The Dairy Trail

In the latest episode of Agriland's limited podcast series "the Dairy Trail", technical dairy specialist, Cathal O'Shea visited the farm of Michael Guinan in Co. Offaly.
 
Michael is milking 118 Montbéliarde cows through two robotic milking machines just outside of Tullamore alongside his wife Concepta, and his son Kevin.
 
He talks us through the decision of moving to robotic units back in 2021, and how they have integrated in to the farm system since. 
 
We hear about the upcoming breeding season, and the criteria used to deliver optimum calves that suit the system.
 
Michael also talks us through his grazing season so far and how he has got on with spreading nutrients beside the Grand Canal.

In the latest episode of Agriland's podcast series "the Dairy Trail", technical dairy specialist, Cathal O'Shea visited the farm of Edel and Domnic Curtin in Co. Clare.
 
The Curtins run a busy operation, balancing the dairy herd alongside shift work, with both Domnic and Edel active members of An Garda Síochána
 
We chat to the duo about their farm system, navigating a tough grazing season, planning for the upcoming breeding season, as well as reflecting on the recent calving season. 
 
And with three children on the farm, we hear about the farms desire for top notch safety, which has led them to their recent decision to install an underpass.

In the final episode of this season of Agriland's limited podcast series "the Dairy Trail", technical dairy specialist, Cathal O'Shea visited the farm of John Byrne in Co. Waterford. 
 
John is milking 220 cows just below the Comeragh Mountains in Dungarvan. 
He tells us what protocols are place for his to maintain his exceptionally low somatic cell count levels (SCC), in which he has won awards for.
 
John also talks us through the farms system, the infrastructure in place, breeding, grazing, and herd health.
We hear about the winter feeding system, the farm's dry off routine and what he is doing to push the herd to 560kg milk solids a year.

In the latest episode of Agriland's limited podcast series "The Dairy Trail", technical dairy specialist, Cathal O'Shea visited the farm of Dan and Danny Somers in Co, Wicklow.
 
The father and son partnership are milking 230 Montbéliarde's in a split calving system, with 40-50 cows calving down in autumn.  
Dan talks on how they got into Montbéliarde's and how the herd is working out for them on their farm.
 
He tells us about the diet they feed over the winter months to achieve their target of 7000 litres at 557kg/MS.
Dan also talks about the current tasks at hand on farm, between drying-off and calving down.
 
We hear about balancing issues with banding, and dive into calf care, breeding, grass management, lameness, and the farms infrastructure.

In the latest episode of 'The Dairy Trail', technical dairy specialist, Cathal O'Shea visited the farm of John Wynne in Co, Wicklow.
 
John is in a liquid milk contract, with 45% of the 320 head herd milking through the winter.
John talks about the feeding and breeding routines in place on the farm that allow them to achieve their 580kg of milk solids target.
 
John also speaks on calf management, drying off and housing the spring calving herd, and looks at the year in review in terms of grass management and lameness monitoring.