The Ryan family of Lisheen, near Moyne at Thurles, Co Tipperary, carries a legacy that stretches back over five generations to 1860. Today, Tom, Mary, and their son Michael continue that tradition on Maryland Farm, combining deep respect for heritage with a clear vision for the future.
Michael, fresh from celebrating Tipperary’s All-Ireland triumph when the judges visited, returned home in 2018 after completing a degree in agriculture at Waterford. His arrival brought new energy and ambition, forging a three-way partnership with his parents that has accelerated the farm’s progress. Together, they represent the perfect blend of experience, education and innovation.
Resilience has been a defining theme. The herd was wiped out with brucellosis in 1993, and since 2003, the Ryans have run a closed herd, carefully selecting sires to steadily lift EBI. Their breeding policy includes the use of TB-resistant bulls and genomic testing, while Mary, who once worked with Dovea, brings her own expertise to the table. With no Jersey influence, “even the dog is black and white”, they joked, the herd has been built with precision, achieving enviable health, fertility and performance.
The attention to detail runs through every aspect of the operation. Mastitis control is exemplary: cows are CMT tested if cell counts edge over 200, with over 30% of the herd managed on teat sealer only at drying off. SCC levels consistently sit under 50,000, reflecting outstanding stockmanship and rigorous routines.
Cull cows are fattened to capture value, and home-reared vasectomised bulls aid heat detection, soon to be backed by automated heat detection aids. A Pearson 20-unit parlour, with solar-powered hot water, completes a system where technology and practical know-how go hand in hand.
The Ryan family from Thurles, Co Tipperary are representing Centenary Thurles.
Animal health and welfare are at the heart of this farm. The herd is fully vaccinated against blackleg, salmonella, leptospirosis, and IBR, with bulk milk screening providing an additional safeguard.
Lameness is carefully managed through regular footbathing and routine hoof paring, while tailored mineral supplementation is provided pre-calving and during the breeding season to support cow health and fertility.
Mary and Tom take evening walks across the farm, remarking on the wildlife they share it with. They have fenced stock back from drains, safeguarded badger setts and fox dens, and planted red clover that now feeds both cows and biodiversity. Buzzards, ducks, eels and hares are regular companions, proof that production and preservation can coexist.
Infrastructure
Their farm infrastructure is continually evolving: slurry is applied with LESS, solar panels supply over 30% of electricity needs, and water is reused multiple times in the milking process. With a carbon footprint score of just 0.86kg CO2 per kilo of milk, Maryland Farm is firmly ahead of the curve in sustainability.
Community is as central as cows. Tom serves on the board of management of Moyne National School and helps maintain the local cemetery. Mary is deeply involved in parish life, from the weekly newsletter to the women’s shed group, while Michael has helped establish a community-run shop and café and throws himself into cycling and adventure racing. Together, they ensure that the farm’s influence extends well beyond the farm gate.
It is rare to find such a complete package: a herd of exceptional quality, a system grounded in science and sustainability, and a family united by pride in their land and livestock. Maryland Farm is not just a dairy enterprise, it is a living example of progress rooted in tradition, a model for what the Irish family farm can be in the 21st century.
The Ryan family of Lisheen, near Moyne at Thurles, Co Tipperary, carries a legacy that stretches back over five generations to 1860. Today, Tom, Mary, and their son Michael continue that tradition on Maryland Farm, combining deep respect for heritage with a clear vision for the future.
Michael, fresh from celebrating Tipperary’s All-Ireland triumph when the judges visited, returned home in 2018 after completing a degree in agriculture at Waterford. His arrival brought new energy and ambition, forging a three-way partnership with his parents that has accelerated the farm’s progress. Together, they represent the perfect blend of experience, education and innovation.
Resilience has been a defining theme. The herd was wiped out with brucellosis in 1993, and since 2003, the Ryans have run a closed herd, carefully selecting sires to steadily lift EBI. Their breeding policy includes the use of TB-resistant bulls and genomic testing, while Mary, who once worked with Dovea, brings her own expertise to the table. With no Jersey influence, “even the dog is black and white”, they joked, the herd has been built with precision, achieving enviable health, fertility and performance.
The attention to detail runs through every aspect of the operation. Mastitis control is exemplary: cows are CMT tested if cell counts edge over 200, with over 30% of the herd managed on teat sealer only at drying off. SCC levels consistently sit under 50,000, reflecting outstanding stockmanship and rigorous routines.
Cull cows are fattened to capture value, and home-reared vasectomised bulls aid heat detection, soon to be backed by automated heat detection aids. A Pearson 20-unit parlour, with solar-powered hot water, completes a system where technology and practical know-how go hand in hand.
The Ryan family from Thurles, Co Tipperary are representing Centenary Thurles.
Animal health and welfare are at the heart of this farm. The herd is fully vaccinated against blackleg, salmonella, leptospirosis, and IBR, with bulk milk screening providing an additional safeguard.
Lameness is carefully managed through regular footbathing and routine hoof paring, while tailored mineral supplementation is provided pre-calving and during the breeding season to support cow health and fertility.
Mary and Tom take evening walks across the farm, remarking on the wildlife they share it with. They have fenced stock back from drains, safeguarded badger setts and fox dens, and planted red clover that now feeds both cows and biodiversity. Buzzards, ducks, eels and hares are regular companions, proof that production and preservation can coexist.
Infrastructure
Their farm infrastructure is continually evolving: slurry is applied with LESS, solar panels supply over 30% of electricity needs, and water is reused multiple times in the milking process. With a carbon footprint score of just 0.86kg CO2 per kilo of milk, Maryland Farm is firmly ahead of the curve in sustainability.
Community is as central as cows. Tom serves on the board of management of Moyne National School and helps maintain the local cemetery. Mary is deeply involved in parish life, from the weekly newsletter to the women’s shed group, while Michael has helped establish a community-run shop and café and throws himself into cycling and adventure racing. Together, they ensure that the farm’s influence extends well beyond the farm gate.
It is rare to find such a complete package: a herd of exceptional quality, a system grounded in science and sustainability, and a family united by pride in their land and livestock. Maryland Farm is not just a dairy enterprise, it is a living example of progress rooted in tradition, a model for what the Irish family farm can be in the 21st century.
SHARING OPTIONS