Séamus Brennan is farming in Attanagh, Co Laois, on a 100-acre milking platform, milking 125 Holstein Friesian cows.
His cows are in band two of the nitrates banding, at 92kg nitrogen (N) per cow. The soil type on the farm is predominantly free-draining.
The farm is in derogation and is stocked at 219.34kg organic N/ha. Séamus farms with his wife Michelle, mother Vera and children Paddy, Mary-Kate, Seán and Sinéad.
Performance
Séamus’s herd has an economic breeding index (EBI) of €234. The farm’s carbon number is 0.81kg CO2e/kg of fat- and protein-corrected milk (FPCM).
The nitrogen balance on the farm is 186kg N/ha. In 2024, the farm produced 504kg of milk solids, supplying Tirlán. The farm grew 10t of grass DM/ha. The cows were fed 1.27t of meal/cow.
Soil fertility and management is important on the farm due to the soil type being free-draining. Measures such as soil testing, lime application and only applying nutrients and fertilisers when necessary are all measures taken to ensure efficiency.
Farm area
The farm is located near the River Ouveg. This river drains into the River Nore, which is connected to the estuary at Inistioge.
This is one of 20 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) water quality monitoring sites in Ireland.
Tirlán hosted its 'Farming for the Future' farm walk and talk on the Brennan farm last summer. \ Claire Nash
The River Nore has shown a declining trend in nitrogen levels since 2019 and, under the next nitrates action programme, will be one of four catchments where derogation farmers will have to reduce chemical nitrogen application and use wider buffer strips when spreading manure and fertiliser.
In Ireland, nitrogen in water pollution predominantly originates from agricultural sources. The average nitrogen levels for the River Ouveg from 2022 to present was 2.5mg/l N, with the target level at 2.6mg/L N.
Farming for Water EIP
Séamus is participating in the Farming for Water Euorpean Innovation Partnership (EIP) programme, which is run by Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) in partnership with Teagasc and Dairy Industry Ireland.
There is €60m funding in this scheme to encourage farmers to take up additional water quality measures and reduce pollution from agricultural sources.
In 2025, the average value of applications by farmers to the scheme was €13,000 per farmer.
There are 43 measures available to implement on this programme that are suitable to all sectors such as dairy, beef, sheep and tillage. Farmers work with an Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) adviser to choose and implement some of these measures on their farm, on an individual farm basis.
The rainwater management programme is a mandatory measure that all farmers must undertake. This is developed with the ASSAP adviser, who can assess and advise farmers about the rainwater collection in their farmyard and buildings and also rainwater flow across the entire farm.
Fields have different topography, soil type, shelter and hedgerow presence, which all influences the flow of rainwater across the farm. All these factors must be considered into a rainwater management plan.
There is a €250 payment for the farmer for implementing the plan. Séamus also had to attend a farmer training course and received €156 for completing the course.
Seamus Brennan has implemented several measures from the Farming for Water programme. \ Claire Nash
Séamus has implemented other measures from the programme that best suit his farm, including:
Nitrogen surplus plan: this is to better utilise nitrogen on the farm. The surplus figure is calculated through AgNav and the farmer receives €250 per year to implement the plan.
Farmyard bucket and brush: this is a tractor-mounted tool that can be used to sweep up sediment and clean grey water areas. Farmers can receive 50% of the value of the bucket and brush up to €2,000. Slurry testing: this helps farmers better utilise their slurry, as they know what type and amount of nutrients they need to supplement from other sources. The farmer receives €280 for carrying out a slurry test.
Séamus Brennan is farming in Attanagh, Co Laois, on a 100-acre milking platform, milking 125 Holstein Friesian cows.
His cows are in band two of the nitrates banding, at 92kg nitrogen (N) per cow. The soil type on the farm is predominantly free-draining.
The farm is in derogation and is stocked at 219.34kg organic N/ha. Séamus farms with his wife Michelle, mother Vera and children Paddy, Mary-Kate, Seán and Sinéad.
Performance
Séamus’s herd has an economic breeding index (EBI) of €234. The farm’s carbon number is 0.81kg CO2e/kg of fat- and protein-corrected milk (FPCM).
The nitrogen balance on the farm is 186kg N/ha. In 2024, the farm produced 504kg of milk solids, supplying Tirlán. The farm grew 10t of grass DM/ha. The cows were fed 1.27t of meal/cow.
Soil fertility and management is important on the farm due to the soil type being free-draining. Measures such as soil testing, lime application and only applying nutrients and fertilisers when necessary are all measures taken to ensure efficiency.
Farm area
The farm is located near the River Ouveg. This river drains into the River Nore, which is connected to the estuary at Inistioge.
This is one of 20 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) water quality monitoring sites in Ireland.
Tirlán hosted its 'Farming for the Future' farm walk and talk on the Brennan farm last summer. \ Claire Nash
The River Nore has shown a declining trend in nitrogen levels since 2019 and, under the next nitrates action programme, will be one of four catchments where derogation farmers will have to reduce chemical nitrogen application and use wider buffer strips when spreading manure and fertiliser.
In Ireland, nitrogen in water pollution predominantly originates from agricultural sources. The average nitrogen levels for the River Ouveg from 2022 to present was 2.5mg/l N, with the target level at 2.6mg/L N.
Farming for Water EIP
Séamus is participating in the Farming for Water Euorpean Innovation Partnership (EIP) programme, which is run by Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) in partnership with Teagasc and Dairy Industry Ireland.
There is €60m funding in this scheme to encourage farmers to take up additional water quality measures and reduce pollution from agricultural sources.
In 2025, the average value of applications by farmers to the scheme was €13,000 per farmer.
There are 43 measures available to implement on this programme that are suitable to all sectors such as dairy, beef, sheep and tillage. Farmers work with an Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) adviser to choose and implement some of these measures on their farm, on an individual farm basis.
The rainwater management programme is a mandatory measure that all farmers must undertake. This is developed with the ASSAP adviser, who can assess and advise farmers about the rainwater collection in their farmyard and buildings and also rainwater flow across the entire farm.
Fields have different topography, soil type, shelter and hedgerow presence, which all influences the flow of rainwater across the farm. All these factors must be considered into a rainwater management plan.
There is a €250 payment for the farmer for implementing the plan. Séamus also had to attend a farmer training course and received €156 for completing the course.
Seamus Brennan has implemented several measures from the Farming for Water programme. \ Claire Nash
Séamus has implemented other measures from the programme that best suit his farm, including:
Nitrogen surplus plan: this is to better utilise nitrogen on the farm. The surplus figure is calculated through AgNav and the farmer receives €250 per year to implement the plan.
Farmyard bucket and brush: this is a tractor-mounted tool that can be used to sweep up sediment and clean grey water areas. Farmers can receive 50% of the value of the bucket and brush up to €2,000. Slurry testing: this helps farmers better utilise their slurry, as they know what type and amount of nutrients they need to supplement from other sources. The farmer receives €280 for carrying out a slurry test. 
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