Irish Farm Business - Vol 10 Issue 1 Spring/Summer 2023

COW TOILET: FACT OR FANTASY?

FROM 100 PRODUCTS

STRUCTURES

Farm Business >> SEE PAGE 22

>> SEE PAGE 38

>> SEE PAGE 46

IRISH

DAIRYING

Volume 6 Issue 1 Spring 2019 Edition Vol 10 Issue 1 Spring / Summer 2023 Edition Price 3.95 £2.95 (Stg) Price €5.95 / £5.00 (Stg)

Bull Housing and Handling: Reduce Your Risk PG 14

PARLOUR PROTOCOLS HELP THE COW & THE MILKING PERSONNEL

FARM DESIGN DEVELOP A LONG-TERM PLAN FORYOUR FARM

WEED CONTROL IN RESEEDED PASTURES PG 18

GUIDELINES FOR FARM INVESTMENT PG 36

MICROBIAL STATUS OF FARM MILK PG 40

IFB021

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TEAT DISINFECTANT HOW TO SELECT FROM 100 PRODUCTS

CLIMATE CHANGE SOLUTIONS COW TOILET: FACT OR FANTASY?

FINANCE CHANGING FARM STRUCTURES

Foreword/Contents/Credits

Farm Business >> SEE PAGE 22

>> SEE PAGE 38

>> SEE PAGE 46

Features

IRISH

4 Milking This Evening? What Are You Waiting For?

DAIRYING

Volume 6 Issue 1 Spring 2019 Edition Vol 10 issue 1 Spring / Summer 2023 Edition Price 3.95£5.00 £2.95(Stg) (Stg) Price €5.95

Joe Patton and Martina Gormley Teagasc Dairy Specialist Service

10 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.

PARLOUR PROTOCOLS

14 Taking The Risks Out Of Housing Bulls

HELP THE COW & THE MILKING PERSONNEL

4

18

FARM DESIGN

36

Looking at both some guiding principles on bull housing and also what the Department of Agriculture regulations contain.

18 Advice On Weed Control In Reseeded Pastures

Where pastures are being reseeded this spring, weed control should be an integral part of the reseeding programme.

30 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.

DEVELOP A LONG-TERM PLAN FORYOUR FARM

32 Parasitic Gastroenteritis and Lungworm in Cattle

32 44

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.

34 The Benefits Of Optimal Udder Health On Longevity And Farm Profitability

By Marco Hoekstra & Anna Blair – AHV Product Management

36 Things To Remember When Making A New Investment In The Farm Yard

40 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 Houlihan, Cara Sheridan,

Prepared by Aidan Kelly of Agri Design & Planning Services (ADPS) Molough, Newcastle, Clonmel, Co Tipperary.

40 Trichloromethane, Chlorate And Microbial Status Of Farm Bulk Milk – An Update 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 Chambers, Diarmuid McSweeney, Des Cronin,

Sarah Rose Fitzpatrick, Stuart Childs, Tom Stapleton, Michael O Donovan, John Paul Murphy, Kate Sugrue, Kieran McCarthy, Michael Reynolds, Paul Lyons, Lorna Twomey, Emer Kennedy, Adrian O Callaghan, James O Donoghue, Patrick Gowing

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

By Bernadette O’Brien and David Gleeson. Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork.

44 Innovation, Progress And Precision Farming Starts On The Farm

The practical application of agricultural innovations and progress will fundamentally develop from the ground up on farms.

All material contained in this edition is copyright of Irish Farm Business 2023 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.

11:59

Milking

Milking This Evening?

What Are You Waiting For? Joe Patton and Martina Gormley Teagasc Dairy Specialist Service

‘

Working 9 to 5, what a way to make a living…’ we all know how the song goes. Those lyrics have resonated with people toiling under that infamously fixed daily routine for many years. If you sat down to pen a version applicable to dairy farmers, it would be an altogether trickier task. ‘A quarter past six until about half seven most evenings’ doesn’t quite have the same ring to it. Across many studies on the subject, the fact is there has been almost no agreement on the actual start and finish times for dairy farm work, and indeed a mixture of pride and reluctance in discussing hours worked.

Numerous recent analyses of labour market trends in the wider economy, show a shift toward preference for flexibility in hours and work location among prospective employees. This presents significant challenges for employers in various sectors, but the trends still must be accounted for. From a dairy farming perspective, it often seems that such issues are happening in a different world altogether- cows still must be milked, grassland managed, and calves reared after all. Nonetheless, taking a business-as-usual approach to labour management puts dairy farming at real risk of being left behind in the long-term struggle to secure quality people, especially as the industry moves beyond an owner-operator scale of farming.

A positive perspective to be taken is that there is tremendous scope on dairy farms to adjust to more favourable work routines for owner and employees alike. A good start is to look at a very simple decision made every day- what time to start milking. The evidence suggests that for many farms this may just as big an issue for labour management as growth in cow numbers.

the smaller herd sizes seem considerably less work-efficient at around 60 hour per cow. For example, a farmer milking 60 cows x 60 hours per cow gives 3600 hours annually for this sole operator, or 69 hours per week on average. Now consider the farm next door, a typical 2-generation family situation with 220 cows, running 2 full-time family labour units plus relief, working 8000 hours per year in total. Each labour unit works 8000/2.3 or 67 hours per week on average. Not that different to their neighbour at all.

Whatever about work efficiency, the actual weekly hours worked per person doesn’t seem to change a lot in the typical family-plus-relief scale of operation. Across a wide range of dairy farms at different scales, it is remarkable how the owner-operator working week seems to fix around the 66-70 hours per week. Why is this the case? It is important to factor in the fixed nature of the working day on a dairy farm when analysing efficiency. Irrespective of the number of cows milked, or indeed the time taken to milk them, the working day is dictated by milking times and milking intervals. In other words, the one-person operation milking 60 cows and the farm running 220 cows, still each must start and end each day by managing the milking process. The scale of other work to be completed is defined by a combination of herd size and work efficiency (due to facilities and work routines).

Making sense of herd size effects on working hours

The average dairy herd size in Ireland has moved from around 60 to 90 cows in the last 10 years. This growth in scale, and the emergence of more multiple-herd units, have created issues of labour availability for the sector that must be addressed. Much of the focus in research and extension has justifiably been on increasing labour efficiency – coping with more cows with a fixed amount of (usually own) labour. The ‘hours per cow’ metric i.e. total annual hours divided by herd size, is a reasonably indicator of efficiency at a given scale, with an overall target of less than 20 hours per cow being possible.

Figure 1 shows the results of some recent modelling of herd size effects hours per cow and total hours per herd, across a range of approximately 60 to 400 cows. As herd size increases, total hours worked inevitably rises but hours per cow tends to fall. At first glance

Figure 1. Effect of herd scale on hours per cow and total hours worked on dairy farms 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 >> SEE PAGE 22

>> SEE PAGE 46

>> SEE PAGE 38

IRISH

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

DAIRYING

PARLOUR PROTOCOLS HELP THE COW & THE MILKING PERSONNEL

FARM DESIGN DEVELOP A LONG-TERM PLAN FORYOUR FARM

Supporting Farmers for Climate Action Teagasc has launched its Climate Action Strategy 2022- 2030 to support farmers and the agrifood sector to meet the climate challenge by reducing greenhouse gasses and increasing carbon capture.

The three key pillars of the action strategy are: • A Signpost Advisory Programme • A Sustainability Digital Platform • A Virtual National Centre for Agri-Food Climate Research Innovation

Urgent action is needed. All farmers are being encouraged to adopt the technologies that are proven to reduce emissions.

Signpost Advisory Programme The Teagasc Signpost Advisory programme complements the Signpost Demonstration Farm programme which has 65 partners and over 120 demonstration farms. The Signpost Advisory programme will be open to all farmers, to help to develop a tailored action plan for each individual farm.

Sustainable Digital Platform Teagasc in co-operation with the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) and Bord Bia, and supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, is building a new digital platform to facilitate a whole farm sustainability assessment.

Virtual National Centre for Agri-Food Climate Research Innovation Teagasc is establishing a new virtual centre, to co-ordinate climate research and innovation programmes, and accelerate efforts to bring ‘almost ready’ and ‘early stage’ technologies required for adoption at farm level, to fruition.

See www.teagasc.ie/climateaction for more information

Supporting Farmers for Climate Action - 297x210.indd 1

28/11/2022 16:44:05

Milking As spring has the greatest workload on most farms we analysed milking times for each season. The results showed no difference in milking times by season. The farm milking time in spring was exactly the same in summer, autumn and winter. This strongly points to milking times being a tradition/habit on many farms, rather than being dictated by workload on a particular day.

Childcare, is a genuine reason for some farmers having to milk later and this is down to the stage of the family. As the family gets older milking times can be changed to allow for earlier finish time.

Table 1: Mean milking time data from 2,366 herds recorded in 2020 We often hear from dairy farmers that reducing the working week by about 10 -14 hours per week would be close to ideal. It is opportune therefore, to look at the possibility of adjusting milking routines to deliver such change. Importantly, the end of the working day is also dictated by the decisions on milking time, which may be a key factor in retaining part or fulltime paid employees.

Are there opportunities for greater work flexibility on dairy farms?

To look at this we examined milk recording data from 2,366 herds across 23 counties. The data shows that the average milking finish time was 6:43 pm and the length of the working day was nearly 12 hours (Table 1). There is huge variation in evening milking time, but fewer than than one in four farms were finished the evening milking by 6pm.

The main reasons reported for later milking times include: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Workload Tradition/habit Lack of hobbies Milk yield loss Higher SCC Childcare

‘Too much work to do’ is often cited as a reason for later milking. To get all the jobs done after morning milking the afternoon milking must be delayed. The suggestion seems to be that if you milk early and finished at 5 pm you then have to be gone out of the yard! Not so.

Milking earlier gives the option to take the evening off or go and get other jobs done. It also shows your employees, neighbours and family that dairy farming is structured and that you can be finished earlier if you choose to.

Doing things how, and when, we have always done them is a powerful and understandable impulse. But sometimes habits and traditions come at a cost and should be challenged. Parkinson’s law says that ‘work expands to fill the time available for its completion’ so unless you set an end point you might never stop working.

Concerns about milk yield and SCC were mentioned. We analysed the 2,366 herds and found no difference in yield (Figure 2) or SCC between cows that were milked in a 16:8 hr (7am and 15pm) interval compared to cows milked in 12:12hr (6am and 18pm) interval.

Figure 2. Relationship between milking interval and milk kg per day 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 >> SEE PAGE 22

>> SEE PAGE 46

>> SEE PAGE 38

IRISH

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

DAIRYING

PARLOUR PROTOCOLS HELP THE COW & THE MILKING PERSONNEL

FARM DESIGN DEVELOP A LONG-TERM PLAN FORYOUR FARM

Figure 3 Mean milking interval by season

Summary and conclusions

All industries are faced with the challenge of demands for more flexible working arrangements from their staff. In the world of dairy farming, the need to deliver the proper standard of care and attention to the milking herd comes first and cannot in any way be compromised, but that does not mean that beneficial changes to work routines are not possible. Our analysis of on-farm data shows that many dairy farmers opt for milking intervals of 10+ hours and evening finish times of 7pm or later, irrespective of herd size, parlour type of time of year.

In contrast, research results and experience on many other farms, shows that cow milk yield, health and welfare are not compromised by moving to an 8 hour interval between morning and evening milking e.g. 7am and 3pm. It is often the case indeed that cow management is superior on the shorter interval farms, due to better levels of organisation overall. These farms also find it easier to secure staff by having working times that fit with other life commitments.

It goes without saying that dairy farms are extremely busy places and the workload demand is high and unrelenting for much of the year. It is perhaps somewhat controversial to also say that on many farms there is an element of voluntarily extending the day by milking too late in the day. If you find yourself starting milking later than is necessary, ask yourself the question ‘what are you waiting for?’

A LITTLE

BOOST

MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE

has our farm st Cows ie the happ rld! in the wo

The sequential use of identical PI3 and RSV antigens in live and killed presentations, called a PRIME-BOOST effect, can optimise the immune response to two of the key viral pathogens associated with bovine respiratory disease (BRD).

®

BRD PROTECTION DELIVERING A TO YOU AND YOUR HERD

BOVALTO® is the ONLY BRD VACCINE RANGE which provides ALL of these benefits: Efficacy proven by challenge studies1

Intranasal efficacy against BRSV and PI3 unaffected by MDAs, providing the optimal start to immune protection against BRD2

A duration of immunity proven by challenge: 12 weeks for BOVALTO Respi Intranasal2 6 months for BOVALTO Respi injectables

1

Enables sequential use of identical PI3 and RSV antigens in different forms for rapid and long-lasting immunity3

References: 1. Philippe-Reversat et al. (2017) Acta Vet BRNO. 86: 325–332 2. Metcalfe et al. (2020) Vet Record Open 7: e000429 3. Ellis et al. (2018) Can Vet J. 59: 1311–1319

Bovalto® Respi Intranasal, nasal spray, lyophilisate and solvent for suspension contains Bovine parainfluenza 3 virus (PI3V), modified live virus, strain Bio 23/A 105.0 – 107.5 TCID50 and Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), modified live virus, strain Bio 24/A 104.0 – 106.0 TCID50. Bovalto® Respi 3 Suspension for Injection and Bovalto® Respi 4 Suspension for injection contain inactivated bovine respiratory syncytial virus, strain BIO-24, inactivated bovine parainfluenza 3 virus, strain BIO- 23 and inactivated Mannheimia haemolytica, serotype A1 strain DSM 5283. Bovalto® Respi 4 also contains inactivated bovine viral diarrhoea virus, strain BIO-25. UK:

POM-V IE: POM (E). Advice should be sought from the prescriber. Further information available in the SPCs or from Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health UK Ltd, RG12 8YS, UK. UK Tel: 01344 746957, IE Tel: 01 291 3985. Email: vetenquiries@boehringer-ingelheim.com. Bovalto® is a registered trademark of the Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health France, used under licence. ©2022 Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health UK Ltd. All rights reserved. Date of preparation: September 2022 BOV-0108-2022. Use Medicines Responsibly.

Animal Health

Intra Eco-Bath – The Organic Way To Combat Lameness

A th to

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

I F

I b d t P c T t

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

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

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

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CLIMATE CHANGE SOLUTIONS COW TOILET: FACT OR FANTASY?

FINANCE CHANGING FARM STRUCTURES

Farm Business >> SEE PAGE 22

>> SEE PAGE 46

>> SEE PAGE 38

IRISH

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

DAIRYING

PARLOUR PROTOCOLS HELP THE COW & THE MILKING PERSONNEL

FARM DESIGN DEVELOP A LONG-TERM PLAN FORYOUR FARM

E p r g

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

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

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

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

V0622-EN

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.

LA

INTRA ECO-BATH: READY FOR A FRESH AND GREEN FUTURE

Are you familiar with the organic alternative to battle lameness?

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and essential oils

Intra Eco-Bath strips Safe and friendly for cow, farmer and biogas manure digester

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INTRA ECO-BATH: READY FOR A FRESH AND GREEN FUTURE

5 REASONS TO CHOOSE INTRA ECO-BATH

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REASONS TO CHOOSE INTRA ECO-BATH FOR PLANET AND ANIMAL INTRA ECO TAPE

FRESH AND GREEN FUTURE or on the field.

Intra Eco Tape, the new degradable

V0720-EU

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V0720-EU

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manure mixer, the slurry injectors and on the field.

ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY

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LEARN MORE

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DEGREE OF DEGRADATION IN 4 WEEKS

maintenance. is farmers’ first choice! are used on lame cows by hoof trimmers, professionalThis green concept Good stretchability, easy-tear LEARN MORE livestock farmers and veterinarians worldwide. These and great adhesive properties DEGREE OF DEGRADATION IN non-degradable hoof tapes (approx.7 km2), end up Soft fit in our environment in waste containers, manure pits Apply up to 4 hooves with 1 roll or on the field. Intra Eco Tape, the new degradable Ecologically HOW TO APPLYpacked without plastics tapeDEGRADABILITY preserves its original properties such as a good No chemical coloring TO APPLY stretchability, easy-tear and great adhesiveFor properties. more information callHOW Agrihealth

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on 047 71800 or email info@agrihealth.ie Distributed in Ireland by Agrihealth. www.agrihealth.ie DEGREE OF DEGRADATION IN 4 WEEKS

WATC

Animal 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.

C

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

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CLIMATE CHANGE SOLUTIONS COW TOILET: FACT OR FANTASY?

FINANCE CHANGING FARM STRUCTURES

Farm Business >> SEE PAGE 22

>> SEE PAGE 46

>> SEE PAGE 38

IRISH

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

DAIRYING

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FARM DESIGN DEVELOP A LONG-TERM PLAN FORYOUR FARM

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.

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Animal 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.

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Housing Bulls

Taking The Risks Out Of Housing Bulls

By Paul Lyons

Figure 1.

I

n this article, I will discuss the design of Bull housing. We will look at both some guiding principles and also what the Department of Agriculture regulations contain. There is also some general guidance given by farming bodies and manufacturers in relation to bull housing. Finally we will look at a Bull facility built in the last number of years to the full Department specification. Bull housing can be a big investment, especially when Department specifications need to be met. However, like any investment in infrastructure, it will be there for many years to come and the pay-back in safety and peace of mind are significant and long lasting.

Some principles

The guiding document in Ireland is ‘S160, THE MINIUM SPECIFICATION FOR BULL HOUSING’ published January, 2016. It states the basic requirements as: • Protection from the weather • Exercise area. An open exercise area is recommended where a bull is permanently housed.

• Arrangements for feeding and watering without entering the bull enclosure.

• Arrangements for safe house cleaning while the bull is housed.

• Suitable design and structures to prevent the bull escaping.

• Convenient and safe arrangements for serving of cows.

There are a number of different designs to achieve the guidelines and if you are considering building bull housing, the best starting point would be to study the designs in S160 but also to check online as many cattle handling manufactures will have documented their work with bulls. Then I would suggest visiting a couple of sites and chatting to IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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those farmers who have undertook the construction of bull housing.

It’s not always apparent from drawings and photos how a facility should work. Often it is the the little things that make the difference between a setup that works well and one that will cause frustration and might even be unsafe. It might be a small thing such as being conscious of the bulls nose ring. A design where the ring can catch on features of gates etc would be less than ideal but if each element is build with this limitation in mind, the ring will not be an issue.

That all said, most designs have a few common features. The first would be that the bull should be fed in ‘Feed stand’. This consists of narrow space between two mass concrete walls with a head locking barrier suitable for a bull at the front end. This ensures that the animal gets used to entering the space regularly and once trained; there should not be any issue in locking his head while he is feeding. This essential part of the design allows for the safe cleaning of the bull pen, administering medicine or just an inspection of the bull. Behind the feed space, a guillotine/drop gate is located so that the bull cannot move forward or backwards. This pen/passage should be comfortably wide enough for the bull to feed with no discomfort but also not allow him to pull back on the headlock barrier. See figure 2.

In addition to the headlock barrier and the guillotine gate, there is also a requirement for a sliding door in front of where the bull feeds. This is allows the complete isolation of the bull from any visual stimulation. This is useful if moving cows or other animals in front of the bull and will mitigate any reaction or excitement. Beyond the feed stand, a typical bull housing setup will also include area for the bull to move freely, gates in this pen need to be of the construction shown in figure 3 with vertical bars so the bull cannot use bars for climbing. One final but vital piece of equipment is a refuge area in the corner of figure

Housing Bulls 2. This has a tubular barrier that a person can move behind if for any reason they need to take refuge from the bull. Specification S160 has a number of suggested shed/pen layouts for bulls, some are based on facilities at AI stations where there would be intensive use, others are for farms were bull numbers are low.

Manufacturers of bull housing and equipment will also have their own guidelines, some of these specifications are covered in the S160 standard but they tend to be: 1. Bull pen’s are best positioned to allow the bull to see other cattle and general farm activity 2. Pens should be a minimum of 1.5m high 3. Vertical gaps in between partitions and gates should be no more than 100mm 4. Rails (on gates) should be a minimum of Ø48mm diameter 5. External doors and gates must be lockable and stock proof.

6. Penning should allow the bull to be fed and watered from outside the pen and incorporate a yoke or method of securing the animal using the nose ring.

7. A separate exercise yard with entry controlled by a gate operated from outside the pen is recommended to allow bedding up or cleaning out whilst the bull is contained in a separate area.

8. A refuge area is required with means of offering unobstructed escape safely from the pen.

and supervision during their busy season.

As the new shed was grant aided, the bull facilities need to comply with specification S160. Figure 2 shows a plan drawing of the bull facilities in the shed. The bull pen is located at the end of the shed farthest from the main farm yard and uses the outer mass concrete walls of the building as two of the side walls of the bull pen. Two additional mass concrete walls were constructed to form the feed stand. Figure 4 shows the front of the bull pen with a large swing gate with vertical bars. There is a single headlock barrier at one end of the feed stand, a drop gate at the rear of the feed stand. A sliding door completes the setup, at the time of the picture; the sheeting had not been fitted.

The headlock barrier (figure 5) can be set to move freely and if needed a lever passing through the wall can be rotated to set the barrier to lock the bull’s head. Adjacent to the bull pen are 4 bays of general livestock housing. If needs be, the gate to the bull pen can be opened and the bull can be let into the general area to serve cows. The refuge barrier in this case in a corner of the bull pen. Speaking to the McDonough’s, the location of this item is maybe not ideal. It should probably have been located in the top corner of the pen, with the hanging of gate 2 reversed so a person could easily enter and escape from the pen.

If you combine the points from S160 and the guidelines above, the intention is that while the bull should have sight lines to farm activity so he is not isolated (and associated behavioural problems), and that at all times it should be possible to isolate the bull safely. This is essential to safely working with the bull, carry out feeding, routine medical inspections, cleaning of the pen and safe introduction of the bull to cows and other livestock.

It goes without saying that there are pros and cons to having your own stock bull. However for the safety of all involved in a farm, it is vital that there are correct facilities for the handling and housing of bulls. In this article we have seen the specification that is laid out by the Department of Agriculture and also some leading manufacturer of cattle equipment. The specifications and guidelines are just that however and I would stress that the best preparation for investing in bull facilities so to visit farms that have good facilities and have a discussion about what works, what doesn’t and above all what is the safest practice. In this instance more than any other cattle handling investment, buy once and buy right!

Bull Shed Example

In 2017, the McDonagh Family in Headford Co Galway invested in a new straw bed livestock shed. They were keen to include bull facilities into the shed as they kept a stock bull to run with their suckler herd.

They are also agricultural contractors and the family were keen to have a bull setup that worked well and required minimum of intervention

Figure 2. Drawing of Headford set-up

Figure 4. Front of bull pen with swing gate, sliding door (sheeting omitted) and headlock barrier IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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Summary

Paul Lyons is a Design Engineer with Bó Steel Ltd who specialise in cattle handling solutions. paul.lyons@built2last.ie

Figure 3. Swing gate 1 with vertical bars between bull pen and service pen

Figure 5. Headlock barrier

Figure 6. Refuge barrier

Weed Control

Advice On Weed Control In Reseeded Pastures Where pastures are being reseeded this spring, weed control should be an integral part of the reseeding programme.

“

Reseeding gives a big boost to grass quality and output. But the benefits are seriously eroded if weeds in the new reseed are not controlled early,” said weed control specialist Chris Maughan.

He said chickweed and docks are big problems in new reseeds.

“Seedling docks can be a major problem. If not controlled at the seedling stage, dock roots can grow up to a metre deep and have a devastating effect on grass output.

“Teagasc research has shown that treating docks at the seedling stage with an effective systemic herbicide in a new reseed will result in a dock-free pasture for the following five years.

“Chickweed is another serious problem and it can damage the new grass, resulting in a very patchy sward. If these fields are not sprayed soon after reseeding, the chickweed will continue to flourish, smother out the new grass seedlings and then allow other weeds such as docks and thistles to germinate and grow. The end result will be a very poor pasture and a wasted investment,” added Chris who is technical manager with Whelehan Crop Protection.

Pastor Trio

Pastor trio is an ideal herbicide for controlling weeds in a new reseed.

It contains the powerful active ingredient florasulam as well as the two tried and tested ingredients fluroxypyr and clopyralid. The cocktail of these three chemicals with two different modes of action ensures a very wide spectrum of weed control in reseeded pasture.

Pastor Trio is powerful on a very wide range of weeds including docks, chickweed, thistles, dandelions, buttercups, redshank, plantains, mayweed, charlock and fumitory.

It is highly effective on seedling docks which can be a major problem in new swards. Chickweed is another serious problem and it can smother the new grass. The biggest risk is from common chickweed but mouse-eared chickweed can also be a problem. Pastor Trio is powerful on both.

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Seedling docks in a new reseed

Autumn reseeds

Chris said the while weed control is critical it must be targeted 6-8 weeks after reseeding, when the grass is small. Pastor Trio can be used from the 3 leaf stage of the grass. However, many late autumn reseeds may not have received an early spring herbicide this year due to the wet and difficult spring we have been experiencing. Where chickweed and docks have manifested themselves in swards over the winter, they should also be targeted without delay to eliminate the weed burden before it gets established.

Weed Control Thistles in reseeds

New reseeds are also very prone to infestation with thistles. Even swards that were relatively free of thistles before reseeding can succumb to heavy infestations in the new sward especially the spear thistle. If not controlled early, they can become a massive problem in the following year.

The spear thistle (or buck thistle) is a biannual plant, meaning it will germinate and remain in a rosette in the first season and when it over winters it will head out the following year. These should be targeted after reseeding to prevent them getting establish and seeding out again.

“With the cost involved in sowing a new sward, it is vital to ensure that the output from the new grass is not hampered by infestations of weeds”.

“Therefore, if chickweed, docks, thistles or other common weeds such as dandelions and buttercups are present in a new sward, it will pay handsomely to spray with Pastor Trio,” said Chris Maughan.

Pastor Trio at a glance • •

•

• •

Contains three powerful ingredients - florasulam, fluroxypyr and clopyralid.

Weeds controlled include docks, chickweed, thistles, dandelions, buttercups, redshank, plantains, mayweed, charlock, fumitory and orache.

Apply to new reseeds at one litre/ha in 200 litres of water from the third leaf visible stage of the grass (about six weeks after sowing). It can be applied up to the end of August.

Where weeds are dense, water levels should be increased by 50 per cent.

The sward can be grazed seven days after spraying.

Spear thistle

Thistle plants and roots should be fully killed off before reseeding. If not, the chopped root fragments can remain viable producing a new plant as shown here. Unfortunately, there is no clover safe option for thistles and therefore Pastor Trio is the ideal choice. With large infestation of thistles from roots a follow up application with Thistlex the following year may be required to eliminate the thistles completely.

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19

Weed Control

Envy proven in the field

The above picture, taken with a drone, is of a field in Carlow which was reseeded in July 2019.

By early-September, the field was heavily infested with chickweed.

Docks and other weeds were also present.

The field was sprayed with Envy in mid-September. A section of the field was left untreated.

The drone picture, which was taken then in October, shows that the treated area is completely weed-free while the untreated area is riddled with chickweed.

Below on left is a close-up shot, taken the following spring, of the untreated area. This shows how the chickweed has smothered out the grass, resulting in large bare patches. These bare patches then allow for the germination and reintroduction of other perennial weeds like docks.

The final picture was taken of the same field two years after reseeding, and that same unsprayed area has now become infested with docks. This demonstrates that docks, if not controlled, can dominate a new pasture and show the importance of early post-emergent treatment of chickweed and other weeds in new reseeds.

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Envy Fact Sheet • Envy Contains powerful ingredients - florasulam and fluroxypyr.

Facttwo Sheet • Highly effective on buttercups, dandelions, docks, chickweed, • daisies Contains two powerful ingredients - florasulam and and plantains.

• Apply to reseeded pasture at a rate of 1.5l/ha in a minimum of fluroxypyr. water.effective on buttercups, dandelions, docks, • 200l Highly • Can be applieddaisies up to 30 chickweed, andNovember. plantains.

• Sward can be grazed seven days after spraying.

• Apply to reseeded pasture at a rate of 1.5l/ha in a minimum of 200l water.

• Can be applied up to 30 November.

• Sward can be grazed seven days after spraying.

New sown ley.

Don’t delay the spray.

Pastor ® Trio is a broad spectrum herbicide designed for new sown leys.

Give your leys the start they need by removing unwanted, competitive broad-leaved weeds. Pastor ® Trio is very safe to your grass and will give you the confidence that your new sown investment will deliver to its full potential.

Don’t delay, talk to your advisor or find out more at corteva.ie/grassland

Chickweed

Mayweeds

Docks

Thistles

Dandelions

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.

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.

Pastor® Trio contains fluroxypyr, clopyralid and florasulam.

Weed Control

Technique To Over Sow Clover As clover is susceptible to both Pastor Trio, Envy and other herbicides that kill broad-leaved weeds, many farmers exclude clover from the mixture at reseeding. This enables the weeds to be effectively controlled in the new sward and the clover then added into a clean sward at a later stage.

The technique of over-sowing clover with P and K fertilizer was developed by Teagasc Moorepark. It involves mixing 2kg/acre clover with a bag of PK fertiliser such as 0-7-30 and spreading in two runs at right angles to each other. Another option is to use a slug pellet applicator on a quad bike.

After spreading, around 3,000 gallons/acre of fairly watery slurry should be applied in order to wash in the seed and limit moisture loss.

For best results, the pasture should be tightly grazed before the clover is over-sown. It works best where moisture levels are good.

Where pasture is sprayed with herbicides such as Pastor Trio and Envy, the over-sowing can be done 2-3 months after spraying.

Where clover was included in the original seed mixture, the effects of a heavy infestation of weeds far outweigh the benefits of the clover in the new sward. In such a situation it will make economic sense to spray the weeds with Pastor Trio or Envy and re-introduce the clover into a clean sward.

Grazon Pro The Ideal Spot Spray GrazonPro 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.

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.

Nettles under electric wire. Spot spraying with GrazonPro kills nettles and other weeds on fences.

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Instant Hot Water for Dairy Farm Instant Hot Water up to 85°C Reduce Thermodurics & TBCs

Ideal for use with chlorine free deterg Cheaper than Electricity

To request a FREE farm visit: T 041 214 9600 www.flogas.ie/dairy

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tergents

Grassland Management

Foliar Feeding Urea Plus Potassium Humate Proven To Reduce Nitrogen Use By 50%

B

ased on trials completed in New Zealand in 2013, Nigel Howells undertook an important three-year trial on four farms in Wales. The trials, undertaken in conjunction with EIP Wales and supported

by Farming Connect, were completed in 2021 and produced results which have important implications for not only dairy farmers, but livestock farmers in general.

Most nitrogen fertiliser is applied as solid prills and rely on soil biology to convert the N into NO3- (nitrate) molecules for uptake by plants. Ireland has above average levels of rainfall, which means there is greater potential for nitrate loss by leaching. Best practice matches application to periods of growth, therefore, and foliar feeding programmes enable this.

While reducing nitrogen inputs use has already been legislated for, in an era of prohibitively expensive fertiliser, improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) (and reducing N use) is key to farm profitability and sustainability.

This trial proved conclusively that foliar feeding urea that was stabilised using potassium humate increased NUE by up to 400% on grazing systems and 200-300% on silage ground. In addition, there is little scorching with urea treated this way.

As a result of the trials, farmers should, realistically, be able to half their nitrogen inputs while maintaining grass yields.

Under poor growing conditions, foliar fed systems achieved higher yields, as nutrient uptake via the roots is compromised in a cold/wet/dry soil environment.

Furthermore, foliar fed grass has higher DM% and sugars.

For further details, Nigel Howells can be contacted on 07973 545056. High quality potassium humate (Powhumus®) is available through Aphaeas Agriculture www.aphaeas-agri.com and approved agents.

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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.

M

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.

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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

McGuinness Seeds

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

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

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

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

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31

Animal 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.

C

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.

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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.

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

Animal Health

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.

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).

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AHV

The Benefits Of Optimal Udder Health On Longevity And Farm Profitability

By Marco Hoekstra & Anna Blair – AHV Product Management

Photography - Tori OC Photography

C

ows can continue to produce quality milk for many years if given the opportunity. An older dairy herd is more economically beneficial. Several scientific studies have shown that 50% to 70% of cows are culled around the age of four or five years (Gosselink et al., 2008). The three most common culling reasons are poor udder health, reduced fertility, and lameness.

Poor udder health is the main reason for involuntary culls

One of the primary reasons for culling is poor udder health. Achieving optimal udder health is therefore one of the most important pillars when it comes to extending the lifespan of dairy cows. Reducing the incidences of udder health challenges leads to lower replacement rates, higher life expectancy, improved animal welfare, and better financial results.

What is the optimal productive lifespan?

On average, cows reach peak production after 5 lactations. Research has shown that achieving 8 to 9 lactations per cow is economically optimal. Herds with older, healthier cows will have a reduced replacement requirement (Pinedo et al., 2014). This highlights a IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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problem; the current average culling age is less than the economically optimal replacement age. Having healthier animals and improving the longevity of the herd directly translates into more income.

Costs associated with udder health challenges

The direct costs associated with udder health challenges are due to the loss of revenue from withdrawn milk. There are also indirect costs such as loss of milk yield and the cow not being able to re-establish her original milking potential, pre-health challenge. There are other indirect costs associated with the requirement to replace cows earlier (Fernandes et al., 2021).

Cows dealing with udder health challenges direct more energy to their immune system, which otherwise could have been utilised for milk production. Cows with a healthy udder reach a higher peak yield and have greater persistence of yield.

Research has shown, revenue losses average $1.20/cow/day during the first month of an udder health challenge and can increase to as much as $2.06 per cow per day by month ten (Hadrich et al., 2018).

The graph below shows an example revenue curve for a cow with SCC greater than or equal to 100 compared to a cow with SCC less than 100. This demonstrates the importance of keeping the udder healthy to maintain the financial position of the farm.

AHV

Photography - Tori OC Photography

How can you optimise udder health?

To support and optimise udder health, AHV has developed the Udder Health Programme.

This approach focuses on early identification of potential health challenges. At AHV we consider the monitoring of herd performance data (milk recording) coupled with observations to be the most important tools for decisionmaking.

Our AHV consultants will provide advice based on your herd’s performance, and help you to achieve better udder health and improve herd longevity.

Figure 1. The graph above shows the revenue curves for a Holstein cow with SCC greater than or equal to 100 compared to an identical Holstein cow with SCC less than 100 (Hadrich et al., 2018).

Note: Test day refers to the day of each milk recording.

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35

Investment

Things To Remember When Making A New Investment In The Farm Yard Prepared by Aidan Kelly of Agri Design & Planning Services (ADPS) Molough, Newcastle, Clonmel, Co Tipperary.

F

armers need to know what they want, what they need and what they can afford. A lot of farmers are putting the cubicle before the cow when it comes to capital investments. This can be the right decision in some farmyard and the wrong decision in other farm yards.

The farmer must be able to make bank repayments, support their family and be happy that the new investment will make their life easier or generate a better income from this investment.

The Budget is something that all farmers need to be fully aware of and should have one in place before construction ever takes place. In my experience most projects I am involved in run over budget by 10 to 15% on extras and things that farmers just did not budget for. For example, stone fill required for a new project can vary from €2,000 to €50,000 depending on the site conditions, levels and soil conditions. If you decide to raise a building 600mm / two foot to match an existing yard this could add €8,000/€15,000 to an overall project.

A new connection to the ESB network could cost €2000/10000 for a standard connect and €2,000/20,000 for a three-phase connection.

A three -phase connection is now required for most large milking parlours 26 unit to 60 units herringbone or rotary. Three -phase is a better power source to work with as motors and machinery don’t need to run as hard as the power source is far greater putting less pressure on all equipment.

You need to be designing with the future in mind even if you’re not planning on expanding. The next generation may require your fore sight for them to expand their business at a later point. In many cases this is not possible because of existing yards and building constraints.

A decision must be made at this point to compromise future expansion in this location or look to a green field site with addition cost to allow for future expansion.

I believe that farmers need to be able to change and adapt with markets to keep their business profitable and alive for the next generation.

Top six points to consider when making a planning permission or Tam II application 1. Planning permission will take up to four months, and can sometimes be delayed with further information up to six months.

Give yourself plenty of time and apply early to be ready to avail of the new grants. Planning permission lasts for five year.

2. Planning application can be appealed to An Bord Pleanala. If this IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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3.

4.

5.

6.

happens it will delay the project up to another year.

The cost of planning permission fees to the local County Council is a maximum of €300 and a maximum of €900 for retention applications in agriculture. There are also development contrition charges to be considered in certain County Councils. Most councils allow the first 500m2 free from this charge but beware that a retention application may be exposed to this total charge.

The charge can range from €6 per m2 in Kilkenny county councils to €3 per m2 in Laois county councils. Each county council has different charges. Cork County Council has no charges as of yet.

The location of the proposed building is very important. I have been in too many farmyards where there has been no thought put into a building’s location that allows for possible expansion in the future. When planning a building you should be thinking what building/structures you could require in the next ten years.

Consider this and if possible, do a ten-year farm plan. As the proposed building may be in the way for future development within the farmyard as farm building can have a life span of 30100 years.

Have a look at different sheds recently built on other local farms that you could take ideas from. Chat to the farmers in relation to their designs, builders they used and find out the drawbacks and changes they could have made in hindsight. Once the shed is lodged to your local council there can be very little charges made. These drawing are the ones that the grant inspector will be working too if availing of a Tam II grant.

Timing of planning permission. The new TAMS SCHEME opens in trenches. You may receive your planning and then have to wait a further four months for a trench to close. The process of receiving planning and then the grant could take up to 8 months.

It may take another month before you are allowed to start. So in reality you need to allow 12 month at a minimum before you could start you proposed building.

Top Ten points to consider when designing a farm yard (General) 1. Weather and the orientation of the proposed building.

2. Proposed building needs to be a minimum from public/private well of 100m for new farmyard or 60m in an existing farmyard, 30m in existing farmyards subject to a hydro-geological survey being carried out.

Investment 3.

A storage facility for silage effluent/slurry/soiled water should be located not less than 50m from any waterbody in the case of new farmyards, and not less than 10m in the case of extensions/ modifications to an existing facility 4. Any land drains shall be stopped at least 10m on the upstream side of a site and diverted around to re-connect with the drainage system at least 10m on the downstream side of the storage area.

5. Consider animal and machinery moment within the farm yard.

Clean and dirty yards.

6. Utilise existing building and combine with proposed building if possible.

7. Farm safety must always be considered in all new designs and layouts.

8. Can the farm afford this development? Do you require it?

9. Always allow and plan for future expansion and developments.

Try and used a professional farm designer or advisor to help you achieve the best design for your farming system.

10. Remember it is very easy for you to change designs and ideas on paper with a designer but once the builder is on site any changes can cost money and delay a project.

Top Ten points to consider when designing a farm yard (General) • Length, width and height to eaves • Roof cladding material • Wall cladding material • Roof slope/pitch • Floor slopes, drainages and soakaways • Weight requirements (e.g. grain storage or silage pits) • Energy efficiency and potential for renewable energy generation • Ventilation (inlets and outlets) • Drainage of clean water • Drainage of dirty water and soiled yard area And specifically, for livestock buildings: • Inlet ventilation above animal level • Stocking density • Type and size of animal • Amount of natural light required • Natural or controlled ventilation

• • • • •

Feeding regime, management and route Animal Access and handling facilities accessible Slurry and waste management Safety for Farmer and animal Clean yard and dirty yard separations

Key aspects to consider when designing a farm building for a Tam II grant • All department of agriculture food and the marine specifications s100 to s197 must be followed to attained you Tams Grant • Full planning permission or a planning exemption is required • A roof pitch of 12° which will require lapped sheeting and 15° for a closed roof • You can only connect to an existing building, if it was built in a pervious grant scheme.

• You can build beside an existing building but the new building will need to be self-supporting • All steel used must be CE marked and come from CE marked and registered contractor • All steel to be shot blasted and paint to grant spec or galvanised dripped.

• All slurry agitation points in existing building connected to proposed building must be external and in compliance with s123.

• No agitation points in feeding areas or in area that could be roofed at a later date.

• Concrete for silos, silage aprons, silage effluent stores, aprons, silo channels and purpose-built silage effluent tanks to be 45N • Concrete for all other purposes including slurry tanks to be 37N • Grant money can be taken back within the first five year if the investment is not being used for its proposed Tam II grant. For example, loose shed being used as workshop/ storage shed during winter months.

Key aspects to consider estimation on construction cost • Milking parlour - €12,000 to €18,000 per unit • This included milking equipment, shed, collecting yard and all concrete works (don’t not include bulk tank) • Bulk tank cost - €3 per Litre. Example 10,000L tank is €3 x 10,000 = €30,000

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Animal Bedding

Animal Bedding

Tottenham Timber

T

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 For further information contact us at 086 8362522 or visit www.tottenhamtimber.ie IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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Farm Business IRISH

53

A revolution in dairy roofing To me Marlon CST Heatguard is a game changer within livestock buildings. The cows are far happier and healthier, their hide is in great condition. Conception rates are better, milk yields are up and replacement rates have improved.

Dairy Farmer

Watch the video

Available From:

Contact: e. info@aneuco.ie t. 00353 1 485 1323

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Microbial Status

Trichloromethane, Chlorate And Microbial Status Of Farm Bulk Milk – An Update Bernadette O’Brien and David Gleeson Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork.

C

hlorine-free cleaning has a positive impact on trichloromethane residue levels in milk and butter and on chlorate levels in milk

Summary • Research was undertaken to examine the residue levels and microbial status of the national milk supply before and after the change from chlorine based to chlorine-free cleaning protocols • From the changeover to chlorine-free cleaning, chlorate was not detected in 92% of milk samples and within the 8% of samples in which chlorate was detected, just 15% were greater than the target of 0.01 mg/kg • Removal of chlorine from cleaning protocols was not associated with any increase in milk total bacterial count levels, while an increase in thermoduric bacteria levels was observed Introduction One specific challenge experienced within the dairy industry over recent years has been the management of chlorine-associated residues in milk. This significant issue has required consistent application of focus and strategy by both the dairy farming and processing sectors to ensure that the milk supply attained the national/ international standards as well as the quality standards set by purchasers of dairy products/ingredients. This has represented a significant challenge in recent years as the residues involved are derived from one of the most widely used products in the dairy industry, chlorine. This chlorine product is used for (i) disinfection of milking machine/ bulk tank surfaces on-farm and processing equipment at factory IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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and (ii) disinfection of water. These chlorine associated residues, trichloromethane (TCM) and chlorate are health related in two specific products, i.e. butter and Infant milk formula (IMF) consumed by adults and infants, respectively.

TCM and chlorate Contact between chlorine and milk results in the formation of organic chlorine disinfection by-products, the most important of which is TCM; this residue has an affinity for the fat fraction in milk and hence, is preferentially enriched in high-fat derivatives such as cream and butter. The current target for TCM is < 0.00124 mg/kg in milk, with a corresponding target of 0.024 mg/kg in butter. Alternatively, chlorate is associated with the decomposition of stored chlorine solutions.

The presence of chlorate in milk at detectable levels (≥0.0020 mg/ kg) reduces the universality of raw milk as its processing potential is reduced for some ingredient applications. For example, such milk can be deemed unsuitable for value added ingredients such as specialist nutrition powders which demand chlorate levels of <0.01 mg/kg (10 ppb) in the final product. A maximum level of 0.01 mg/kg of chlorate has been set for ready to consume IMF. The development and transfer of TCM and chlorate, respectively, to milk was primarily through the use of chlorinated detergents for cleaning and sanitation of equipment at both farm and at dairy processor sites. Consequently, these chlorine based detergent sterilizer products are no longer permitted for use on milk contact surfaces since January, 2021. This action has had a very positive impact on both TCM and chlorate levels in milk, with almost all milk reaching these stringent TCM and chlorate standards.

Microbial Status Change in TCM levels in milk and butter following the regulation to remove chlorine based cleaning products (January 2021) Approximately 40,000 milk samples per year from eight milk processors have been analysed for TCM in recent years. Figure 1 shows the monthly average milk TCM levels across years 2020 to 2022, which includes the changeover to chlorine-free cleaning protocols in January 2021. In 2020, 2021 and 2022, 17%, 9% and 6%, respectively, of individual milk samples had TCM levels greater than the target level of >0.00124 mg/kg; all monthly averages for 2021 and 2022 were less than the target (averages = 0.00054mg/kg and 0.00055mg/kg), respectively.

Likewise, TCM levels were similarly reduced in butter following the recommendation to remove chlorine based detergent sterilizer products for use on milk contact surfaces from January 2021 (Figure 2). TCM levels in butter averaged 0.021 mg/kg, 0.015 mg/kg and 0.017 mg/kg in 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively. All annual average TCM values for butter (for the various processors) was within target (0.024 mg/kg) in 2021 and 2022, however, ongoing monitoring is important.

Change in chlorate levels in milk following the regulation to remove chlorine based cleaning products Chlorate development in hypochlorite solutions is influenced by chlorine concentration, storage conditions, such as exposure to sunlight and duration of storage. When hypochlorite solutions containing chlorate are used for disinfection of milk contact surfaces on-farm or at the processing plant, chlorate can be transferred to milk. Chlorate can also be introduced to milk powder through hypochlorite solutions being used to disinfect water, which may be subsequently introduced during the process of conversion (drying) of milk to powder; this powder may later be used in specialist nutrition powders or infant formula.

Consequently, individual processors are now measuring chlorate.

An initial examination of chlorate content in bulk tank milk was carried out before (2020) and after (2021) “chlorine free” cleaning protocols were introduced; milk samples were analysed for chlorate between March and November of both years.

Approximately 3,500 bulk milk samples (from six milk processors) were analysed across 2020 and 2021. Chlorate was detected in 7% less samples in 2021 compared to 2020; chlorate was not detected (<0.0020 mg/kg) in 92% of samples in 2021, and within the 8% of samples in which chlorate was detected, just 15% were greater than the target of 0.01 mg/kg for IMF. This was presumably because of the chlorine-free cleaning protocols used during that year. Thus, progress has been made in terms of reducing chlorate occurrence and level, but this needs to be continuously monitored to ensure protection of markets, particularly in the event of more strict targets being applied by customers of product. Milk processors have incorporated chlorine gas systems as a water disinfection method (in place of hypochlorite) in many product-manufacturing plants. In addition, a substantial work programme funded by DAFM /FIRM measure and Dairy Levy Trust is in place with a research focus on promoting “chorine free” protocols at farm level.

Figure 1. Monthly average milk TCM levels across years 2020 to 2022

Figure 2. Average TCM levels in butter for individual processors over 2020 and 2021

Microbial quality of milk with chlorine-free cleaning protocols With the correction of one quality parameter (chlorine associated residues) there may be potential to damage a further quality parameter, i.e. the microbial quality of milk. Although precautions have been taken with the development of new chlorine-free cleaning /detergent products and protocols, e.g. use of adequate volume and high temperature hot water together with adequate acid washes and caustic solutions of appropriate concentration, potential exists for microbial challenges. Thus, research was undertaken to examine the microbial status of the national milk supply before and after the change from chlorine to chlorine-free cleaning protocols. To address this, five milk processors from various geographical locations throughout Ireland submitted their pooled monthly total bacterial count (TBC) and thermoducric bacteria count levels for the years 2019 to 2022, inclusive.

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Microbial Status

(a)

(b)

Figure 3. Total bacterial count in milks from (a) one processor and (b) the Moorepark research farm between 2019 and 2022

(a)

(b)

Figure 4. Thermoduric counts in milks from (a) one processor and (b) the Moorepark research farm between 2019 and 2022

Results Total bacterial count data did not generally indicate any increase in association with the changeover from chlorine based to chlorine-free detergents. However, milks from the different processors showed TBC levels of 15-35 x103/ml during the main lactation period with higher levels (30-45 x103 /ml) observed during the January to March and October to December periods (data of one milk processor, Figure 3a).

Alternatively, milks from the Moorepark research farm showed TBC levels of 3-15 x103/ml (except for one month) throughout the year (Figure 3b).

An increase in thermoduric bacteria levels was observed in the years 2021 and 2022 when the chlorine-free cleaning protocols were in place; this was evident for the majority of milk processors (data of one milk processor, Figure 4a). In addition, thermoduric counts were generally higher during the early and late lactation periods (January/February and from September onwards, respectively). Alternatively, milks from the Moorepark research farm showed average thermoduric counts of 34, 65, 52 and 53 cfu/ml across the years 2019 to 2022, indicating similar levels for the years before and after chlorine removal (Figure 4b).

This increase in thermoduric bacteria in commercial farm milks needs to be addressed. The most important strategy in reducing thermoduric bacteria is by increasing attention to detail in a chlorine-free cleaning process. This is achieved through using (a) the appropriate cleaning protocol for the milking plant; (b) adequate acid washes; (c) adequate volumes of sufficiently hot water; and (d) IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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adequate volumes of detergent for both cold and hot washes. A second corrective strategy is by presenting clean cows for milking. This is particularly important during the early and late months of the lactation which can coincide with wet weather conditions. A clean cow herd can be achieved through ensuring a clean environment, clipped tails and udders and general cow teat cleanliness and/or by preparation of the cow directly prior to cluster attachment.

Conclusions Average values of the TCM, chlorate and microbial milk quality parameters are largely within target levels and standards have been passed in many cases. However, some challenges remain around the maintenance of standards and the evidence for increasing thermoduric levels needs attention. Removal of chlorine should not lead to a deterioration in microbial quality of milk. Issues with high thermoduric levels occurred in the past when chlorine based cleaning was used and also, it is observed that farms nominated for the Milk Quality Awards do not use chlorine based cleaning and do not have high levels of thermoduric bacteria in their milk. This supports the argument that excellent TBC and thermoduric levels can be achieved when a chlorine-free cleaning protocol is applied correctly within a clean dairy farm environment. But it is crucial that the cleaning protocols are properly adhered to; this can be addressed by farmers working through the appropriate protocol for their farm, identifying any shortcomings and making the necessary changes to correct them.

Milk Hygiene

Biocel Ltd – New CirCool Wash Program Effective In Control Of TBC/ Thermoduric Counts Biocel Ltd – Irelands leading manufacturer of Dairy Hygiene and Teat Care products new CirCool Cold Wash program proving effective in controlling TBC / Thermoduric counts.

CirCool – Cold Wash Technology

Since the removal of Chlorine from milking plant detergents, many milk suppliers have faced ongoing challenges in achieving the required target temperatures for effective results from Chlorine Free products in the market.

Due to temperature of the wash solution falling below target temperatures at the end of the hot wash cycle, this has resulted in formation of a fat/ protein build up in plants, seen on Perspex components & Milk meters. This deposit when formed is very difficult to remove in a standard wash program and if not removed leads to a rise in TBC/ Thermoduric counts.

Biocel Ltd customers who have moved to the CirCool program in 2023 have found that plants have remained consistently clean and residue free combined with excellent low TBC & Thermoduric counts.

The other big advantage in using this cold wash program is that water heating costs can be reduced by up to 85 % along with CO2 emissions, which with current high energy costs and pressure on reduction of CO2 emissions is another bonus.

CirCool P is a mixed alkaline powder with a high level of cleaning additives that can be used in manual systems and is available in 20kg packs

CirCool L is mixed alkaline liquid with a high level of cleaning additives that can be used in manual or auto wash systems and is available in 20/200/1000lt packs.

Biocel Ltd offer a full on support package for all our Dairy Hygiene & Teat Care products and are our Technical Team are available for Tele & On farm support by contacting info@biocel.ie or 021 4353516

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Slurry Soil Innovation

Innovation, Progress And Precision Farming Starts On The Farm The practical application of agricultural innovations and progress will fundamentally develop from the ground up on farms. Farmers themselves are the key to developing and directing change in the years to come. To strive for a sustainable future and protecting our environment it has to happen from the ground up.

The Thoughts and Ideas of Tom Stapleton as he journeys with Farmers.

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n walking onto a farm in Ireland you are walking into an environment where there is a significant amount of equipment and knowledge. This is complemented farmers that have gained extensive experience and knowledge in maintaining machinery, animal husbandry and land management. The natural advancement for farmers with the equipment and resources they have is to start conducting research at farm level for themselves. The next agricultural revolution I believe will happen on farms lead by farmers themselves - it must be pointing towards precision agriculture. There is no room for waste in agriculture and the precise utilisation of resources is now more important than ever. As I look through the list of names in my phone book I see an electrician, an vet, a barrister, a fisherman, a lecturer, an entrepreneur, a seed specialist, a horticulturist, an engineer, a doctor and the one thing they all have in common is that they are all farmers. They are working their own land and from my experience of them they are already on the path to developing, trialling, and testing ways to be more efficient on their farm. The change in the last three years that I see on farms is remarkable, there is an open mind philosophy starting to emerge like a seedling on many farms in Ireland.

Farmers are not taking for granted the research available to them and they are conducting their own research and becoming their own specialists.. This is a huge step forward that farmers are trying new innovative practices and using their own test areas on their own farms to try new ideas. The farming sector is under increasing pressure to produce food in a sustainable manner that is environmentally friendly.

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The narrative from the agricultural industry and ‘Big Ag’ over the last 15 -20 years has been gear up, get more intensive, build more sheds, and buy more cows etc. That has all changed in the last two years with a complete turnaround and the farmer is now in the middle trying to navigate through the change. The message to ‘Big Ag’ is that farmers are innovating and trying new things.

Farm Level Innovation

The high price of chemical fertiliser has contributed to the ignition of innovation and thinking outside the box for alternative approaches that will maintain output and be cost effective. It is not just the cost of chemical fertiliser that is the issue, there are so many contributing factors that need to be considered rather than cutting the amount of fertiliser straight away. We need to explore alternative methods of farming, the types of crops we grow and how we plant seeds.

Innovation, autonomy and developing precision agriculture methods will be the future. If the why is big enough the what does not matter is an interesting concept. If people have enough of the ‘why’ the ‘what’, the ‘how’ is inconsequential. For example, no one willingly would cross shark infested waters to get to an island, however they could be convinced to cross these shark infested waters if their survival on this earth depended on getting to the island. Hence we will never cease to innovate and invent as there will also be enough of a ‘why’ to keep pursuing development and innovation. In this case the ‘why’ is many things like cost, environmental impact, carbon emissions etc.

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Slurry Soil Innovation

Slurry Separator left with the solids after extraction on the right (FTS Dairy Services, 2022)

Foliar Feeds and Liquid Urea

Consider that Ireland imported 532,000 tons of calcium ammonia nitrate in the 2020 agricultural season. An acre has a total surface area of 4046.85 square metres which means that the application rate of one kilogram of the calcium ammonia nitrate covers 26.97 square metres.

When chemical fertilizer is spread on the land mechanically with a fertilizer spreader and the fertilizer granules drop through an opening underneath the spreader onto a rotating disk plate distributing them 24 – 28 metres wide. The fertilizer falls like hailstones on to the surface of the soil at a fertilizer kilogram weight ratio to soil square metre ratio of 1:27. The probability of the fertiliser coming into direct contact with seeds or crops is low when the fertiliser is spread. Dr Christine Jones states that between “10 and 40%” of chemical nitrogen is “taken up by the plants” the other “60-90% is leached into the water”. A move towards a foliar application of urea in which the urea is being absorbed by the leaf is increasingly more common on farms in Ireland. Biostimulants are a natural feed source that help to the plants to grow and develop deeper rooting to utilise what’s in the soil and help with the absorption of nitrogen. Some farmers are already mixing urea with seaweed and other biological liquid solutions to improve efficiency and reduce the amount of chemical fertiliser that they use. I spoke with one dairy farmer recently who purchased a new foliar sprayer and has he reduced his usage of chemical fertiliser by half the amount he was originally using. It is important to note that it only his first year with this method, but he explained to me that his cows seemed content and appeared happier. I also spoke with a grain grower who has made significant changes in his approach to growing crops. He melts the urea’s in a tank with an agitator before filling his sprayer with the melted urea. He is also mixing seaweed as a carbon source to help with the absorption of the urea. It’s this ability to adapt, change and explore new practices that will benefit the wider agricultural community and the environment.

to add value to the dry solid part of the separated slurry based on soil samples and then spread it on the land. The separated liquid is high in nitrogen can be used to fertilise the land and it could be mixed with melted urea.

The Future

If any of the agricultural research facilities, Universities or otherwise ever asked the farmers themselves what they wanted researched, what would they tell them? It a good question and one that surely would start a debate. A debate of course that might need to happen.

Farmers are working on their farms 365 days a year, they are ideally placed to test the true value of any idea and truly determine what the need is. Defining the need after all is how innovation starts. Maybe the time has come for more farming research groups that are lead by farmers themselves. Allowing farmers themselves to define the need and solutions would be transformative and allowing them access to research funding would be a game changer.

Slurry Separation

‘One man’s rubbish is another man’s treasure’. A topical debate on dairy farms now is the idea of separating slurry. The resources within the farm potentially can be converted to a form that can reduce chemical fertiliser and utilise the natural manure and dung from animals. The key area that requires exploration is to use resources internal to the farm and improving the autonomy of the farm itself. One theory suggests that the solids and liquids in slurry can be separated on farms leaving solids that are high in phosphorus and potassium, while the separated liquid is high in nitrogen. The solids are left to dry indoors and after two months it composts into a fine powder. There is potential IFB0219 ISSUE 1.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 13:30 Page 1

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Pictured are the tanks used to melt urea before spraying on the fields.

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SOBAC Your Natural Fertilisation Partner

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BACTERIOSOL® - BACTERIOLIT® Natural fertilisation process Unlock the potential of your soil Increase micro-organisms’activity Increase your farm gross margin

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Tom Stapleton 087-2328051

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