Grassroots Farm Magazine Spring 2018

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spring 2018

Inside this issue:

...and much more

welcome

CONTENTS News 4 EGF 5 Brexit 7 Safety & Open Day

Forestry 8 Grants

Tillage 9 New Chair

No one could have predicted a winter period bookended by the winds of Ophelia and the snow of Storm Emma.Many reported memories of the ‘Big Snow’ of 1947 in comparison to our recent alpine type conditions.

Dairy

he wiser generations recollections of that years monster snow drifts seemed to compare accurately with what we were witnessing this year also.

There may be good reason for optimism as many of these tales also spoke of the great summer and bumper harvest that followed in that year.

With this in mind we hope 2018 can be a repeat of this so we all could put the lengthy winter of 17/18 behind us.

We all can agree we need a good year as agricultural politics enter a critical period for our island.

The Brexit negotiations have slipped backwards in recent weeks despite the early December assurance on no hard borders. Now it looks like there is no easy solution or common compromise as all sides hold hard lines for tough negotiations.

The UK market is vital for many sectors of the Irish agricultural industry let alone the economies of the rural communities within the border region.

Elsewhere in this issue, we look at fertiliser and it’s rising cost. We look at the important topic of farm safety on page

Beef

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28, especially the calls for increased ATV safety requirements.

We bring you five pages of machinery with two further pages of exciting technology and innovations within the agri sector.

Animal Health, Breeding, Bull Sales and Agri-Business further jam pack this issue.

Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control our gloss magazine release has being delayed. We are working to ensure we can deliver the excellent product that the Irish agri industry deserves.

In our next issue coming in April we will announce some new branding and look forward to an exciting future.

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.

Also, we wish to thank our readers for your loyalty and look forward to speaking to all again in April.

Until next time, Jason Webb

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

Editorial Editor: Jason Webb Email: editorgrassroots@gmail.com Tweets: twitter.com/Ed_GrassRoots Friend: facebook.com/ed.grassroots Advertising: (086)4684411 advertgrassroots@gmail.com

Advertising Consultant William Wills (086)4664488 Publisher Grassroots Media Ltd Like us on Facebook: www.fb.com/grassrootsfarmmag

10 Milk Quality 12 Leptospirosis 13 Breeding 16 Mercosur

Bull Sales 18 Sales Diary 19 Herefords

Innovation 20 Italian Winners

Fertiliser 22 Reseeding / Manure 23 Fertiliser Equipment

Machinery 24 Kuhn VB Range 25 News Briefs 26 Zetor/Case 27 Tillage Machinery

Farm Safety 28 ATV/ Report

Agri-Business 29 Co-op Merger 30 New Dairygold Chair Grassroots Magazine is published by Grassroots Media Ltd, Ballinoe Hse, Ballinhassig, Co. Cork.

Tel. 086 3871172 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 otherwise 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 facebook.com/grassrootsfarmmag

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The European Grassland Federation (EGF) 2018 General Meeting is taking place in Ireland this year for the first time since 1988. The 27th EGF conference, which will attract delegates nationally and internationally, will take place in Cork from the 17th to 21st June 2018.

The European Grassland Federation (EGF) 2018 General Meeting is taking place in Cork from the 17th to 21st June themed on Sustainable Meat and Milk production from Grasslands attracting delegates from the industry, farmers, researchers and those involved in advisory and knowledge transfer. Pictured at the launch in Cork are organising committee members and sponsors.

Minister Creed Launches Upcoming EGF 2018 Conference in Cork

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he event was launched by Michael Creed TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, at a early February meeting of the organising committee and sponsors in Cork.

The EGF is the main grassland meeting in Europe. It attracts delegates from the industry, farmers, researchers and those involved in advisory and knowledge transfer. A large number of scientific papers have already been received for the forthcoming conference.

The event will have a mix of master classes, visits to farms and to the Teagasc Moorepark Research Centre along with many conference papers.

The meeting is being held in the Rochestown Park Hotel, Cork and is been organised by Teagasc.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Creed said: “Last year I designated 2017 as ‘The Year of Sustainable Grassland’ and I’m delighted to see that one of the many results of this initiative is that Ireland is hosting a major European Grassland Conference in Cork this year. This will be the 27th meeting, and is themed on Sustainable Meat and Milk production from Grasslands, which is very fitting.”

EGF President Dr Frank O’Mara, Teagasc, highlighted the fact that the conference has secured sponsorship from 17 individual companies, which clearly illustrates the support for grass based livestock systems in Ireland. Dr O’Mara reflected: “We are delighted that so many companies have come on board to financially support EGF2018. This level of support received is excellent and we intend to demonstrate in this conference that Ireland is a leader in grassland science and technology.”

EGF 2018 is supported by FBD, Yara, Lely, True North Technologies, Teagasc, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Dairymaster, Goldcrop, Dairygold, Failte Ireland, Nutribio, AFBI, Germinal, DLF Seeds, Grasstec and Irish Grassland Association, and negotiations with SFI are ongoing.

The conference format will change slightly this year, with more content added to the programme and some new areas such as Big Data, Smart Technology and Knowledge Transfer added to the conference sessions.

On the last day, a full conference workshop will take place with the Head of DG Agri from Brussels attending.

On the Tuesday of the conference, the delegates will visit the Teagasc Animal and Grassland Research Centre in Moorepark.

Dr Pat Dillon, Head of the Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Programme in Teagasc said: “We have decided to have a full day for delegates to visit farms and Moorepark. People will have a choice of five separate tours on the Tuesday afternoon to go on. These tours are to some of the best dairy, beef and sheep farms in Ireland and will be very worthwhile experiences.”

Individual tours will visit the farms of Eddie O’Donnell, Ger Dinnen, Sean Dennedy, Donal Sheehan and John McNamara; the Ornua facility in Mitchelstown; the Dairygold and Curtins Teagasc Research farms; the 4

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DAFM Crops Evaluation unit in Ballyderown; and the Goldcrop Crop facility in Carrigtwohill.

Dr Michael O’Donovan, chairman of the EGF organising committee said: “We now have approximately 320 individual papers accepted for the conference. This is the highest number of papers in 20 years for EGF. We are very happy with the standard and the new areas introduced to the conference this year. We have delegates from 31 countries and we are delighted that the conference has attracted many delegates from outside Europe. Delegates from Japan, New Zealand, and USA have had papers accepted.”

Given this level of paper representation, the expectation is that there will be 400-500 delegates present in June. The early bird registration is now open and can be accessed on www.EGF2018.com

PHOTO: O'GORMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

news

Brexit Negotiations Cause For Concern

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ollowing the recent speech by UK Prime Minister Theresa May on Brexit, IFA President Joe Healy said he is extremely concerned by the direction the UK set out because it will make a hard border inevitable and would see the UK pursuing a cheap food policy in new trade deals with third countries that would damage Ireland’s farming and food sector.

Joe Healy said the UK has come up with no new proposals to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, “They are trying to rerun the ideas they put forward last August of a customs partnership or a highly streamlined customs arrangement. It is impossible to see either of these proposals working in the crucial farming and food sector, if the UK does not remain fully aligned with the rules of the single market and customs union. The UK cannot be allowed to walk away from its commitment in the Joint Report of last December to avoid a hard border.”

The IFA President said, “Theresa May’s statements around standards and fair competition are vague and dangerously misleading. By setting their own standards and cutting tariffs on food imports from third countries, the UK could seriously devalue the British market for

Irish beef and dairy exports and in turn destabilise the European food market.”

“What this means in practice is high quality Irish food exports produced to the highest EU standards being undermined on the British market by cheaper, inferior food products such as Brazilw ian beef, hormoned US beef or chlorinated chicken.”

Joe Healy said “It is clear that the agri-food sector is set to become a major battleground in the negotiations on the future relationship between the EU ad the UK. The Irish Government must now prioritise our requirement that the UK maintains full regulatory alignment with the EU’s standards and common external tariff in the area of agriculture and food.”

Joe Healy said full regulatory alignment in the agri-food sector would help to avoid a hard border in Ireland and deliver the closest possible trading relationship between Ireland, north and south, and Britain.This follows on from the release of the EU draft text with regard to Brexit negotiations.The President of ICMSA, Pat McCormack, said that while the publication of the legal text that would effectively keep Northern Ireland in the single market and customs union after Brexit is welcome,

Tillage

if anything the level of confusion around the future border arrangements between the two jurisdictions on the island of Ireland is growing given the political wrangling surrounding such an agreement.

“No-one is pretending that this is simple and, certainly, things are not helped by senior British politicians apparently discounting commitments previously given and which have been accepted as presenting a sincere position.

But ICMSA’s members and agri-related businesses are now looking at all this and, like other exporting sectors operating on both sides of the border, are wondering when we’re going to see the degree of clarity that we desperately need.”

“We’re just over a year away from the effective date and we still have nothing to go on; nothing that allows us to plan or predict. While the politicians argue, businesses planning is frozen and this cannot continue for another year.”

“In the interests of every individual and business on both sides of the border, we would want to have some framework settled very, very quickly that allow businesses like farmers to plan accordingly”, concluded Mr. McCormack.The timetable for negotiations concludes with UKs exit from the EU on the 29th of March 2019.

A

lltech announces the passing of its founder and president, Dr. Pearse Lyons.

Lyons died on Thursday, March 8, due to an acute lung condition that developed during his recovery from heart surgery. He was 73. “The thoughts of our entire Alltech family around the world are with Dr. Lyons’ family, specifically his wife Deirdre, daughter Aoife, son Mark and Mark’s wife Holly,” said Alric Blake, CEO and treasurer of Alltech. “Dr. Lyons was a visionary entrepreneur who transformed the agriculture industry beginning with his innovative application of yeast technology in animal nutrition. From farm to field, from market to family dinner table, our world is immeasurably better because he was a man who never saw problems, only a challenge that had not yet been solved.” “He inspired everyone he met with his energy, enthusiasm and passionate belief in possibilities. He instilled that positivity in his people, more than 5,000 Alltech team members around the world. I am confident I speak on behalf of all of them when I say that we are deeply honored to have known and worked for such a great man. We will resolve to honor his legacy by deepening our commitment to his customers and all the innovative ideas he believed in so strongly.” The Macra na Feirme National President James Healy extends his deepest sympathies to the family of Alltech founder Dr.Pearse Lyons.Paying tribute to Dr.Lyons, James Healy said, “Dr Lyons was a visionary whose work with Alltech helped revolutionise agriculture. Alltech have also been tremendous supporters of Macra na Feirme over the years.”

Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech president and founder, dies at 73

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Tillage news

Joint Initiative to Promote Farm Safety and Health

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and Teagasc signed a ‘Joint Initiative Agreement’ to promote farmer safety and health for the next three years.

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he initiative aims to provide safety and health research, training and advisory support to farmers. The renewal of the joint initiative comes at a challenging time for farming due to expansion in the sector and an ageing farmer population. The agriculture sector, which represents 5 to 6 percent of the workforce, often accounts for up to 50% of work related deaths.

In 2017, out of a total of 47 workplace deaths, 24 farmers died in work related accidents, with 14 being aged 65 or older. The joint initiative, in place since 2005 when the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act was enacted, was established to make farm safety and health more accessible to farmers through a simplified ‘Farm Safety Code of Practice’.

During 2018 research on farm accident levels conducted by the Teagasc National Farmer Survey will be finalised. A jointly funded study on the usefulness of discussion groups in promoting farm safety is also underway. As part of the joint initiative, training on use of the ‘Farm Safety Code of Practice’ will continue to be provided by Teagasc and Agricultural Consultants.

Completion of the training is also a requirement for farmers to secure DAFM TAMS II funding. Martin O’Halloran, CEO of the HSA, in welcoming renewal of the joint initiative, stated that it has led to increased awareness but

Teagasc Ballyhaise Dairy Open Day in April A major Teagasc Open Day for the Irish dairy industry will take place in Teagasc Ballyhaise, County Cavan, on Thursday, 5 April. The theme for the Ballyhaise’18 open day is ‘Technologies for Resilient Dairying’, where dairy farmers and those involved in the dairy industry will have the opportunity to view and discuss the latest developments that will help them to increase the profitability of the family farm business and cope with future challenges such as volatile milk prices. Ireland’s competitive advantage in milk production is based on the efficient production and utilisation of pasture. The Teagasc Open Day will highlight the importance of adopting farming systems that are resilient to external forces, and that incorporate sufficient tactical flexibility to overcome unanticipated events. Announcing details of Ballyhaise’18 Open Day, Head of the Teagasc Animal Production and Grassland Programme, 6

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that must now lead to safer work practices.

“The approach to farm safety and health is generally well understood by farmers and the broader farming community, but this awareness must now be matched by real actions on the ground.”

“Farmers face a wide variety of hazards and risks on a daily basis and must proactively manage them to ensure a safe and healthy working life.”

Professor Gerry Boyle, Teagasc Director stated that Teagasc will be emphasising the need for improvements in work organisation to cut farmer workloads in its advisory programmes in 2018. “Working long hours and hurrying have been shown to be major contributory factors in farm accident causation, he stated. This may also be a contributory factor to the rise in accidents among older farmers in recent years”, he said.

Patrick Griffin, Senior Inspector with the HSA pointed out that a new revised version of the ‘Farm Safety Code of Practice’ and Risk Assessment was released in 2017 and all farmers must complete the new document by the end of 2018. Dr John McNamara, Teagasc Health and Safety Specialist stated that Teagasc would be mounting safety and health exhibits at major events in 2018 including the National Beef Open day at Teagasc Grange on 26th June.

Dr Pat Dillon said: ”The abolition of milk quotas has provided dairy farmers with significant opportunity for expansion at farm level. The continuing impressive growth in Irish milk production is a fantastic example of what can be achieved within indigenous rural farming enterprises.”

“Further expansion within the sector and, in particular within the Border Midlands Western Region (BMW), is expected over the next decade which will deliver additional jobs on Irish dairy farms. Growth in the sector also has a high employment multiplier effect and supports employment in other parts of the economy and in rural areas”. Dr. Donal Patton, Teagasc Research Officer based at Teagasc Ballyhaise, said: “Expansion should only be planned if it is going to result in increased farm profitability and an improved livelihood for the farm family. This Open Day will provide guidance to farm families on how to assess their farm businesses and plan further successful expansion”. There will be a network of themed presentations for farmers to visit on the

5th April, which include information on Breeding, Grassland and Heifer Rearing in addition to the latest results from research trials. A number of grassland demonstrations will allow farmers to see the practical impacts of various management practices. A special feature of Ballyhaise‘18 will be a forum on ‘Family Farming Careers in Dairying’.

The forum will include a panel of researchers and farmers with a range of experiences and at various stages of their farming careers. The panel will also discuss what steps farmers can take to make dairy farming a more attractive career for young people. An estimated 6,000 people are needed to enter the Irish dairy industry at farm level over the next eight years to replace retiring farmers and meet the additional workload arising from national herd expansion.

The Ballyhaise’18 Open Day is a Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Knowledge Transfer event. The open day runs from 10.00 am - 5.00 pm. A comprehensive booklet will be provided. Admission and parking is free.

PFS

Hoof clear

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FS HOOF CLEAR is a new product designed to help with the growing problem of hoof diseases on Irish farms. The product is sold for bathing or spraying. The active biocidal substances are EU and Department of agriculture approved. Eddie O’Callaghan director of Professional Farm Solutions who created the product comes from both a background in Mathematical Sciences and farming. He says the product is designed to be incredibly hardy in soiled and manure conditions (eliminates requirement for pre-bathing), adheres well to the infected surface, attacks the Treponema and other bacteria responsible for the likes of Digital dermatitis, but also biodegrades well in the slurry tank at the end of its useful life. So far it has exceeded our expectations in delivering the desired results. The more farms that try it out, the more optimistic we get about the products potential for alleviating the economic and welfare impact that these troublesome diseases are bringing to farms. Larger farms find using one quarter of the PFS Hoof Clear bath container once-a-week works excellently at keeping the diseases at bay. With the hoof baths on the market now, there’s a solution for every farmer. As for the spray bottle, it covers up to 20 cows for repeated treatment under normal use.

Testimonial from Edward McCarthy who milks 120 cows in Limerick: “I’ve been badly hit by Mortellaro disease for a good few years

now. Obviously it’s not just about using a product – you’ve got to keep after hoof disease with a management plan. I’ve sprayed a number of badly infected cows with the 750ml PFS Hoof Clear spray throughout the year and in recent weeks started hoof bathing all the cows regularly using the PFS Hoof Clear bath product.

I like Dr Eddie’s hoof bath product a lot as when it no longer foams, it seems to give me a good indication as to when it’s time to change it. You can see the foam has good adhesion to the hoof.

At my last paring in November, I was surprised to find no hoof disease whatsoever. It was a welcome change from the putrid smell of Mortellaro. At this time of year, I’m normally culling up to 10 cows with lameness; this year it will just be one or two.”

Forestry

Green Belt welcomes increased revenue for landowners for planting

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he forest sector has just launched the new wave of funding to stimulate afforestation with increases in revenue for landowners through uplifts in premiums for a host of species following the Mid-term Review of the national forestry program which was officially launched on the 21/02/2018.

The grant and premium improvements underline the Government’s commitment to continued afforestation. Our current afforestation policy targets an increase in forest cover from the current 11.5% to 18%. Afforestation and sustainable forest management are considered to be key strategies available to the Department of Agriculture, to help combat climate change. Increased afforestation will help to achieve renewable energy targets, sequester carbon and offset increased emissions from high intensity agriculture.

Forestry is a solid and practical mitigation measure to help offset increased carbon emissions which if not addressed, will lead to Ireland incurring significant fines from the EU. The changes which have been announced will see increases in premium rates of 5 – 7 % for broadleaves and native woodlands and lesser increases for conifer planting. Forestry on a percentage of your farm holding can offer a safe, sustainable annual income which can help support other farming enterprises. Forestry is a viable, profitable land use option and most land types can be considered for planting. The figures in the panel below reflect the changes which have been released to the Grant Premium Category (GPC) rates. These premium payments are paid annually for a period of up to 15 years. Entitlements such as the Basic Payment Scheme can continue to be claimed alongside the forestry premium on the planted land.

Grant Premium Category (GPC) 1 Unclosed

Old Rate (Ha) 185

New Rate Duration (Ha) (Yrs) 185 15 15

2 Sitka Spruce/ Lodgepole Pine

440

440

3 10% Diverse 4 Diverse 5 Broadleaf 6 Oak 7 Beech 8 Alder

510 560 575 615 615 575

510 590 605 645 645 605

9 Native Woodland (1-3)

635

665

10 Native 635 665 Woodland (4) 11 Agroforestry 260 645 12 Forestry 180 510 for Fibre (Above rates based on <10Ha of planting)

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15 15 15 15 15 15 15

15 5 15

The figures outlined above will also benefit from an additional 2% uplift in premium if you decide to plant an area greater than 10 Ha. If you are considering forestry as a land use option, now is the time to submit a planting application for afforestation approval.

For a free consultation please contact your local Green Belt representative: Niall O’Neill on 086 2594369 / Email: niall@greenbelt.ie Email: info@greenbelt.ie or visit our website www.greenbelt.ie.

Tillage

Wexford man elected chair of IFA grain commitee

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ark Browne from Wexford has been elected Chairman of the IFA Grain Committee, taking over from Liam Dunne following his four year term.

Mark is a tillage farmer from Enniscorthy, farming over 300ha of cereals, oilseeds and protein crops in conjunction with his brother. Prior to the closure of Irish Sugar, Mark was a significant sugar beet grower. He dries and stores much of his own grain but also produces significant quantities of premium crops such as malting barley, milling wheat and oats.

Mark previously chaired the Boortmalt Malting Barley Steering Group and was key to the development of the fledgling distilling malting barley supply chain a number of years ago. Mark and his brother have pioneered the use of min and strip till techniques on their farm over the last number of years.

Speaking about his priorities for the role, Mark said he and the committee will focus on: Maximising the price for grain, proteins and straw from the 2018 harvest; Promoting native cereals and proteins to maximise their inclusion in compound feed rations and farm-to-farm sales; Developing an assurance scheme with co-ops and grain merchants to give greater visibility around the inclusion of native cereals and proteins in compound feed rations; Revising the malting barley model to deliver greater returns for malting barley with an increased premium for distilling barley; and, Examining land use opportunities for crops and crop residues to develop alternative income streams.

Ireland’s potato consumption show a slight increase

by the average Irish household is now at 125kg per year, from a low of 103kg in 2013.

The conference received an update on the potato promotion campaign Potatoes: More Than A Bit on the Side, which aims to increase the consumption of potatoes and specifically targets 22-44 year old females.

Over the period of the campaign both volumes and frequency of potato purchase has increased. Lorcan Bourke, Bord Bia, commenting on the figures said: “The potato market has stabilised in recent years bringing demand back to 2007 levels and effectively highlighted the positive benefits of potatoes.”

Ed Tobin, a farm manager for Slaney Produce in Wexford, outlined their experiences in growing Salad Potatoes and how it has fitted into the company’s business. Ed told the conference; “Salad potatoes fits well into our business as these potatoes can be sown and harvested earlier than main crops, thereby utilising machinery and manpower better over the year.” He also added: “Greater growers’ knowledge and skills are necessary to grow the crop as exacting size and skin finish are demanded from the market place”. Dr Stuart Wale, SRU, Scotland highlighted the main agronomic areas to watch for, when growing salad potatoes.

Dr Adrian Cunnington, Sutton Bridge, UK updated growers on efficient potato storage and where savings can be made. Dr Cunnington told the conference; “Substantial energy savings can be made from increased attention to airflow through the potato storage boxes and correct setup of these boxes in the shed.”

Soil pest can be a problem for potato farmers and Dr Shane Kennedy, Teagasc outlined how Potato Cyst Nematode (PCN) can quickly build up in soils, and the measures farmers can take to deal with the problem on their farm. Dr. Kennedy told the conference; “Farmers need a long term strategy including cultural control measures such as long rotation, resistant varieties and possibly using catch crops to prevent build-up of PCN.”

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armers and industry from across the country attended the National Potato Conference and Trade Show organised by Teagasc, IFA and Bord Bia in the Red Cow Hotel, Dublin at the end of February.

Respected dietitian, Aoife Hearne, speaking at the conference, commented: “For health we are focusing on wellness, eating intuitively, and moving towards natural foods. Potatoes, a non-processed carbohydrate, also provide fibre and potassium and are a food everybody should be including as part of a balanced diet.”

Fiona Crispe, from the Teagasc & APC Microbiome Institute, highlighted the benefit of potatoes to our gut microbes which contribute to our health; “These microbes can change with diet so feeding them, and ourselves, the right food will enhance diversity and maintain the correct types. These microbes respond well to potatoes and other vegetables, producing the desirable short chain fatty acids which are vital for our health.”

Market Research by Kantar Worldpanel has revealed a stabilisation of potato consumption in Ireland, reversing the previous trend of falling consumption in previous years. Potatoes are bought once every second in Irish retailer outlets with 1.67 million household purchases annually.

Shoppers are returning to buy more often and the volume purchased

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Milk Quality

Antibiotic Residues - zero tolerance: Internal Protocols

by James O’Connell, Milk Quality Manager, Kerry Agribusiness

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he EU Milk Production Reduction Scheme in the final quarter of 2016 is credited with bringing about a significant reduction in milk deliveries (circa 860,907 tonnes of milk) across the EU in the same period while contributing to bolstering milk price into 2017.

This novel Commission measure, which put money in farmer’s pockets not to produce milk in the assigned period, was aimed at addressing market balance and on-the-face-of-it seems to have gone some way in achieving its intended purpose.

A buoyed dairy industry returned full steam ahead in 2017 as a good start to the year was fuelled by better farm-gate returns as the year progressed.

Milk suppliers enjoyed a particularly good spring from a milk quality perspective as good weather conditions early-on combined with cows coming off longer dry-off periods led to less udder related issues which was reflected in increased volumes supplied at under 200,000 SCC/ml.

The reduction scheme and the resultant extended dry-off period for many milk suppliers also had the effect of mitigating risk around drycow antibiotic use as minimum dry-periods were met and well exceeded in many cases solely by virtue of scheme participation.

This element provided milk suppliers with added security when it came to managing dry-cow treatment and the inherent uncertainty around predicted calving dates in ensuring that adequate milk holding periods were met and residue contamination avoided.

The reality facing into spring 2018 is that risk around dry-cow antibiotic use and residue contamination of milk will be greatly elevated in contrast to spring 2017.

Higher milk price at the end of 20 17 has resulted in far more milk suppliers continuing production across the Christmas period and into January.

Cows calving in spring 2018 were, in many cases, milked far later than usual and will be dried-off for far less time than they were at the end of the 2016 season.

The maintenance of adequate treatment records and the management practices employed where minimum dry-off periods are not met will be absolutely critical when it comes to avoiding antibiotic residue contamination of milk in the coming months.

Milk suppliers must remain cognisant of the fact that increased risk and increased incidence go hand-in-hand and that there are heavy financial penalties to be paid for failing to plan ahead and for not putting clear procedures in place around managing the introduction of milk from freshly calved cows into the bulk-tank.

The primary risk management step is to know the dry-cow therapy 10

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that you are using. It is critical that you are familiar with the minimum dry-period and milk holding period associated with the treatment.

If you have changed product be aware that minimum dry-periods and milk holding periods vary and you must observe manufacturers’ instructions.

If you are using a milking robot or other electronic software to monitor dry-periods and/or milk holding periods ensure that the software is programmed to reflect the requirements of the treatment used.

The grey area between dry-period and milk holding period has often been at the root of residue non-compliance and continues to be a concern.

The full dry-period must be observed plus the full milk holding period in all cases. Observing the milk holding period without ensuring that the cow has been dried-off for the requisite period is a recipe for disaster. Observing the milk holding period without ensuring that the cow has been dried-off for the requisite period is a recipe for disaster.

It is not uncommon for a freshly-calved cow to remain antibiotic positive for as long as twice the milk holding period if the full dryperiod was not observed.

If there is any doubt in relation to the antibiotic status of milk from a freshly calved cow in 2018 – exercise caution and have a sample tested.

The same level of caution must be applied to the bulk-tank if any doubt arises regarding the antibiotic status of cows that have been milked.

The inconvenience of taking samples and testing them or having them delivered to the laboratory for analysis will pale in comparison to the financial inconvenience of the penalty imposed for a residue noncompliance.

So, exercise the precautionary principle around residue management where dry-cow therapy has been used and prevent such hazards from entering the dairy supply-chain.

Antibiotic contamination of milk is a serious food safety concern and is a breach of food safety regulations.

Remember, all milk deliveries are screened for antibiotic residues and tens of thousands of both targeted and random individual supplier antibiotic tests are carried out each year.

If you infringe – that infringement will be detected and there is a heavy price to pay!

A.I.TAGS: The only true “Rub-Off” tag in the world

Do Not Inseminate, Not in Heat

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A.I.TAGS require pressure from mounting activity to allow the surface of the tags to “Rub-Off” and display the signal colour underneath. THERE ARE NO FALSE POSITIVES WITH A.I. TAGS. If the tag you are using can be easily scratched off with your thumb nail; you are experiencing too many false positive readings, for example, from tail swatting or rubbing against branches or fences.

Switch to A.I.TAGS and see your pregnancy rates soar.

“I've used these AI tags on the home farm and I'm delighted with the results. The ease of use is a major benefit and I would be happy to recommend them to both dairy and beef farmers” Francis Cosgrave, Veterninary Surgeon and Dairy Farmer – Co. Laois

North Cork Dairy Services, Kanturk Co. Cork, Ireland mob: 085 8707040

dairy

LEPTOSPIROSIS

A risk to your herd and your health Leptospirosis is one of the most common causes of abortion in cattle in Ireland.

It is an endemic disease, meaning that the majority of herds test positive for it.

Cara Sheridan, Ruminant vet advisor, MSD Animal Health

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eptospirosis is also a zoonosis - it can cause disease in humans. All those working with stock are potentially at risk. Clinical signs of the disease in humans are flu-like, with headaches and fever, occasionally progressing to meningitis.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease which can be acquired from contact with urine, afterbirth or aborted foetus of an infected animal.

There are two serovars of Leptospirosis commonly found in cattle in Ireland; Leptospira interrogans hardjo and Leptospira borgpetersenii hardjo.

Leptospirosis circulates in a herd by direct transmission from infected animals (new infections or carrier animals) or by indirect transmission through urine, birth fluids, milk, contaminated water or other species e.g. sheep.

Leptospirosis is very difficult to eradicate as some cows can become carriers. Leptospires can also survive for up to six weeks in wet soil and stagnant water or slow moving streams.

Clinical Signs of Leptospirosis Early signs are usually mild and transient and therefore may go unnoticed. The most common clinical signs include: • Milk drop – A sudden decrease in milk yield • Abortions – Usually occur 6-12 weeks after the initial infection.

Abortion rates may be up to 30% in a herd infected for the first time.

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grass roots / SPRING 2018

Speak to your vet about investigating Leptospirosis in your herd.

Control of Leptospirosis • Isolation of the sick cow and aborting cow • Biosecurity - Avoid the introduction of infected animals - Quarantine until test negative - Double fencing at perimeters • Vaccination - The only practical way of controlling Leptospirosis

Timing of Vaccination

• Infertility - Low pregnancy rates and therefore increased culling due to low fertility • Weak calves - Infection in late pregnancy can result in the birth of weak calves that die within a few hours of birth

Diagnosis of Leptospirosis Based on: • Blood sampling and looking for high antibodies level in affected animals (which can prove difficult as often the infection were present 6-12 weeks before clinical signs become apparent e.g. low pregnancy rates picked up at scanning) • Culture of urine samples • Leptospiral abortion diagnosis is best based on finding bacteria in the foetus

It is essential to vaccinate heifers before their first pregnancy. The primary vaccination course consists of 2 injections 4-6 weeks apart and thereafter an annual booster before turnout and at least 2 weeks before breeding. It is a 2ml dose, given under the skin to all cattle >1 month of age. The correct use and timing of vaccination are vital to their success, always read the manufacturers recommendations.

Why vaccinate with Leptavoid-H? • Leptavoid-H is the only vaccine licensed to protect against both strains of Leptospira hardjo • Leptavoid-H is the only vaccine that is licensed to improve conception rates where Leptospirosis has been diagnosed as a cause of infertility • Leptavoid-H can be used on the same day as Bovilis BVD (to cattle >8 months of age).

dairy

Spreading the risk!

Selecting a team of Ai Sires is one of the most important decisions a dairy farmer will make this year. The usual parameters of EBI, Milk Si, Fertility S.I. & Health S.I. will come into play along with Functional type. However, major fluctuations in the proofs of some very popular High EBI Genomic sires have caused concern within the industry & ICBF have come out with a recommended minimum bull team that should be used, depending on herd size. ICBF now suggest that a 100 cow herd should use a minimum of 7-8 Genomic Sires and a 200 cow herd 14 Ai Sires to spread the risk. Dairy Farmers can probably reduce this back if you are using

Daughter proven sires, but even they can move up or down €40/€60 EBI however a Genomic bull can fluctuate by + or - €100. That is why we suggest that that you use a mix of both Genomic & Daughter Proven sires in your own bull team. We have created such a HIGH EBI team called the “PROFIT-A-BULLS” that delivers on average;- + €273 EBI with 31 Kgs of Milk Solids & + €120 Fertility S.I. Eurogene/LIC have also adopted a rule where by a farmer will only be allowed to purchase 25% max of either a “Premier Club Bull” or Top EBI Sire, so “Let’s Spread The Risk together!” Tom Baker, Breeding & Business Development Manager, Eurogene Aiservices.

"PROFIT-A-BULLS Team" A Nice mix of Genomic & Daughter proven Sires. Team average delivers Top EBI with High Solids (31 Kgs CFP) & Excellent Daughter Fertility (€120)

Ai CODE NAME

PROOF

EBI

FAT

FAT % PROT

PROT % CFP

YKG

L. GLOSS

DP-IRL

€269 €91

€130 208

17kg

0.14

13kg

0.09

30

DGW

Dream GLIDER DP-IRL

€233 €107

€86

22kg

0.27

13kg

0.13

35

FR4244

ABSOLUTE

GS

€301 €84

€155 2t44

15kg

0.09

13kg

0.08

28

FR4246

ORCA

GS

€287 €136

€109 344

19kg

0.08

22kg

0.17

41

FR2053

MAESTRO

GS

€281 €102

€105 174

20kg

0.22

13kg

0.12

33

FR2424

FAITHFUL

GS

€279 €75

€152 -17

12kg

0.22

8kg

0.15

20

FR4242

BOYCIE

GS

€261 €102

€110 -11

21kg

0.36

10kg

0.18

31

€273 €100

€121 156

18Kgs 0.20

13Kgs

0.13

31

TEAM AVERAGES =>

Milk Si € Fert

Milk Kgs 148

DAIRY FARMERS!

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• Stainless steel water storage tank and frame • 50-60mm Polyurethane foam insulation on water tank • Heat preservation - 72 hours • 15 years lifespan on vacuum tubes • Hailstone resistance to 25mm on vacuum tubes • Maintenance free • Tams II Grant approved • 5 year warranty

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13

dairy

Latest research findings on Lameness in Dairy Cows

L

ameness is now a major challenge in Irish dairy herds. Digital dermatitis (DD), more commonly known as Mortellaro, is an infectious condition and one of the major causes of lameness reducing milk yield, fertility, mobility and feed intake. A study conducted on ten dairy farms in Ireland by Somers and O’Grady in 2015, show that 89% of cows had lesions on their hind feet, 11.8% had lesions on their front feet and only in 6.9% of cows were no lesions found.

This infectious condition spreads quickly through the herd and can reduce milk yield by at least one litre per cow per day. Overall cost is estimated to be €10,000 per 100 cows in a herd.

A debate of interest at the recent international cattle lameness conference in Munich, with a take-home message for farmers and hoof-trimmers was whether to bandage or not bandage Mortellaro infections.

One school of thought is that bandages can leave the skin soft and compromised if left on for longer than 3 days. However, they do allow sustained contact time for any topical product to work such as Konquest Hoof Gel (see image). Research from Germany showed that bandaging leads to a 71% - 86% treatment rate within one month but not using a bandage only lead to a 30% - 40% treatment rate. Also of interest was a study from the US which showed that the majority of Mortellaro infections treated with an antibiotic recurred later when assessed after 120 days. That would confirm the need for a treatment and control strategy to be used together – topical product applications and footbathing.

Footbathing is a contact measure and not a treatment. It helps to reduce the incidence of new infections and improve the condition of the hoof. For maximum results it is recommended to footbath every milking every day.

Renowned cattle veterinarian Roger Blowey says it is likely that you will get greater economic benefit from footbathing than from any other change you make on your farm. The full Hoofsure range by Provita includes three products. Hoofsure Endurance is a footbath solution, scientifically proven proprietary blend of organic acids, essential oils and wetting agents. It is a safe, non-toxic, non-carcinogenic and biodegradable product, which can be easily disposed into a slurry pit or lagoon. This product should be used at a 1% dilution rate for maintenance and a 2%+ dilution rate in more difficult conditions. Hoofsure Endurance can be used as a 25% topical spray in conjunction with or as an alternative to footbathing. This involves 4 simple steps : • Clean feet if necessary • Do not overfill the sprayer, leave at least 2 litres space at the top. If overfilled and/or over pumped the sprayer will be damaged.

• Spray feet with Provita Hoofsure Endurance (1 part product to 3 parts water).

• Apply three consecutive days in a row.

Hoofsure Konquest is a scientifically proven proprietary concentrated gel, for topical application. It can be used with a hoof bandage. Use this on more difficult cases of DD. Hoofsure Combat is a unique film-forming hoof spray containing a proprietary blend of organic acids and essential oils, providing persistent longer lasting activity.

14

grass roots / SPRING 2018

IHFA GeneIreland Bull Breeding Pack, Spring 2018

D

airy farmers are invited to avail of the IHFA GeneIreland Bull Breeding Pack. There is the option of 30 or 50 straws evenly from five pedigree registered Holstein Friesian bulls selected on the basis of cow families, strong PTAs for production and components, fertility SI and overall EBI.

For further details contact IHFA on 023-8833443 or www.ihfa.ie

The Unique Value of the Pedigree Certificate

A

s the busy calving season progresses in herds throughout the country it is a timely landmark to reflect on the value inherent in the herd. Considerable investment, time and decision making goes into selecting the genetics to build on previous generations.

A Pedigree Certificate provides a breeder with an official ancestry document. This means that each cow can be traced back three generations at a single glance. This information is validated by IHFA and DAFM rules.

From this verified data a farmer can make informed choices with his or her breeding decisions, breeding the right kind of stock to best suit his or her system.

• Validated Data • Traceability • Assurance • Capturing Repeatability • Cow Family Recognition • Adding Value to the Bottom Line

For further information, contact Irish Holstein Friesian Association.

beef

EU CANNOT INCREASE BEEF OFFER IN MERCOSUR

I

FA President Joe Healy said Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan cannot allow EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom to make any additional offers to the Brazilians in the Mercosur trade negotiations.

Joe Healy said Commissioner Malmstrom has already gone way too far in her reckless sell out of European beef farmers for the benefit of Brazilian big business and the European auto sector. The IFA President was speaking as the EU and Mercosur continue negotiations in Paraguay in early March.

The IFA President accused Commissioner Malmstrom of being naive and of being misled by the Brazilians in the trade talks.

“The only thing we have seen from Commissioner Malmstrom in these negotiations is give away after give away of the European beef sector, with little or nothing in return. The Commissioner has already capitulated to the Brazilians in these negotiations, moving from 45,000t to 70,000t and now reports from Paraguay that the Brazilians are looking for way more.”

Joe Healy said, “EU Trade Commissioner Cecelia Malmstrom cannot be allowed to give away any more. Joe Healy said Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan has made it clear that the 70,000t is the only formal offer from the Commission. The Commissioner has to dig in on this and not allow Commissioner Malmstrom to be rolled again in the negotiations”.

IFA National Livestock Chairman Angus Woods said Commissioner Hogan has to face down the Trade Commissioner and insist that the EU does not give any more concessions to the Brazilians.

He said talk of the EU Commission renegotiating existing TRQ (tariff rate quotas) and giving further concessions to the Brazilians is nothing short of a three-card trick, “Commissioner Hogan must dig in and stop Commissioner Malmstrom in her tracks from conceding on the double to Brazil.”

He accused the Trade Commissioner of blatantly undermining European policy and values on the environment and animal welfare. “One arm of the Commission is prepared to do this deal and undermine the environment and animal welfare, while European farmers are asked to play their part on climate change and maintain the highest welfare standards.”

He said Irish beef production is four times more carbon efficient than Brazil where growth is driven on the back of destruction of the rainforests.

“The negotiating strategy flies in the face of everything that the EU stands for, and what is happening in terms of Brexit. Beef is more important to Ireland than any other member state.”

Commissioner Hogan cannot agree to a Mercosur deal involving a major increase in substandard beef imports from Brazil at the same time

16

grass roots / SPRING 2018

as we face into the serious challenges of Brexit.”

With Brexit, the EU beef market would be 116% self-sufficient. To negotiate a trade deal with Mercosur at this time makes no sense whatsoever.

In a separate development, the EU Commission has confirmed that seven meat processing facilities in Brazil are set to be delisted from the EU list of plants cleared to export to the European Union.

Angus Woods said this proves the point that Commissioner Malmstrom is wrong in her willingness to do a trade deal on additional beef imports into Europe from a country that fails to meet EU standards on the key issues of food safety, traceability, animal health and welfare, environmental and labour standards.

New Bord Bia study reveals British consumer attitudes to buying Irish

B

ord Bia, in conjunction with research partner Kantar, recently carried out a study with over 1,300 British shoppers, who were asked about their attitudes to provenance and awareness of producers in various markets. Topline results are as follows: Almost half of all British shoppers actively look to buy British and Irish food, showing a desire to choose Irish produce where possible • Irish food considered local by 39% of British shoppers, showing a clear link between the two countries differentiation with mainland Europe.

• For fresh meat, this rises significantly to 60%, showing how strong the image is for British shoppers of Ireland as a key beef producer.

• Meat provenance is more important than other food types for British shoppers, especially beef, where 80% say it is important for them.

• Some 73% of British shoppers are aware of Ireland as a beef producer, up by 2% on last year • The likelihood of shoppers to purchase Irish beef has increased significantly from last year, from 76% to 81%.

• Ireland is the second most top of mind pork producing nation behind only England and far ahead of any mainland European nation • While three quarters of British shoppers have a positive intention to buy Irish lamb, just as much as New Zealand.

IHFA Premier Bull Show & Sale

T

he IHFA are holding their annual Premier Bull Show and Sale at Nenagh Mart (eircode E45 HR80) on Wednesday 28th of March from 10.30am. On offer are 35 top quality, genomically tested, pedigree Registered Holstein Friesian bulls with EBI to €251, Milk Solids to 1,193kgs, Protein to over 4% and Conformation to EX96.

Bull Sale and Expo on IHFA Calendar

T

he Showing Season is set to kick off with Emerald Expo 2018.

This All-Breeds Dairy Show will take place yet again in the Virginia Show Centre, Co. Cavan on Saturday 28th of April.

Entries are now open for Emerald Expo 2018 with 19 cattle classes and 6 Championships up for grabs.

Last year’s Supreme Champion, Hallow Attic Christina VG89 went on the win the National Livestock Show in Tullamore and was recently crowned IHFA Champion Cow of the Year. There are also three handling classes for the Young Members. These are the keen, next generation of future breeders.

This is the first show to gain points in the Showmanship League 2018.

The Showmanship League continues throughout the summer, culminating in the final at the National Dairy Show, Millstreet in October.

To enter for Emerald Expo in either cattle or handling classes, fill out an entry form from www.ihfa.ie and return before Friday 30th March.

• The minimum entry requirements are as follows: • Both the Dam & G.Dam must be classified GP83 or better • The Dam to have a minimum of 600kgs combined Fat & Protein (total solids) • Pure Friesian Dam to have a minimum of 500kgs combined Fat & Protein (total solids) • All bulls have been pre-inspected before the sale to deter-

mine that they are of a quality standard for this Premier Sale.

• A catalogue will be publised to accompany the Show and Sale and can be requested by contacting IHFA on 0238833443.

• Caption - Last year’s Champion bull, bred by Mervyn Eager.

Pictured with Charles Gallagher, IHFA and judge Gary Hurley, Clonpaddin Holsteins.

Bull Sales for the Diary 21st March – Kilkenny Premier Bull Show and Sale 24th March – Charlaois Elphin Premier Show and Sale 7th April – Irish Angus Premier Sale Kilmallock

21st April – Charlaois Tullamore Show and Sale 2nd May – Irish AberdeenAngus Association Premier Nenagh 14th May – Irish Limousin Roscrea Premier

bull sales

Hereford tick all the Boxes The Hereford breed has distinguished itself as one of the most popular multi-purpose breeds.

W

hether you’re a beef or dairy farmer, Herefords can add to your profit margins, with Hereford calves from the dairy herd fetching a price range of between €70-100 extra in comparison to their counterparts.

Farmers who wish to finish cattle, Herefords are known for their ability to finish early as they flesh quickly and maintain condition as shown by a Teagasc study highlighting the ability of the Hereford to finish 13 weeks earlier than continental breeds to the desired carcase weight with 11 tonnes of concentrate less.

The average finishing age for Hereford is approximately 18-20 months, therefore according to Teagasc’s recommendations regarding carcass weight, the same amount of feed can provide excellent beef quantities for approximately 75 Here-ford cattle against only 50 animals from continental breeds, as Hereford’s convert their forage-based diets into muscle in an ideal time period, gaining weight with ease and providing a high-quality carcass.

There are also a number of very attractive bonus schemes around the country offering premium prices for your Hereford’s.

Herefords are also ideal for part time farmers with an off farm job who want to reduce labour and farm cost while increasing their profits.

Heifers are known for their high conception rates and ability to calve down at 2 years of age, with bulls recognised for their high libido and ability to provide progeny that are easy calved allowing for a compact calving season, shorter gestation period and lower mortality rate which in turn reduces labour while simultaneously saving you time and money.

The Hereford fits ideally the requirements of the dairy farmer; ease of calving and the cow quickly back in calf plus a premium price for young calves.

Premier Spring Show & Sale Tullamore Sat March 31st • Show 10:30am Sale 1pm • Great opportunity to purchase a bull of top quality bloodlines

Check out Herefords social media channels • Facebook: @IrishHereford • Instagram: @irish.hereford • Twitter: @IrishHereford • Snapchat: irishhereford

10 Reasons to Choose Hereford 1. More Profitable

6. Hardy

2. Higher Fertility

7. Early Maturing/ Finishing

3. Shorter Gestation

8. Less Feed

4. Easy Calving

9. Less Labour

5. Docility

10. Carcase fits today’s market requirements grass roots / SPRING 2018

19

innovation

Award Winning Innovation in Italy

T

here were many innovations awarded during the 113th edition of the international agricultural exhibition at Veronafiere, Italy. The central theme underlying innovatiovvn is sustainability, taking shape from perspectives such as energy saving and land management, as well nonstop technical assistance for agricultural vehicles to prevent faults and breakdowns during stages of most intensive use.

Some of the following were award winners at the show:

Mini Biogas Plant on Farm

Eyes on the Ground

Biolectric Italia used the event to showcase a mini biogas plant.The system can be installed on site in just a few days and even works as a small livestock barn to exploit livestock waste to produce energy. Bioelectric biogas micro-plant systems have powers of 11, 22, 33 or 44 kW. Biogas production also makes it possible to exploit excess thermal energy produced for domestic needs.

Avratec received accolades for an x-ray like ground monitoring gadget.

Thanks to the compact iScan sensor which can be connected to seeders and other operating machines, it is now possible to measure the electrical conductivity and reflectance of the ground. This makes it possible to obtain indications about soil texture and determine the content of organic substance. This also means land mapping can be performed at low cost.

Time for Snap-Crop

Staying InCommand The InCommand 1200 system by Arvatec allows farmers and contractors to connect tractors and attachments and thereby manage engine speed, operating speed and equipment alarms better to make each operation simpler and safer.

Thanks to this tool, entire fleets of tractors can be connected and synchronized automatically with any tablet 20

grass rootsâ&#x20AC;&#x201A; /â&#x20AC;&#x201A; SPRING 2018

Pessl Instruments presented a crop imaging device.

In the selfie era, monitoring the countryside could not but be inspired by cameras. CropView, thanks to two high resolution cameras with zoom and wide angle lenses, collects images from the field and send them to a Fieldclimate platform, where they are stored and displayed by the user together with data by Metos meteorological stations.

Special software also makes it possible to make measurements using these images to check, for example, growth for fruit and leaves and thereby evaluate the need for agronomic or pest defence action and their success.

More Time-saving Apps from Kingswood

K

ingswood Computing has just launched an EID App for their Kingswood Herd (PC-based) and Kingswood Mobile (phone-based) users. This App will connect directly to the many EID readers with Bluetooth connectivity, that are now becoming available with the growing uptake of EID tags. Initially the App is targeted at dairy and beef farming operations, where recording speed is critical – such as pregnancy scanning and animal weighings. Eventually Kingswood users will be able to use the App for all recording events, including calvings, heats & services and animal remedies.

Derek and Mary Deane, prominent suckler/beef farmers from Carlow, believe the App has great potential to save them time in the animal weighings they regularly undertake on farm. They’ve been using a preliminary version of the App for the last few months and are able to painlessly transfer their weights into their Kingswood Herd system. Derek is particularly keen on the sire and dam analysis that can be easily performed in Kingswood Herd once the animal weights are transferred in. In another major improvement for dairy farmers in Kingswood Herd, Kingswood users can now download up to three Planned Bulls for each of their dairy-bred cows from the ICBF national database. The ICBF can optimise the selection of bulls for each cow based on the farmer’s breeding objectives and the strengths and weaknesses of individual cows. The Planned Bulls once downloaded into Kingswood Herd will appear at the top of the list of available bulls when it comes to serve the cow. So no last minute head scratching when it comes to the busy breeding season! In other news regarding Kingswood software, the Dept. of Agriculture has just announced that the Kingswood Field App has been approved for use with the Knowledge Transfer Scheme.

The App records grass measurements, generates a simple Feed Wedge and calculates Spring and Autumn Rotation Planners in addition to recording sprays and fertilisers.. For more info on the EID App or Kingswood Herd contact Gerry Lynskey at 01-4596677 or at info@kingswood.ie

Innovation Winner Solar Pumped Water

S

olar Pump Solutions is a Tipperary based company specialising in the design and manufacture of solar water systems for agricultural and domestic use. The product was named the overall winner at the 2017 Innovation Arena at the National Ploughing Championships.

The products will pump high pressure water in any remote location, are simple to install and have no energy running costs. They will also power an electric fence. The solar water systems are being supplied around Ireland, the UK and elsewhere. The products were originally designed specifically for farmers who have difficulty supplying high pressure water to remote parts of their farms, often resulting in hauling water manually. Alternatives such as a mains electricity supply can incur high initial and recurring costs while allowing livestock access to waterways is dangerous, limits farm structure, and will soon be non-compliant with EU regulations. The systems allow farmers to supply 8-10 water troughs with water from a nearby water source. Water can be pumped up to 1.5km in distance and 50m vertically. This high pressure water system allows land to be divided up into paddock grazing systems with multiple drinking points with an electric fence also powered by the system. SPS customers have acknowledged that managing grassland is now much easier since implementing a paddock grazing system and also allows for higher stocking rates. GLAS payments for fenced off waterways is another added bonus with the product. The company is continuously innovating and more products are coming soon including larger solar water systems and anti-theft solar electric fences. For more information see www.solarpumpsolutions.ie or phone: 086-1216312. grass roots / SPRING 2018

21

Fertiliser

Quality counts; Germinal varieties remain top of the 2018 Pasture Profit Index

O

nce again, Germinal grass varieties continue to be the highest performing and most profitable on the recently released DAFM Recommended List and Teagasc Pasture Profit Index (PPI) for 2018.

The Teagasc PPI model ranks grass varieties in economic terms and is designed to assist farmers in variety selection when planning on reseeding. Each variety is valued on its overall contribution to net profit per ha, and is made up of key traits driving profit such as seasonal (spring, summer and autumn) DM yield, grass quality, silage DM production and varietal persistency.

AberClyde, is again the highest performing variety overall on the PPI at €225 per ha/year, combining seasonal; growth and quality. Seagoe another intermediate tetraploid offers exceptional silage yield performance and is the highest performing variety on the silage sub-indices.

Two new high performing intermediate diploids in 2018 are

AberZeus at €212 per ha/year, and AberGreen at €188 per ha/year, which have heading dates of May 29th and 30th and rank 2nd and 5th, respectively, on this year’s PPI. AberChoice is the highest performing late diploid at €194 per ha/ year, while AberMagic maintains its position as top intermediate diploid at €217 per ha/year. AberGain a late tetraploid, continues to be unbeatable in terms of its quality (€60), demonstrating excellent seasonal and total DM yields.

Higher quality varieties have the potential to support higher animal intake and performance, achieving better ‘graze-outs’ resulting in increased grass utilisation, which is a proven driver of farm profitability.

Each extra tonne of grass utilised at farm level can increase net profit by €173 per ha according to Teagasc. Maximise the return on your reseeding investment by selecting the most profitable varieties with high grass quality on the PPI.

Solution to Fertiliser costs within the Farmgate

W

ith fertiliser costs on the increase, is farmyard manure the solution to battle rising costs? The FAI recommend a Code of Good Practice and highlight the estimated values of these organic fertilisers available within the farm gate.

The nutrient content of animal manures varies with the dilution.

The recommendations in the Code of Good Practice relate to well stored animal manure.

* 22

• • • • •

Covered slatted stored cattle slurry would have 7% to 8% dry matter.

Note – 11m3 per hectare = 1,000 gallons per acre.

4.5 tonnes (4,572 Kgs) of dungstead manure are the equivalent weight of 1,000 gallons of slurry.

Guide values for the nutrient content of a range of farm slurries and manures is given below.

Kg./tonne (units/1000 gls)

Nutrient

Cattle Slurry

Pig Slurry

Dungstead Manure

Farmyard Manure

N.*

5.0 (45)

4.3 (39)

3.5 (7)

4.5 (9)

P.

0.7 (6)

1.4 (13)

0.9 (2)

1.2 (2)

K.

5.0 (45)

2.2 (20)

4.0 (8)

6.0 (12)

Note all the nitrogen is not available for plant growth. Its availability can vary from 0 to 50% depending on type of manure, time and method of application. Only 25% of the nitrogen is available for Spring applications. Assume no nitrogen contribution from slurry or manure applied at other times of year.

grass roots / SPRING 2018

Amazone Front Mounted Fertiliser Spreader

Fertiliser Tillage

The ability to operate a ZA-V, or ZA-TS, fertiliser spreader mounted up front is a very interesting option, particularly for those users who are looking to spread two different types of fertiliser in one pass.

A

s opposed to spreading blended fertilisers through just one fertiliser spreader, this option offers the opportunity to set up each spreader optimally to the properties of the relevant fertiliser and thus to achieve the perfect lateral distribution for both fertilisers.

Now, for the first time, Amazone introduces this possibility of twin fertiliser utilisation. When a mounted spreader is fitted to the front of a tractor, the spreading unit is then not directed to the rear, but to the front. This means, that when operating the spreader, one has to think of everything as a mirror image.

To relieve the operator of having to think like this, Amazone has developed in-house software for the front mounting of spreaders where the spreading functions are displayed in reverse. In this way, even when side, border or

water course spreading, the spreader can be switched on at the correct side without any problem. The software also mirrors the optional SwitchPoint on/off points. That means, on a front mounted spreader, that the spread fan is pushed ahead of the machine so that the relevant switching point has to be positioned way in front of the spreader.

The precondition for transporting any front mounted spreader on the road in traffic is the compliance with the legal requirements. This includes, in the main, the road lighting and the adherence to the relevant specification with regard to line of sight.

Also, to fulfil any demands on the lighting system, Amazone offers an in-house lighting kit consisting of clear front side lamps plus additional headlights.

Sulky Burel Launches Fertiliser Spreaders at Agritechnica 2017S SULKY BUREL launched updates and improvements to its X40+ and X50+ flagship fertiliser spreaders, and its DX30 and DX30+ range, at last Novembers Agritechnica 2017.

T

he X40/50+ range of fertiliser spreaders now feature two additional pieces of equipment; a hydraulic drive solution for the spreading discs, and right and left low-level sensors. The DX30 and DX30+ are now ISOBUS compatible allowing increased precision placement of fertiliser.

X40+ and X50+ The hydraulic drive solution for the spreading discs works independently of the engine speed making it possible to keep the spreading disc rotation speed constant.

This allows the machines in the X40/50+ to work with a low tractor engine speed (1,500 rpm) and is particularly useful in situations where maintaining a constant PTO speed is challenging. The addition of the hydraulic drive solution to the X40/50+ improves performance and usability threefold.

Coupling is now simpler, thanks to the two hydraulic valves that have replaced the universal joint. Even-spreading is assured in all conditions, as the hydraulic drive ensures constant disc rotation when used on uneven terrain.

Fuel consumption is reduced by spreading with a lower engine speed, lowering the cost of running a high capacity fertiliser spreader, like the X50+, particularly when coupled to a high horsepower tractor. The central hydraulic

unit is factory-fitted and replaces the PTO drive. It is recommended where PTO is not available or limited to only 1,000 rpm. The right and left low-level sensors are now available on the ISOBUS versions of the X40/50+ fertiliser spreaders, increasing the productivity of machines fitted with ECONOV section cut-off or GPS adjustment. The sensors make it possible to know exactly when one side of the hopper is nearing empty, giving sufficient warning to the operator to refill the hopper and avoid working empty.

DX30 and DX30+ Operators of DX30 and DX30+ machines will benefit from improved precision via the addition of ISOBUS connectivity functions currently enjoyed by users of the flagship X40/50+ range.

ISOBUS functions including application rate adjustment and section cut-off make it possible to activate the Stop&Go function.

This function drives the automatic opening and closing of shutters at the headlands depending on the GPS position of the machine. Spreading at halfwidth is also possible, to optimise the accuracy of overlaps. ISOBUS connectivity in the DX30 and DX30+ is achieved by the addition of an ISOLINK converter. This allows connection to a compatible existing ISOBUS Universal Terminal, or users can purchase the Sulky Quartz 800 console. grass rootsâ&#x20AC;&#x201A; /â&#x20AC;&#x201A; SPRING 2018 23

Machinery

Storm Cuts Short LAMMA Show

T Four New Models for 2018 Kuhn VB Range

K

uhn Farm Machinery has updated its popular range of VB variable chamber round balers, with four new models now available.

The new VB range consists of four main models: the VB 3160 and VB 3165 (1.20 x 0.80 x 1.60m bales), and the VB 3190 and VB 3195 (1.20 x 0.80 x 1.85m) bales, all of which offer net or twine binding.

All models are equipped with progressive density baling chambers which use two chamber rollers, a starter roller and five endless baling belts to produce evenly shaped bales.

Belt pressure increases as the bale grows, and can be adjusted from the tractor cab to compensate for variations in crop type quality and to maintain a constant density as the bale is formed.

The VB 3160 and VB 3190 are available with Kuhn’s Optiflow, Optifeed or Opticut 14 intake rotors. The VB 3165 and VB 3195 are available with Kuhn’s Optifeed, Opticut 14 or Opticut 23 intake rotors.

Optiflow: uses a 2.10m pick-up and nonrestricted, open throat intake rotor for handling heavy crops. A top roller pre-compacts the intake feed enabling higher working rates.

Optifeed: uses a 2.30m pick-up and patented integral rotor and side augers to achieve a high input capacity from a reduced power requirement.

The rotor tines are manufactured from Hardox wear-resistant steel for improved longevity.

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Kuhn’s Dropfloor and hydraulic rotor disengagement system enables blockages to be cleared quickly and effortlessly.

Opticut 14: uses a 2.30m pick-up and patented integral cutting rotor with 14 knives to provide a cutting length of 70mm.

The cutting rotor is manufactured from Hardox wear-resistant steel with Kuhn’s Dropfloor and hydraulic rotor disengagement system also fitted.

Opticut 23: uses a 2.30 m pick-up and patented integral cutting rotor with 23 knives to provide a cutting length of 45mm.

Again the cutting rotor is manufactured from Hardox wear-resistant steel with Kuhn’s Dropfloor and hydraulic rotor disengagement system also fitted.

Each variant within the new VB range is powered by a simple and sturdy drive system which uses just three main chains, each of which are designed to have a low maintenance requirement and can be fitted with automatic chain lubrication as an option.

All VB variants can be supplied with, and controlled by, Kuhn’s new ISOBUS terminals, the 5.4 inch (14.3cm) CCI 50 and the 12.1 inch (30.5cm) CCI 1200, both of which can be used to control any ISOBUS-ready machine.

The CCI 50 is a touchscreen terminal but also has 12 back-lit function keys, an autobrightness sensor, and ports for video input, USB data transfer, GPS antenna input and biomass sensor input.

The CCI 1200 features a large touchscreen display which can be used either horizontally or vertically and is easy to view in direct sunlight.

The unit’s flexible layout display can be configured to suit the individual operator’s preferences or machine’s requirements and features a split-screen function which enables the operator to view and control two machines in tandem.

The option of displaying several miniview windows also enables the operator to monitor multiple parameters at once.

his year's LAMMA show was on track to be the most successful yet until the weather took a turn for the worse, leading to the suspension of the second day. The show was scheduled to take place on Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th January and opened on a crisp and sunny morning.

However, the weather changed dramatically overnight and violent winds battered the site before daybreak of the second morning, leaving event organiser AgriBriefing (previously Briefing Media) no option but to cancel the rest of the show.Many exhibitors reported an excellent first day, when visitor numbers appeared to be heading for a new high.

Many of the 900 exhibitors reported busy stands and serious interest in their wares from key decision makers across a wide range of farm businesses.

However, the organisers were left with no option but to suspend the second day due to the extensive damage caused by the storm in the early hours of Thursday morning. Elisabeth Mork-Eidem, group head of events of AgriBriefing said: "The decision to cancel was not taken lightly and the team is devastated as they work extremely hard all year to make LAMMA the fantastic event it is.”

“However, it was made based on the advice of our health and safety team, our contractors and the operational team. When I arrived on site at around 5am, the storm had already got hold and ripped open a number of the larger marquee structures.”

“We did get and assessed timelines for making the site safe, but in reality this would have taken too long," she added. "Due to the nature of the showground, it is not possible to open to the public as long as any area is unsafe and we were left with no choice.”

“We're also very grateful for the numerous messages of support we've received since the show, which have meant so much to the extended LAMMA team of stewards, contractors, traffic managers, security and health and safety officers; for whom this has been a very challenging event.” Next year's event moves to the NEC, which, as well as remaining free to visit (both in terms of entry and car parking).

“Curtailing the show was heart breaking for everyone. We are now focusing all our resources and working closely with the NEC team to make sure we continue to deliver a great LAMMA in 2019.” Concluded Mrs Mork-Eidem.

Machinery

Hydraulic side ladders option for Joskin

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t is now possible to fit the trailed Joskin Wago bale trailers with hydraulic side ladders (2 SA).

They allow to secure the load by simply operating a hydraulic function to lift them. They are then held into position by check valves.

The use of straps and their regular tightening check are therefore no longer necessary.

The side ladders can be lowered on both sides. The operator can in this way load on the left or right side.

These hydraulic ladders are specially designed for use with bales with the most common dimensions: a double row of 3 piled up square bales of 90 cm high, 4 piled up square bales of 70 cm and 2 or 3 round bales with a diameter from 120 cm to 200 cm. The main structure is made of round tubes to avoid damaging the bales.

May Date for FTMTA Grass & Muck

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he FTMTA Grass & Muck event to be held at Gurteen College near Birr this year on Thursday, May 17th.

All the working grass machinery demonstration plots for this year’s event, have now been fully booked.

Demand for static stand exhibition space in the trade village area has also been very strong and all the original stand position have now been sold.

This year’s FTMTA Grass & Muck event will be the largest ever and will be the flagship event for the Irish farm machinery industry during 2018.

Some 11,500 visitors attended the 2016 event and the organisers hope to see that figure exceeded this year.

On line tickets will go on sale via a link on the FTMTA website in the coming weeks and will be available at a discount to the price on the day until Friday, May 11th.

Britains teams up with Keenan

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he launch of the MechFiber365 die-cast replica will be supported with an interactive agricultural awareness afternoon for school children.

Britains has teamed up with one of the world’s largest farming machinery brands Keenan, to launch a die-cast replica of their MechFiber365 mixer wagon.

To celebrate, Keenan and Britains are hosting an interactive agricultural awareness afternoon for more than 150 local school students at the production facility in Borris, Co. Carlow on Thursday, March 15th.

Keenan representatives will be on hand to deliver a variety of educational presentations, which will appeal to Ag Science students from the local secondary school.

There will also be workshops for the up and coming ‘farmers of the future’ from the local primary school.

The Keenan production facility will be open exclusively to attendees for guided tours, which will provide an insight into how the famous Keenan machines are manufactured, using the latest cutting-edge engineering techniques.

Britains from TOMY is one of Europe’s oldest specialists in agricultural toys and collectables. With nearly 100 years in experience, the collection is constantly refreshed to offer a range of 1:32 replica models including tractors, implements, vehicles and accessories. grass roots / SPRING 2018

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Machinery

The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design and Metropolitan Arts Press Ltd has announced the Case IH Autonomous Concept Tractor as one of the winners of this year’s prestigious Good Design Award.

Case IH receives Good Design Award

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he Museum´s annual Good Design Awards recognise the most innovative and cutting-edge industrial, product, and graphic designs produced around the world.

Case IH first unveiled the world’s first high horsepower, cabless autonomous concept tractor at the Farm Progress Show in 2016, marking a revolutionary step forward in tractor design.

The tractor was designed by CNH Industrial’s in-house Industrial Design Centre and based on the current Case IH Magnum row crop tractor.

The concept’s design was focused on both form and function, reimagining the tractor for a future autonomous era by eliminating the traditional operator cab.

“This award marks a satisfying conclusion to the celebration of our 175th anniversary,” says Andreas Klauser, Case IH Brand President. “The autonomous concept tractor is perhaps the best illustration of how we are living up to the anniversary’s tagline – Celebrating the Past by Looking Toward the Future.”

After the reveal at the Farm Progress Show in August of 2016, the tractor was shown at trade fairs in France, Brazil, Argentina, and Australia.

“Over the past year, we have used this concept tractor as a way to kick off a dialog with our customers as to what the future of farming will look like in five or ten years’ time,” explains Klauser.

“From talking to customers in different countries, we see that for the near term, they want to have the flexibility of still having a cab on the tractor. This is the direction we are taking because we want our customers to feel comfortable as they begin to delegate more tasks to the machines themselves,” says Klauser.

“We have already begun to see some of the applications of this concept study being applied in our current lineup – such as AccuTurnTM and there are more introductions on the horizon.”

AccuTurn takes the guesswork out of turning on headlands with automated headland-turning technology powered by software logic from the autonomous concept tractor. This next-generation Advanced Farming Systems autoguidance technology provides hands-free, automatic and repeatable turns for increased productivity, improved accuracy and reduced operator fatigue.

“We will see more AFS product content on our offering to come in 2018,” says Klauser.

“We are excited to be starting a pilot program with an evolved concept that incorporates the feedback from customers’ reactions to the concept as well as additional testing. We are working with a key customer with intensive tilling operations to thoroughly test the implementation of this technology.”

65HP Zetor Debut at LAMMA Zetor tractors used the shortened LAMMA 18 show to introduce one of their latest innovation, the Hortus HS 65, to the UK and Irish market.

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ogether with the Utilux model range, this tractor was for the first time introduced in November, 2017 at Agritechnica exhibition in Hannover, Germany.

The first customers will be able to receive their tractors as early as March this year. The Hortus model range is made up of two models: CL and HS. The tractors are equipped with a four-cylinder engine with the power of 67 hp. The tractors employ mechanic transmissions with 24 forward and 24 reverse gears.

The HS model is further equipped with the so-called Power Shuttle, that is a reverser which can change travelling direction under load.

Maximum speed of the tractors is 40 kph; these tractors are also equipped with a wet brakes system. Two oil pumps provide the hydraulic circuit with flow capacity of 60 l/min. The model is also equipped with air-conditioning.

The heart of the new Utilix tractors is also 26

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the four-cylinder engine.

Utilix HT 45 has the power of 43 hp, while the more powerful Utilix HT 55 has 49 hp.

The tractors are equipped with three-stage hydrostatic transmission which enables the operator to control speed of the tractor with two gas and one brake pedal.

Maximum speed of the tractor is 30 kph.

The system of wet brakes makes the new tractor a safe working tool which meets the latest and strictest safety standards.

The hydraulics of the Utilix is equipped with

two oil pumps of total flow capacity of 52 or 56 l/min respectively. Such capacity is sufficient for work with front end loaders and other aggregations. Air-conditioning increasing the comfort of the operator is standard equipment for Utilix.

“The new tractors are small and light; therefore, they are more easily controlled than bigger machines. They can be used not only in cultivation and gardening, but also in stables and other areas with limited space. Due to their manoeuvrability, they are also ideal for road maintenance,” adds Tibor Liška of Zetor.

The introduction of the Utilix and Hortus tractors extended Zetor product portfolio to six models covering the power range from 40 to 160 hp.

“It is very positive that Zetor extended its product portfolio by tractors with lower power. Thus, we are entering a new area in the market where we have to win our position. I understand it as a great opportunity and challenge,” says Tibor Liška.

Machinery

New Junkkari W700 – Combi drill with completely new idea There are tens of drills in the market which combine 3m transport width with more than 6m working width.

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t is almost always done with vertically folding wings and narrow long hopper in the centre. Junkkari W700 does basically the same but the big difference comes in material transport from the hopper and metering. The company has more than 60 years’ experience of mechanical seed drills. Now they have just used a unique idea to widen their range to a larger 7m width. Instead of typical pneumatic technology, the new concept transports material from main hoppers with gravity and simple auger to smaller wing hoppers.

There the mechanical fertiliser and seed metering devices for each coulters are based. Inside these wing hoppers these are smaller auger pairs to spread material evenly.

Main benefits: • Very precise accurate metering for each coulter without any delay in headlands • Reliable mechanical drive individually for right and left hand side. Only

New Concept of the Multiline

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he completely new concept of the Multiline brings together a compact disc harrow or stubble cultivator with a seed drill.

The result is cost-effective, extremely high-performance mulch drilling technology that enables sensational flexibility during operation.

Used solo or in a combination, the new Multiline concept promises enormous potential for light tractors. The Terradisc Multiline is available in working widths of 3 and 4 metres. The basic unit is a Terradisc compact disc harrow, or the Synkro 3030 for the stubble cultivator, in both cases in combination with the new tyre packer. The machine is trailed using a drawbar attached to Cat. III / width 2 low linkages.

The Multiline can be operated conveniently using the most straightforward tractor set-up. Combined with the seed drill, it offers an ideal alternative among mulch seed technology.

The weight of the machine is borne by the tyre packer. Only the supported load acts on the tractor. This means that it is possible to use the machine without front ballast.

The new system with offset wheel configuration offers excellent ground conservation technology. This guarantees both yield and longterm and sustainable operation with no harmful compaction. The machine is raised using the tyre packer. Ground clearance of 27 cm allows smooth turns at the headland and on the road. To raise the combination seed drill, a double-acting remote valve is required.

very small hydraulic flow needed for fertiliser transport from main hopper with auger.

• Can be used with simple tractor – no fan or pneumatics, therefore no need for CVT transmission etc.

• Smaller power demand and fuel consumption because high oil flow for fan is not needed like in pneumatic competitors.

• Simple technology means also easier maintenance • Big capacity, hopper in total 6500 litres. Means less time consuming hopper fillings.

The machine features big 7,5x20” wheels and precise double disc seed coulter with maximum pressure of 100kg. It can be further equipped with ISOBUS control unit and normal options like tramlines, disc cultivator and track markers. Junkkari W700 places seed and fertiliser together in the same row. In the future there will be model available with separate fertiliser coulters as well as 5,0 and 6,0m working widths.

Vitasem ADD or Aerosem ADD seed drills are installed as standard above the packer roller on both the compact disc harrow and the stubble cultivator.

The seed drill can be fitted or removed easily, depending on whether the trailed machine is to be used on its own or not. As a result the Multiline becomes a real all-rounder with a wide range of applications. In the field and during road transport the machine runs on the tyre packer, which is divided into 4 sections with a central support. This ensures smooth running and optimum stability during transport. Due the roller is divided it does not leave behind any smear marks at the headland.

In addition to improving seed germination conditions, wear on the road is also minimised to extend the service life of the roller. All combination opportunities remain open so the configuration can be changed later if needed.

grass roots / SPRING 2018

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Farm Safety

Move to Improve Quad Bike Safety Mayo TD, Dara Calleary, launched a new Bill to improve safety on all-terrain vehicles, also known as quad bikes.

There are currently no legal rules in place requiring manufacturers or farmers to have roll cages on their quads.

There are also no health and safety rules requiring the mandatory use of protective headgear. Deputy Calleary of Fianna Fail is bringing forward the Bill following a recent recommendation from the County Coroner in Mayo that anti-roll bars be made compulsory in all quad bikes. The All-Terrain Vehicle Safety Bill 2018 will make it mandatory for quad bikes to have antiroll bars and for users to wear protective headgear.

Commenting on the Bill Deputy Calleary stated, “Tragically, 15% of all farm deaths between 2007-2016 were as a result of quad accidents. Evidence shows that the major factors in these fatal accidents were farmers overturning or losing control of their quad bike and being crushed or pinned by the vehicle.”

“Stricter controls on these potentially deadly vehicles are long overdue.

There is a clear need for a stronger legislative framework to protect workers, particularly those on farms.”

“In Australia moves are afoot to implement similar measures due to the high number of fatalities and injuries arising from quad bike accidents, while states

in the US have set minimum age limits on their use.”

“It’s important we learn from these sad and tragic accidents to put measures in place to try and prevent them from happening again.”

“The All-Terrain Vehicle Safety Bill, which I will be bringing forward next week, sets out the need for anti-roll bars on these vehicles and will legislate for the mandatory use of protective headgear. It will help to improve health and safety standards and will protect workers across the country”.

Other recommendations came out of Castlebar Coroner’s Court inquest into the death of 67-year-old Tony O’Malley in Mid February. The findings found the cause of death was asphyxia due to entrapment. At the hearing Sgt Gabriel McLoughlin, a Garda PSV Inspector, said there is no requirement at the moment for roll bars to be fitted on quad units, but agreed there should be.

The coroner Patrick O’Connor, while agreeing with this recommendations also agreed with the jury’s recommendation suggestion of a panic button on quads, to raise the alarm in case of emergency.

In conclusion Mr O’Connor, expressed sympathy with the victim’s widow and family, and said he hoped lessons would be learned. The proposed AllTerrain Vehicle Safety Bill 2018 will go some way to address this.

Alarming Rise in Farm Accidents – Teagasc Survey

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arm accidents have risen by 13% in the last 5 years and by 31% in the last ten years. This is the stark finding of a national survey of farm accidents conducted by the Teagasc National Farm Survey (NFS). The survey found that in the five year period 2012-2017 that 11% of farms had an accident and in total 2,814 accidents occurred.

By farming system, the survey indicates that dairy farms had the highest accident rate of 18% over the survey period compared to tillage (12%) and sheep (11%) farms with the cattle systems of rearing (9%) and finishing (8%) reporting lower accident levels. The survey indicates that 42% of accidents involved livestock with farm vehicles or machinery involved in a further 25%. Trips or falls resulted in 13% of farm accident followed by chainsaws (7%) and farm buildings (6%). The proportion of accidents involving farm vehicles or machinery has more than doubled from 2011 to 2017, while livestock related accidents increased by 26%. The survey, however, indicates a marked decline in the proportion of accidents due to trips and falls. The survey showed that almost two-thirds of farm accidents occurred in the farmyard (64%) and a further 15% in farm buildings. Almost one-fifth of accidents (19%) were in fields with only 2% on farm

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roadways or lanes. The 2017 Teagasc NFS survey indicates that the vast majority of on-farm accidents (92%) involved a family member, with 80% occurring to the farmer. Twelve per cent involved a spouse or another family member. The remaining proportion of accidents involved workers (5%) and others (3%).

Almost all farm accident victims (97%) required medical treatment with 73% attending hospital, a further 19% attended a doctor and 4% received first aid. Tragically 1% of such accidents reported resulted in a fatality. In terms of work time loss due to a farm accident, almost one-third (30%) of accidents resulted in a work absence of more than a month, with 21% being more than two months. Thirteen per cent of accidents resulted in an 11 and 30 day work absence, 22% a 4-10 day work absence, and 1-3 days an 18% absence respectively. Just 17% of accidents resulted in no work time loss. The Teagasc survey data indicates that younger farmers are more likely to have nonfatal accidents in contrast to fatal accidents. Thirteen per cent of farmers in the 40-50 and 50-60 age brackets suffered a farm accident, followed by 12% for farmers below 40 years of age. Nine per cent of farmers aged 60-70 and 7% over 70 years of

age suffered a farm accident over the timeframe of the survey. Responding to the survey, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed T.D. said: “These non-fatal accident statistics make for stark reading and highlight that behaviour is an important part of safety.”

“My Department have included a farm safety component to the Knowledge Transfer Group meetings and also made farm safety a mandatory part of drawing down TAMS grants. Farmers need to take time to plan their work and not take risks. The impact on families of serious accidents is unquantifiable, so I appeal once again to farmers to make the change to keep safe.”

Teagasc Director, Professor Gerry Boyle said: “Farm accidents cause tragedy, pain and suffering, disability and economic loss, so it is vital to give safety first priority. Teagasc will be focusing on lessons from the survey findings in its efforts to assist farmers to improve farm safety”.

The 2017 Teagasc NFS farm accident survey data represents 85,000 farms with a standard output of greater than €8,000. The study is co-authored

by Teagasc Health and Safety Specialist, Dr John McNamara with Teagasc NFS colleagues Dr Emma Dillon, Mr Brian Moran and Dr John Lennon.

agriTillage business

North Cork Co-op and Feale Bridge & Headley Bridge Co-op announce Merger

North Cork Co-operative Creameries (Kanturk, Co. Cork) and the Feale Bridge & Headley Bridge Co-operative (Abbeyfeale, Co. Limerick) are to merge following an agreement approved by the Boards and members of both co-operative societies.

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he development follows necessary rule changes and approvals agreed by the members of the co-operatives, on the unanimous recommendation of their respective Boards, during the course of discussions leading up to the completion of the merger agreement.

The merger is subject to approval by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.

Feale Bridge & Headley Bridge and North Cork are friendly societies who already work closely together in a commercial dairy processing arrangement whereby North Cork Creameries processes milk into a range of products for Feale Bridge & Headley Bridge. Each society has a long standing heritage of commitment to co-operative dairy farming and they share common business development aims in the interests of their members, milk producers and rural communities.

Following from the agreement, the businesses of both co-operatives will be merged with all current milk collection and processing arrangements continuing as normal. The members of Feale Bridge & Headley Bridge Co-operative

will become full members of North Cork Cooperative. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman of Feale Bridge & Headley Bridge Co-operative will also join the Board of North Cork Co-operative.

The Board of Feale Bridge & Headley Bridge will continue in an advisory capacity for 12 months to oversee transition arrangements.

Michael Mangan, Chairman of Feale Bridge & Headley Bridge Co-operative said, “We have a long and successful commercial milk processing relationship with North Cork Creameries who have always supported us very strongly over the years.

Our milk producers will now also benefit from direct involvement in co-operative dairy processing.”

“This agreement represents the total commitment of both our societies to support our members, milk producers and customers as part of a vibrant co-operative enterprise which is both competitive and sustainable for our mutual benefit as dairy farmers. The combination of both co-operatives will strengthen the dairy industry throughout our region and will underpin the future success of our business.”

Martin O’Keeffe, Chairman of North Cork Co-operative Creameries said, “Feale Bridge & Headley Bridge is a co-operative which we greatly respect and we are very pleased to enter this merger with them. This development offers clear prospects for further secure growth and sustainability for dairy farmers. It will reinforce our commitment to pay the highest possible milk price to milk producers through continuing efficiency and excellence in everything we do.

“We have made substantial investments in the most modern facilities to meet the milk processing needs of our dairy farmers and the long term requirements of our customers for high quality dairy products and food ingredients. We look forward to working closely with our colleagues in Feale Bridge & Headley Bridge to further progress our co-operative success in the years ahead.”

North Cork Creameries processes over 250m litres of milk annually into a range of value added dairy products and functional food ingredients, including 12.5m litres of milk supplied by producers of Feale Bridge & Headley Bridge Co-op.

Creed Announces Appointments to the Veterinary Council of Ireland

ABP Sign Another Asia Deal

said: “ABP Food Group is delighted to sign this initial and exclusive agreement with Wowprime.

It is a tangible endorsement of the quality beef that ABP has to offer, and it is another significant step in developing new market opportunities for our products against the uncertain backdrop of Brexit.”

Over the past 7 years, ABP Food Group has being assessing the Asian markets. To highlight its commitment, the company appointed a Business Development Manager for the region in 2012, which has helped the company explore the potential of the market and to work closely with Bord Bia and other state agencies in assessing potential opportunities. Last month, ABP extended its range of premium “Irish Nature Organic” striploin, ribeye and T-bone steaks with YATA, the Hong Kong based supermarket chain. The high quality beef products are now available in all of the retailer’s 10 stores in the prefecture. In Asia, the company also exports Irish beef to the Phillipines and Japan.

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he Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed TD announced the appointment of four members to the Veterinary Council of Ireland in early February. The persons appointed are: Claire Millrine, Áilís ní Riain, John O’Brien and Bert Stewart Welcoming the newly appointed members, the Minister said, “An effective board depends on achieving the right mix of people and skills. The varied range of skills and experience of these new appointees will benefit the Veterinary Council through robust discussion leading to strong decision making. I wish them every success during their term of office.”

ABP Food Group has announced an exclusive 3 year supply agreement with Asian restaurant chain Wowprime Corporation to supply beef to its restaurants in China.

Wowprime is a publically listed company and has over 400 restaurants in China and Taiwan. It offers customers a mix of traditional Asian and Western cuisine across 18 brands and is headquartered in Taiwan. The agreement is estimated to be valued at €50 million and extends to ABP’s joint venture partners Slaney Foods and is contingent on Irish beef gaining access to the Chinese market. ABP and Wowprime have also agreed to extend the arrangement to include ABP’s UK operations, in the event of the UK gaining market access to China. Commenting on the announcement, Mark Goodman, Managing Director of ABP’s International Division

grass roots / SPRING 2018 29

Tillage

agri business

New Chairman for Dairygold Plus New Lean Programme Launched

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airygold announced earlier this year that John O’Gorman has been elected as its new Chairman. Mr O’ Gorman who has served as Vice-Chairman since 2017 replaces James Lynch who served as Chairman for three years and recently stepped down having served the maximum term permitted on the Board of Dairygold. Mr O’Gorman, from the Tipperary region was first elected to the Board of Dairygold in January 2013. John O’Gorman and his wife Alison have three daughters and live in Clogheen, Co Tipperary. John holds a Bachelor’s

degree in Accounting and Business Management and a Diploma in Corporate Direction, Food Business from UCC. Meanwhile, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed launched a Dairygold initiative for its members called Leanfarm.

Lean is an approach most commonly used in manufacturing to drive continuous improvements and efficiencies that utilise less time, effort and resources thereby giving greater returns.

Having achieved significant efficiencies and financial savings through ‘lean’ in its processing

Teagasc Announce New Programme for Future Research Leaders

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eagasc and the European Commission will co-fund a new programme which will employ 20 new experienced researchers for 36 months each, over the next five years. These fellowships aim to develop the next generation of agri-food research leaders to underpin the objectives of Ireland’s Food Wise 2025 strategy.This new programme, which will launch in spring 2018, offers applicants the opportunity to conduct their research in the best academic, or non-academic, organisation of their choice worldwide (outside of Ireland) for 18 months, followed by a return phase to Teagasc (Ireland) for a further 18 months.

The programme will have a total value of €5.2 million and will have two funding calls; each funding 10 fellowships (total 20 fellowships).

Each fellowship will last 36 months. There will be a strong focus on the career development of the researchers, with all fellows undertaking 30

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an accredited management course, having a dedicated career mentor (separate to their scientific supervisors) and attending an annual retreat with presentations from established research leaders in industry, academia and civil society organisations.This programme will also address the “leaky pipeline” whereby many promising female researchers do not achieve senior positions. An International Expert Advisory Board will review all documentation for the programme to ensure that there is no unintended bias. Remote review cohorts and the final review panel will be gender balanced. A dedicated section of the website will highlight positive reasons for female researchers to apply for the fellowship. Successful female applicants will be facilitated in finding a senior female researcher to serve as a career mentor.

The fellowship programme will be operated by Teagasc, the Irish agriculture and food

and supply chain operations, Dairygold implemented a pilot programme in 2017 to examine if the same rewards could be reaped at farm level. The pilot programme, carried out among farmers of varying scale and herd size, proved so successful that Dairygold has now launched the widespread roll-out of continuous improvement training to all its Members through Leanfarm.

Among the benefits seen from pilot programme included potential cost savings of €1440 per year, a reduction of 18 labour days and a reduction in farmers’ walking distance of an astonishing 116km per year. It also clearly demonstrated that the application of lean principles on-farm can deliver improvements in safety, reduce physical labour and have a significant positive impact on farmers’ quality of life and mental wellbeing. Through Leanfarm, all Dairygold’s members can now avail of training on the tools and techniques of how to implement lean at farm-level as well as ongoing support from Dairygold’s Continuous Improvement (CI) and Milk Advisory teams.

At the launch of Leanfarm, Dairygold declared it a pivotal part of it’s efforts to support members, 25% of whom revealed in a survey last year that labour is a main obstacle to their future dairy farming plans.

30% of Members also identified that finding labour is a significant challenge that needs to be addressed in order for them to fulfil their potential.

development authority. With an annual budget of €190 million, Teagasc combines excellent research in the areas of food and agriculture, with a dedicated farmer extension/advisory service, and a department dedicated to technology transfer to the food industry.

The Teagasc annual research portfolio comprises some 350 research projects, carried out by 500 scientific and technical staff in seven research centres throughout Ireland. Research is organised into four programme areas Animal and Grassland; Crops, Environment and Land Use; Food; and Rural Economy and Development. Teagasc researchers have access to more than 1,250 hectares of experimental farm, cutting edge research laboratories and strong industry partnerships.Speaking about the new programme, Professor Frank O’Mara said: “Teagasc is very excited to announce this programme and looks forward to applications from excellent researchers who will work in the best research environments worldwide and then bring that experience and expertise back to Teagasc.

This represents a major investment for Teagasc in the future and the next generation of leaders in agri-food research and innovation”.