DAIRY

Daly during the busy 10-week calving period.

Calves are moved to the rearing farm 24 hours after birth.

Mr Daly says he spends a large proportion of time managing his team of 14 full-time members of staff and the temporary staff.

There are also four team leaders heading up the beef and replacement units, as well as the grassland system.

He says: “We have an enthusiastic, young team of staff here. We embrace change, especially technology, which can help make the day-to-day life of the team easier and the cows’ life comfier.”

Looking ahead, Mr Daly says another parlour elsewhere on-farm is being considered.

He says: “Due to the size of the grazing block, some cows have to walk 5km, which has led to conversations about installing an additional unit for 300 cows with a herringbone parlour, which would reduce the need for cows to be walking long distances all of the time.”

Mr Daly says the walking to and from the parlour at the moment is leading to a one- to two-litre production loss per cow.

He says: “These are things we can think looking into the future to ensure cow health is of the utmost importance.”

The aim is to breed heifers at 15 months and 550 heifer calves are kept each year as replacements.

Farm facts

■ Sansaw is made up of 1,500 hectares (3,706 acres)

■ The building of the dairy unit began in 2012 and included the installation of a 70-point rotary parlour

■ 1,600 LIC-bred cows

■ The estate’s managing director, James Thompson, who is the sixth generation of his family to farm at

Sansaw, began the development of the unit following a career in the marines

■ Mr Thompson directs operations at Sansaw, which also involves the management of some 125 residential properties and 50,000sq.ft of office space, alongside his wife and business partner Asa

■ Grass lays are typically perennial ryegrass with white clover

■ Cows are rotationally grazed during summer around the farm’s 110 paddocks

■ First-cut silage is carried out in late May, followed by a further two or three cuts, depending on grass growth

Advertorial

Sustainability to the fore for visiting Irish Innovation

The need for technology and innovation on farm to improve efficiency and to support UK agriculture’s net zero goals was the theme of the Irish Agtech Visit to the UK, which took place alongside the record setting Dairytech in Stoneleigh Park This was reiterated by keynote speaker Shelagh Hancock, CEO of First Milk at the Enterprise Ireland Agtech Reception who stated that it is time for UK Dairy to “embrace change”.

Adams and the UK agritech centre, Agri EPI centre.

This two-day visit involved a delegation of Irish Agtech Companies travelling across the Irish sea to learn more about the unique British Dairy sector and how they can best meet the needs of British farming.

Across the visit, the Irish agtech delegation, which featured ten Irish agribusinesses and members of University College Dublin and Munster Technological University's Agtech innovation teams visited with Harper

They also attended the aforementioned UK Agtech Reception and Dairytech show.

This year’s show featured as strong an Irish presence as ever, with 18 Irish exhibitors at Stoneleigh Park amongst the 320 show stands, representing the strong connection between UK and Irish Dairy

The UK Agtech reception, which took place on the eve of Dairytech at the Brandon Hall Hotel, featured over 60 guests from across agriculture and included UK industry such as Muller, Wynnstay, Ornua and the CO-OP, who met to discuss the changing needs of British agriculture. On the night attendees heard from keynote speaker Shelagh Hancock, CEO of First Milk and Vice Chair of Dairy UK who discussed the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in the UK dairy sector

The travelling delegation featured innovative agri product companies including Terra Nutritech, Moonsyst, Dairy geyser, Lvlogics and True North Technology Green agtech offerings such as Farmeye and Proveye also attended, supporting farmers to become more sustainable. Rounding out the delegation was Agri-Guardian, whose application is protecting the most vulnerable on farm and Micron Agritech who are improving animal welfare through their rapid parasite testing solution

Kevin Fennelly, UK Agriculture lead for Enterprise Ireland, who organised the trip, adds “We continue to see the demand and appetite for new innovation on farm across British agriculture Irish agtech businesses see the opportunity at this side of the Irish sea with record export figures to the UK reported last year, showing a continued strong connection between British and Irish Agriculture.”

Enterprise Ireland is the Irish Government body for Trade and Innovation, responsible for supporting the development and growth of Irish enterprises in world markets

Scan the QR code to read more about our visiting Irish Agtech Companies and visit https://irishadvantage com/agritech/ for the latest on emerging Irish innovation in agriculture.