Talking stock and the future

Successful dairy expansion at farm level in the past does not mean success in the future; dairy farmers need to re-evaluate and refine their farming systems taking into account present-day challenges. Moorepark researcher Laurence Shalloo says that “increasing milk production at farm level based on bought-in feed will give poor financial return, expose the farm to greater risk and increase the environmental footprint of the milk produced”.

The Irish dairy industry has gone through a period of transformational change over the past 10 years with a 64% increase in milk output, 367,000 additional cows, while debt levels have reduced per unit of output and farm profitability has increased by approximately 70% when you compare the average of 2007 to 2009 against the average of 2016 to 2018.

Padraig French says that “continued expansion of the Irish dairy industry is still possible using pasture-based systems of milk production producing low carbon intensity milk and high nutrient use efficiency”.

Future systems: the sustainable expansion challenge

The concept of sustainable intensification has recently been developed to increase productivity (as distinct from increasing volume of production), while reducing environmental impacts. This means increasing yields per unit of inputs (including nutrients, water, energy, capital and land), as well as per unit of undesirable outputs (such as gaseous emissions, water pollution or loss of biodiversity).

Globally, grassland is the most important agro ecosystem. It is capable of efficiently feeding ruminants with human inedible feeds, increasing soil carbon (C) storage and maintaining high-quality biodiversity.

Productivity

Moorepark researcher Brendan Horan says that “future farm systems based on high productivity grassland management in combination with genetically elite adapted animals, are well placed to meet the increasing global demand for food within a resource constrained environment, while producing high-quality products for increasingly discerning consumers”.

Sustainability is not confined to environmental considerations, but also encompasses the economic wellbeing of those involved in farming, the quality of food produced and the welfare of animals. Johnstown researcher David Wall says that “the incorporation of white clover into grassland swards coupled with the use of protected urea fertilisers and low-emission slurry application methods can further enhance the sustainability of dairy systems”.

Increasing grass utilisation

Increasing grass utilisation on dairy farms reduces the requirement to purchase feed supplements on to the farm, thereby reducing the risk of nutrient loss to the environment.

Supplementation of the dairy herd will only benefit milk production and reproduction when cows do not have sufficient pasture (ie grazing residuals are less than 4cm).

Grazing demonstration plots at the Grass10 village during the Teagasc Moorepark open day in 2017. \ Donal O'Leary

Moorepark researcher Michael O’Donovan says that “in order to increase stocking rates, dairy farmers must ensure a closing cover of at least 600kg DM/ha on 1 December; finish first-grazing rotation in early April; and maintain a pre-grazing herbage mass during the mid-season of 1,300kg to 1,600kg DM/ha grazing to a residual of less than 4cm”.

The proportion of dairy farmers using PastureBase Ireland is approximately 10%. This needs to be increased significantly if Irish dairy farmers are to exploit the maximum benefit from grazed grass.

Moorepark researcher Michael Egan said that “the stocking rate on your farm should be aligned to the average annual grass grown on your farm over a number of years”.

High-EBI cows are more sustainable

The economic breeding index (EBI) is in existence for almost 20 years and has stood the test of time as an accurate tool for ranking both male and female dairy animals on expected profit. In fact, the EBI has delivered over €1.7bn in profit to the sector since its introduction in 2001, and there is no noticeable deceleration in the rate of genetic gain in EBI.

Moorepark researcher Donagh Berry says “the traits that are under active investigation for inclusion within the EBI are those related to product quality (milk and meat), feed intake, environmental hoof print, and animal health and wellbeing”.

One output from this research was the genetic evaluations for susceptibility to tuberculosis and liver fluke were launched in 2019. Frank Buckley says “despite the observed rates of gain in EBI, benefits from crossbreeding with Jersey are still expected to exist. Recent research results clearly demonstrate a benefit in overall profit from crossbreeding with Jersey even in high-EBI herds, arising from a greater stocking rate potential with the crossbreds”.

The recently launched dairy-beef index provides a tool to rank beef bulls for suitability on dairy females marrying the desires of the dairy farmer

The benefit of crossbreeding with Jersey is further enhanced when used in conjunction with sexed semen. Moorepark researcher Stephen Butler says “the number of sexed semen straws used should be driven by the number of replacement females required, and should be utilised on the highest fertility females in herd at the start of the breeding season, allowing greater usage of beef semen thereafter”. The recently launched dairy-beef index provides a tool to rank beef bulls for suitability on dairy females marrying the desires of the dairy farmer (ie easy-calving and short gestation) with those of the beef sector (ie good carcase weight and conformation).

Grazing demo

The application of best grazing management technology at farm level depends on weekly measuring and budgeting of farm grass supply. This will be displayed at the open day on already prepared demonstration plots. Teagasc advisers, as well as practising dairy farmers, will be available to assist attendees on how best to implement best grazing management practices. This will include the estimation of both pre-grazing covers and post-grazing residuals.

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