Moorepark Open Day

[Cows 'n grass]

Was anyone else there yesterday?

What a fantastic day it was. Ireland has increased production by 64% from 2009 to 2018 when the target was 50% by 2020. It's really inspiring to see a government pushing agriculture at the forefront of its economy and doing so much brilliant research.

It only happens every second year but I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone interested in pasture based dairying.

 

[lazy farmer]

What did you learn ?

 

[Cows 'n grass]

What did you learn ?

I'm still processing it all. They give you a handbook which is 300 pages of real research. It essentially a bible to successful farming. There was a huge turnout of people

From my perspective I think it's a case of do what I'm already doing but do it better in every way.

Target
500 kg cow
500 kg MS
500 kg conc

 

[Cows 'n grass]

We visited 5 farms as well and the only bit I'm still not sure about is the short rounds they're all on. The all farm on a knife edge. I think it works for them because they have some great soils and more reliable rainfall than us but I couldn't cope with the stress of running a 20 day round all summer.

 

[Cows 'n grass]

Time for a lie in

 

[dairyrow]

milk solids are really quite low. thought theyd be about 4.5 bf and 3.5 protein

 

[Cows 'n grass]

milk solids are really quite low. thought theyd be about 4.5 bf and 3.5 protein

I guess that would be specific to that trial. The national average is 4.1 and 3.48

 

[Dead Rabbits]

What did you learn ?

How to properly say the number “3”.

 

[Cows 'n grass]

How to properly say the number “3”.

....and "third"

 

[newholland]

Hi @Cows 'n grass …. any info / food for thought on OAD milking from your study tour?

 

[Durry cows]

How do we get our hands on one of those “bibles”?

 

[mixed farm]

Just a word of caution re teagasc and moorepark. I recently borrowed money for land purchase and was asked by the bank manager was I in a teagasc discussion group. I said no, he said "good, cause a lot of the people we are having trouble with are those that follow their advice to closely".

 

[mezz]

How do we get our hands on one of those “bibles”?

https://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2019/moorepark19-open-day.php

https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/publications/2019/Moorepark19-Irish-Dairying-booklet.pdf

 

[Wee Willy]

Just a word of caution re teagasc and moorepark. I recently borrowed money for land purchase and was asked by the bank manager was I in a teagasc discussion group. I said no, he said "good, cause a lot of the people we are having trouble with are those that follow their advice to closely".

I heard of some of their farms having “secret” night time meal deliveries.

 

[Beef farmer]

The demo farm that was split 3 way thats stopped was that anything to do with them?

 

[Borney92]

I heard of some of their farms having “secret” night time meal deliveries.

One of the things The banks looks for is the farmers co-op report which compares them against the bottom 10% top 10% and the average performance within their respective milk buying co-ops, how well they are going depends on if they will get a loan.

 

[Beef farmer]

Also intresting with the irish, at positive farmers i was amazed that they where happy to set up a 80 cow herd on a 60 acre parcel of ground away from base. Certainly made me think

 

[Davy]

Agree with the OP points. Their research and way of communicating it to the farmer is top notch, for all sectors. But they do push dairying to the extreme, very little slack in the system to cope with anything but the norm as we've seen with several fodder crisis over the past few years. They are very much fixated on their way of doing things.

 

[Cowcorn]

I heard of some of their farms having “secret” night time meal deliveries.

Willy moorepark is to far south to be really relevant to you or the ni crew but Teagasc have an excellent farm in ballyhaise that can benefit those with wet land or wet climate . This is going to be more i mportant as milk prices are unlikely to rise enough to make heavy meal milk economic . You cant always agree with teagasc but at least you know that their research is aimed at putting money in your pocket not selling you a ton of meal or some snakeoil additive or magic yeast .

 

[Cowcorn]

The demo farm that was split 3 way thats stopped was that anything to do with them?

Yes, the were provoiding advisory services but glanbia the agri trust and the phelan family were the three partners who ran the farm . The phelan family and glanbia have pulled out and the farm is been closed . There were all sort of rumors about welfare after the beast from the east and the topless cubicles and lack of shelter for calves. The produced some amazing financial results but the curved ball of last years weather caused serious problems which was also relevant as it showed what can happen when the best laid plans of mice and men go pear shaped

All this dairy expansion over here is creating friction between the sectors dairymen bidding silly money for land for rearing stock and for silage . Then every land owner wants more from arable farmers who are already paying to much . A retired Teagasc adviser told me recently that the milk churn will flow over shortly and the heavily borrowed or high rent and labour outfits will be first to lose their wheels . Intresting times ahead methinks