Grassroots Farm Magazine Nov/Dec 2015 by Grass Roots

RURAL SECURITY: THE REAL COST

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

TRACTOR OF THE YEAR

• Agritechnica Highlights • Women in Farming • Pedigree Special • Slurry Separation • Dairy Infrastructure

CONTENTS News

04. News

Dairy

11. Infrastructure Expansion 14. Lameness 17.

Calf-O-Tel

Livestock 19.

Slurry Seperation

Winter Ai 22.

Active Bull List

Tillage 33.

Draft Distillery

Machinery 34.

Tractor of the Year

35.

Agritechnica Highlights

Finance 40.

Budget Review

Macra/Youth 42.

Gemma Goulding

Rural Security 44. 45.

Cost of Rural Crime Operation Thor

Correspondence

e head into winter after a poor year in many farming sectors. Many will have a long wish list for Santa as we head sure to make time for the jolly season because every farmer deserves it this year. In this issue, we go looking at shiny tractors at Agritechnica. We look at slurry separation, is it an option in the extensive grazing system? We look at the recent successes in the Irish pedigree arena. Plus we talk to one of the stars of the Macra charity calendar. Is there good news for the Irish barley grower? The potential of 28 new Irish whiskey distilleries can only be good news for malting barley growers. The trend of growing export sales to a predicted doubling in 2020 and then double again in 2030 is some well needed good news to the tillage sector. We report on page 33. The difficulty of security in rural areas is highlighted more than ever at this time of 02 GRASS ROOTS November / December

Grassroots Media Ltd, Ballinoe Hse, Ballinhassig, Co. Cork.

year. The longer nights has an effect on the most vulnerable. The problem brings anxiety and emotional stress but there is a move to address this problem. We report from page 44. This publication comes to you free due to our advertisers. I want to take this time to encourage you to support them and mention love from Grassroots Farm. Now please take time from your busy schedule to sit back and enjoy Grassroots Farm. Until next time, Jason Webb. Next Issue Late January 2016 Grassroots Farm Magazine Needs You Please send us any stories, images or anything else that you might consider of interest to us: editor grassroots@gmail.com

Editorial

Editor: Jason Webb Email: editorgrassroots@gmail. com Tweets: twitter.com/Ed_ GrassRoots Friend: facebook.com/ ed.grassroots

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in any shape or form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocoping or other-wise without written permission of the publishers, Grassroots Media Ltd. Whilst every care is taken of submitted MSS, photographs, drawings and content, no responsibility can be accepted for their loss or damage. Grassroots Media Ltd does not accept responsibility for the quality or content of advertisements or articles supplied by, or compiled under instruction from a third party. Grassroots Media Ltd does not accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused by opinion, tips and advice giving in this publication. Grassroots Media Ltd accepts no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributors and advertisers. In addition, while every care is taken to ensure accuracy of information contained in Grassroots Magazine, we do not accept responsibility for any errors or matters arising same. Copyright Grassroots Media Ltd

Goleen Farm Family win National Quality Milk Award

he country’s top prize for farming the best quality milk has been awarded to Kieran & Catherine O’Sullivan, from Dunmanus, Goleen, Co. Cork who supply their milk to Drinagh Co-op.

The winners of the NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards were announced in Dublin recently with presentations to 13 top dairy farms by hurling legend Henry Shefflin and Minister Tom Hayes T.D. Runners up in the national awards were Denis, Siobhan, Barry and Jane O’Mahony from Shanakiel, Kilbrittain, Bandon, Co. Cork, who supply milk to Barryroe Co-op. Overall winners Kieran and Catherine O’Sullivan, were accompanied by 18 year old son Cathal, who farms with them and by Kieran’s parents Donal and Mary O’Sullivan. They received a prize of €5,000 and the coveted NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards perpetual cup. Kieran and Catherine are the 5th generation of their family to farm at Dunmanus, which is close to Mizen Head. Kieran says he always wanted to farm and he inherited how his father used to do things - but is still learning every day. Kieran sees how Cathal is learning the ropes now and is proud to be able to pass on his knowledge and expertise to his son. Cathal is in college studying farming and also hopes to do a Green Cert while working on the farm. They milked 124 cows in 2014 increasing to 136 cows in 2015, based on using 65 hectares for grazing and with an 18 unit milking parlour.

Motorist Stopped in 119 mph Hurry to Feed Cattle

armers are being asked to help raise cancer awareness and show their support for the Irish Cancer Society (ICS) by painting their farm gates, sheep or whatever pink.

In addition to its call on the farming community, MSD Animal Health is making a financial contribution to ICS in support of this fundraising effort. Seamus Maguire, General Manager, MSD Animal Health, said MSD were happy to call on farmers around the country to join in marking ‘Paint it Pink’ month by adding a splash of colour to their farm gates or land. “Cancer touches the lives, and affects the extended families, of so many Irish people today. MSD Animal Health were delighted to support ICS last month in raising awareness of an extremely deserving cause.”

Cork Engineer Wins National Spud Competition

Co Cork engineer was crowned Ireland's potato growing champion in October.

Tyrone native has been charged for speeding up to 119 mph Siobhan Magner beat of the competition of 15 regional winners in the national ‘Spud Off’ contest. (around 190 Kph) at Dungannon Court last month.

When stopped by police, the 41 year old man said he was going home to feed the cattle. His lawyer described the speed as “grossly excessive” and said McManus was a professional driver by way of a living. A fine of £400 and Six penalty points were imposed.

Farmers Paint it Pink in October

DELVOTEST ANTIBIOTIC TEST KIT Test your own milk for antibiotic residue

Siobhan said good soil preparation before planting was the secret to growing prize potatoes. The Spud Off competition was launched by GIY and Bord Bia in May to reconnect Irish people with the potato and encourage people from all across the country to grow, cook and eat spuds.

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GLAS 1 Approval Letters Posted

4,500 farmers have been approved for entry into the first tranche of GLAS to date, the Department of Agriculture has confirmed. A spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture said that approval letters are in the post or being posted to applicants at present.

90% of the 24,500 will receive a 1 October 2015 commencement date and the other 10% will receive a 1 January 2016 commencement date. The 10% are farmers who are currently in REPS or AEOS. 40% of the 24,500 approvals are Tier 1, 24% are Tier 2 and 34% are Tier 3. Just under 400 applications have been rejected, all of which failed to meet the minimum score required for entry into tranche 1. The balance of applications (2,000) have some issues associated with them including incorrect parcel information or documentation, and these are all being followed up, the spokesperson confirmed. Farmers who are not accepted under Tranche 1 may reapply under Tranche 2 of GLAS, which is now open for applications. However, they will be judged on exactly the same basis as all other applicants under Tranche 2. There is the opportunity to reconfigure applications now to increase the likelihood of acceptance, for example by taking actions which promote entry into Tier 2 or Tier 1, which always receive priority over Tier 3. Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney has been called on to give a clear

commitment that all farmers who apply to the second tranche of the scheme will also be accepted by IFA Rural Development Chairman Flor McCarthy. The IFA officer said the changes that have been imposed by the Minister will mean that some farmers will get a lower payment compared to those who are in the first tranche. “This is unacceptable and it is up to the Minister to reverse the changes, particularly in relation to the reduction from 10 to 5 ha for the low input grassland measure and the dropping of the hedgerow planting measure”. Flor also pointed out that with a five week window for farmers to apply it is important that any technical issues that exist with planners making applications is resolved. Farmers who apply now will commence their plans from 1st January next and will be due a full five year payment. Mr McCarthy also said that the GLAS numbers must increase to 50,000 farmers in 2016. The second phase will bring the total to 40,000 and it is important that the scheme is reopened again early in 2016.

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09:10:55 GRASS ROOTS November /10/11/2015 December 5

TB Programme Issues Highlighted

ollowing a meeting with Department officials this week on the TB programme, IFA Animal Health Chairman Bert Stewart accused the Department of Agriculture of failing to take account of the huge financial impact the loss of animals has on individual farms. Bert Stewart said farmers are holding the Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney responsible and he must immediately intervene as a matter of urgency to address the issues identified by IFA in the detailed submissions made to him. All of these changes, which significantly reduce the burden of the TB programme for farmers, are within the gift of the Minister and can be provided within the current budget allocation.

Confusion for Young Farmers with Scheme Changes

He said the proposed changes from the Department represent nothing more than a redistribution of existing programme costs, do not utilise the full budget allocation, is insulting to farmers and shows no understanding of the turmoil caused by TB episodes at farm level. The rates of payment in the Programme have not changed in over 20 years and this is unacceptable.

“A

He said the DAFM accept the losses calculated by IFA in relation to dairy cows, suckler cows and other animals on a monthly basis of €117, €49 and €29 respectively, yet have proposed a reduction to the depopulation grant of €12/month for dairy cows while only increasing the level of income supplement to €45, leaving suckler cow rates unchanged. Furthermore, he said the Department refusal to provide consequential loss payments to herdowners losing less than 10% of their animals is a fundamental flaw in the existing programme and must be addressed. It is not acceptable that with increased herd sizes farmers can find themselves losing 20 or 30 animals to TB and not qualifying for income supplement.

Bryan Hynes, chairperson of Macra na Feirme’s Agricultural Affairs committee said that this is a change from the previous understanding and has been clarified by the Department of Agriculture only recently. There are about 1,200 young farmers who have yet to register for agricultural education and they now must also have started this education in 2015.

The IFA chairman said the DAFM have proposed reducing the valuation prices for dairy cows by an average of €134/head by reducing the co-efficient from €1.35 to 23c per unit EBI based on a Teagasc analysis of market prices which were recorded by the Department. This level of price reduction will be further compounded when the new EBI indices are provided next year by ICBF which could see EBI figures reducing in the region of €80 to €100 per animal. Bert Stewart said this is a retrograde step by the Department and at odds with the strong advice given to farmers in relation to the value of EBI and its importance going forward in identifying the most productive and profitable animals.

ll young farmers who have applied for the young farmer top-up and national reserve in 2015 need to make sure that they have registered and started their agricultural education in 2015”.

It has since been clarified that some level of course fee needs to be made by applicants in 2015 to prove the fact that their agricultural education course had started. Mr Hynes said, “Macra understands that this more restrictive interpretation has arisen from the EU Commission who have recently advised that in order to comply with the requirements of the National Reserve and Young farmer schemes 2015 applicants must have commenced their agricultural education in 2015”. It has also been clarified that the Department of Agriculture will be writing to all affected young farmers shortly and will be advising them to register with Teagasc. Furthermore the Department of Agriculture have said that they are in discussions with Teagasc about the providing a combined registration and course commencement day for young farmers before the end of the year. This would enable the affected young farmers to register and attend a course on a single day, thus fulfilling the requirement of having started in 2015.

The DAFM proposal to increase the maximum amount payable under the While this has caused much confusion amongst young farmers, Bryan Hynes live valuation scheme by €200 and €300 respectively for all animals and for said that it is essential that all affected young farmers are clearly written to by stock bulls does not adequately address the shortcomings in the scheme the Department of Agriculture and advised of this change to the requirement for for high merit animals. In relation to the purchase in restriction being imposed by the Department of Agriculture on farms until they undergo a clear test Bert Stewart said it is not equitable, fair or acceptable that the livelihoods of these farmers is being taken away by the Department in order to draw down €14m in EU funding towards the compensation scheme while providing no financial support to the farmers affected most by the controls. If the Department of Agriculture are not in a position to allow these farmers stock their farms full compensation for losses incurred must be paid. Bert Stewart said he has again written to the Minister highlighting the urgency of resolving the issues pertaining to the TB programme which will significantly reduce the cost burden for farmers.

6 GRASS ROOTS November / December

National Dairy Conference 2015

he Teagasc National Dairy Conference is taking place at the Lyrath Estate Hotel, Kilkenny on Tuesday, 8 December and Wednesday, 9 December. The theme of the event is ‘Managing in a New Era’, reflecting the challenges and changes that dairy farmers now face. This year’s conference takes a new format to previous years. It will be held over two days at one location, with attendees having the option of attending on either, or both of the days. Four high quality keynote speakers from diverse fields will address the conference over the two days.

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Enhancing Ireland’s Agri Environment Mag12 wins the Most Innovative Product Award at the National Dairy Show

ood Harvest 2020 and Food Wise 2025 emphasise the importance of increasing agricultural output while at the same time enhancing the rural environment.

At the opening of the Agricultural Catchments Programme at the AgriEnvironment Conference on the 5th of November in Tullamore, Head of the Teagasc Crops, Environment and Land Use Programme, Paddy Browne said: ”The Teagasc Soils and the Environment Research and Knowledge Transfer programme is focusing on improving nutrient efficient and soil fertility on farms; reducing the impact on water quality arising from nutrient losses from agriculture; achieving a sustainable reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and carbon foot print of Irish agriculture produce; maintaining and improving biodiversity in agricultural systems.”

Pat Murphy, Head of Environment, Knowledge Transfer Department, Teagasc; Cathal Buckley, Research Officer, Agricultural Catchments Programme, Teagasc; Patricia Torpey, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Paddy Browne, Head of Crops, Environment & Land Use Programme, Teagasc.

Results from the Agricultural Catchments programme, which is run by Teagasc and funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, were presented at the conference. Among the conclusions were that farm and field level nutrient management best practice have been shown to significantly improve both profitability as well as the water quality outcomes at the end of catchments. Best practice in the area of nutrient management promotes strict management of nutrients on land to reduce the risk of nutrient mobilisation in run off pathways to water bodies. Delegates at the conference also heard about NMP-Online, an integrated tool for the adaptive nutrient management planning summary, which has been developed by Teagasc and will be available to all agricultural professionals for use on derogation and GLAS Nutrient Management Plans. Pat Murphy, Head of Environment Knowledge Transfer in Teagasc said: “The poor fertility status of soils in Ireland poses a significant threat to the achievement of growth targets for the industry. The challenge facing the industry is to improve soil fertility while at the same time achieving environmental objectives. This can only be achieved by improving nutrient management planning at farm level, which in turn can only be achieved if farmers have a good understanding of the principles of soil fertility management and a clear understandable plan for its implementation. The new Teagasc NMP online is the first step to achieving this.” The conference was the 4th major environment related conference organised by Teagasc in the last three months.

8 GRASS ROOTS November / December

ag12, a highly soluble source of magnesium, won the Innovation award at National Dairy Show in Ireland in October.Mag12 is a natural source of minerals with unique solubility of 99% in the rumen, compared to alternative magnesium sources typically showing solubility of 7 – 23%. Unlike other sources of magnesium with poor solubility which survive to the hind gut, Mag12 doesn’t leave irritating effects. It has a strong buffering effect which helps to prevent acidosis by maintaining rumen pH which in turn helps prevents milk butterfat depression; this is significant in grazing cows. Trials have also shown that diets containing Mag12 in place of calcined magnesium increase milk butterfat output per day by 8% and daily protein output increasing by 7%. Mag12 is suitable for both conventional and organic farming systems. The judges at the annual National Dairy Show at Millstreet, Co. Cork, felt that Mag12 was a worthy winner of the award as it has proven benefits in butterfat and protein increases in dairy cows; Mag12 was putting money in farmers pockets with improved milk solids and was practical to use in existing feeds without adding cost, significant at a time when milk price is so low. Jack Hogan, Ruminant nutritionist, who presented Mag12 to the judges said “We are delighted to win this award for our new product Mag12. Mag12 is based on a breakthrough in magnesium delivery systems, giving 99% solubility to the animal. This is significant as magnesium is a major intracellular cation, vital to nerve, muscle formation as well as bone formation.” For more information on Mag12 please contact your local Devenish representative or contact our head office on +44 (0) 2890 755566.

Pictured are judge Seamus O’Mahony, Judge, DairyGold; David Howard, Ruminant Technical Sales, Devenish; Jack Hogan, Ruminant Nutritionist, Devenish; and judge Denis Finnegan

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1,200 Dairy Cow Project in Tipp

reported new dairy farming project in Co Tipperary is centred on the development of a 1,200 cow herd run on 1,000 acres of leased land.

The project combines the use of ‘top quality’ grass, advanced milking technology and high performing cow genetics to develop a high volume milking platform that will produce over 10 million litres of milk per year. “The new trading business is fully EII compliant. It is leasing the required land from four landowners in the Fethard area of Co Tipperary.” according to Elliott Griffin, EII investment manager with Dublin-based Business Venture Partners (BVP). The two founders of the project are two of the landowners. The Tipperary Milk Farm Co. is seeking to raise up to €0.5m for a large scale dairy farm development through the tax efficient Employment and Incentive Investment (EII) scheme. An EII investment will allow qualifying investors to claim tax relief of up to 40% on their investment.

FarmAuction.ie …bringing the farming community together!

armAuction.ie is a FREE farming classified ads website, set up to provide the farming community in Ireland with a platform where they can do all of their farming business in one place & do it for FREE. On FarmAuction.ie, farmers can sell, buy or just browse Livestock, Farm Machinery, Property/Land, Farm Services, Dairy Equipment, Sheds & Bedding, Feed & Feeding Equipment, Gates, Fences & Fencing Equipment, Farm Jobs as well as much more. It is Ireland’s only FREE farming classified ads website & is totally dedicated to bringing the farming community together in Ireland. With a very simple & easy to use website, users can log in to register an account & start placing free ads within minutes. “The website was designed to be very user friendly and all it takes is just three easy steps to place a free ad, everyone can use FarmAuction.ie…it’s that easy!” comments Gerard Ryan, founder of the website.

10 GRASS ROOTS November / December

While out of work, a small part-time farmer based in Co. Kildare, came up with the idea for FarmAuction.ie. “I wanted a website where I could do all my farming business in one place. I wanted do it for free with no hassle without having to trawl through hundreds of other ads” says Gerard adding, “for example, if you’re a farmer you’ll be able to buy a cow, sheep or horse, get it transported, feed it, shed it, bed it & in the end sell it on again all on the FarmAuction.ie website”. “FarmAuction.ie will only put money in your pocket as there is absolutely no cost to the farmer or user that places an ad”. The free farming classified ads website is developed by farmers with farmers in mind. It is available online now at www.farmauction.ie. Gerard encourages all farmers with something to sell, log onto FarmAuction. ie & place your free ad today. If you require any further information, then FarmAuction.ie can be contacted on Facebook at www.facebook.com/farmauctionireland or Twitter at @ farmauctionirel or you can send an email to info@farmauction.ie.

Infrastructure Improvements For Expanding Cork Dairy Herd

y improving the quality of grass leys and investing in new milking facilities, Tadhg Canniffe has increased milk output and improved production efficiencies on his 60 hectare farm near Bandon in County Cork.

In addition to renovating the farm’s grassland, the Canniffes have also invested in new milking and milk cooling equipment. “The success of a grass-based dairy unit in this part of Ireland is primarily dependent on the weather,” Tadhg continues.

Tadhg Canniffe, and his father, Michael, currently milk 80 cows on their 60 hectares at Hill Hare Farm near Bandon in County Cork.

“We had outgrown our old parlour – a six unit jar plant, originally installed in 1976 – and were spending as much as five hours milking each day. That was holding us back and diverting attention away from other areas of cow and grassland management. So we decided to invest in new equipment.”

With plans to expand the herd to 100 cows and to improve milk yields from 4,000 litres per lactation to at least 6,000 litres within the next four years, they are focusing on improving the quality of their grass swards and have invested in new Fullwood milking facilities to reduce milking times.

“We can’t control that, but we can make sure we’ve got everything else in order so that the cows can perform to their maximum potential.”

A new Packo milk cooling tank has also been installed to preserve milk quality and reduce running costs. “There hasn’t been much in the way of grassland renovation at Hare Hill since we started farming here in 2009, so some of the grazing pastures were looking a little worse for wear,” Tadhg explains. “We’re slowly addressing that by reseeding 10 acres each year, using a high intensity grazing seed mixture with added clover. We’ve also adopted a policy of spraying off docks and weeds every other year to keep the new leys in good condition.” Improving the farm’s grassland will enable milk yields to increase and will also lead to improved protein production. “We’re also concentrating on improving the herd’s fertility and are selecting AI bulls for improved milk solids,” Tadhg adds.

The Fullwood HB50 parlour allows the herd at Hare Hill to be milked in less than an hour.

GRASS ROOTS November / December 11

Hare Hill Farm is now equipped with a 14:28 swing-over parlour and a 10,000 litre direct expansion milk tank. Installed by Sean Essex, Fullwood Packo dealer for West Cork, the new Fullwood HB50 parlour is kitted out with automatic cluster removers (ACRs), digital milk meters, and in-parlour feeding units. “The new parlour has revolutionized our milking routine,” Tadhg continues. “We can comfortably milk all 80 cows in three-quarters of an hour with two of us working. And even at weekends, when there’s only one person on duty, milking still only takes an hour to complete.” The new parlour has also made milking less strenuous. “Previously we’d have to carry buckets of feed into the parlour,” Tadhg explains. “Now though, the cows get an accurately measured, flat rate ration at the press of a button.” Tadhg is similarly pleased with the parlour’s ACRs and teat friendly pulsation. “The ACRs make the milking routine less stressful for ourselves and the cows. It’s like having an extra set of eyes in the parlour: there’s no risk of the cows being over- or under-milked and the soft action of the Fullwood two-by-two pulsation prevents teat ends from being damaged. “We were used to having jars in the parlour, so we wanted to keep a visual clue to what each cow was yielding. The digital meters work perfectly in that respect and tell us in an instant if a cow has given less milk than she should. We can then try to find out why and act accordingly.”

ABOVE: The cows’ grass-based diet is supplemented with meal from the new parlour’s automatic feeders. RIGHT: A new Packo bulk tank cools milk quickly and efficiently at Hare Hill.

12 GRASS ROOTS November / December

Now that the quota system has been abolished, Tadhg is keen to build cow numbers from 80 to 100.

ABOVE: The farm’s manual drafting gates will be updated to an automated system when finances allow. RIGHT: With the abolition of quotas, Tadhg Canniffe is aiming to increase cow numbers to 100 within the next four years.

“We’ve got enough ground and a big enough parlour to cope with 100 cows,” he explains. “The parlour is future-proofed so that we can upgrade it as and when we want to. For now it does everything we need it to, but in the future we’ll use heat detection pedometers to automatically identify each individual cow and to detect heats for better herd fertility.” “We’ll also upgrade to fully automatic drafting gates which will give us even better control of the herd. Beyond that, we’ll link the parlour to a central computer and start feeding individual cows to yield.” “Compared to what we’ve been used to in the past, the new Fullwood parlour is like a Rolls Royce. It saves hours of labour each day and with the new Packo tank it’s more energy efficient than the old system, so we’re saving money on a daily basis. And with future updates easy to make, it will be more than capable of seeing me through the majority of my dairy farming career.” Fullwood Packo Ireland can be contacted in Kanturk, Co. Cork on 029-56097

GRASS ROOTS November / December 13

Lameness a Scourge on Dairy Farms by Michael A. O’Grady, Osmonds

ypically one in five Irish dairy cows is affected by lameness in any calendar year. Lameness can cause serious economic loss and can be significant drain on farm profitability.

The economic costs include the costs of treating the lame animal, vet call out charges, discarded milk, reduced milk yield and reduced fertility. It is estimated that a cow that shows signs of lameness has depressed appetites for the previous three weeks and over a given period of being lame could produce 350 litres less milk. Seriously lame cows may require an additional 40 days to go back in calf. Lameness is also a major source of involuntary culling. Not alone this, but lame cows require additional time for the farmer to take care and manage. UCD estimate the total cost of a case of lameness to be as high as €300, when you combine all the factors mentioned above. Farmers should take a planned approach to managing lameness and prevention is always the best approach. Routine footbathing has major positive effects and for farmers considering routine footbathing there are a number of key factors involved, which include: • Best results are achieved when hooves are as clean as possible prior to entering the footbath. • The footbath solution should be made up fresh on the day of treatment. • Ensure the bath is sufficiently deep to allow the footbath solution to cover the entire hoof (10cm deep). • Long contact time with the footbath solution and frequent footbathing are important. • Choose a footbath product that is appropriate to the lameness problem you have on farm. Benefits

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Zinc is important for the production and maintenance of halthy hoof horn. Footbaths containing zinc increase the zinc concentration in hoof horn. Unfortunately zinc penetrates hoof horn very slowly, at a rate of less than 0.5 mm per hour. So, good penetration depends on retention of zinc on the hoof after foot bathing. One footbath solution that works very well to harden cow’s hooves is Klingon Blue. It contains both copper and zinc sulphate. This is an ideal product to harden cow’s hooves and prepare them for the challenges of being indoors for the winter. Uniquely it does not require multiple uses per week, as it contains a binding-glue. Kling-on Blue adheres to feet for up to 3 days following one pass through footbath, it is therefore only necessary to walk cows through the footbath once a week. This saves the farmer both time and money. For further information contact Osmonds on 01-4667988 or visit www.osmonds.ie

14 GRASS ROOTS November / December

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ood housing is indispensable if you want to rear your calves with the best possible care. CalfOTel products are based on three golden principles: labour, welfare and growth.

• It produces a strong, self-bearing construction with a long service life. • It keeps the heat, chills and draughts at bay and creates the best possible microclimate for the calves • The interior of the hutch is smooth, which means it is easy to clean and combats bacterial growth • The hutches are conveniently mobile which also facilitates the cleaning The calf-rearing systems offer a wide range of versions of calf hutches:

CalfOTel Comfort or Small are practical models with wheels incorporated into the plastic threshold so the hutch can be moved without much effort if it needs to be cleaned or placed elsewwhere. A weaning bucket can be fitted on the fence allowing you to fill the bucket quickly and efficiently. Folding fences which due to their ingenious locks, only need one hand to open which mean that refreshing the straw is made easy. Labour: The design of the calf hutch is to make the end users daily recurring tasks practical, quick, easy and therefore efficient. The focus of production is heavily on their ergonomics, accessibility, versatility, mobility, cleaning convenience and durability. Moreover, the mobile hutches are easy to tip without much effort, and thanks to the material (glass-fibre reinforced polyester) that is used in manufacturing, the calf-rearing systems have a smooth finish that is easy to clean! Welfare: CalfOTel’s well-thought-out calf-rearing systems aim to produce a herd of healthy and rapidly maturing cattle. Good ventilation in the hutches keeps the interiors dry and full of fresh air, due to such things as apertures in the upper part of the front. The hutches have the optimal depth to protect the calves from the cold and, due to ingenious choice of the hutch’s materials, the inside temperature remains low when the hutches are exposed to direct sunlight. Growth: The healthier a calf is in the first three months of its life, the more successfully it will develop. In those first three months, the CalfOTel systems will prove just how beneficial they are for the development of a highly productive dairy cow. Fresh air and hygiene are immensely important for the youngest of the calves. In these hutches, the calves can grow and build up resistance to disease and infection. The unique CalfOTel hutches stay cool in summer and are well insulated in winter, which is achieved using durable, glass-fibre reinforced polyester. Using this material has a number of advantages:

CalfOTel XL-5 and XL-10 is designed to overcome evidence of decline once calves are transferred to group accommodation after spending time in the calf hutches. This fact makes CalfOTels XL-5 and XL-10 extremely suitable follow-up to the single hutches. Using this system, until the calves are around three months old, you can prevent those problems when you move the calves from their hutches to rear them outdoors. Standard fittings of these hutches also include lifting brackets for convenient mobility. CalfOTel Open Top, standard or mobile is characterised by its striking open roof, which makes it extremely suitable for locations inside cowsheds or outdoors under a roof. The Open Top model is available as a standard model or on a grid with wheels. A system with wheels or without is simply a matter of personal preference. The hutch with grid, on castors, is more versatile and even easier to transport. The basic model without the grid also has wheels, so it is still very easy to move and tip for cleaning. For more information contact Hurricane Cattle Care team: 086 029 0645 / 086 777 8038, E-mail: barborahurricanecattlecare@gmail.com or Visit: hurricanecattlecare.ie

GRASS ROOTS November / December 17

Limerick Based Firm Provide Complete Dairy Herd Solutions

stablished in 2012 by Liam Collins, Limerick based Collins Agri Dairy Solutions supplies high quality dairy farm equipment to the Irish market. In addition to supplying milking parlours, milk cooling and storage equipment the Irish market. In addition to supplying milking parlours, milk cooling and storage equipment, Collins Agri are now also leading providers of dairy hygiene, heat detection and animal health monitoring equipment.

By establishing an association with renowned brands such as ATL Agri, Cotswold Dairy and Alanya, this has enabled Collins Agri to build a reputation of supplying high quality products with the support of a superb back-up service. “All the agencies we have are very focussed companies, and we all share the same commitment to customer service” said Liam Collins, Director of Collins Agri. “Our business model means we have a direct relationship with the suppliers, so should our customers have any issues I can contact our suppliers directly which not only saves valuable time, but also ensures customers are receiving support from the most experienced and relative service engineers”. The most recent addition to Collins Agri is Alanya Animal Health Monitoring; based in Ireland they have developed HerdInsights the most advanced heat detection and health analysis solution on the market today. Heat detection and animal health monitoring is currently one of the most innovative areas in dairy farming. With the removal of quotas, farmers are focused on expanding their herds and increasing their production efficiency, a monitoring solution such as HerdInsights enables farmers to gain these efficiencies while still keeping labour and costs to a minimum. “We have seen some fantastic results with this product” says Liam, “I have seen farmers achieve heat detection rates of up to 97% and a 6 week in calf rate of 83%,

18 GRASS ROOTS November / December

these are fantastic results, considering we are working from a national average of 58%, and this is even before we consider the benefits of early health detection issues”. One of the first companies Collins Agri partnered with was ATL Agricultural Technology Ltd., a well-established family run business, specialising in the research, design and manufacturing of milking parlour equipment. Their products include parlours, in-parlour and out-of-parlour feeding systems, parlour controls, automatic identification system, automatic drafting and milk meters. “At the moment we are seeing particularly good demand for the ATL AutoID Feeding system” says Liam. “It essentially comes down to the quality of the product, farmers who have installed the system, have selected it based on its quality it is an excellent solution and farmers feel they are getting good value for their investment”. In partnership with Cotswold Dairy, Collins Agri also supply a wide range of hygiene products. The Cotswold Automatic Cluster Flush system is now available for virtually all types of milking parlour. In addition the Cotswold product range also includes stainless steel water heaters, heat recovery units, teatsprayers, udder washers, auto and manual cluster flush systems, auto handwashers and chemical dispensers along with numbers ancillary items. “The biggest advantage we have over our competitors is that we supply the complete modular system or individual parts. Our clients pay for what they can afford and add to their systems as they go along. This in addition to the wide selection of products we supply which also include milk cooling systems from Mueller, milk replacer from Actus are all supported with an excellent back-up service, ensuring that we can provide a reliable, efficient and cost effective solutions to the Irish dairy community” concluded Liam. They can be contacted on collinsagrisales@gmail.com, 087 6932211 or on their website www.collinsagri.com

Q & A Calvin Forbes of Finrone Systems

he concept of slurry separation has been around for years but never got a strong hold in Ireland. Finrone Systems have now brought to the market a new innovative separator which has greater efficiency that could revolutionise the practise into mainstream Irish livestock farming. Jason Webb of Grassroots Farm speaks to Calvin Forbes of Finrone Systems about the benefits and the machine itself.

Why should dairy and beef farmers consider slurry separation? As farming becomes more efficient and margins become increasingly more important, many farmers are now looking at by-products from animals as another way to reduce costs and potentially create revenue. Slurry is one of these products that is now going through such a transformation. Slurry separation brings many benefits for farmers, the main one being that storage of slurry is reduced by removing the solid fraction. For dairy farmers in particular, a saving of over 20% in storage can be achieved. Other benefits also result from separation. Odour, which is a common problem on many farms, is dramatically reduced. The solid fraction from the separation is easy managed and transported, suitable for green bedding or as an excellent soil amendment. There is also scope to use the solid fraction in biomass systems when treated.

What is the NPK rating of separated liquid compared to conventional slurry? Compared to conventional slurry, separated liquid loses only a small fraction of its fertilising benefits.

The NPK rating of separated liquid compared to conventional slurry:

Is there benefits from spreading the removed liquid instead of conventional slurry? For example grass palatability in tight grazing rotation systems?

Separated slurry is easier to store and spread. As a result, this also means that the nutrient rich liquid can be applied directly to the root system, assisting in immediate uptake by the plant. This also reduces the risk of run off as less of the fertilising chemicals are left on the surface of the soil. This is of great benefit to farmers who are near waterways with eutrophication problems. Grass palatability is also great improved by removal of the solids. The result is that there is less fibre to lodge on plant foliage where ammonia and nitrogen are easily released into the atmosphere. Separating manure produces a consistent liquid and solid fraction and allows producers to effectively control nutrients in both the solids and liquids. Foreign objects are removed from slurry or liquid waste before it is applied to the land and spreading time is greatly reduced. Due to the liquid being absorbed directly into the ground, sward contamination is also greatly reduced meaning livestock can be put out to graze much sooner after spreading.

GRASS ROOTS November / December 19

Explain the uses of the solids - Bedding, Soil Amendment and Biomass?

The separated solid fraction has many uses. In the UK and Europe it is commonly being used as green bedding on dairy and beef farms, reducing the need for traditional straw, sawdust or sand bedding. Green bedding can be stored in a composting drum, promoting aerobic composting which kills bacteria that could potentially multiply during normal storage.

What makes Segalés an innovator and market leader in this area? Segalés are experts in providing slurry management equipment. The design of their equipment is not only unique but it offers many advantages over other solutions: • Separators are designed to achieve maximum usage for both solid and liquid fractions once separated. • Their equipment has a performance range from 6 to 80 m3 per hour to provide solutions for farms of any size. • The unique Ramp design (pre-separation filtration system designed by Segalés) increases the performance of the equipment. Slurry from pigs or cattle using flushing usually has a high percentage of liquid, so in this case it is important to pass the slurry over the pre-filtering ramp to remove the initial run of liquid. • The ramp regulates the flow that enters in the separator increasing the efficiency and lifespan of the separator. It also reduces the operating costs and means less maintenance and spare parts needs during use. • Competitive prices compared to other suppliers

Is there further investment needed other than the separator - i.e. 2 slurry pits or storage? For those with large slurry volumes, we recommend using the Kompack ramp. This can increase the efficiency of the separator by up to 70% and helps in removing additional liquid before separation. An agitator is also recommended to effectively mix the slurry before separation. Segalés offer a wide range of mobile and fixed agitators but one model which is particularly innovative is the KI125X agitator. Its unique design allows agitation to be controlled without any slats needing to be lifted. The blades can be lowered into the slurry tank and a water injection feature helps to break the slurry apart during agitation. This is useful for large sheds where the agitator can be moved to ensure all slurry has been mixed. Pumps will be required to draw the slurry from its storage to the separator. Storage for the solid and liquid fraction may also be required depending on the specific use the farmer has in mind. At Finrone Systems Limited, we can cover all aspects of the problem from storage through to separation. Our 304 Stainless Steel storage tanks were designed to provide a lifetime solution and the stainless steel is very beneficial due to its non-corrosive properties when dealing with slurry management. These slurry stores are now covered under TAMS II schemes for above ground circular slurry storage.

20 GRASS ROOTS November / December

Eurogene Sole Distributor of Reinvention of the Barrow Topsan Teat Dip/Spray

urogene Ai Services has ventured outside the genetics arena for the first time and will be selling Topsan SC Plus.

Topsan SC Plus is a new Teat dip/spray available exclusively from Eurogene Ai Services. The active ingredient is stable Chlorine Dioxide < 0.1% which is a far superior product to most of the other Teat dips/sprays currently on the market. This active ingredient has being available before but never pre-mixed. This is the first that comes available pre-mixed for extra convenience. The innovative method of making this stable is a major breakthrough.

alf barrow is a specially designed barrow that means no heavy lifting or dragging of young calves.

It allows the animal to be pulled from the ground straight into the barrow ready for transport. Its easy to push two wheel design makes it ideal for moving meal bags or small bales as well. The inserting of the blanking plate means it can then move any loose material. It is only available from direct sale from Tom Kenny on 087 2968927.

It can be used for pre and post spraying offering 12 hour protection. It also contains Japanese Mint Oil ensuring excellent teat quality and condition. There is also a natural fly repellant. On the genetic side of business Eurogene Ai Services bulls continue to prove themselves year on year. Imleach Lucky Whistler (WLY), who was previously the No 1 Genomic bull, has exceeded all expectations and has bucked the trend to become the No 1 daughter proven bull with an EBI of â&#x201A;Ź344.

GRASS ROOTS November / December 21

ICBF - Active Dairy Bull List - Winter 2015

22 GRASS ROOTS November / December

Sustainable Farming Services 70 New Street, Macroom, Co Cork Telephone 026 43219 Contact Denis Canty Mobile 087-2383900

HIMALAYAN RED ROCK SALT Salt (Sodium chloride) is essential for blood formation metabolic/digestive functions Natural Source of over 80 trace elements. Salt is essential to promote saliva production and ensures function of the digestive system. Himalayan rock salt is a full spectrum crystal salt lumps are literally rock hard and very weather resistant Reduces animals desire to drink urine, licking walls etc Large Lumps delivered in bulk bags Self limiting Lack of salt = lack of appetite Loss of condition = drop in milk production Desire to drink urine = Reduced growth Fertility problems

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carrier for micro-ingredients to its potential to bind the total-mixed-ration (TMR) and reduce sorting. Historically, molasses has been used to provide sugars to the animal and subsequently improve the palatability of the ration. The list of benefits of feeding molasses has now expanded to include benefits to the rumen microbial population. Studies have shown that forage diets containing high levels of non-protein nitrogen and rumen degradable protein (e.g. spring grass) show improved protein utilisation when molasses is included.

Water and Pump Solutions

ichael White Pump and Dairy Services is a family business operating in Bandon, Co. Cork Ireland. We design and install Dairy Water Washing and Drinking Systems, Irrigation Systems for both Dirty Water and Clean Water including a wide range of pumps and power washers for both commercial and domestic use. Additionally we provide both Domestic and Commercial Bore Hole Pumps. Work is done to the highest standard with top quality products from Briggs Irrigation, Rovatti Pumps, and J.H. Donnelly.

Dirty Water Systems They design and install Dirty Water Systems for farm and dairy using top quality Slurry pumps and heavy duty dirty water Roto Rainers from Briggs Irrigation and Rovatti

Pumps, including all piping, fittings, and connections. The team ensure that all systems are designed and installed so that it runs hassle free. Irrigation Systems The Bandon firm have a full range of Irrigation Pumps and Roto Rainers ready to be installed, including a complete piping system according to your design specifications. All irrigation systems can be custom designed to suit customers needs. Power Washers For wells, boreholes, and commercial cleaning projects, we supply Hawk PTO Washers and Portotecnica Pressure Washers from JH Donnelly, and a wide range of quality pumps from Briggs Irrigation and Rovatti Pumps. Mole-Ploughing Mole ploughing is a solution for those who want to ensure that their land is returned to itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original condition if trenching for waterpipes. Ideal for new paddock water systems and means the ground is not one day effected or requires any reseed on trenching path. Any information on the above products from Michael on 087 8246821

Molasses for all types of stock

remier Molasses, based in Foynes Co. Limerick, is Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading supplier of liquid feeds to the animal feed sector. Our market leader status has been achieved through strong emphasis on customer service, technical support, innovation and new product development.

24 GRASS ROOTS November / December

Our Ingredients Molasses is the base feed used in the Premier Molasses range of feeds. It is a co-product of the sugar industry and can be derived from either sugar cane (Asia, South America) or sugar beet (Europe). While many people view it only as a source of sugar, uses for molasses extend from its value as a

Condensed Molasses Solubles (CMS), known as vinasse in the rest of Europe, is the name given to the evaporated substrate from fermentation industries based upon molasses. When blended with molasses, its increases the protein content and also contributes to easier handling characteristics. Delactose Whey Concentrate (DLC) is a nutritious co-product of the Irish dairy industry and is generated from the liquid remaining after the extraction of protein and lactose from whey. Including DLC in concentrate rations of lactating cows has been shown to prevent most of the milk fat depression experienced with such rations without reducing concentrate consumption. Glycerine is a colourless, odourless, sweet tasting, energy dense liquid that is a co-product of biofuel production from vegetable oil. Researchers have determined that the net energy value of glycerine in sheep, beef cattle and dairy cows was equal to or greater than that of corn grain. Glycerine can help improve energy supply to high yielding dairy cows, both before and after calving, and thereby have an impact on health and performance during the entire lactation. Using our blending facilities, we are able to offer high quality blends of these ingredients, providing flexible energy and protein levels and handling characteristics to meet each farms needs. The Premier Molasses range of liquid feeds is suitable for all types of stock - dairy cows, beef cattle, sheep, pigs and horses - there is a product that will meet your individual needs.

Larissa is National Champ Images by Maria Kelly

here was a large attendance at this years National Dairy Show. The show in its 33rd year seems to grow year on year in popularity with spectators and trade exhibitors alike.

There was a record number of trade stands once again and exhibitors said that there was a very positive and upbeat mood amongst dairy farmers despite the poor milk price at present. The show was officially open by Mr. Charles Gallagher Chief Executive of IHFA. Charles said that it was a great honour not alone for himself but also for the Association to do the official ceremony especially as this is the Golden Jubilee year of the Association which was established back in 1965 as the IFBA. In the showring, Intermediate Champion went to B &J Cocoman, Kill, Co. Kildare with Kilwarden Windbrook J Vixan. Reserve going to G&J Hurley with Clonpaddin RCU Jill 2. Patrick and Karl Colton took Honourable Mention with Ardnasalem Fever Sarah. The Confined Cow Championship went to D&T Neville with Hallow Atwood Twizzle. Reserve went to the confined heifer Mirah Laven Maggie owned by Michael Freeney, Oranmore, Galway.

The Judge, Harold Sweetnam, in his final line up selected 5 cows worthy of the top award. The final pick were the first and second placed animals in the three year old class, Kingsley S901 Karry 604 owned by Shay & Margaret Nyhan, Ballinascarthy, Cork and Tubbertoby Atwood Fran owned by Paul & Margurite Flanagan, Termonfeckin, Louth. The winner in the four year old class Lisnacunna Dee Beauty Red owned by Pat Coffey, Enniskeane, Cork. The winner in the five year old class Baldonnell Goldie Larissa owned by Cyril Dowling & Tadhg Bourke, Baldonnel, Dublin. The winner of the Mature cow class Laurelm Reuben Sassy owned by Rickey & John Barrett Co Cork. The judge commented on the dairyness, the great udders on all the cows and the quality right down the classes with great front end strength. Before tapping out his Supreme Champion and Reserve he commented â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a great honour to judge this show where many great judges of the breed have had the honour before me.â&#x20AC;? He thanked his stewards, breeders and all the exhibitors for their dedication and bringing out their cattle to such a high standard. To tremendous applause he tapped out the Baldonnell Goldie Larissa owned by Cyril Dowling &Tadgh Bourke as Champion. In reserve and a very popular choice was Kingsley S901 Karry 604 owned by Shay & Margaret Nyhan. Honourable mention went to class Laurelm Reuben Sassy owned by Ricky & John Barrett. This cow has been past champion twice and her eighth time to be exhibited at Millstreet. Seamus Crowley, Show Director, thanked all the breeders, exhibitors, sponsors, trade stand holders, judges, stewards, and all who helped in any way to make the show a success. He also expressed his thanks especially to IHFA and staff who helped with administration.

GRASS ROOTS November / December 25

IHFA Black & White Protein Sale

Free Draw

What better way to round off the 50th anniversary year than to look to the future of the breed? A forthcoming highlight for IHFA is a Heifer & Youngstock Sale to be held on November 20th at Tullamore Mart. The sale is a special opportunity to acquire a new cow family to develop in your own herd into the future. There will be a separate high EBI class and also the option of showing classes. For those looking for conditions and information it is available on the IHFA website at www.ihfa.ie/heifer_show_sale

The winners of IHFA’s Free Competition at the National Ploughing Championships 2015 were - First prize of a Pedigree Registered Holstein Friesian Pedigree Heifer Calf, sponsored by IHFA, was awarded to Jimmy McCarthy, Ballytohill, Mullinahore, Co. Tipperary; second prize of €1,000 worth of Milk Replacer, sponsored by Volac, went to Maurice Behan, Tierernane, Balick, Moyler, Co. Carlow; the third prize voucher to the value of €200, sponsored by Weatherbys Laboratory, was won by Padraic Murphy, Ballagh, Kilmanagh, Co. Kilkenny and the fourth prize voucher for BVD Testing, sponsored by Irish Equine Centre went to Patrick O’Connor, Doonscart House, Castletownroche, Mallow, Co. Cork

IHFA at National Ploughing Championships 2015

New IHFA Pack of Bulls for Gene Ireland Test Programme

The IHFA 50th anniversary milestone set the backdrop for its showcase of the Holstein Friesian breed at this year’s National Ploughing Championships. Presentations to key industry personnel who had contributed to the progression of Irish dairy farming during the era of the IFBA/ IHFA were made on the stand. Matt Dempsey of the Irish Farmers Journal was presented with the IHFA Recognition Award as was Pat Dillon of Moorpark. Seven Holstein Friesian cows were on display all loaned by local IHFA breeders - to highlight the productivity, efficiency and genetic diversity within the breed. The averages of the IHFA team of cows on display were as follows -

Launched at the Ploughing was the IHFA Gene Ireland “Breeder’s Pack”. Dairy farmers can avail of next generation test sires head of the next Breeding season. The Breeder Pack features a panel of four bulls, backed by strong cow families and with positive PTA figures. Some of the top breeding lines internationally is the backbone to the sires available in this pack. The Bulls are available through the “Gene Ireland” test programme with limited availability. Further details available from the IHFA website on www.ihfa.ie/geneireland-bull-pack calling 0238833443.

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26 GRASS ROOTS November / December

140,000GNS TRUEMAN JAGGER SETS WORLD RECORD AT CARLISLE

t was a world record breaking day at Carlisle on Saturday 17th October when Trueman Jagger from Henry Savage & Sons, Altnamackin, Newry, Co Down sold for a remarkable 140,000gns (£147,000). Widely described as one of the best Limousin bulls ever seen at a British Limousin Cattle Society Sale, the April 2014 born bull was purchased by a five way syndicate of breeders which comprised of 5 UK breeders The world record was the highlight of the Society’s Autumn Sale that saw 85 bulls sell to a sensational average of £8709. The average was up by over £3200 on the year and is a new UK all-breeds record. On Friday at the pre-sale show Trueman Jagger had been placed as the Overall Supreme Champion & Intermediate Champion by the judge, and Irish Limousin Cattle Society Chairman, Kevin Bohan, Beechhill Farm, Doon, Co. Laois. An embryo calf, Trueman Jagger is by Ampertaine Gigolo and is out of the noted Trueman Grazia.

6,400 for Tullamore Champion

total of eight bulls sold at prices over €5000 at the recent Irish Charlaois Cattle Society Sale in Tullamore. The average price was €3,729 with a 80% clearance and three lots went to Northern breeders.

Sale topper at €6,400 was the day’s champion Williamstown Jude. At just 14 months of age he is by a Jupiter son and out of a home bred dam by Doonally New. The bull was bred by Aidan Farrell, Boyanna, Moate, Co. Westmeath and was purchased on the day by Jonathan Kelly, Limavady, Co. Derry. The reserve championship went to David Rattigan, Main St., Elphin, Co. Roscommon for Rattigan Jeff ET by Oldstone Egbert and out of Liscally Emeraldstar whose pedigree goes back to Major and Padirac. The bull was sold for €5,000 to fellow Roscommon breeder Martin Kenny, Cams, Cloverhill. GRASS ROOTS November / December 27

Proven Trace Element Delivery

rish dairy and livestock farmers are reaping the rewards of valuable research into trace element supplementation that has its roots in Ireland.

The slow release leaching bolus was pioneered at Teagasc by Phil Rogers MRCVS and perfected in collaboration with Les Porter FRCVS, of Animax Ltd, and P J Lynch MRCVS, of Bayer.

milk yield in the first 100 days of lactation after cows were doublebolused at six monthly intervals. Anecdotal reports also showed improved weight gain in dairy replacement heifers given a single bolus at turnout. Irish sheep farmers have always been challenged by trace element deficiencies, cobalt in particular. Cobalt deficiency is common in lambs – they appear to have plenty of food but can’t make use of this grass due to a shortfall of cobalt; this impacts on growth. Farmers report that Tracesure cobalt boluses given to weaned lambs notice improved flock health and increase weight gain. Sheep farmers also see enormous benefits when ewes are bolused with Tracesure at either four to six weeks pre-tupping or pre-lambing. Greater milk let down, easier lambing, less mortality and thriftier newborn lambs have been reported.

The Allsure range of boluses manufactured by Animax contain selenium, cobalt, iodine and copper. In Ireland most farming systems Slow release trace element boluses were once regarded as a niche are heavily based on grazed grass but this approach can result in product but are now in the mainstream. It comes as no surprise that deficiencies of one or more of these trace elements. AI technicians and veterinary surgeons in Ireland are adding bolusing to the list of services they provide. The original Teagasc research on the slow release bolus, which had been based on Irish farming situations, demonstrated substantial effects – and further research has continued to do so. In 2010 a paper published by veterinarians Cook and Green showed increased

Winter Bedding Solutions

eat Bed’s Cubicle bed is an innovative bedding material for bedding cattle. It has been specially formulated for use in the dairy industry, particularly on cubicles.

Cubicle bed is made from an ultra-fine, super dry peat which is blended with a liming agent. The peat is harvested and screened to obtain the optimum particle size and then blended with a liming agent which ensures pH is neutral and keeps harmful bacteria at bay. Not only does Cubicle bed ensure a clean, dry and comfortable cubicle for the animal, it also eliminates the need for the farmer to mix his bedding material with lime, saving time and effort. Cubicle bed will cause minimal problems in a slurry tank and when spread on land is the ideal soil conditioner. Peat Bed’s fibre bed is a dry house livestock bedding material that is used for beef cattle, dry cows, calves, horses and sheep. Fibre bed is highly absorbent fibrous material which keeps livestock warm, clean and dry with minimal labour. The bedding is cost effective, last for months and when spread on the land after use, will add nutrients and condition your soil. We offer both bulk bag or bulk load nationwide delivery service. For more information see www.peatbed.com, email sales@peatbed.com, phone Ross @ (047) 51557 or call our Munster agents, The Farm Store, Bandon @ (023) 8841911/ www.thefarmstore.ie.

28 GRASS ROOTS November / December

Farmers Search for the Best

hen Jim Orr, a beef farmer was researching mats for his new slatted shed, he wanted to get the best on the market. A mat that was safe for the animals, long lasting and giving the cattle a soft, dry, clean non-slip floor.

Jim had a look at all the black rubber slat mats on the market, visiting a number of farms, and the one recurring feature he saw was all the mats come up and/or curl up and expand. Then a neighbour introduced him to Comfort Slat Mats. Once he saw the mats in situ, Jim was convinced that Comfort Slat Mats were the best on the market. One unique feature of Comfort Slat Mats, apart from the green colour, is the snap-lock fixing mechanism which grips the side walls of each slat and requires no bungs or screws to hold the mat down.

A curved surface on top promotes the animal waste away from the floor creating a dry, clean environment and when the cattle walk on the mats, their weight creates a flat surface to walk upon. Once the cattle move off the mat it always returns to a curved surface which aids with displacing the waste. Also, by developing a unique air-cushioned core in the mat, Comfort Slat Mats created grip through the cattle’s hoof sinking into the mat. Since installing Comfort Slat Mats last year, Jim commented “My cattle seem very comfortable on the mats and have a lot less bother with their feet than previously. I am happy to report that the mats have not moved an inch since they were installed which was one of my main concerns with alternative black mats.” Jim continued “The cattle are less stressed than before and there is definitely a big difference between concrete and Comfort Slat Mats”. w Jim’s agent for Comfort Slat Mats stated “The curved shape of the mat, the wings which grip the slat keeps the gap between each slat clear ensuring a clean floor. The mats are measured and tailor made to fit each slat insuring a perfect fit every time”. He added “We pride ourselves on giving a great service from the first phone call until the mats are fitted and farmer is satisfied. The feed-back we get from our farmers is phenomenal and our repeat business tells me that Comfort Slat Mats are the best”. Comfort Slat Mats operate an extensive agent network throughout Ireland. Each agent is trained and experienced in measuring and fitting the mats, and prides themselves in working with the farmer to suit their and their animal’s requirements. To find your local agent, visit our website: www.slatmats.com or contact them at 01 8643494 or email sales@comfortslatmat. com

GRASS ROOTS November / December 29

Kingswood - The Tried and Tested Mobile Herd Management

ingswood has served the Irish farm software market for over 25 years. They have over this time developed their software packages through their relationship with their farmer clients and all relevant agencies.

In recent years they have developed Kingswood Mobile. This is a tried and tested mobile based herd management system. It can be purchased as a standalone unit which enables the farmer to record all events, look up reports and be compliant with Department and Bord Bia inspects for only â&#x201A;Ź100 a year.The advantage of the Kingswood system over their competitors is the use of Vetlink. This is the direct link between the Veterinary purchase and treatment records direct to the farmers own Kingswood Mobile own device. Kingswood Mobile is the ideal system for the farmer who wants a convenient, flexible, easy to use recording system on his phone and tab let. It is mainly focused on compliancy recording- if you feel you need in-depth dairy/beef management, it can also be linked to the more in-depth PC based - Kingswood Herd. Kingswood Herd can be part of the greater complete PC package, Kingswood Farm IT Hub. This can extract information from accounts, parlour technology, weighing systems, heat detection, grass meter, scanning reports, discussion groups, co-op, factory, mart, vet, icbf and the department so that the user has the maximum information to make calculated decisions on their farm. This will mean the Kingswood user now has the most up to date grass wedge, animal performance, account and profit monitor reports available. Information is the key to the most efficient and profitable farmers. Kingswood are the tried and tested, focused on ease of use and reliable farm

McMahon - M Specialists in Agricultural Concrete

cMahons Concrete Products offer a range of products to farmers throughout the island of Ireland. Based near Newcastle West in Co Limerick, it is owned and run by the local Mullane family. The family's farming background led them to steer the company in the direction of Agricultural Products.

troughs, feed barriers and cubicle bases. This has enabled the business to grow employing 10 local people. Now 70% of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business is with the farming community.

This is a change from when the family took over the business in 1999. All concrete was mixed using a standard concrete mixer and poured by hand. The company was solely dedicated to construction products . Only three people were employed.

Adrians experience as a farmer led him to introduce innovative features into our products. Their unique drainage cap system allows the water troughs to be emptied swiftly and easily. The enhanced curve on the feeding barriers forces the feed to flow back towards the cows causing them to lick the barrier clean. The cubicle bases and feed barriers can be easily moved.

Adrian Mullane has progressively invested in plant and machinery to enable the efficient large scale manufacturing of high quality products. The company now offers fencing products, water

30 GRASS ROOTS November / December

McMahons manufactures its own concrete in its specialised batching plant. This means the concrete is poured fresh into the moulds leading to a more durable and stronger mix. All of our products are reinforced.

Adrian is always on hand to offer advice to farmers on product selection and installation.

Pellet option opens new revenue straight from

field

he Krone Premos 5000, the world's first mobile pellet harvester, has been awarded a gold medal at Agri- The pellets can then be transferred to a waiting be used for energy generation, thereby reducing technica 2015. truck by conveyor belt and delivered straight CO2 emissions.

The judges of the competition (DLG) praised the innovative design of the machine, which produces pellets from agricultural feed crops directly from swath in the field.

to the end customers who use them as fodder, bedding and of course, fuel for heating systems.

This innovation enables renewable agricultural raw materials and secondary raw materials to

Furthermore, the Premos 5000 can also be used outside the harvesting season thanks to an optional bale shredder which converts it into a stationary pelletiser for year-round operation.

IFA Highlight Grain Price Issue

ddressing an IFA protest of grain farmers outside Glanbia House in Kilkenny on the second week in November, IFA President Eddie Downey accused Glanbia of short-changing hardpressed tillage farmers on feed grain prices paid this harvest.

Mr Downey said the company’s price, which lags behind competitors across the industry, has vexed growers given the very difficult income situation they face after three consecutive years of poor market returns. He said, “Growers expect some solidarity from Glanbia this year as they struggle to pay off bills and meet their costs. The Board and management have 32 GRASS ROOTS November / December

to look again at the grain prices paid this prevailing market price paid by others. harvest”. IFA Grain Chairman Liam Dunne said growers Eddie Downey said, “Loyal Glanbia grain have also been angered by a number of suppliers are extremely unhappy that their contract changes unilaterally imposed by own shareholder funds are being used by the Glanbia, including the imposition of cuts to the company to subvent the basic price paid for premium for Sturm contract oats (premium green grain this harvest. The Glanbia grain payable on 80% of delivered tonnes); changes price, inclusive of the shareholder bonus, only to the bushel weight standard (moving from matches the prevailing market price for green 52kph to 54kph); a further reduction of the grain and this is unacceptable” premium of €10/t for gluten free oats and an insistence of a minimum field size of 20ac. He said the shareholder fund was set up specifically to support growers through Mr. Dunne said that Glanbia’s grain drying difficult periods when incomes are charges at €36/tonne are also well out of under pressure due to low commodity line with the norm and these costs are going prices or other extreme events. It was to have to be reduced as part of ensuring never envisaged that the fund would be that competitive forward selling grain used to subvent prices which are shy of the opportunities are provided to growers.

New Craft Whiskey Trend Could See Bright Future for Irish Barley Growers

ith 28 new Irish whiskey distilleries either proposed or already underway across the country, there is a trend towards craft whiskey brewing, and with it, a new demand for specialty Irish malting.

The Irish Whiskey Association says the potential is huge when comparing Ireland to Scotland, and the organisation predicts export sales to double by 2020 and then double again by 2030. Irish Farmers Association national grain committee chairman Liam Dunne says the huge increase in Irish whiskey production is welcome news to tillage farmers. However, he said, only time will tell how much Irish barley is actually used in the produce. “We don’t know yet the full extent of how much Irish grain will be included in the mixes. A lot of maize is nowadays used in distilling whiskey, but you would hope that a large amount of Irish malting barley would be used. That’s really up to the individual distilleries in making up their mixes.” But the promising trend that seems to be taking off at the moment is a move towards craft whiskeys, similar to the growing popularity of craft beers that swept the US, UK and Australia in recent years. If that trend does take off, then the demand will be on Irish barley. “Spring barley in particular is something we have over the years developed different varieties of, which have certain properties,” Mr Dunne said. “They either lend themselves to good malting or have extra flavour and so forth. “One of the ideas that’s being kicked around, and it’s already started in one of the distilleries in Waterford, is, barleys are grown for a particular flavour of whiskey. So if you pick up a bottle of whiskey in the future, it’s possible that it will say that barley is grown by these 30 farmers.” The idea is that these craft whiskeys would vary in flavour and strength, depending on the type of malting barley used and where it is grown. That concept is very different to the current trend of mixing everything together so that there is a fairly consistent taste across the industry. “Some people are looking at the idea that you could actually put the names of the farmers on certain bottles,” Mr Dunne said. “The distiller would ask a certain number of growers to produce a certain variety of barley that would

then be malted and put into that particular whiskey, and that could come from a particular locality. “Not only is the technology there, but the traceability and the logistics are all in place and it’s already started.” Some craft distilleries are talking about introducing limited editions of whiskey that would have specific barleys from very specific areas, Mr Dunne explained. For example, the distiller might release 1,000 litres of a particular blend. Rather than the traditional route of whiskey brands advertising themselves as having a very consistent taste and flavour, this idea would take whiskey in the complete opposite direction. “This could become something very special, especially in a country like Ireland where flavours can vary quite considerably in malting barleys. There’s a future there, new developments and new technological developments as well in the whiskey industry, and everybody’s looking forward to a nice future in distilling in Ireland. “It would be great to see it back with some size to the industry because it has gotten quite small and it is something we’re good at in Ireland.”

PICTURED: Liam Dunne

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TRACTOR OF THE YEAR

Fendt 1050 Vario

he Fendt 1050 Vario has been named the 2016 Tractor of the Year at Agritechnica recently.

This 500hp tractor from Fendt is now the biggest tractor model the company produces and is the world most powerful conventional tractor. It is capable of reaching a speed of 60kmph on the open road. Despite the high horsepower, the Vario is quite agile and weighs in, unladen, at only 14 tonnes. An impressive sight, the 1000 series has a maximum height of 3.60m. Fendt developed a completely new cab for this horsepower-topping model. The X5S cab delivers in terms of low noise, high visibility and all-round comfort. Using two independent hydraulic motors, one for the front axle and one for the rear, the engine torque may be freely distributed on both axles making the driving experience very similar to the most sophisticated cars.

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Best Utility and Best Design Winners 2016

assey Ferguson is the first manufacturer to take the top spot in the new Tractor of the Year, Best Utility category with its new 130 hp MF 5713 SL. The jury said it had no doubts about the tractor’s unique All In One Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system, employed to meet the strict Tier 4 Final regulations. The judges also noted that, thanks to its compact dimensions, the All in One system fits neatly under the steps, not under the bonnet and this allows the steep sloping bonnet to maintain excellent visibility. The Valtra N 174V won the Golden Tractor for the Design award. The panel of judges viewed it as a ‘modern, dynamic, compact and cool look.’ Every detail of the new N Series is designed with a purpose in mind: to improve productivity, minimise the total costs of ownership and make the working day of the driver comfortable. The very compact design and a high level of functionality, ergonomics, visibility and comfort reach a totally new level in N4. As always with Valtra tractors, the N Series cab is also designed for reverse driving with TwinTrac.

Highlights from Agritechnica 2015 The Russian Beast

big crowd puller in every sense of the word was the Russian manufactured Kirovets. There is nothing ground breaking by its appearance other than the sheer crude scale of the beast.

The engine is Mercedes, a six bore 12 litre power plant that produces 428 hp. The gearbox is Russian with 16 speed power shift. The hydraulics come from Bosch Rexroth. The old style artic tractor rolls of the St. Petersburg manufacturing plant at 15 tons. At a price tag of €190,000 it is an affordable alternative to the prettier John Deere, Versatile and Case artic tractors on the market.

Flash Fastrac

he Fastrac 4000 series is a beautiful piece of kit. Add something like a Landquip demount sprayer with a 2500 litre tank on the back and 1900 litre tank on the front, then you are the coolest kid in spray class.

Other features of the demount sprayer is a 200 litre fresh water tank and 15 litre hand wash tank. An electronic spray rate controller means it is operator friendly and demount legs help with the fitting and removal process.

The Itatian Chinese

t sounds like a food choice but it’s the collaboration that has brought us the Arbos tractor. The new brand is the result of a business partnership between Italian precision drill manufacturer Matermacc and China’s largest tractor manufacturer, Foton. The target is the Chinese market however one model, a 130hp tractor, could grace our shores some time in the near future. The green and cream colour scheme would suit our landscape. This would be powered by a 3.5 litre Kohler engine, familiar to some JCB machines. The biggest model is a Deutz engine powered 270 hp tractor. EU emission regulations will make sure that the big brother won’t work in European fields for some time yet.

GRASS ROOTS November / December 35

Zoomlion Speeding to European Market

here was evidence at Agritechnica that Chinese manufacturers are raising their game in new high-horsepower tractor ranges and machines for the European market. It looks like the main headlines were being stolen by China manufacturers over the main, big brand manufacturers. We already mentioned Arbos but there was more – namely Zoomlion and Foton Lovol. Zoomlion is one of the few able to offer tractors with power outputs beyond 200hp. It includes a Deutz engine, which provides a 210hp block on the biggest ZL2104 and drives through a 40-speed powershift gearbox that comes with the option of auto-shifting. Brimming with technology, main features include a powershift transmission, suspended cab and seat, and suspended front axle and PTO option. The Stage IIIB tractor has already completed 30,000 hours of field tests in China.

Zetor Link with Italian Design

A link-up between legendary Italian car designers Pininfarina - stylists to Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Rolls Royce and others - and famed Czech tractor maker Zetor has led to the creation of a new tractor design concept that already is the talk of Agritechnica and may soon be turning heads on Irish roads.

The Zetor by Pininfarina concept, as the new modular design is called, is one that Zetor says will be applied across its product range. Carrying with it the suggestion that tractor design is about to follow style trends long evident in the motor industry, the Zetor by Pininfarina study brings emotion, dynamism and style to what traditionally has been a purely practical item of farm machinery. With components aligned in what Zetor says is a ‘modular’ way, its most visual style features include an iconic new front-end bonnet and lights arrangement. It’s tilting and gradual forward-sloping hood, gracefully shaped side panels, cooling vents and use of two-tone paint are features that Zetor claims all hint at the world of competitive motoring with which Pininfarina has long been associated.

36 GRASS ROOTS November / December

KUHN Square Bale Wrapper SW 4014 Awarded a Silver Medal

UHN introduces a true innovation in square bale wrapping with the SW 4014. The exclusive AutoLoad function providing non stop wrapping is awarded a silver medal at the Agritechnica 2015 innovation awards.

The innovative AutoLoad function on the SW 4014 provides nonstop fully automatic loading, wrapping and unloading of square and round bales without interference from the driver. AutoLoad detects approaching bales, automatically scans the length of the bale and sets the loading arms into pre-load position, resulting in high accurate loading, wrapping and unloading of the bale on the move. This leads to an increased overall capacity and creates a more ergonomic and stress less working environment during a long working day.

The SW 4014 has an operational width of 4 m in the field and 2.5 m during transport.

Thanks to its solid design, with incorporated hydraulic sliding frame, an extreme wide track is achieved for outstanding stability of the machine.

The versatile wrapper is capable of wrapping large square, medium square and round bales up to 1500 kg and a maximum bale length of 200 cm. Wrapping round bales up to 140 cm in diameter is possible without any optional equipment or mechanical adjustments.

This unique â&#x20AC;&#x153;drive throughâ&#x20AC;? operation enables easy loading of the bale and excellent visibility of the wrapping process.

It can be operated with a broad range of tractors because of a limited oil flow requirement.

38 GRASS ROOTS November / December

Budget 2016 – A quick run through for the Irish Farmer! By Mark Lonergan

he recent budget outlines some interesting fiscal measures aimed primarily at the farming sector. This article runs through the proposed measures briefly.

Farm Transfer Partnerships With the aim of increasing farm productivity, recent government policy has shown a consistent desire to see farms transfer between generations in a structured and timely fashion. This is a very live issue and one that needs addressing.Irish Farmers have at present too high an age profile. The industry needs an infusion of young blood with fresh thinking. However, experts in the farming sector have long highlighted the significant challenges preventing this from becoming a reality, not least the fact that many farms are not sufficiently large enough to support two families simultaneously. A new tax credit worth up to €25,000 is to be introduced in the Finance Act as an incentive for the establishment of family farm partnerships. The proposal, which is subject to EU state aid approval, will allow two people, for example family members, to enter into a partnership with an appropriate profit-sharing agreement which makes provision for the transfer of the farm to the younger farmer at the end of a specified period, not exceeding ten years.

The only criteria for these partnerships is the age limit – the young farmer must be under 40”. The minister also announced the extension of the valuable stamp duty relief for farm transfers to youngtrained farmers under the age of 35 for a further three years to December 31, 2018. The real benefit of this measure is that it is a tax incentive rooted in commercial reality. Tax measures often are fine in theory but do not work well in practice. This farm transfer partnership could work very well to aid the transition of the family farm from one generation to the next. If a farmer enters into a farm partnership with his spouse and son(assume single) this would facilitate approximately € 100,000 worth of farm profits being taxed at 20% for income tax, a good result by any measure.

Extension of a number of existing agrifood tax reliefs to 2018

The minister also announced the extension of the valuable stamp duty relief for farm transfers to young-trained farmers under the age of 35 for a further three years to December 31, 2018.

Profits from woodlands

the

occupation

To encourage the forestry sector, profits or gains from the occupation of woodland in Ireland, which is managed on a commercial basis and with a view to profit, are exempt from income tax and corporation tax but not USC and PRSI. However, the exemption for woodland profits has been subject to the high income earners cap, which limits tax reliefs so that the minimum effective income tax rate for an individual is 30 per cent.

Capital Acquisitions Tax

A number of key reliefs relevant to those involved in farming were set to expire on December 31, 2015. In recognition of their continuing value to the agri-food sector, these reliefs have now been extended for a further three years to December 31, 2018.

While not solely targeted at the agricultural sector, the increase in the capital acquisitions tax (CAT) Group a tax-free thresholds from €225,000 to €280,000 will be of particular interest to larger farmers and those with agricultural property.

The reliefs covered include general stock relief, stock relief for young-trained farmers, and stock relief for registered farm partnerships.

When taken together with the existing 90% reduction in Taxable Value per agricultural property relief, this increase should translate to a material reduction in any potential tax liability arising on the transfer of agricultural assets to an individual’s children.

Stock relief is available only to farming trades and is a relief given in respect of increases in the value of farm trading stock.

To support this transfer, an income tax credit worth up to €5,000 per annum for five years will be allocated to the partnership and split according to the profit-sharing contract. The examination of this measure to incentivise earlier intergenerational transfers of farms was included in the agri-taxation review recommendations of family farms. The partnership model enables a gradual transfer of control and also facilitates knowledge transfer from the older generation. Speaking following the Budget the Minister for Agriculture said a lot of work has been done on partnerships and there are currently about 1,500 across farms in Ireland. “However, transferring the farm from one generation to another is not an easy process. This new partnership setup should encourage people in their early to mid-thirties to enter partnerships. This should be a real welcome development among farmers”

40 GRASS ROOTS November / December

Self-employed tax credit It has been well noted that self-employed individuals are heavily discriminated by the current Irish tax system. This is particularly evident at lower income levels as self-employed people enter the tax net much earlier than their peers in employment. One of the key drivers of this inequality has been the fact that employees are automatically entitled to a tax credit of €1,650. Steps to address this have finally been taken with the introduction of a similar “earned income” credit for the self-employed and farmers for 2016. This credit is proposed to start at €550 with the minister’s stated aim being to increase this in future budgets, public finances permitting same. The foregoing proposed tax measures are practical and timely, and should provide a tangible financial benefit to the Irish agriculture sector. As with all fiscal matters, we await with interest the publishing of the Finance Bill to firm up on the minutiae of what is required to avail of the various reliefs.

Farm Organisations Opinion Budget equality for self-employed is a historic first step says Comer

f we are critical of policy where we feel it is remiss then it is incumbent upon us to give credit where it is due, and from a farmer perspective and in general terms, Budget 2016 was positive. Certainly the most significant development and one for which we have lobbied for years if not decades is the introduction of an Earned Income Credit of €550 per annum which we are happy to describe as a historic first step in the process of removing the blatant discrimination against self employed people that has existed for decades. John Comer, ICMSA President It is essential that this is increased to the same level of the PAYE tax credit in future budgets as Minister Noonan seemed to indicate but whoever is the minister responsible must follow-through on this move to rectify an old and blatant injustice. The measure introduced in this budget means that the discrimination against farm families will fall from €1,650 per annum to €1,100 per annum and while this is modest it certainly represented progress on what was a monument to the discrimination built-into the State’s taxation and tax collection system. On other aspects of the Budget, we welcomed the extension of the various Stock Relief Measures and the Stamp Duty Relief for Young Farmers to December 2018 and also the increase in the Group A Capital Acquisitions Tax rate to €280,000 which will be of assistance to some farm families. In relation to the Farm Succession proposal, ICMSA welcomes the Government’s recognition of the issue but is concerned regarding the possible over-complexity of the scheme. Our concerns, it seems, are shared by other observers, many of whom have expressed some mystification about how the scheme will actually work. But again, let us at least acknowledge the effort made and the understanding of the problem revealed in the introduction of the scheme.

Immediately after the budget I committed ICMSA to engaging constructively with the Department and ensuring that a positive and workable scheme is introduced for the farm families concerned and I am happy to reiterate that here. The only regret – and it is a major regret on the part of farmers - was the absence of any measure in relation to addressing the kind of destructive farm income volatility that was wreaking such havoc in the sector currently. We have already said this issue is the single biggest challenge facing farmers and, as late as the week before the budget, ICMSA met with the EU Commission to advocate the Association’s Farm Management Deposit Scheme, which we modelled very closely on the hugely successful Australian model and which is specifically designed to deal with just this problem. The lack of any measure to deal with income volatility is the sole and glaring ‘Minus’ in a budget which most farmers, regardless of political persuasion, would be happy to acknowledge as well though-through and positive in its approach to our sector and to the broader economy. In terms of persuading the Government of the requirement for an income volatility control mechanism, ICMSA is confident that progress can be made on this matter and we will continue to lobby hard for the Government to move foward on this badly required measure in future Budgets.

GRASS ROOTS November / December 41

WOMEN IN FARMING: GEMMA GOULDING

orth Laois’s Gemma Goulding is a beef farmer, primary school teacher and Macra na Feirme member, and that’s all in a day’s work! The young Rosenallis womernational Miss Macra 2013, is part of this year’s ‘Walk in my Shoes’ campaign, which is raising money and awareness for mental health.

Gemma is the youngest of four girls and lives on the family farm in rural Laois with her parents, Dan and Margaret. She would love to see more female involvement in the farming sector in Ireland, and is working with Macra on making access to land and finances easier for young farmers. “My family have been farming in Rosenallis since the 1400s, so I suppose you could say farming is part of my heritage,” she said. “I’ve always had a keen interest in farming and I completed my Certificate in Agriculture in Naas in 2008. I’m involved in running the family beef farm with my parents and sister Breda.” Gemma has many fond memories of growing up on the farm and in a rural community. She believes raising children in rural Ireland has an enormous amount of benefits. “I can remember as a child different aspects of farming life, from having the very important job of carrying the hammer and nails while I watched my father fencing along the River Barrow, to herding the cattle with my mother, as well as helping my sisters prepare hearty meals during silage time.

42 GRASS ROOTS November/December

ABOVE: Pictured in a tillage scene are Caroline O’Dowd, South Sligo Macra, Sligo; Gemma Goulding, Mountmellick Macra, Co. Laois and Julie Muldowney, Callan Macra, Kilkenny for Macra’s Positive Mental Health calendar. BELOW: Pictured with Gemma at the Miss Macra competition are Louise Ballantyne (left) and Eimer Guiney (right).

“There are so many benefits to growing up in the countryside, like being able to experience the outdoors and having a very healthy lifestyle, as well as being part of a very close-knit community where there is a fantastic sense of belonging and unity. I see it even more now as an adult, especially after having lived in Dublin while in college and teaching in inner-city Dublin.” Gemma joined Mountmellick Macra when she returned home to teach in Rosenallis, and she said it was one of the best decisions she’s ever made. Her achievements include a prestigious National Leadership Award this year, captaining the 2014 All Ireland Kerrygold Question Time Quiz winners, being crowned International Miss Macra in 2013, and captaining the All Ireland NDC Ladies Indoor Soccer runners up in 2012. She has served as assistant PRO, treasurer and Laois National Council Representative for Laois Macra. Gemma also sits on the national competitions subcommittee for Macra’s National Executive, and led the Macra delegation to the Rural Youth Europe Rally in Wales last year, as well as being National Treasurer! “Macra na Feirme has provided me with a fantastic social outlet, enabling me to meet different people and make new friends,” she said. “It has given me great opportunities

to learn new skills, challenge myself, gain confidence, realise my potential and grow as a person.” This year, Macra na Feirme released a 2016 calendar in partnership with St Patrick’s Mental Health Services ‘Walk in my Shoes’ campaign. The calendar takes a tongue-in-cheek approach with young Irish farmers, while also raising awareness about the serious issue of protecting your mental health. “Our calendar is fun and colourful and raises funds for both Macra na Feirme as well as the Walk in my Shoes campaign,” Gemma said. “It features Macra members who have stepped outside their comfort zones and posed for the calendar. Our calendar tries to convey that help is available to young people and that there is support and services out there.

participation in agriculture, public speaking, performing arts, travel, sport and community involvement. The organisation is also working hard to help young farmers in their careers. “Agriculture is a male dominated industry and there is a need for more female involvement in this sector,” Ms Goulding said. “The challenges for all young farmers, irrespective of gender, are access to land and access to finance. Land is now more accessible through Macra’s Land Mobility Services. However, getting credit for investment in farms is an issue for young farmers, which needs to be addressed, and Macra is working on this issue.” 2016 calendars are still available to purchase, and can be ordered by telephone on 01 426 8900 or email info@walkinmyshoes.ie.

“We all have personal stories of families who are bereaved and living with the consequences of suicide, and this calendar tries to convey that support is available. Our world is getting faster and faster, and a staggering one in four young people experience mental health difficulties. Young people are particularly vulnerable to the pressure and stresses to succeed, and the struggle to find their own place in the world.” Gemma said the project also promoted the important work of Macra as an organisation, which encourages positive mental health through active

PICTURED: In a picnic scene at Christina Reilly, Tir na Nog Macra, Longford; Brendan Phelan, Callan Macra, Kilkenny; Gemma Goulding, Mountmellick Macra, Laois; and Caroline O’Dowd, North West Vice President, from Sligo for Macra’s Positive Mental Health calendar.

GRASS ROOTS November / December 43

The Real Cost of Rural Crime Runs Much Deeper than Financial

any rural communities in Ireland feel as though they are under siege. They look very different to that idyllic, peaceful, crime-free picture people have of the countryside, where you can leave for a day or an evening out with your front door unlocked and not even a door on your shed to protect your machinery.

The reality today is, not only do people have to lock their doors and hide their valuables when they head out, but many people in these communities are actually suffering from severe anxiety and emotional stress when they are at home. A fear has been silently brewing in recent years as a significant increase in crime has swept across rural Ireland. Governwment cutbacks and austerity measures have led to whole police stations being closed down in rural communities, and it appears criminals have been taking full advantage of that. As the threat became bigger and more and more people and places were targeted, citizens injured and even tortured, and thousands of euros stolen from businesses and homes, it became impossible for rural Ireland to stay silent. And in County Tipperary last month, their cries echoed across the state at a public meeting, organised by a new group called ‘Save Our Local Communities’; so much so that some of the victims of rural crime were invited to RTE’s Late Late Show the following week. “When people are affected by crime, it frightens

44 GRASS ROOTS November / December

them. That fear for some turns into uneasiness, fear of others, fear of people watching them, fear to leave their homes unattended, and for many, there are sleepless nights when they hear noises or strange sounds,” Tipperary resident and Save Our Local Community member Brendan Coleman said.

to become a member of Save Our Local. In the last week alone, new light has been shed on the severity of some of these crimes and their impact on the victims. There have been claims that criminals actually used the grounds of a garda station the day after it was closed down to commit a robbery in a Dublin suburb.

Mr Coleman’s business was targeted a few years ago, when it was broken into on Christmas Eve, in his first personal experience of rural crime.

Meanwhile, in Cork, two brothers sleep with hurleys in their beds following a terrifying aggravated burglary at their home. Two men were last week jailed over the violent incident.

Despite having a high-tech alarm system and CCTV installed, he suffered significant financial loss and damage to his premises as a result of the break in. But it’s the psychological and emotional effects this sort of crime has on its victims that doesn’t get talked about enough.

Mr Coleman said elderly people living in rural areas of Ireland felt particularly vulnerable and frightened about the wave of crime.

“Later that day, after I called my friends and family on Christmas morning to secure my premises, when I returned home to my wife and our then young adults, I recall going to the bathroom to be sick,” Mr Coleman said. “I was sick because of the shock I had experienced, I was sick because of the fear that I had experienced about the event… Would they come back? Why us? “I am 45 years old this year and I am 6 foot, 6 or 7 inches. I am not someone who poses a threat to even a fly, but I feel so much fear for not only myself, but for others as well when I think of what these people do to us when they commit these acts, which is why I volunteered Community.”

“Our elderly (people like my parents when they were alive), don’t want to feel like they need people to keep an eye on them,” he said. “They feel that they worked hard enough for long enough to be left alone. Often they are targeted because they are feeble or vulnerable, but they wouldn’t like people to realise what they feel because they might be affected as a result. “People feel that, until the matter has been addressed by dealing with the problem, that they are sitting targets, and they feel compromised when they need to employ help to make adjustments to their homes or get simple jobs done.” Dealing with anxiety If you are suffering from fear or anxiety at

home, there are some exercises and techniques you can practice to help calm your nerves. Try some breathing and meditation exercises Before you fob this off as hippy nonsense, keep reading. We’re not talking about sitting cross-legged and chanting. Meditation can be practiced during walks or runs, and breathing exercises can be extremely beneficial if you are overwhelmed, light-headed or find yourself taking rapid breaths. A simple anxiety-relieving breathing exercise to try is simply inhaling through the nose, counting to five, holding the breath for a count of five, and then breathing all the breath out through the mouth for a count of five, making sure to completely exhale all the air out of your lungs before inhaling again. As well as being a great time to meditate and reflect, walking or running may also ease anxiety because you are exercising as well. Taking long, brisk walks or runs can calm your nerves, use energy and release endorphins, which are happy hormones.

Watch what you’re eating and drinking If one of your biggest problems is getting to sleep at night, then you should take a look at your evening eating habits to see if you might be able to help wyourself a little by changing them. For example, you should try to avoid fizzy drinks packed full of sugar and anything with caffeine in it, including tea and coffee, from dinner time onwards. There are some calming herbal teas available that might be a good alternative to your evening cup, like chamomile. Think about counselling or therapy Sometimes the issues of anxiety are just too big for sufferers to deal with on their own. If the above methods aren’t working for you, it might be worth considering getting professional help. It’s a tough step to take for some people, but remember, it is completely confidential and it is worth it if you’re not sleeping or feeling scared in your own home. If you’ve been effected by the issues raised in this article, you can call the anxiety helpline run by Aware on 1890 303 302.

Operation Thor ‘not even touching the surface’

peration Thor, a ‘crackdown on crime’, was announced this month, in a desperate response to the very serious and worsening issue of rural crime in Ireland.

Just in time for the general election, this highly publicised nationwide operation has made headlines, with more than €5 million earmarked for the task, to be spent over a six-month period. But, behind all the headlines and press releases, what is actually happening during this crackdown? Justice minister Frances Fitzgerald said Operation Thor had been several months in the making by An Garda Síochána before the announcement last week. The operation would include extra high visibility patrols in identified burglary hot spots, increased use of checkpoints to tackle the criminal gangs using the national road network, the use of new high-powered vehicles by the armed Regional Response Units, efforts to disrupt the stolen goods market, programs to help reduce re-offending by prolific criminals, a high-profile national crime prevention awareness campaign to be launched later this month, targeted crime prevention advice for local communities, and enhanced support for victims. “We are all acutely aware of the terrible impact that burglaries have on families and communities nationwide, both urban and rural,” Ms Fitzgerald said.

“This government’s response to crime is focussed on two key objectives: investing in more Gardai and vehicles, and strengthening the law to get tougher on serious and repeat offenders.” But if you actually look at what €5 million buys you over six months across 28 Garda divisions, it’s actually not a whole lot. That amounts to less than €30,000 per division, and Fine Gael TD John Deasy told a Public Accounts Committee last week that it would mostly be used to fund Garda overtime and was “too small to achieve anything”. Save Our Local Community member Brendan Coleman said Operation Thor was “not even touching the surface” of the problem. He believes new legislation is what’s really needed to make a difference. “Our experience from those we meet and when we discuss our personal experiences is that it’s a sad day when you discover that, regardless of who is in government, regardless of what terrible events occur, they fail to put the appropriate legislation in place to ensure that the measures they announce are actually applied,” he said. “We believe that fines imposed by the courts should be collected at source… In addition to that, we believe that our bail laws need to be adjusted to protect society.”

GRASS ROOTS November / December 45

Lighting The Way

ighting is vital on a farm these dark, winter days for both safety and security reasons. One couple have set out to highlight this problem by starting a business that provides the latest in lighting technology to the farmyard. Farm Lighting.ie is a new Kerry based on-farm business. Set up by Vincent and Carmel O’Shea, the business was born out of a necessity to address three issues; cost, safety and security. The old halogen and fluorescent lighting on the farm was expensive to run and some areas on the farm were very poorly lit, leading to potential safety issues and compromised security. The pair had to source lighting that would cut costs and that were cheap to run. The answer was LED lighting. “LED lights are far ahead of halogen and metal halide in terms of cost. For example a 10 Watt LED Floodlight is equivalent to a 100W

Halogen – that’s a 90% saving straight away. Because the LEDs produce excellent light at low watts we were happy to install more lights around the farm. Visibility and hence safety while working in the evening, is very much improved” Vincent stated. “Unfortunately security has also become a big issue on farms and in rural areas and there is added comfort in having yards lit up. We operate ours on dusk to dawn sensors where the yard flood lights come on in the evening and automatically switch off in the morning. The 10kw Flood costs us less than 2 cent per night to run” according to Vincent They looked for products on websites but they found the process less than easy. They set about to rectify this issue themselves and make it easier for farmers to access this technology. “There was a lot of lights but I was unsure which were suitable for our farm, would there be enough light, would the quality be any good” says Carmel. “Some of the old lights we had did not withstand the weather conditions very well. The lights we now sell are all IP65 giving good weather protection. They are really robust and have a guarantee of a minimum of 3 years.” “There are so many other benefits, like the long life of 30000 hours, they do not contain any harmful chemicals like metal halide and fluorescent do. LEDs are 100% recyclable. I was surprised to learn that incandescent lighting expels 90% of the energy it consumes via heat, making the bulbs hot to the touch. This was not so with LEDs. LEDs use less electricity, with an estimated energy efficiency of 80%-90% when compared to traditional lighting and conventional light bulbs. LED was an obvious choice for us on our farm. We set up www. farmlighting.ie as a result of our own search.” “The number one thing for us when we set up the business was the quality of the products and we are proud to stand over these products 100%. We had several options in regard to suppliers but we went for the best quality and thankfully we are able to offer these at very competitive prices.”

46 GRASS ROOTS November / December

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