I farm: “A dairy farm with a full pedigree herd in partnership with my father Thomas. We have a spring-calving dairy herd of 115 cows.”

This week: “We’re drying off half of the cows, and we’ll be drying off the other half over the next two weeks. Other than that it’s the usual; feeding the cows and the replacement heifers, cleaning tubes, lining cubicles, and bedding the calves. I’ll do a bit of paperwork while it’s wet too, to try and have everything organised for the end of the year.”

Solids: “The butterfat from the last test was 4.45% and the protein was 3.68%.”

Milk prices: “We sell our milk to Glanbia and we’re getting 27.5c/litre. Dairy farmers are after having a poor year. Prices are very bad at the moment. They say they’re going to improve by the middle of next year. I’d like to see them improve by then alright, but it’s probably not likely.”

Goals for the future: “Dairy farming would be sustainable if the prices improved. I’m looking into growing my herd number along with increasing herd solids per hectare and improving fertility.”

IFA controversy: “That’s a sore subject. I’m secretary of the Vicarstown branch and we had our AGM there last week. There were a lot of unhappy farmers at it. Everyone was calling for a complete change of the top table, that the whole executive committee should go, and I think the same. It can’t be a rush job either. They’ll have to get rid of everyone there first, and then run an election.”

Family: “There’s my father Thomas, my mother Catherine, my two brothers, David and Trevor, and my sister Hazel. I’m getting married in January to my fiancée Carrie.”

Quotable quote: “The IFA handled it very badly, the whole situation, in my opinion. I think they need a completely clean slate. It’s the only way of getting credibility with the ordinary farmers.”