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Anthony and Mary Beechinor
The Beechinor operation is tight on acres, so silage is brought in from outside and brewer’s grains come in to buffer grass available. Up to a few years ago, Anthony and Mary Beechinors were buying dairy replacements and using a beef bull to generate stock for a beef enterprise on the farm. That has changed and now there are 20 homebred heifers for bulling this year and 27 heifer calves.
Now, 100% Friesian AI is used on this farm and Moo Monitors have been installed to help with heat detection.
The Beechinors are farming near Kilmoylerane, Ballinascarthy, Co Cork. Supplying winter milk to Lisavaird Co-op, they delivered 542,766 litres in 2013 from about 88 acres farmed. Last year, about 1t of concentrate was fed and the 60 cows averaged 8,600 litres at 3.9% butterfat and 3.55% protein.
In 2012, significant investment on the farm saw slurry storage increased and more winter cubicles added. The parlour was installed in 1994 and, in 2013, another two units were added on.
In the parlour, cows are stripped before every milking to identify any cows with a clinical case of mastitis. Anthony has automatic cluster removers installed in his 14-unit herringbone parlour to ensure cows are not over-milked, which he feels helps keep down the SCC. Also, there is a cluster flush system installed to wash the clusters after milking each cow in order to stop the transfer of infection from one cow to another. Cows are also sprayed after every milking.
If a cow is found to have mastitis, a treatment of Ubro Yellow or Terrexine tubes is used on the cow, usually requiring three tubes to bring her right.
A hot wash is done on the milking machine every second day. This is done using water temperature of 80°C using one litre of Kilco detergent with about eight litres of hot water per unit.
Hydrosan is used with the cold wash and this is re-used for the evening wash. A descaler wash is done once every two weeks.
Farming system
In 2013, milking 60 cows in winter milk production supplying Lisavaird Co-op. 134 acres (54ha) farmed. Milk delivered was 8,600 litres per cow at 3.9% fat and 3.55% protein.
Parlour
14-unit herringbone.
SCC results
Average 188,000 for 2013.
TBC results
Average 10,000 for 2013.
“Before each milking, cows are stripped, teats sprayed with Nanoduel, wiped, clusters on and then removers take them off.”
“Keep cows clean – we scrape down cubicles, use Rhino lime twice a day and run the scraper in the winter every two hours.”
A business at the top of its game, operating in a clean and healthy environment.
James Luttrell
Jim Luttrell started off milking 14 heifers in 1983 after a TB outbreak the year before milk quotas were established. His son James now helps out when he’s not on the road with Provimi.
Milk quality results on this farm are very good. The average TBC in 2013 was just 5,000 with the highest test at only 11,000 in July, while the SCC was 130,000, only going above this for one month (February).
The 54 cows averaged 5,682 litres last year, delivered, and just over 220,000 litres were supplied to Callan Co-op. The cows produced an average of 4.07% butterfat and 3.46% protein.
Jim has a fondness for cattle and a Charolais stock bull cleans up when the Friesian stock bull is pulled out.
The Luttrells have a very British Friesian-type herd, which is typical enough of a lot of cows in this area.
Eight replacement heifers started in the herd this year and 14 the previous year.
Slurry is spread on the silage ground after both the first and second cut.
Jim is planning to milk 75 cows next year and the extra slurry storage is already in place to cope with this increase.
Cows are all stripped before every milking and any problem cows are drafted and milked after all the others to ensure there is no transfer of infection.
James also ensures all cows’ udders are clean and dry before milking to make sure no dirt or infection gets into the milk. Dry cow tubes used is Cepravin and Osmonds teat sealer across the herd.
When washing the machine in the mornings after milking, five to 10 gallons is put through the system to rinse it out.
Then, approximately five gallons of water with Hydrosan is put through the system and is circulated for 10 minutes and left to sit in the machine during the day, before it is rinsed out in the evening and then dumped. A descaler wash is also done once a week.
Farming system
In 2013, milking 54 cows in spring milk production supplying Callan Co-op. 120 acres (48.6ha) farmed. Milk delivered was 5,682 litres per cow at 4.07% fat and 3.46% protein.
Parlour
Six-unit herringbone.
SCC results
Average 130,000 for 2013.
TBC results
Average 5,000 for 2013.
“If we have any suspicion about mastitis, we take a sample and then give it to the lorry driver and, for €2 per cow, we get next-day results.”
Cows are sprayed red if treated and numbers put up on white board in the parlour.
A farm that has grown slow and steady, and will grow further, but with well-cared for stock taking centre stage.
Eoin Toohey
Eoin Toohey’s stocking rate is always over 3.5 cows per hectare, so extra feed is coming in when grass growth won’t sustain that heavy stocking rate.
The Tooheys have a good chunk of land away from the home farm, so this feeds in winter feed, etc.
Milk is supplied from their farm just outside Moneygall in north Tipperary to Arrabawn Co-op. Last year, the Tooheys supplied 611,835 litres to the co-op, which was an average of 5,600 per cow at 4.39% butterfat and 3.57% protein.
The average SCC for the year was also very impressive at 96,000 and it only went above 100,000 for four months – February, April, October and November. Milking is completed in a 16-unit herringbone with jars and cluster removers.
Milk recording is completed five times per year and these results, along with bulk milk samples and stripping all the cows before milking, help Eoin to keep on top of his milk quality.
If he finds a cow that has a high cell count, the CMT paddle is used to determine which quarter the cow has a problem in and then that quarter is treated.
The problem cow might get a Tylosin injection, will be treated with Osmonds tubes and will receive at least three tubes during her treatment.
Clusters are also dipped after high cell count cows and these cows are painted so they can be easily identified in the parlour.
Dry cows are treated with antibiotics and sealers across the herd.
Farming system
In 2013, milking 113 cows in spring milk production supplying Arrabawn Co-op. 224 acres (91ha) farmed. Milk delivered was 5,600 litres per cow at 4.39% fat and 3.57% protein.
Parlour
16-unit herringbone.
SCC results
Average 96,000 for 2013.
TBC results
Average 14,000 for 2013.
“I sat up straight and started focusing on SCC when I heard reducing SCC from 200,000 to 150,000 cells/ml was worth €6,000 for my number of cows.”
“Milk recording plays a huge role – otherwise you’re just shooting in the dark.”
A real commercial operation, built with the future in mind, working a highly stocked, seasonal calving system, delivering top-notch results.
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