Gurteen College
Educating Ireland’s Farmers Over 70 Years Gurteen College was founded in 1947 as a private college with the aim of educating the future farmers of Ireland with the hope of preventing them from emigrating. Initially, 300 acres of run down land was purchased in Tipperary and 40 students commenced their education. Over the years the college has grown in terms of students, land and facilities. Currently, over 500 students are enrolled on a variety of agriculture and equine courses, provided on a full-time, part-time and distance learning basis to deliver the best possible practical education. As the college has the largest college farm in Ireland - it currently carries 240 dairy Holstein Friesian cows, 80 sucklers, 250 finishing cattle, 500 sheep plus tillage, biomass and forestry - the college has adapted to modern conditions but still stays true to the original concept of excellent, practical education to train the farmers, managers and workers of the agricultural industry. Gurteen College has had a strong tradition of breeding top quality Holstein Fresian cows. While other agricultural colleges in Ireland have chosen a crossbred herd, Gurteen college has persisted with black and white cows
and is currently the only agricultural college that demonstrates this type of spring grazing system. Since 2013, the dairy herd has steadily increased in numbers. Going from 130 cows in spring 2014 to 220 calving this spring 2018. The expansion process has brought with it a requirement to upgrade the current 12 unit milking facility. Work is ongoing at the moment with a 30 unit parlour being built on a greenfield site. This expansion is in response to a requirement to demonstrate to students how to manage a large dairy herd. There is an increasing trend in students showing a strong interest in a career in dairy farming but with no home farm to speak of. Many of these students in particular will be destined to work as farm managers on large dairy operations. We feel it is vital to equip these students with all the essential skills to manage such a herd. The college offers a Level 6 Certificate in Dairy Management. As part of this course, Gurteen students are learning how to manage and run a dairy herd over a 12 month period. We are very grateful to the IHFA who are this year kindly sponsoring a prize for the best dairy farm project. 33