DEAR SIR: In recent articles, Aidan Brennan, Andrew Cromie, Richard Whelan and Tom Cannon all made valid points, but were selective in their points of view. In the years around 2000 and with quota restrictions in place, the national herd (of just under one million cows) produced about 5.25bn litres of milk, with milk solids averaging 405kg per cow per year and cows averaging 4.5 lactations. In 2019, 1.58m cows produced 7.9bn litres of milk, averaged 405kg of milk solids and only lasted for 3.5 lactations.

With no gains in milk solids and a lactation per cow lost, it’s impossible to see where progress was made. Aidan Brennan had some very good advice on grassland management, but his advice on breeding doesn’t stack up with national statistics. Andrew Cromie highlights what good farmers are doing, but cull rates of up to 30% undermine his case.

I strongly disagree with my friend Tom Cannon on the great gains made in recent years. The bulk tank tells a different tale. Tom doesn’t realise that for years now, all bulls registered by IHFA must be genomically tested and that over 90% of our national dairy herd carries Holstein Friesian genetics.

Genetic gains must be followed by production gains. The farmer needs the scientist to make informed decisions, but the scientist feel no need for farmer input.