The new nitrates band screen is now available to all dairy farmers on the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) website.
The nitrates band screen allows dairy farmers to determine which milk kg/cow band their herd falls into for the purpose of the new nitrates requirements.
Dairy farmers will have the choice of three main options to determine their cow band for 2025:
Option one: select the rolling average for the three preceding years (2022, 2023, 2024).Option two: select previous year for milk supply (2024).Option three: select to use the herd’s 2025 average milk yield. This is available to new entrant dairy herds only.The ICBF has advised that new entrant dairy farmers should note their dairy cows will remain defaulted to 106 organic N/cow until 2026.
Milk and animal data and crude protein percentage can be verified by the Department of Agriculture in 2026 if selecting option three.
The ICBF will calculate the band by combining milk supply data from the co-op and dividing average cow numbers on the farm throughout the year (12-month average).
Dairy farmers who receive the dairy herd performance report will have their milk supply data available to submit their cow band to the Department.
Farmers will also be able to review their average annual cow numbers and milk supply details before submitting their cow band to the Department.
The ICBF has said that only the cow band will be submitted to the Department and milk supply data will not be transferred.
Dairy farmers can share their cow band with the Department by clicking on the ‘Submit to DAFM’ button on the screen.
The ICBF has encouraged dairy farmers to use this system to submit their data, as all the calculations are automatically generated on their behalf.
Crude protein
Dairy farmers can also select what percentage of crude protein they wish to feed their dairy cows in 2025 on the nitrates band screen. Crude protein percentage is calculated on a year-round average based on fresh weight of crude protein.
Farmers must retain feed invoices, which DAFM may request to verify crude protein percentage concentrates fed to dairy cows. This will impact the level of organic N/cow produced in the year.
Dairy farmers are recommended to discuss with their agricultural adviser on what is the appropriate average level of crude protein percent (fresh weight basis) for their dairy cows for 2025 before making banding submission on the ICBF website.
Dairy farmers and advisers are reminded that the closing date for dairy banding submissions is 15 May 2025.
The new nitrates band screen is now available to all dairy farmers on the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) website.
The nitrates band screen allows dairy farmers to determine which milk kg/cow band their herd falls into for the purpose of the new nitrates requirements.
Dairy farmers will have the choice of three main options to determine their cow band for 2025:
Option one: select the rolling average for the three preceding years (2022, 2023, 2024).Option two: select previous year for milk supply (2024).Option three: select to use the herd’s 2025 average milk yield. This is available to new entrant dairy herds only.The ICBF has advised that new entrant dairy farmers should note their dairy cows will remain defaulted to 106 organic N/cow until 2026.
Milk and animal data and crude protein percentage can be verified by the Department of Agriculture in 2026 if selecting option three.
The ICBF will calculate the band by combining milk supply data from the co-op and dividing average cow numbers on the farm throughout the year (12-month average).
Dairy farmers who receive the dairy herd performance report will have their milk supply data available to submit their cow band to the Department.
Farmers will also be able to review their average annual cow numbers and milk supply details before submitting their cow band to the Department.
The ICBF has said that only the cow band will be submitted to the Department and milk supply data will not be transferred.
Dairy farmers can share their cow band with the Department by clicking on the ‘Submit to DAFM’ button on the screen.
The ICBF has encouraged dairy farmers to use this system to submit their data, as all the calculations are automatically generated on their behalf.
Crude protein
Dairy farmers can also select what percentage of crude protein they wish to feed their dairy cows in 2025 on the nitrates band screen. Crude protein percentage is calculated on a year-round average based on fresh weight of crude protein.
Farmers must retain feed invoices, which DAFM may request to verify crude protein percentage concentrates fed to dairy cows. This will impact the level of organic N/cow produced in the year.
Dairy farmers are recommended to discuss with their agricultural adviser on what is the appropriate average level of crude protein percent (fresh weight basis) for their dairy cows for 2025 before making banding submission on the ICBF website.
Dairy farmers and advisers are reminded that the closing date for dairy banding submissions is 15 May 2025.
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