The Kirby farm, located in Mounteen, Ballinascarthy is run by John and Teresa Kirby, their son Gerard, along with daughter Claire and her partner Darragh. Looking down towards Courtmacsharry, the Kirbys milk 86 pedigree Holsteins. They are big-capacity cows bred to produce, averaging close to 8,900 litres, with 681kg of milk solids per cow.
Sixth, seventh and eighth lactation cows are nothing unusual here. The current herd averages around five lactations and the ambition is to push that towards six. Longevity matters economically, but it also says something about the way animals are managed. Cows rarely grow old in a herd unless fertility, feet, health, housing and stockmanship are all working with them.
If breeding is the thread running through Mounteen, daughter Claire brings another dimension to it. A graduate in dairy herd management from Clonakilty Agricultural College, she now works with World Wide Sires while remaining heavily involved at home. She was National YMA Champion Handler in 2018, has won major showmanship and heifer titles, represented the IHFA internationally and represented Ireland in the European young breeder competition.
The Mounteen cows perform every bit as impressively. Throughout 2025, TBC results were consistently between 3,000 and 5,000/ml, while SCC was frequently in the 50,000-60,000 range. The same pattern continued into 2026. That doesn’t happen by accident. Pre-spraying and wiping, post-milking disinfection, and a disciplined plant-washing routine are standard. The 16-unit BouMatic parlour is only four years old, with capacity already built in for 20 units.
Selective dry cow therapy was approached cautiously rather than embraced because it was fashionable. The family initially tried teat sealer alone on selected cows, satisfied themselves that it worked and expanded its use.
The Kirbys know their cows individually, but they are perfectly happy to let technology help. Cow collars monitor heat, health and temperature around the clock.
Grass is central. The farm is measured around 25 times a year, six hectares were reseeded in 2025 and clover has been incorporated throughout the grazing platform. The Kirbys record around 260 days on grass.
The farm’s carbon footprint is 0.77 kg CO2 equivalent per kg of fat and protein-corrected milk, reduced from 0.91 the previous year. Protected urea, low-emission slurry spreading, soil testing, lime, GPS-guided nutrient application, variable-speed drives on the vacuum and milk pumps and LED lighting all contribute. But some of the nicest environmental work requires no technology at all.
Some 350 hedging plants and 100 trees have been planted; bird boxes dot the farm; 4.5 acres have deliberately been left wild; biodiversity mapping has been completed; and the family is exploring a reed bed to filter water. Perhaps the strongest impression of Mounteen, however, is that there isn’t one Kirby farm manager. John looks after much of the breeding and tractor work. Teresa is central to the milking. Claire brings her professional breeding knowledge home with her. Gerard combines the farm with his work at Barryroe Co-op and the wider family steps in as required. And their interests extend well beyond the yard.
John and Gerard are involved in competitive ploughing and both volunteer at ploughing events. The family helps at the Clonakilty Agricultural Show, while GAA and Macra feature prominently in life away from the parlour.
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