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The ability of modern dairying systems to focus on high output, but in an environmentally friendly system, was the key focus of a Dairy Council NI organised visit as part of the EU Sustainable Programme earlier this week.
The host was Hall Donnell, who milks 110 cows in partnership with his parents Derick and Sylvia on 210 acres at Ballymagorry, near Strabane.
Milk yield averaged 8,166l/cow last year, with butterfat at 3.94% and 3.22% protein. The herd is milked through two GEA robots with cows having access to grazing from 7am to 6pm. Concentrate amounts to 2.3t/cow, giving 2,957l of milk from forage and a feed rate of 0.29kg/l of milk produced.
Electricity
Solar panels were installed in 2013 and repaid in a four-year period. The 20kW panels produce all electricity used by the farm, as well as dwelling houses. Surplus electricity is sold into the main grid.
Last year, electricity used was valued at £3,399, with electricity sold and ROC payments worth £4,615, resulting in a surplus income of £915.
Water
Plate coolers reduce milk cooling costs, with refrigeration gas circulated to heating water used to wash milking robots and the bulk tank. The farm also uses a trailing shoe to apply slurry, which has reduced chemical fertiliser use by 40% inside four years.
“The long-term aim is to take the farm off the grid and operate a self-sufficient, profitable dairy enterprise,” said Hall.
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