A key session at Tillage Day 2026 will focus on Irish grain and its use in animal feed. A panel will discuss the opportunities, challenges and possibilities of a more sustainable farming system.

To kick off this session, Finbar Mulligan of UCD will present the results of 10 years of work from the UCD high-output grazing dairy herd, where animals were fed Irish grass and Irish concentrate feeds, while reducing nitrogen use over the period, producing substantially more milk than the national average and having good metrics for – economic, environmental and social sustainability.

Finbar will present the team’s work on a high-output dairy system.

Research at UCD Lyons Estate has shown that the dairy herd, which is fed over 90% grazed grass and grass silage on an as-fed basis, along with concentrate made from Irish barley, beans and oats has produced an average of 587kg of fat and protein over the past 10 years.

So, by feeding 250kg of extra concentrates, the herd produced 33% more milk output than the national average.

Ahead of the conference, Finbar was definite in saying that farmers have to be good at grassland management to use this system and the targets set out comply with the grass-fed standard.

The UCD professor noted that cows with a higher output could potentially result in cow numbers being reduced on farms to lower the nitrogen and methane load, while reducing labour and thus taking pressure off the farmer, but a national study is needed on this.

Farm businesses could potentially be sustained with reduced numbers of higher output cows without reducing the financial viability of the business.

The use of Irish ingredients could boost the credentials of Irish dairy compared to feeding imported products.

Beans are included at up to 30% in the ration depending on the protein content needed and barley and oats are generally split half and half for the remainder of the ration.

Panel discussion

Following on from his presentation Finbar will join Irish Farmers Journal editor Adam Woods for a panel discussion with Bord Bia’s head of dairy and tillage David Kennedy, IFA grain chairperson John Murphy and Irish Farmers Journal dairy editor Brendan Horan.

Questions

What progress has been made on the IFA’s proposal for a minimum inclusion rate of Irish grain in animal feed?

Does Bord Bia see a future for the UCD system? Why isn’t more Irish grain being used to feed Irish animals? Why is it seen as OK to import palm kernel from Indonesia to feed Irish cows?

Extreme changes in weather look to be happening more frequently. With a focus on grass growth and Irish feed could the dairy and livestock sectors become more sustainable?

If cows were being fed Irish grass and Irish grain, is there an opportunity to improve sales of Irish products? If there were fewer cows needed to produce the same amount of milk, could this help to keep the nitrates derogation and reduce pressure on land?

Tillage Day is organised by the Irish Farmers Journal and supported by the Irish Seed Trade Association. To purchase tickets you can log onto www.ifj.ie/tillageday or phone 01-4199525.