IHFA FOCUS FARMS FOR 2023

Throughout 2023 IHFA want to highlight and share the diverse and quality farms that make up our membership. Across all our members we identified a number of farms with impressive milk production, fertility, calving intervals, milk hygiene, classification and longevity. In this issue of the Journal we will introduce you to our farms that stretch from Sligo to Clonakilty and everywhere in between. During the year we will follow these focus farms and catch up with them at regular intervals to see what’s happening on farm and how the year is going. Look out for updates on IHFA social media channels (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) as well as in future Journal issues. We hope that this will benefit you as a reader by giving an insight into the many different farm systems that operate in Ireland and what our members are doing to get the most out of their farms and cows.

Paudie Brennan, Suttonsrath Herd, Jenkinstown, Co. Kilkenny

Paudie runs a herd of 110 spring calving cows in Co.Kilkenny supplying Tirlan co-op. His son Sean splits his time between the farm and his job with Tirlan and sons Donal and Stephen are great support to the farm, as is his wife Dymphna. Averaging 6,380 litres per cow with solids tipping 530kg this is a balanced herd that is consistently delivering in terms of components, classifications and strong EBI value (herd average €222). Paudie would use all high EBI bulls on his farm, but he believes good conformation scores and classifications of dams is very important in producing a good calf and future milking cow for the herd. This focus on EBI plus classification has resulted in an impressively uniform herd of medium size cows with udders that will last the test of time. Fertility is very high on the farm with a 90% six week calving rate and only 10 weeks of AI every spring. And cows repeating outside this will be picked up by the stock bull. There is no sexed semen used on the Brennan farm at present and Paudie is happy to keep it this way as conventional semen is providing him with more than enough high quality female replacements to maintain the herd. Smart investments have been made on the farm in recent years to increase cubicles and install a new 16 unit swing over parlour which they started milking in during the spring of 2021. The changes have made a great difference to both the cows and Paudie and his family in running the farm. We got to visit the Brennan farm on a lovely February day and saw the cows out grazing (Pictured above), they have been out by day since the 1st of February, Paudie is limited in his grazing platform so supplements the cows with zero-grazed grass from on outside block when needed and available.

Robert Shannon, Ballydehob Herd, Ballinascarthy, Co. Cork

Robert and his wife Shirley run a split calving herd of 92 cows in Co. Cork with their son Stephen and daughter Sarah. In 2022 the Ballydehob herd sold 7,972 litres milk per cow with 643kg solids to Lisavaird Co-op. Robert has long focused on maintaining good milk hygiene with an average SCC of 71 for 2022 and maintains a tight calving interval at 365 days with the herd split calving 50:50 spring and autumn/winter. Robert has been a proponent of EBI for many years and the herd average currently stands at €215. This focus has worked well for them in terms of producing bulls for AI over the years, Ballydehob Adam was one of Munster AI’s top bulls of recent years with a €180 EBI and 92% reliability currently. The herd were able to get out to grass on the 27th of January, after closing the paddock back on the 29th of November. The grazing platform is 26 hectares and the cows averaged 1.8t of concentrates last year. Robert also fed wholecrop wheat over the winter which was balanced with a higher 21% protein feed during this period to balance the lower protein wholecrop wheat, the feed drops to 14% protein for the grazing season Robert uses nearly all sexed dairy semen and as a result has a great crop of heifers to choose from for replacements. There is some beef semen on some of the cows which they don’t plan to keep replacements off of. The heifers are contract reared at a nearby farm and return to the home farm before calving down. It’s a system that has worked very well for Robert over the last few years and takes pressure off the home farm in terms of labour, housing and grazing ground availability.

John Galvin, Doonmanagh Herd, Lispole, Co. Kerry

Picture: Above; Ballydehob OJ Trixie EX 94

Pictured in her 13th lactation. She has produced 9 daughters with an average calving interval 357 days. Below; young

John owns the Doonmanagh herd of 83 spring calving pedigree cows in Co. Kerry. With his herd producing 6,990 litres on average per year with over 546kg solids over 305-day milk recording records, these are cows that are built to last. The average parity in the herd currently stands at 3.7 with 19 animals currently in their 6th or greater lactation. John is supported on the farm by his wife Mary and his three sons. John has found EBI a very useful tool in improving the herd over the years and in achieving his breeding goals. The average EBI of the herd in 2023 is €235 for the cows, €257 for the yearling heifers and €282 for this year’s female calves, showing an improvement in the overall EBI with each generation. This strong EBI performance combined with well classified animals has led to great success for the Doonmanagh herd in the Kerry Holstein Friesian Club’s herd competition over the years. “We’ve taken part in the herds competition since 2002 and its something that I have found hugely rewarding and beneficial. Participation in the competition and learning from judges and other herds over the years has helped build the herd to where it is today” says John. John has also had eight bulls sold into AI over the last number of years which is a source of great pride, and a sign to him that EBI is really benefitting the herd and the animals he produces. Last year John was profiled in a fantastic video by the Kerry Holstein Friesian Club which can be seen on their facebook page if you scan the QR code on this page. Some added excitement on the farm this year came in the form of triplet calves off of Doonmanagh ZPB Cherry, an EX 90 8th lactation cow. Multiple births have become the norm for this cow - she has produced 14 calves over the last 8 lactations and maintained a 369 day calving interval throughout!

Kevin Flynn, Reary Herd, Clonaslee, Co Laois

The Reary herd will be familiar to many as a longstanding IHFA pedigree registered herd that have had great success commercially and at national herds competitions. With around 200 cows split calving the last few years quality has not slipped as cow numbers increased. In the 2022 milk recording the herd averaged 9,642 kg milk with strong solids at 716kgs per cow for 305d lactation. Kevin knows the importance of treating his cows well and managing them to reach their full potential across the grazing and indoor feeding periods. Knowing the cows is important to Kevin and being able to feed them accordingly in the parlour. This year the parlour is being upgraded from 15 to 26 units with ACR’s and a dump line. Kevin hope this will make milking faster and easier on both those milking and the cows. The great care taken of the cows contributes to them having a very long productive life in the Reary herd - the herd averages 4.0 lactations. Kevin is pictured here receiving first prize in the elite herd category at the 2021 Laois/Offaly Club herds competition. In terms of breeding Kevin is aiming for a robust cow, with good mobility, of relatively large but manageable frame, that is able to thrive in a slightly larger herd setting. Maintaining chest and rump width has been important in breeding such a cow with good capacity to produce milk. When making breeding decisions Kevin would focus on linear traits primarily, EBI is something that is a factor in breeding decisions but isn’t paramount. Its mostly in terms of selling on stock, the customer is king and they will usually require an EBI of €100 minimum Kevin has found. 95% of the breeding on farm will be to AI with a Holstein Friesian bull used to mop up for the last two weeks of breeding. Sexed semen has worked well for Kevin on his heifers, achieving 67% conception rates in his best year. “Sexed semen results in an easier calving for the heifers which they seems to bound back better from, and you are ensuring heifer calves as replacements off your best genetic animals”.

Patrick Pentony, Gallrua Herd, Drogheda, Co Louth

Patrick operates a split calving herd of 80 cows, but that doesn’t mean the spring time is quiet. Between spreading slurry, preparing for Bord Bia audits and managing animals indoors and outdoors as grazing starts there is seldom a quiet moment on the farm. Patrick’s wife Aisling and son Ronan help on the farm, Ronan is also currently studying agriculture at Ballyhaise. Patrick’s careful breeding and management have produced a herd averaging 6,300 litres with 500 kgs solids to match. Overall Patrick looks for a balanced cow that is easy to manage and productive. AI bull selection helps with this, Patrick would aim for bulls around +200kg milk, positive for fat and protein and with good fertility. The grazing platform around the farm is small and so the cows aren’t let out too early in the spring, to ensure there is enough grass to last into the end of the grazing season. 2022 was a very good year for grass growth on the farm, by topping paddocks after grazing and lengthening the grazing rotation, the farm achieved excellent growth rates while reduced Nitrogen application by about 1/3.

Mary

Gearoid Maher, Killuragh Herd, Cappamore, Co Limerick

Gearoid runs a herd of 107 spring calving Pure Friesians in Cappamore with his wife Sarah and young daughters Sally-Kate and Lily. The Maher’s won the overall Dairygold Milk Quality Award for 2021 out of 2,700 dairy farms and were finalists in the NDC milk quality awards for 2022. Gearoid will host the 2023 Pure Friesian Open Day on the 29th of June and has a strong interest in maintaining biodiversity on the farm, in tandem with a productive herd. The herd averaged 6,600 litres and 504kg solids in the 2022 Coop report, with a calving interval of 367 days and are long-standing Dairygold Suppliers. Gearoid is a Farming for Nature Ambassador and is also involved in an EIP project focused on water quality. He has also implemented various sustainability measures on farm such as nitrogen reduction on the grazing platform and the use of selective dry cow therapy - while maintaining a very impressive SCC of 93 for 2022.

Farrell Scully, Choshull Herd, Ballymote, Co Sligo

Farrell’s spring calving herd of 60 pedigree cows produce milk for Aurvio. Farrell is supported on the farm by his wife Anita and brother Michael who cares for the young-stock. Components are very important in Farrell’s system and at 6,100 litres production the herd achieves an average 489kg solids (305d Milk recording records 2022), coupled with a low SCC of 100 and an average calving interval of 366 days the herd is consistently performing well. There is also roughly 9,500 litres of milk fed to calves throughout the year. It has been a good spring so far weather wise and the herd have been out grazing since the 16th of February. In terms of breeding Farrell uses all conventional AI and has 29 friesian heifers out of this years calf crop, the heifers are reared on farm and bull calves are sold on. A bit of Angus and Hereford AI is used on cows that repeat or those that replacements aren’t needed from and these always attract a strong trade. When selecting bulls Farrell would always select high EBI bulls, but most importantly he selects bulls with good calving ease to avoid any unnecessary stress on heifers especially. Farrell has a number of 2023 pedigree eligible bull calves available for sale currently as well as 8 maiden pedigree registered heifers available, call the office for contact details or check the IHFA Website Buy and Sell page for more information (QR scan code will take you to the page).