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In this section you will find up to date articles on Beef farming news and best practices. We would also welcome your feedback, suggestions and ideas about how we may improve or further develop this section.
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Your cows have a base line concentrate requirement, needed to meet her current milk yield and to build a grass wedge. Additional concentrates on top of this requirement will deliver…
Read moreAs we enter the month of August there are a number of key areas that need to be reviewed on dairy farms and decisions that are taken…
Read moreKey Takeaways Do a fodder budget – Assess whether you need to take extra bales or third cut to fill your winter fodder stocks – Grass growth is…
Read moreFarmers across the country are working to reduce nitrogen use on farm in order to preserve water quality and reduce emissions. However, concerns remain regarding limited N allowances that will…
Read moreSoil chemical health is on the decline. 2022 was poorer than 2021 and 2023 results have shown a further decline since 2022. On soil P index, in 2023 we had…
Read moreWith the wet spring some damage may have been done to paddock. Minor poaching In minor poaching cases, the plant is able to repair itself reasonably quickly and tiller density…
Read moreThe Dairygold Board and Management are aware of the financial challenges facing farmers due to the recent adverse weather conditions and today, has announced a number of additional measures to…
Read moreWe need to consider the compounds we are using on our silage grounds. Overall Soil chemical health is poor, with only 20% of our soil’s optimum for pH, P and…
Read moreThe forecast is improving and the weather for the coming week looks dry and warm. There is a lot of grass in place to be grazed but we need to…
Read moreIn times like these, when the challenges of poor weather and a fodder crisis weigh heavily on your shoulders, we want you to know that Dairygold…
Read moreThe ultimate goals from early lactation nutrition are : Feeding your cow to get her back in calf as quick as possible Feeding your cow hold milk protein…
Read moreSlurry is an important nutrient that needs to be used wisely. The average or book value for slurry in terms of NPK is 9-6-30 but slurry value varies depending on…
Read moreWhat is Anthelmintic resistance The genes responsible for anthelmintic resistance are believed to be present in all worm populations but at very low levels. When animals are treated with an…
Read moreDairygold and Tirlán are collaborating to expand on-farm Solar PV programme Dairygold and Tirlán have joined forces to further strengthen the dairy sector’s sustainability efforts by rolling out Tirlán’s renewable…
Read moreThe Veterinary Medicinal Products, Medicated Feed and Fertilizer Regulation Bill 2023 is now signed into law. It has passed all stages of the Oireachtas and has been signed by the…
Read moreWholecrop silage can be cut from 30-60% DM. The drier the crop the more complicated the process, the greater the risk of the silage heating at feed out and the…
Read moreSoil moisture deficits are c.60mm in the Dairygold area. The forecast is showery with c.30mm forecast over the week, some of which will be heavy with thunderstorms possible.. This…
Read moreThe key ingredient in Dairygold’s Prime Elite calf milk replacer range is Imunopro®, a concentrated Whey Protein, is carefully balanced to ensure the optimum level of amino acids, fatty…
Read moreOnce cattle are housed for fattening, the cost per kg of live weight gain increases by up to 50% compared to grass-based finishing. Finishing cattle need to be kept gaining…
Read moreOur main aim with post sowing managements are: Establish the new ley, 2. Encourage tillering, 3. Prevent weed establishment It can take up to 12 months for the new crop…
Read moreUpdates on New Veterinary Regulations – Expert Advice – Special Offers Tuesday 3rd – Terelton Wednesday 4th – Killumney & Old Pallas Thursday 5th – Buttevant & Ballinhassig Friday 6th…
Read moreHow much silage do I need? Contact your local area sales manger to run through a winter feed budget. 1 acre of 1st cut silage ground will feed 1.5 cows…
Read moreEdmond Curtin is based in Meelin, Newmarket in Co. Cork. He is farming in partnership with his mother Breda and they are operating a suckler-to-weanling and calf-to-store/Calf to Beef enterprise….
Read moreIf you’re buying your dry cow minerals now be cautious and ensure that your minerals are going to meet the requirements of the cow. Mineral Feeding Pre-Calving The objectives…
Read moreDairygold Agri Business have grass testing available, where either individuals can take their grass samples themselves or a Sampler can be sent out on farm to take samples using a…
Read moreLiam Stack, M.Sc.Ag Weeds within your pasture compete with grass for nutrients. A field of grass infested with 20% docks may produce the same tns DM as a field of…
Read moreBy Liam Stack, M.Agr.Sc Ruminant Technical Manager Buying fertiliser without getting your soil sampled and a having a fertiliser plan is like ordering feed without knowing what group of animals…
Read moreThe Health of Our Soils By Rósín O’Donnell, B.Agr.Sc, Dairygold Agri Business Graduate 0867938408 As an industry we are striving to grow more grass in a sustainable manor. Grass is…
Read moreDairygold Agri Business in conjunction with Devenish and Gouldings are pleased to introduce DIGEST-IT®, a biological slurry additive designed to increase nutrient recovery from slurry while also reducing ammonia emissions….
Read morePotassium (K) has a major role in the efficient use of nitrogen (N) by the grass plant during the growing season. Grass silage crops have the largest demand for N…
Read moreBy Edmond Curtin, B.Agr.Sc, Dairygold Area Sales Manager Your cows diet can be made up of; grass silage, cereal silages (wholecrop wheat, barley, triticale), maize silage, concentrates, straw, hay, wet…
Read morePasturebase data has shown us that its not uncommon for many dairy farmers to end up with a lower supply of grass than they would like entering into the autumn….
Read moreCatherine Hurley, B.Agr.Sc, Agri Sales Support Advisor Slats and manhole covers are not lifetime items, they need to be replaced before they fail. The expected lifespan of them is about…
Read moreLiam Stack, M.Agr.Sc, Ruminant Technical Manager After taking out surplus grass as bales, it’s important to replace what we’ve taken out in terms of N, P + K to ensure…
Read moreSummer Worms Worms at grass across the summer months; Gut worms (Ostertagia) Lung worms; Lung worms can occur anytime cattle are at grass, outbreaks trend to occur when a dry…
Read moreLiam Stack, Ruminant Technical Manager The current soil moisture deficit in the Dairygold areas ranges from 30 to 70 mm, according to figures from Met Eireann. There is some rain…
Read moreTesting grass before cutting for silage is crucial and has a direct effect on silage quality. Farmers should target a High Sugar content and Low Nitrogen content when harvesting. As…
Read moreWhy use Selenium? Selenium is an essential trace element for Vitamin E function and reproduction in animals. Selenium deficiency symptoms include: Fertility problems Retained placenta White muscle disease Poor thrive…
Read moreOur fertiliser world is a changing. We now need to focus more on nitrogen use efficiency, ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions. As part of their marginal abatement curve Teagasc have…
Read moreLouise O’Connor, Agri Technical Graduate As we face into December, most farmers are running through their winter checklist. However, one of the best things you can do during this period…
Read moreIn August soils release their own organic N naturally. On lowly stocked farms (< 170kg organic N/Ha) that have enough winter forage this may provide sufficient N to build grass…
Read moreCatherine Hurley Recent grass silage tests that have been carried out have shown poor protein levels in the winter fodder in many cases, so much so that the feed may…
Read moreBenefits of Kerva treated grain for feed ✓Treating grain with KERVA produces nutritionally enhanced feed (increased protein content by 30% approx.), reducing the need for additional protein in the diet…
Read moreFertiliser Requirements mid-season. The capability of grass to grow is compromised if its requirements for major elements such as Phosphorus, Potassium and Sulphur are not met. Phosphorus Requirements: Do you…
Read moreCatherine Hurley, B.Ag.Sc. What is the country’s largest and most important harvest? Tillage farmers might disagree, but the answer is grass, the crop that is the staple diet for the…
Read moreWhether you have or haven’t gotten your feeder up and running for the season yet, here are a few key points to keep in mind.
Read moreDairygold’s Calf milk replacer specialist talks about once a day feeding Dairygold’s Prime Elite milk replacer range.
Read moreThis summer has been tough for grass growth. Most of us are still looking to take some silage off the farm. But irrespective of the tough summer we must do our utmost to build a wedge of grass to late September, allowing our cows to graze to late October/early November and closing the farm off with the correct farm cover.
Read moreJames Bourke B.Agr.Sc has given a breakdown of the most popular catch crops this 2018, Westerwolds and Forage Brassicas. Click Read More to see more information.
Read moreLiam Stack M.Agr.Sc, Ruminant Technical Manager, Dairygold Agribusiness gives a concise breakdown of what your options are if running out of grass during this dry spell.
Read moreWhen it comes to animal nutrition, Superchoice Minerals are your guarantee for great quality and value. This product range has been formulated to meet the upper end of Teagasc’s recommended mineral levels and has been formulated to meet the needs of Irish dairy cows, cattle and sheep.
Read moreShane Cotter, Dairygold Grassland Specialist gives some key pointers on controlling Ragwort in grassland this Spring. For more information contact Shane on 087-0671246.
Read moreClick Read More for a brief overview on what key things to look out for this spring when preparing your fertiliser plan. We have provided some examples of fertiliser plans also.
Read more1. Make a plan • Talk to your vet and decide which groups of animals should be protected against which diseases 2. Make sure the vaccination programme is completed exactly as stated on…
Read moreMineral feeding for the pre-calving cows Nutrition for breeding Your nutritional aims for successful breeding are: To minimise your herd’s body condition loss between calving and the start of breeding…
Read moreWhole Crop Cereals/High Moisture Grain It is essential to monitor the dry matter of the crop regularly, starting a month before the anticipated harvest date. Dry matter can change by…
Read moreBCS is a simple technique to assess how thin or fat a cow is on a scale of 1 to 5 with increments of 0.25, where 1 is extremely thin…
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