

PARLOUR PROTOCOLS

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IRISH

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

HELP THE COW & THE MILKING PERSONNEL

DAIRYING

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IRISH

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

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Technology

Improve Fertility Rates And Herd Health With Cow Monitoring Technology Dairy farmers who adopt automated cow activity monitoring systems can increase herd fertility rates and increase their annual milk production.

Boost pregnancy rates with automated monitoring of cow fertility and health CowAlert’s rear leg movement sensors monitor cow and herd behaviours 24/7 to provide: ● Reliable, accurate and timely heat detection ● An optimum window in which to AI ● Alerts on early stage lameness allowing earlier intervention to reduce economic losses ● Alerts on sick or bullied cows ● Lying time monitoring to help you optimise management routines

CowAlert Scott Armstrong

CowAlert’s rear leg sensors can detect the early signs of lameness

airy farmers who adopt automated cow activity monitoring systems can increase herd fertility rates and increase their annual milk production. One such technology - CowAlert – can also help farmers reduce their lameness incidence – this not only benefits cow welfare, but also improves herd fertility levels and ultimately reduces culling rates. Here, CowAlert’s Scott Armstrong explains. “To stay competitive in dairy farming today, farmers are turning to technologies which improve their efficiencies, and ideally, free up their time also,” says Scott. “Cow activity monitoring systems are classic examples – their movement sensors automatically detect the increased activity shown by cows in oestrus so that these heats are not missed.” Boost fertility rates The sensor system CowAlert collects data on cow behaviour using a movement sensor which is placed around a cow’s back leg. This data – which includes lying times, motion index and step counts – is relayed to the cloud where it is analysed and translated into actionable ‘alerts’. These are then displayed to the user on a dashboard on a smartphone or computer. The boost to fertility rates that can be achieved using this technology was demonstrated in an independently managed five-farm trial. It assessed the fertility performance of each herd when using visual observation for heat detection, and then revisited the farms 12 months later after the adoption of CowAlert. The results showed: submission rates increased from 48 to 55%, pregnancy rates improved from 17-19%, and 100-day in-calf rate increased from 41% to 48%. Calving interval shortened by 6 days and cull rates also dropped by a third. “Getting cows back in-calf efficiently is especially important for block-calving systems, else farms face making decisions on whether or not to cull the out-lying late calvers. “Economic analyses showed the farmers in this trial soon had a return on investment from adopting the system, through improvements in fertility performance alone,” says Scott. Use less straws “Additionally, as cow activity is monitored 24/7 by sensor systems, these technologies can pinpoint the start of standing heat, and hence IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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Good fertility - fundamental to profitability on dairy farms

be able to inform farmers of the optimum time to AI their cows. “So farmers who move from visual observations or tailpaint to using sensor systems, can reduce their services per conception rates, and save money on semen straws too.” Lameness and fertility “When making culling decisions, farmers should consider whether a cow is being culled because she’s infertile, or whether her infertility is a consequence of lameness. “This is because, aside from poor heat detection, another big factor that is detrimental to fertility rates on a farm is the number of cows that are lame,” explains Scott. “A cow is visibly lame because she feels pain in her foot as a result of inflammation, and this is stressful. Both stress and inflammation affect the release of the hormones required for ovulation, heat expression, conception, and maintenance of pregnancy. “No wonder then that the calving to first service interval can extend by an average of 24 days, and studies have shown that lameness can cause the calving to conception interval to increase between 5 and 70 days. “When a cow first damages her hoof, she may start to feel some pain, but she won’t become visibly lame until the pain increases. It’s hard to detect the early stages of lameness because cows are ‘prey’ animals and will try to mask any signs of weakness. “However, even though not visibly lame yet, she will start to change her behaviours, for example, lying down for longer and reducing her stepcount. Thanks to the fact that CowAlert’s sensors are sited on the leg, these changes are picked up and interpreted by the system. “Farmers are then alerted to these very early cases of lameness and cows can be presented to foot-trimmers sooner, and problems treated sooner, while they are still small. This is not only beneficial for cow welfare, but also reduces the economic losses of reduced milk yields, treatment costs, and, importantly, reduces the impact on cow fertility. “So while automated heat detection is usually the main driver for adopting activity monitoring systems, installing CowAlert with its lameness and health alerts, helps farmers ensure their cows stay healthy and productive all year round.” Contact details: For more information on CowAlert, contact Scott Armstrong, Email sales@cowalert.com Tel: +44 (0)7432 100145

Give us a call on +44 (0)7432 100145 and find out how CowAlert can free up your time and increase your milk cheque sales@cowalert.com

10242 CowAlert 190mmw x 130mm h landscape v 2.indd 1

www.cowalert.com

CowAlert

08/06/2022 8:01 am

Health

Parasitic Gastroenteritis and Lungworm in Cattle Mike Reynolds looks at the continuing threat from bovine nematodes and promotes the crucial role active farm health planning can play in their control. By Dr. Michael Reynolds BVM&S DCHP MRCVS. Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Recognised Specialist in Cattle Health and Production. Farm Animal Clinical Lead (N. Ireland) CVS UK Ltd.

attle nematodes remain a significant threat to animal health and productivity within our industry and on a global scale. In northern Europe the most important nematode (worm) species to consider are: • Ostertagia ostertagia (present in the abomasum) • Cooperia oncophora (present in the small intestine) • Dictyocaulus viviparous (Lungworm) Gut worm life cycle All species have a direct life cycle with eggs shed onto the pasture in the dung, where they develop into the infective (L3) form of the disease within the dung pat. Larval development (over a period of three to twenty one days) depends upon ambient temperature, proceeding more rapidly under warmer conditions. Upon maturation, infective larva move from the dung pat onto pasture, assisted by moist conditions, where they can survive and remain infective to other animals for up to one year, or are ingested to mature to egg laying adults within the infected individual. Control strategies are based on limiting/preventing build-up of infective larvae on grazed pastures with disease outbreaks typically seen from July onwards, following the ingestion of large numbers of the infective form. Lungworm life cycle Lungworm are highly infective and pathogenic, with a very unpredictable epidemiology. Once again, temperature dependent maturation to the infective larval stage occurs within the dung pat with their spread facilitated by pilobolus fungus, which grow rapidly in warm wet conditions and which explode to spread attached infective larvae up to three metres from the original cow pat. This may lead to the transfer of infective larvae to fields which may not been previously grazed by cattle. Cattle develop a strong but short-lived immunity (<six months) in the absence of continued larval exposure so older animals may succumb to disease. A readily available vaccine should play an important role in disease control strategies. Clinical signs In the case of intestinal worms the main manifestation of disease are in appetence, poor weight gains, failure to thrive and persistent, watery diarrhoea. In extreme cases, submandibular oedema (bottle jaw) may be occur. In the rare case of type-two ostertagiasis in which infective larvae ingested from pasture late in the season, do not mature to adult worms immediately, but undergo a period of delayed development and then emerge enmasse, in the late winter months, to cause severe clinical disease, mortality may occur. In lungworm outbreaks, the main clinical sign is a gradual onset in coughing (husk) through bronchitis and secondary pneumonia. Once again, mortality may be a feature of disease. Diagnosis Faecal egg counts (FEC) remain a readily available and cost effective IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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Immunity Calves should/will develop immunity against Cooperia worms by the end of their first grazing season. Immunity to Ostertagia develops more slowly and depends on the level of exposure to infective larvae. Lungworm is best controlled by vaccination in early life. However, if farmers plan to vaccinate against lungworm, and also use anthelmintics to control roundworms, they must allow for some natural challenge with lungworm to occur, otherwise vaccination will not provide full protection in subsequent grazing seasons. The use of boluses, or repeat dosing with long-acting Macrocyclic Lactone products may prevent this Adult animals grazed on pastures previously grazed by youngstock may also succumb to disease if pasture burdens are high and adult immunity low. Pasture risk and rotation Pasture management in the previous season can dramatically affect the parasite burden and its control for the current grazing season. The goal of rotation is to limit parasitic burden on the pasture and thus reduce the incidence of infection when subsequently grazed. While newly reseeded pastures and those grazed by sheep in the previous season pose a low risk, those grazed by first season grazers will be considered as having a high burden and, as such, will be considered as high risk in the subsequent grazing season. If possible, turn out first grazing season cattle onto low risk pasture, eg not grazed by cattle last year. If using pasture grazed by youngstock last year, implement a control plan to protect against gut worms based on advice by your veterinary surgeon. Spring-born suckler calves that are still suckling are not likely to need any treatment for worms. Any larvae on the pasture will be consumed by their mothers, which will be largely immune. Where there is a history and risk of lungworm infection consider vaccinating youngstock prior to turnout in conjunction with veterinary advice. Treatment Three main families of anthelmintics (Benzimidazoles, Levamisoles and Macrocyclic Lactones) are used in the control of cattle nematodes

Anthelmintic Resistance Anthelmintic resistance in cattle has been reported with macrocyclic lactone products and, if left unrested, could pose as a significant threat to the industry. While in the long-term development of resistance may be deemed inevitable, adoption of appropriate worming strategies and quarantine drenching of newly purchased animals can significantly slow its development. Anthelmintic resistance reduction strategies may include the development of an appropriate quarantine drenching program under guidance from your veterinary surgeon, weighing animals prior to treatment, ensuring correct calibration of dosing equipment prior to use and the preservation of of a refugia population of worms. This refugia parasite population is those worms which are out with the animal, in pasture, or in untreated individuals. This population is not subjected to therapy and, therefore, plays an important role in the development of resistance. Strategies to maintain susceptible worms in the population, such as leaving some animals untreated and not moving after worming, allows a degree of reinfection with susceptible worms. These susceptible parasites then serve as competition to resistant forms and ensure not all parasites on the pasture are resistant. Developing a parasite control plan A successful parasite control plan should form an integral part of active farm health planning. In the absence of an appropriate control plan, the use of anthelmintics may occur at the convenience of the producer, which may have little impact on parasite populations and may encourage the development of anthelmintic resistance. Points to consider are: • Pasture rotation policies for the previous and present grazing season • Previous pasture history • Local, seasonal weather patterns • Previous anthelmintic control strategies • Animal production targets • FEC’s to include FEC reduction tests to assess anthelmintic efficacy • Animal handling facilities and staff enthusiasm • Adoption of strategies to reduce the development of anthelmintic resistance

First season grazers are most at risk of developing clinical and subclinical l disease

Spring born suckler calves are less likely to be infected with infective worm larvae which are mostly consumed by their immune mothers. However, we should remain mindful that these calves may succumb to lungworm infection later in the season.

Second season grazers will have developed immunity against Cooperia worms by the end of their first grazing season. Immunity to Ostertagia develops more slowly and depends on the level of exposure to infective larvae.

Faecal egg counts remain a readily available, cost effective tool in the application of parasite control plans. (courtesy of Krisztina Papp). IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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tool for surveillance and monitoring in any parasite control plan. Based on composite samples, a suitable intervention level of 200 and above eggs per gram is likely to indicate a parasite problem, in conjunction with clinical signs and pasture history. While some studies in cattle have shown a lack of correlation between FECs and the actual worm burden in the animal, they do provide a quantitative measure of the pasture larval contamination, and, as such, can be used as a predictive assessment of when clinical disease is likely to occur and thus avoided. In the case of Ostertagia, elevations in plasma pepsinogen in the blood are indicative of clinical disease. Clinical lungworm can be diagnosed through the laboratory (Baermann) technique, used to identify the presence of larvae, in combination with clinical signs and grazing history.

and are available as drenches, injections, bolus and pour-on applications. Due to their convenience, many in the industry have adopted the use of persistent anthelmintic preparations. However, it is important to remember the use of less persistent products with periods of low pasture larval challenge will allow natural immunity to develop and minimise the development of resistance. This is essential in the success of long term parasite control plans. The basis of a successful plan requires regular faecal egg counts in first and second season grazers with the use of the appropriate product and timing to limit pasture contamination based on veterinary advice.

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Veterinary

AHV Ireland Welcomes the Company’s New ‘Technical Veterinary Specialist’

iobhan Regan, recently appointed as Animal Health Vision (AHV) Ireland’s Veterinary Technical Specialist, is a case in point. She explained: “The need to reduce the levels of traditional medicines used within the livestock sectors is obvious. What attracted me to AHV was the new and innovative thinking that the company has brought to bear in this regard.” Siobhan continued: One of the biggest challenges facing Irish dairy farmers at this time of the year is that of getting cows back into calf successfully. “Ensuring that cows are not in a negative energy balance at the beginning of the breeding season is critically important in this regard,” Siobhan explained. “Cows in severe negative energy balance directly post-calving are predisposed to a host of metabolic disorders in both clinical and subclinical forms. According to the AHV veterinarian, the company’s ‘Booster’ tablet has been designed specifically to allow cows to deal more effectively with the challenges associated with a negative energy scenario developing directly after calving. She further explained:

“The Booster tablet works in two ways. One, by encouraging the populations of those bacteria in the rumen that will act to extract higher levels of energy from the feeds offered to cows post calving. Two, by improving the efficiency of the liver as the liver is the main supplier of energy. By targeting the two ‘engines’ of the cow, more energy will be produced and used efficiently for both fertility and production. “Given the seasonal nature of Irish dairy farming, it is important to ensure that cows achieve as close as it is possible to get to a 365day calving cycle for successful profitability of the business. With this in mind, Siobhan recommends administration of a Booster tablet at some point during the calving interval (from two weeks before calving to four weeks post calving) for high yielding dairy cows and a second tablet 60 days post calving for breeding purposes. “This approach helps to ensure that negative energy balances are minimised and that cows enter the new breeding season with regular and successful ovulation and with an inherent ability to conceive effectively. Siobhan concluded: “We are all on a journey, one that requires us to work with animals in ways that allow them to express their innate abilities to fend off disease.”

SOBAC Your Natural Fertilisation Partner

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AHV Udder Health Cream

Benefits of the Udder Health & Energy package: - Promotes cleansing of the udder -Provides additional energy - Supports the immune system during recovery periods - Stimulates blood flow and promotes circulation - Strengthens the natural resistance of the udder “The AHV Udder Health protocol is labour saving. Before, we would have to treat the cow daily and we were seeing no improvement. Now, its an AHV Tablet and ASPI and off the cow goes, other than keeping an eye on her afterwards. AHV has given me more choice on how to treat my cows.” Darragh Scott - Co. Tipperary IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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CONTACT US! Find an AHV consultant in your area by visiting www.ahvint.com or calling the Ireland office on +353 (0) 57 868 8858. You can also email ireland@ahvint.com 6 Lismard Business Park, Portlaoise, R32 PT9K, Co Laois

Farmers’testimonies videos on : www.bacteriosol-sobac.com Tom Stapleton 087-2328051

Herbal Products

Botanica International Ltd* and Sean Cooney Esq. Granted The Royal Warrant By Appointment to Her Majesty the Queen.

Blackspot on Dairy Cows Sunburn Cuts and Tears on Teats Speeds up healing of Caesareans Flagged udders Promotes Hair Growth ®

B OTA N I C A

Inflamed quarters Prevents Itching and Scratching Udder sores Treats Itching and Scratching Infected Stitches and Tears

otanica International and Sean Cooney Esq., have been granted The Royal Warrant By Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen, as suppliers of Natural Herbal Products as of March 31st 2022. They are the first Herbalists and one of only three companies in Ireland to be granted such a prestigious award. In recognition of the continued quality and excellence of their products, Royal Warrants are granted to companies or people who have regularly supplied goods or services to either the Queen or the Prince of Wales. Botanica International Ltd are the only company in the western world selling herbal products to China and they have “No.1 in the world” on their Botanica packaging in China. Please visit https://www.royalwarrant.org for more information about the Royal Warrant Holders Association. Herewith the link for our page on the RWHA website: https://www.royalwarrant.org/ company/botanica-international-ltd Sean Cooney, Director of Botanica International Ltd:

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“It is an honour for me personally and for Botanica International to have been awarded The Royal Warrant By Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen. It is a recognition of our long-term focus on quality and excellence in the manufacture of Natural Herbal products. We are so pleased to have earned this exceptional distinction for the company.” *Botanica International was established in 2005 in Warrenpoint, Co. Down. Their objective was to create natural products utilizing the wonders of Nature’s Healing Energy. Since then, they have developed an award-winning range of natural herbal products to treat common skin conditions for both animals and humans. They contain a combination of natural ingredients, all of which have proven beneficial properties to help promote healthy cell growth for complete recovery without scarring. Please visit https://www.botanica.ie for more information about Botanica International Ltd.

Ringworm General cuts and wounds

Botanica International Ltd Address: Units 12-13 Warrenpoint Enterprise Centre, Newry Road, Warrenpoint, Co. Down, BT34 3LA Phone: 0044 (0) 28 4173 9151 Email: enquiries@botanica.ie

Animal Bedding

Tottenham Timber

Otterstown, Athboy, Co. Meath. C15 XH52

T: 01 485 1323 E: info@aneuco.ie W: www.aneuco.ie

ottenham Timber, established in 2003 is a family run business providing specialist supply & services within the Forestry, Farming and Animal Bedding sectors. We are one of Irelands leading independent suppliers of Quality Animal Bedding for the agricultural, equine & industrial sectors, providing a nationwide delivery service throughout all of Ireland & the Uk. Various grades of high quality Sawdust, Woodchip, Woodshavings are available to choose from in stock. Tottenham Timber provide a wide range of supply options from single pallet deliveries to bulk walking floors using our in-house fleet of vehicles for our animal bedding supply. We strive to have a product and suitable delivery option for all our clients depending on their various circumstances. Tottenham Timber are also leading in their field of Forestry Consultancy and also specialise in Timber Harvesting and the Marketing of Timber, Biomass supply and all other Forest Products. Visit www.tottenhamtimber.ie or find us on facebook.

ATTENTION FARMERS, IT'LL BE HARD TO BEAT OUR PRICES!

• Sawdust • Woodshavings • Woodchip • Forestry Consultancy • Timber Harvesting & Marketing

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For further information contact us at 086 8362522 or visit www.tottenhamtimber.ie

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Hygienic Wall System is economical & efﬁcient to use, easy to install in any location & suitable for a wide range of projects. Has the same stable chararistics as concrete combined with the advantage of having a plastic smooth outer surface. Fire Rating of Bs2d0 & is UV Stable with a Colourfast Warranty makes it suitable for both External & Internal Wall Projects. Suitable for both large & small projects from complete Building Wall Structures to Single Pods were easy installation & strength is key. Having the advantages of speedy installation along

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with having a finished wall surface which is anti fungal & moisture resistant. Available in 2 Panel thicknesses, 100mm & 175mm. It is produced to the customers specific project requirements Including associated Corners & U Trims allowing for the concrete core to be installed at the same time to give the complete finish. Environmentally friendly - manufactured from recycled PVC. Saves on water usage due to it’s easily cleaned surface Suitable for a solid concrete core or the beaded concrete mix which results in an insulated wall structure

Weeds

Controlling Weeds in Grazing Pastures Choosing the right herbicide is the key to effective control of weeds in grazing pastures. Spraying at the right time in order to ensure the most effective kill of the weeds present is another critical consideration. Chris Maughan, Technical Manager, Whelehan Crop Protection

Forefront T perfect for ragwort

Advice on killing thistles

Forefront T is the perfect herbicide for controlling the noxious weed ragwort, which can be lethal to livestock. Apply Forefront T when the ragwort is in the rosette stage and during a period of active growth with warm temperatures (above 10°C). In grazing paddock systems, timing of the spray can be difficult to get right. Where ragwort is the only weed been targeted, spraying can occur when animals are removed from the paddocks as the rosettes would still be intact. This allows at least three to four weeks before animals are back in to graze, which in a lot of cases would be adequate time for the plant to die away completely. However, where the plant starts to produce a stem, it could take up to eight weeks after spraying for it to disappear. In this situation, spraying in late autumn when pastures are being closed for the winter can work very well, provided there still is growth and temperatures are above 10°C.

Thistles play havoc with grass yields and have a huge impact on animal performance. They are also an animal health risk, spreading diseases such as orf, pink eye and mastitis. Research has shown that animals leave 30cm ungrazed around each thistle plant. Fifty thistles per 20 sq metres, which is very common in thistle-infested swards, can mean a drop of 50% in grass dry matter yield. Creeping thistle seeds can survive in soil for 21 years. The roots of one creeping thistle can grow to cover five sq metres in one year and up to 80 sq metres in two years. The weight of the underground creeping thistle root system can be up to 2.5 tonnes tonne/ha. In its second year, a spear thistle can be over a metre in diameter before flowering. One flower head produces up to 400 seed heads, each of which can produce between 4,000 and 8,000 seeds. The seeds can remain viable for at least three years. The use of a systemic herbicide is the only effective to kill the thistle root system. MCPA-based products have very little impact on the root system. While killing the foliage of the thistle, they merely act as a ‘chemical topper’, with the thistles re-emerging the following season. Where thistles are among the range of weeds in a grazing pasture, Forefront T should be the product of choice. Thistles Forefront T is also very effective on thistles. As with dock control, thistles should be actively growing have four to 10 leaves, be 15-25cm high and before a seed head appears. If they have gone beyond this stage, it is best to top them and spray when they have regrown to the correct stage. Where thistles are the sole or major weed in a sward, use Thistlex, the specialist thistle herbicide. It contains the active ingredients clopyralid, which is absorbed right down to the roots of the thistles. As with Forefront T, thistles should be actively growing.

Forefront T is the ideal herbicide for controlling a combination of weeds such as nettles and docks in grazing pastures.

here there is a combination of weeds such as docks, thistles, chickweed, dandelions and buttercups, it is important to use a broad spectrum systemic herbicide. The herbicide Forefront T is the gold standard in broad spectrum weed control in grazing pastures and has become the product of choice for a growing number of farmers. Manufacured by Corteva Agriscience, it contains two chemicals, aminopyralid and triclopyr. This powerful combination makes it the perfect choice for a wide range of weeds, including docks, thistles, nettles, buttercups, chickweed and dandelions. It is also ideal for ragwort. As with all systemic herbicides, best results from Forefront T are achieved by spraying when weeds are actively growing and are at the right stage for a good kill of the root system. • Docks should be 15-25cm high or wide and before a seed head begins to show. • Thistles should have four to 10 leaves and be 15-25cm high and before flowering. • Nettles should be sprayed before they flower. If weeds are gone beyond these stages, it is best to top them and spray with Forefront T after about three weeks regrowth when they should be at the right stage for an effective kill. Apply Forefront T as a single application at two litres/ha in a minimum 200 litres. Keep stock off the pasture for seven days after spraying.

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Control docks after silage is cut

Docks should be at the rosette stage at spraying. Ideally 8-10” high or across green and leafy

For most effective control, thistles should have four to ten leaves, be 15cm to 25cm high and before a seed head appears when spraying with herbicides such as Thistlex, Forefront T and Pastor Trio.

Docks are a perennial problem in silage swards and grazing pastures and have a devastating effect on dry matter yield and forage quality. The best option for controlling docks in silage swards is by spraying with Doxstar Pro, the specialist docks herbicide, before the silage is cut. It contains two powerful chemicals, triclopyr and fluroxypyr, ensuring the most effective kill of the dock root system. And as with Forefront T, Thistlex and Pastor Trio, it does not cause any check to grass growth. Where there was not an opportunity to spray before silage-cutting, every effort should be made to spray the aftergrass, thereby ensuring a big increase in grass output and animal performance for the rest of the year and beyond. IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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Farm Business

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>> SEE PAGE 22

Apply Forefront T when ragwort is at the rosette stage and during a period of active growth, with temperature above 10°C

Silage/Hay Swards In silage or hay swards that are not due to be cut for the next three to four weeks, there is still time to spray thistles. Controlling them before the crop is cut will boost yield, quality and palatability of the winter feed and will also ensure a clean, productive sward for subsequent grazing. If thistles are the major weed in a silage/hay sward, using Thistlex is the most cost-effective option. If other weeds are also present, Pastor Trio should be the product of choice. As well as thistles, it is also powerful on a range of other weeds, including common chickweed, mouse-eared chickweed, docks, buttercups, dandelions, daisies and plantain. Whichever systemic herbicide is being used, it is important to leave at least three weeks between spraying and cutting the crop in order for the chemicals to be absorbed right down to the root system of the weeds. Apply Thistlex at one litre/ha. Apply Pastor Trio or Forefront T at two litres/ha. Use a minimum of 200l water/ha and ideally 300lt water/ ha to ensure good coverage. Keep animals of pasture for seven days after spraying

>> SEE PAGE 46

>> SEE PAGE 38

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HELP THE COW & THE MILKING PERSONNEL

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Weeds Docks should be at the ideal stage for effective treatment with DoxstarPro three to four weeks after silage is cut. It should be applied at a rate of two litres/ha as a single application or two applications of one litre/ha six to 12 months apart.

Docks, nettles, thistles, briars, gorse, buttercups and brushwood/ scrub are among the troublesome weeds it controls. It contains two powerful root killing ingredients – triclopyr and clopyralid. Triclopyr is very effective on brushwood/scrub and nettles. No other product on the market for knapsack application has as high a concentration of this powerful chemical. Apply it at a rate of 60 ml in 10 litres of water using a conventional knapsack sprayer, a quadbike sprayer or a suitable lance on a tractor mounted sprayer.

The power of Doxstar Pro can be seen from this picture. The section on the right was completely free of docks about four weeks after spraying. The section on the left was not sprayed and is heavily infested with docks.

Grazon Pro the ideal spot spray Apply Forefront T when ragwort is at the rosette stage and during a period of active growth, with temperature above 10°C Grazon Pro is the perfect product for controlling a wide range of weeds around fences, ditches and walls and for clearing out low infestations of weeds across a field.

Breathe new life into old pasture. Forefront® T is a high performance herbicide. It is the most effective, broad spectrum weed control solution for grassland. Use it on permanent pastures or grazing leys to control long established or high populations of weeds. It is your cost effective alternative to a full re-seed, quickly increasing the amount of available grass. Let your grass breathe again. Talk to your advisor or ﬁnd out more at corteva.ie/grassland

Docks

Nettles

Thistles

Buttercups

Dandelions

Ragwort Discover more at corteva.ie

USE PLANT PROTECTION PRODUCTS SAFELY. Always read the label and product information before use. For further information including warning phrases and symbols refer to label. Triple rinse containers and invert to dry at time of use.

Both common Chickweed and mouse eared chickweed can be a problem in established grassland. Doxstar Pro and Pastor Trio are very effect on both. IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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Farm Business >> SEE PAGE 22

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Corteva Agriscience UK Limited, CPC2 Capital Park, Fulbourn, Cambridge CB21 5XE. Tel: 01462 457272. Marketing Company: Whelehan Crop Protection, Clonee, Co. Meath. Tel: 01 4688900 Email: cropprotection@tpwhelehan.ie ®, ™ Trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. © 2021 Corteva. ® Forefront T contains aminopyralid and triclopyr.

Agriculture

Slurry Gold

Merlo Gains Ground In Agricultural Sector

he market appeal of Italian-made Merlo telehandlers in the agricultural sector continues to gain ground here. In particular, their top-of-the-line TF65.9T-170-HF Turbofarmer variant is proving popular among farm buyers, industrial and construction users alike. Said by Denis McGrath, sales director at Merlo distributors, McHale Plant Sales to be ‘the best choice in every field’, the new, more powerful, more highly-equipped TF 65.9 is a unit equally at home on the farm, in the grain store or as part of a farm contractor’s fleet as it will be in a construction or industrial setting. Attired in its familiar Merlo-green livery, the new, high capacity TF65.9T-170-HF range comprises three model variants. Beginning with the TF65.9 unit, it includes a TF65.9TCS-170-HF and rangetopping TF65.9TCS-170 CVTRONIC-HF choice. All powered by a Stage V compliant 4.5-litre, 4-cylinder, 125 kW- 170 hp turbo diesel engine with DPF and SCR system, attributes include a maximum lifting capacity of 6,500 kg, a maximum lifting height of 8.8m, and a top speed of 40 km/h. Other stand out features include hydrostatic transmission, EPD electronic control, load sensing hydraulics, transversal levelling, and a spacious 1,010mm wide FOPS and ROPS-certified modular cab with best-in-class visibility. Underlining its multi-use versatility, the TF65.9 can be equipped with fork lifts, work cage, materials grab and bale clamps, loader bucket, crane hook and cables and other boom attachments alongside down-to-earth cleaning brushes, snow blade, and suchlike.

On a 10-inch colour screen, operators can access a range of key data: items such as load and stability, the geometric limits of machine use, speed and adjustment of hydraulic settings, and information on the amount of loads handled is recorded and stored – updated in real time, according to operating conditions. Safety-wise, an integrated safety system controls operating parameters while a ‘load control’ system automatically detects the attachment being used and configures the machine’s boom extension and angle and other control variants accordingly. On a broader front, continuously variable transmission increases torque at the wheels at low speeds. On slopes, a frame-levelling feature ensures that loads can be safely lifted. New ‘high flow’ hydraulics with variable displacement pump and electronically controlled ‘flow sharing’ deliver a maximum flow of 160 l/min. A ‘descent by gravity’ feature drastically reduces fuel consumption during working, pick and carry cycles while an automated, press-button function can memorise and return the boom to its working position.

Compact dimensions increase the new unit’s manoeuvrability while two front and two rear cab-mounted halogen-type work lights add to its versatility. Other features setting it apart are its electronic joystick control with capacity sensor and its ASCS safety system.

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

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!”.

Reduces Pollut ing Odours

Improves Nut rient Upt ake

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

M inimises Crust Format ion

Tony Barrett ready for T-Day

Enriches Soil Fert ilit y

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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CLIMATE CHANGE SOLUTIONS COW TOILET: FACT OR FANTASY?

FINANCE CHANGING FARM STRUCTURES

Farm Business

Farm Farm Business Business

PARLOUR PROTOCOLS

>> SEE PAGE 22

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51 75

Milking

Trouble Shooting A Milking Machine Cleaning Program

Observation of a greasy or yellow residue inside claw-piece covers is a definite indicator of flaws in the washing protocol. Identifying the problem requires a detailed examination of the wash routine on the farm. By David Gleeson and Bernadette O Brien. Teagasc, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark

Introduction Research trials and observations on commercial farms have shown that milk residue can build up on the internal surfaces of some milking plants, particularly in those where chlorine-free cleaning products are used incorrectly. This residue build-up is generally associated with insufficient hot washes, low detergent levels and frequency of acid washes applied each week. The current recommended use of chlorine-free cleaning products (in place of detergent-steriliser products) requires some changes in the cleaning protocol to avoid such a build-up. This includes a re-calibration of the automatic detergent dosing systems for both machine and bulk milk tank. This is necessary to ensure the correct volume uptake of the specific detergent product being used, as uptake rates can vary between products, and may be lower for chlorine-free products (due to a higher sodium hydroxide content). To establish the exact volume of chlorine–free detergent to use, it is necessary to know the quantity of water in the wash trough; this can be obtained by measuring the dimensions of the water trough. It is important then to read the label on the detergent container; this will indicate the recommended usage rate for that product. Calculations differ when hot or cold water is used. If cold water is being used, then 0.3 % higher levels of detergent (approx.) must be used; this is often over-looked when deciding on usage rates. Hot water usage is critical; a temperature of 75/80 OC is required at the start of the wash cycle, while a finish temperature of 45/55 OC is required at the end of the cycle. Low detergent wash cycle temperatures have been associated with considerable variability in milk bacterial levels on-farm. A sufficient volume of the detergent wash solution (9 litres/ milking unit) is necessary to ensure that all surfaces will be in contact with the hot detergent solution. Milk stone remover should be used twice weekly, at minimum, and more frequently, if water hardness is an issue on the farm. Alternatively, a water softener can be installed to address this issue. It is also important that adequate turbulence (air injection for large plants) and vacuum level are maintained during IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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the wash cycle. There are five alternative Teagasc recommended wash protocols available to use; it is critical that all of the steps of the chosen protocol are followed in order to achieve successful cleaning. Observation of a greasy or yellow residue inside the claw-piece covers is a definite indicator of errors in carrying out the washing protocol. Identifying why a build-up of milk residue has occurred requires a detailed examination of the wash routine on the farm (as outlined in Table 1).

Calculating the quantity of water used for detergent wash cycles Measurement: Length (m) x width (m) x height (m) = cubic meters (1 cubic metre =1,000 litres) To establish the width of tapered troughs: • Step 1: measure (m) the width across the trough at the bottom of the trough (B1) and then at the detergent wash level (B2). The Red line represents the detergent wash level. The Green line represents the rinse water level • Step 2: Add the two measurements and divide by 2, to establish the average width • (B1+B2)/2 = average width • Step 3: Measure the height (m) of the detergent wash solution (to the Red line) • Step 4: Measure the length (m) of the trough • Step 5: Multiply the width x height x length = cubic metres Trough-calculator: https://www.teagasc.ie/rural-economy/farmmanagement/farm-machinery/machinery-calibration/dairy-washtrough-calculator

Milking Key message: Read the detergent instructions; Measure the wash trough; Calibrate the detergent usage rates; and Check the water temperature.

Details of milking equipment cleaning protocols and all milk quality research undertaken at Moorepark including relevant publications can be accessed at the following link https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/ milk-quality/

Checklist

Guide

Are detergent tubes in the correct drum

Red tube is for the acid drum

Are correct detergent/acid usage rates used

Measure, using a plastic beaker with marked volumes

Are you using sufficient water

Measure the volume of the trough – need 9 litres/unit for the detergent and 14 litres/unit for the rinse cycles

How do I measure the trough

Length x width x height (1 cubic metre = 1000 litres of water)

How much detergent should I be using

Detergent usage rate depends on the water volume used and the recommended rate for hot and cold wash on the drum label

How many acid washes used per week

Minimum of 2 per week, ideally 3

How many hot washes used per week

Minimum of 7 per week with liquid caustic products

What is the start hot water temperature

75/80o C measured in the filled trough prior to circulation

What is the end hot water temperature

45/55o C measured before water starts going to dump

How long is your wash cycle time

Ideally 8 minutes and no greater than 10 minutes

Is the first water from the hot circulation going to dump

The option to dump first 10/20 litres will help to maintain wash solution temperature

Do you use a warm post-milking rinse

Helps to maintain plant temperature for the subsequent hot wash

Is the jet wash functioning correctly

Unit should fill and release every 40 seconds approx

Is the liquid detergent solution reused for a second wash occasion

Best advice is NOT to recycle the solution

Do you know the caustic strength of the product being used

Check Teagasc list to see the caustic content of products; ideally should be greater than 20%

Is the farm following a recommended wash protocol

Check the 5 Teagasc cleaning protocols and establish the protocol being used

Is the plant and trough draining completely between wash cycles

Best way to evaluate a wash program is to be present for a complete wash occasion

Observe if the claw-pieces at the furthest point from the dairy are getting sufficient water

Best way to evaluate this is be present for a complete wash cycle

Is the water supply ‘hard water’ ≥300ppm

Option is to include an additional acid wash and/or install a water softener

Are you using Peracetic acid in rinse water

Ideally should be used in an additional rinse at least one hour before next milking, at a rate of 0.15 to 0.3%. An additional pump is required with an auto-washer

Where are the detergents stored

Should be stored out of direct sunlight, cool area, on pallets to avoid frost, in a chemical store. Products will crystalize if in situ over a long period

Was the vacuum line washed during the machine service

Vacuum lines should be washed when milk enters the line via broken milk liners or overflowing milk receiver

If a dump line is present, is it washed twice daily

Critical to wash the dump line twice daily as part of the machine wash, even if not used to transfer milk

If automatic cluster cleaning is present, is it cleaned twice daily

Critical to include the cluster cleaning setup as part of the daily wash program, even if not being used for cluster cleaning

How often is the Jet wash releasing water

Should fill and release approximately every 40 seconds

A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND ECOLOGICAL SOLUTION FOR CROP BALING PRODUCTS Reuse Collect

Recycle

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Table 1: Trouble shooting a milking machine cleaning issue

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Tama U.K. Ltd, 5 The Windmills, St Mary’s Close,

Alton, Hampshire GU34 1EF, United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1420 545 800 | Fax: +44 (0) 1420 549 549 www.tama-uk.co.uk

*Tama Cycle twine contains post-consumer recycled material and Tama Cycle netwrap contains pre-consumer recycled material.

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6 KEY REASONS TO CHOOSE PRE-CALVER GOLD Helps prevent Milk Fever after calving

Contains high quality organic minerals, Sel-Plex® and Bioplex®

Reduces the chances of retained placenta

Stimulates the immune response of the cow and unborn calf

Results in good quality colostrum and calf thrive

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0818 321 321 info@gainanimalnutrition.com Order in-store, in-yard or glanbiaconnect.com