Bill
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Bill O'Keeffe is a Nuffield Scholar and farms at Clara Co. Kilkenny with his father Philip and uncle Matt. They milk 180 spring calving pedigree British Friesian cows, supplying Glanbia Co-op.
Bill O'Keeffe on 04 May 2022
Farmer Writes: a welcome drop of rain to bulk up the silage swards
Once silage is off, clover can be oversown, writes farmer Bill O’Keeffe as he gears up for the grass growth that will follow this week’s rain.
Bill O'Keeffe on 20 Apr 2022
Farmer Writes: good start to the breeding season
Dairy farmer Bill O'Keeffe is waiting on grass growth to kick on, as the herd is progressing well towards its breeding targets.
Bill O'Keeffe on 06 Apr 2022
Farmer Writes: attention now turning to breeding
With a only few beef-sired calves left to come, preparations are underway for the breeding season, writes dairy farmer Bill O'Keeffe.
Bill O'Keeffe on 23 Mar 2022
Farmer Writes: the painful cost of fertiliser
The cost of this round of fertiliser is eye-watering, but we can’t skimp too much on fertiliser at this time of year.
Bill O'Keeffe on 01 Mar 2022
Farmer Writes: a week of challenging grazing conditions
It was a difficult week for grazing on Bill O’Keefe’s dairy farm. However, cows have managed to stay out on dry ground for the most part.
Bill O'Keeffe on 10 Feb 2022
Farmer Writes: getting ahead of lameness and keeping calves moving
Bill O’Keefe is on-off grazing in the mild weather, hoping that it will allow a buffer of silage to remain in case of feed shortages in the future.
Bill O'Keeffe on 26 Jan 2022
Farmer Writes: a good start to the grazing season
This week, farmer writer Bill O’Keeffe discusses the progress of calving season on his farm before reflecting on the hopes.
Bill O'Keeffe on 12 Jan 2022
Farmer Writes: calving underway as costs set to rise
Rising grain prices worldwide will keep feed costs high for the year, but we wouldn’t begrudge that to the grain farmers.
Bill O'Keeffe on 29 Dec 2021
Farmer Writes: 2022 might be a challenge as input costs rise
If we can minimise the amount of feed and fertiliser needed for the first half of the year, costs might start to come back to normal somewhat for the second half of the year, writes Bill O’Keeffe.
Bill O'Keeffe on 15 Dec 2021
Farmer Writes: waiting around for another Glanbia solution a lost cause
Waiting around for another solution with the current Glanbia structure in place seems like a lost cause, writes Bill O'Keeffe.
Bill O'Keeffe on 01 Dec 2021
Farmer Writes: hoping for clover to come into its own next year
Bill O’Keeffe spread a tonne to the acre of lime last week on 90% of the grazing platform.
Bill O'Keeffe on 17 Nov 2021
Farmer Writes: ambition can be a great thing when matched with ability
We have a lot of decisions to make off-farm over the coming weeks and months in the Glanbia catchment area, writes Bill O'Keeffe.