Home farm: “I come from a 60ac calf-to-beef farm; myself and my brother Liam help my father William.”

Dairy: “I have always had a big interest in dairy. I did a level six advanced certificate in dairy herd management in Kildalton and then I went on to do a professional diploma in dairy farm management in Moorepark. I got a lot of knowledge through placements and wouldn’t be where I am today without it.”

Lease: “I’m currently in my second year of a 10-year full-farm lease. There’s a 50ac milking block and a 30ac off-farm block. When finished college, I wanted to progress my career and be responsible for my own herd so I went this route. It helps to have a good relationship and communication with the owner.”

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I’m milking: “Sixty cows this year and planning to increase to 70 next year. I started milking on the farm in January 2025. I got some of the stock through Grasstec from the Next Generation Herd in Moorepark and a few were already on the farm.”

Production: “At the moment the cows are doing an average of 25.5l per day, 3.8% protein and 4.9% butterfat.”

Breeding: “Fifty-eight percent were submitted in first nine days, I did three weeks of pre-breeding and I’m using the ‘why wait’ program for cycling cows. For example, in week one of breeding I injected cows from week two of pre-breeding to bring them into heat a week earlier. I’m also using scratch cards for heat detection this year. Forty-seven sexed straws are being used on the best cows and some beef AI, Belgian Blues and Speckled Parks. Two Angus stock bulls will go in with the cows and one Angus stock bull is in with the heifers.”

Silage: “10% of milking block was cut on Tuesday and baled on Wednesday. The first cut of 30ac on the out-farm will hopefully be cut around 25 May.”

Grazing: “It’s a dry farm, 30% of the farm was grazed by 1 March and 50% by Paddy’s day. The second round of grazing started on 31 March. The farm cover is 676Kg DM/Ha, growth is 80Kg DM/Ha and demand is 62Kg DM/Ha.”

Off-farm: “I also milk five days a week for another local dairy farmer, there’s 240 cows milking with a rapid exit milking parlour, split spring and autumn calving.”