NDC and Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards winners John and Maria Walsh with their three children, Claire, Helena and Brendan, of Ballylooby, Cahir, Co Tipperary.
ADVERTISEMENT
It is clear the country’s dairy farmers are making progress on the milk quality front.
At the National Dairy Council (NDC) and Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards this week, the message was clear: milk protein is increasing, milk fat is increasing and somatic cell count is going down.
Amazingly this year’s 14 shortlisted entrants in the Quality Milk Awards all essentially supplied milk with an SCC under 100,000 cells/ml. We understand nationally that the average SCC figure has dropped under 200,000 cells/ml.
ADVERTISEMENT
This is a significant and valuable improvement considering it comes at the same time as national milk production in the south has grown from 5bn to over 7bn litres in less than three years.
Fat and protein concentrations are increasing as a result of better breeding decisions and more grass being present in the diet.
The template that the overall winners – the Walsh family in Tipperary – follow and are delivering upon is the core of Irish production and one that is sustainable at farm and industry level. Congratulations to all involved.
Register for free to read this story and our free stories.
This content is available to digital subscribers and loyalty code users only. Sign in to your account, use the code or subscribe to get unlimited access.
The reader loyalty code gives you full access to the site from when you enter it until the following Wednesday at 9pm. Find your unique code on the back page of Irish Country Living every week.
CODE ACCEPTED
You have full access to the site until next Wednesday at 9pm.
CODE NOT VALID
Please try again or contact support.
It is clear the country’s dairy farmers are making progress on the milk quality front.
At the National Dairy Council (NDC) and Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards this week, the message was clear: milk protein is increasing, milk fat is increasing and somatic cell count is going down.
Amazingly this year’s 14 shortlisted entrants in the Quality Milk Awards all essentially supplied milk with an SCC under 100,000 cells/ml. We understand nationally that the average SCC figure has dropped under 200,000 cells/ml.
This is a significant and valuable improvement considering it comes at the same time as national milk production in the south has grown from 5bn to over 7bn litres in less than three years.
Fat and protein concentrations are increasing as a result of better breeding decisions and more grass being present in the diet.
The template that the overall winners – the Walsh family in Tipperary – follow and are delivering upon is the core of Irish production and one that is sustainable at farm and industry level. Congratulations to all involved.
If you would like to speak to a member of our team, please call us on 01-4199525.
Link sent to your email address
We have sent an email to your address. Please click on the link in this email to reset your password. If you can't find it in your inbox, please check your spam folder. If you can't find the email, please call us on 01-4199525.
ENTER YOUR LOYALTY CODE:
The reader loyalty code gives you full access to the site from when you enter it until the following Wednesday at 9pm. Find your unique code on the back page of Irish Country Living every week.
SHARING OPTIONS