Surge in demand for rented land

In the paper’s lead story this week, Lorcan Allen writes that auctioneers are reporting strong increases in demand and competition between farmers for land available to rent. To find out what the main driving factors are behind this trend and how the increased demand is causing a climb in land prices, read Allen’s report here.

Minister Coveney rules out butterfat deal

Speaking at the IFA’s 60th annual general meeting this week, Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney said there will be no butterfat adjustment to help reduce superlevy fines on the Irish dairy sector. However, the Minister suggested there would be flexibility for farmers in relation to payment schedules with their co-ops. You can read Patrick Donohoe’s full report on the presentation here.

How to manage cashflow on a dairy farm

Last week the Irish Farmers Journal held a series of dairy meetings around the country. One of the speakers at the meetings was Olin Greenan, a Monaghan man who left Ireland in 2001 and now owns 480 cows in a 50/50 share-farming arrangement in North Island, New Zealand. Cashflow budgeting is essential for Olins’ business and you can read how he does it by clicking on the full report here.

Technology at calving time

Peter Young takes a look at the different ways in which technology can give farmers a hand at this busy time of year. Calving cameras have been popular in recent years but now there is a new range of calving aid technology products on the scene. From a transmitter that can be pushed into a cow prior to calving to an ear tag that measures temperature every 15 minutes Young has the full lowdown here.

Dry Australian beef faces sunnier times

Five years ago, our contributor Rebecca Jennings writes, huge swathes of Queensland farmland were covered in flood waters. Today those same farmers are suffering a terrible drought. Below-average rainfall during the last two years has reduced pasture and crop growth in all states of Australia. Read how cattle farmers are coping with this challenge and what their outlook is for trade with the EU here.

Farmer Writes: Lambing season ahead

This week sheep farmer Brian Nicholson writes about the positive scans for his ewes ahead of lambing season. With results averaging at 1.92 lambs per ewe after the empties were taken away, Nicholson has improved on his average of 1.8 lambs last year. To read how Nicholson has achieved this and how he intends to adapt his workforce for the busy lambing season ahead, click here.