Latest news with #DekeanaHerd
Agriland
2 days ago
- General
- Agriland
Drive for 600kg MS/cow through breeding & grass in Co. Tipperary
The Derinsallow Herd in Co. Tipperary are driving for 600kg milk solids (MS)/cow this year through effective breeding and grassland management. Jim and Brenda Murray's herd on the Tipperary/Offaly border near Birr was the centre of attention at the Irish Holstein Friesian Association's Focus Farm Walk. The event highlighted six different farms from across the country, all of whom displayed their farm system and were IHFA herds. Yet, every system was different, as every farmer had their own way of making money and milking cows. IHFA chief executive, Laurence Feeney said: "Irish dairying is built on the black-and-white cow, and the Holstein Friesian breed also displays huge variation, and this means that there is a black-and-white cow to suit all farming systems". The six herds and farm systems on display on the day were as follows: Jim and Brenda Murray - Derrinsallow Herd, Co. Tipperary; TJ and Ryan Meegan - Munta Herd, Co. Louth; Maurice Harty - Ballylongane, Co. Kerry PJ Brennan - Monataggart Herd, Co. Waterford; Henry and Sam Dudley - Dekeana Herd, Co. Tipperary - Agriland visited the Dekeana Herd a couple of weeks ago and talked to Sam about his system on 'The Dairy Trail' podcast. Click here to listen Michael McNamara - Barna Herd, Co. Cork. The host farmer, Jim Murray was the first to explain to attendees how he farms, with grass and breeding the focus. He said: "An ounce of breeding is worth a tonne of meal". Jim and Brenda Murray are currently milking 72 cows through a 12-unit parlour with help from their two daughters when they are home. The calving season started on February 6 and finished up on April 22 this year with a calving interval of 362 days, reflecting strong fertility performance from the herd. In 2024, the herd produced 7,155kg of milk/cow with 4.42% fat and 3.66% protein, which added up to 576kg of MS/cow. Jim commented that they already 30kg of MS/cow ahead from this time last year and he is predicting that they will break the 600kg MS/cow mark with an extra 150kg of milk/cow. Jim Murray talking to attendees about his farm system Jim believed that this improvement is stemming from the better weather conditions, grass growth, and the improved genetics coming through the herd. The farmer believes that everyone should have more heifers than what is recommended. "To improve your herd, have too many heifers and pick from the best". Jim also mentioned that "everyone should be thinking of joining the genotyping programme" as it gives a true reflection of the breeding in your herd. In terms of the breeding programme on the farm, Jim uses eight genomic bulls in an effort to improve fat and protein in the herd as well as the health sub-index. Jim uses SireAdvice to match up bulls to cows as he said "no two cows are the same". He matches high solids percentages to high yielders and put more milkier bulls to low yielders with high percentages and is aiming to move from a milk sub-index of €80 to €100. Keeping things simple and utilising as much grass as possible is extremely important to the Murrays, as they only fed 1t of concentrates/ cow last year despite the challenging conditions. The conformation average of the herd is 81 points and the average parity of the herd is 3.67 with a lifetime value/day of €3.51, proving that the cows are doing the business. A number of cows were highlighted on the day for having strong dairy traits, capacity, and udders Aine Murray - who is one of two daughters involved on the farm as well as a research officer with Teagasc - explained how focused the Murrays are on utilising grass and converting it to a profitable milk output. Aine explained that a couple of years ago they upped the amount of grass walks on the farm from 20 to 30 a year. They also began updating soil tests on a regular basis and using them effectively towards a nutrient management plan. From the soil test results, the Murrays have been able to go out spreading with targeted applications, which lead to more grass grown in economically sustainable fashion. The farm is now reseeding more and more every year, targeting paddocks that are underperforming, with 20% less tonnage grown/year then the rest. Aine Murray talking about the grassland management on the farm and the steps to incorporating more clover The farm is currently growing around 14.5t DM/ha each year. According to Aine, "Any paddock growing around 12t DM/ha will be earmarked for reseeding." Every reseed will be targeted with at least 2kg/acre of clover as a lot as Aine claimed that a farm with 20% of an average clover content, it will lead to a 30% increase in milk solids, can reduce nitrogen inputs by up to 100kg N/ha and increase profits by €504/ha. A big change on the farm was also an upgrade of the farm infrastructure, as the paddock sizes were increased to allow for optimal clean outs and more access points added to allow for grazing in more challenging conditions. Between a range of different measures to improve grazing and grass intake on the farm, the Murrays are achieving eight to nine grazings in each paddock per year and are now ready to break that 600kg of milk solids/cow target.
Agriland
19-06-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Six Irish dairy farms setting the standard in 2025
From across the country, six standout dairy farmers are proving that dedication, innovation, and strong cow families still lie at the heart of modern Irish dairying. In an era where many challenges are facing the Irish dairy industry, these exemplary herds are showing that success is not one-size-fits-all. They come from different backgrounds and run very different systems, but they all share a focus on what matters – healthy fertile cows that perform year after year, strong genetics, and a system that works for their individual dairy farm and family. With their stories evolving from generations of hard work, a deep-rooted passion for cows, and an ability to adapt to the times, these farmers are quietly shaping the future of Irish dairying. Jim and Brenda Murray – Derrinsallow Herd, Co. Tipperary On the Tipperary-Offaly border near Birr, Jim and Brenda Murray, with help from their two daughters when home from Cork, manage the Derrinsallow Herd — a compact, efficient and high-performing system. On just 66ac of grazing platform, they milk 72 pedigree Holstein cows through a 12-unit herringbone parlour. The farm has been in the Murray family since the 1950s. Since taking over, second-generation farmer Jim graded the herd up to pedigree status in 2005. With a sharp focus on EBI, fertility, and milk solids, the herd averages 7,155kg of milk with fat at 4.42% and protein at 3.66%. A somatic cell count (SCC) of just 57 reflects strong herd health and management. Brenda and Jim Murray. Source IHFA The dairy herd is 100% homebred, featuring elite cow families like the Alices and Agneses — the cornerstones of generations of high-performing daughters. Jim has bred five AI bulls, including the influential Derrinsallow 812 Arthur (DSU), who has over 3,000 pedigree-registered daughters in Ireland. Operating a spring-calving system, calving was completed by April 22 this year. AI is used for most of the breeding season, with dairy stock bulls cleaning up the final three weeks. Surplus heifers are sold either privately or through Birr Mart. Each year, Jim selects a team of eight bulls from Progressive Genetics and Dovea, targeting improvements in solids, herd health and EBI. More recently, he has focused on raising the Milk Sub Index, aiming for €100+ bulls. With a low-input system — just 1t of concentrates per cow annually — the Murrays show that clever genetics and disciplined grassland management deliver results. Their 362-day calving interval is a reflection of excellent fertility and operational consistency. This consistency was marked in 2023 and again in 2024 when Jim was recognised as an IHFA Master Breeder. Henry and Sam Dudley – Dekeana Herd, Co. Tipperary Farming along the river that gives their herd its name, Henry and Sam Dudley are a dedicated father-and-son team in rural north Co. Tipperary. With 82 pure Friesian cows on 49 acres, the Dekeana Herd is the result of careful breeding and an unshakable commitment to cow quality. Henry's influence is rooted in generations of farming, but it is Sam — currently finishing his Ag Science degree at UCC — who represents the next chapter. Henry and Sam Dudley. Source: IHFA Their herd includes well-known Friesian lines like the Blossoms (from Micheal Spillane, Mountain Herd), the Lils (from Bill O'Connell's, Rossline herd), and the Savorys (from Bill Trousdell, Ardhu herd), selected for longevity, fertility, and solid production. Their vision is to ensure a herd where every cow is eligible for classification, and poor performers (feet, fertility, milking speed) are culled without hesitation. The herd is currently producing 7,021kg of milk with 528kgs of solids at 4.01% fat and 3.54% protein. Breeding is built around sexed semen for first services, followed by targeted beef or conventional artificial insemination (AI) and an Angus stock bull. This year's bull team features names like Bradash Patriot Red, Laharn Bruno, and Bradash Trailblazer, all sexed semen. The herd currently follows a 20% autumn and 80% spring calving pattern, with plans to move fully to spring for better labour efficiency. They milk in a 12-unit Delaval parlour with individual feeders. Cows are fed 1.1t of concentrate annually via the parlour, plus approximately 60t of a beet-maize blend in spring. With strong cow families behind them and a shared eye on the future, Henry and Sam Dudley are quietly shaping a Friesian herd built to last. PJ Brennan – Monataggart Herd, Co. Waterford In Co. Waterford, PJ Brennan farms with his wife Tracey, their children Éile and Seán, with support from his mother Helen and neighbour Seamus — who also helped PJ's late father John. The family milk 76 spring-calving cows on a farm he took over in 2011. PJ was inspired by the IHFA stand at the National Ploughing Championships to grade up his herd in 2022, after years of reliable milk recording and data. The herd Economic Breeding Index (EBI) currently stands at €263, averaging 7,013kgs of milk with remarkable fat and protein percentages (4.63% and 3.80%) Calving season starts late January, with over 85% calved in the first six weeks. PJ Brennan with his Monataggart herd. Source: IHFA Milk solids are a top priority — PJ selects AI sires based on a minimum of 33kg combined fat and protein, with close attention to percentages and positive 'Milk €' figures. His approach blends sexed, conventional, and Angus/Belgian Blue AI, rearing beef calves off-site. Infrastructure on the farm has transformed under PJ's leadership. Since 2016, he has added cubicles, a slatted tank, PV panels, and increased feed space — all designed to support a growing, efficient herd. Milking happens in a 12-unit Fullwood parlour with automatic cluster removers (ACRs), and cows are fed 1.2t of ration annually, along with spring beet. Keeping fifteen replacement heifers annually and ensuring strong cow families like the prolific Jameys carries the herd forward. The Montaggart herd epitomises efficiency and productivity. Michael McNamara – Barna Herd, Co. Cork On a 120ac platform in Newtownshandrum, Co. Cork, Michael McNamara, with daughters Rachel and Emma, manages the Barna Herd — a high-output, spring-calving operation supplying Kerry Agribusiness. From a modest 36 cows in 2004, the herd has grown to over 260 calvings per year, built on deep-rooted cow families and disciplined breeding. The Jills, Angels, Ingrids, and Cleanas are more than names — they're the foundation families on which the herd is built. Breeding strategies focus on fertility, milk solids and production and influential sires like Cogent Twist, Co-op Bosside Massey, Peak Mr Grey, and Westcoast Perseus have helped to shape the herd. As a result, the Barna herd is averaging 7,835kg of milk with 583kg of combined milk solids (l-r) Rachel, Michael, and Emma McNamara. Source IHFA Michael runs a tight spring-calving system with a calving interval of only 359 days, relying heavily on sexed semen (100% for heifers, 80% for cows) for the first three weeks. Conventional AI follows, with beef bulls cleaning up. A feed-to-yield system ensures top cows get what they need in the parlour. Michael's attention to detail is evident. In 2019, a cow he had purchased years earlier as a calf from the UK — Woodmarsh Cancun Lyme 2 — won multiple show championships, was Reserve Champion at the National Dairy Show, and named Best Cow in the Limerick-Clare Herds Competition. It was a crowning moment for a herd built on passion and hard work In 2024, Barna was crowned 1st place in the Elite Spring section of the National Herds Competition, well-deserved recognition for the years of dedication to breeding previous. TJ and Ryan Meegan – Munta Herd, Co. Louth In Co. Louth, TJ and Ryan Meegan are running a spring-calving herd that puts it focus on fertility, simplicity and profitability. With 314 cows on 178 acres, and around 100 calves reared annually, the Munta Herd balances size with attention to detail. After moving to 100% spring calving in 2022 to reduce labour demands and improve fertility, the Meegans now enjoy a streamlined system with a 90% AI'ed within three weeks and an 8% empty rate. All dairy AI is conventional — no sexed semen — and they have begun retaining six high-EBI bulls each year for maiden heifers. Genomic testing has shaped breeding for the past three years with the herd EBI now at €241 and the cows averaging 7,317kgs of milk at 4.10% fat and 3.58% protein. TJ and Ryan Meegan. Source: IHFA The herd calves from early February through April, milking through a 20-unit swing-over DeLaval parlour and monitored via SenseHub collars. Their diet feeder runs from September to April, reflecting the careful balance of inputs and output. TJ, who established the Munta prefix, having taken over the farm that was originally purchased in the 1950s, has put a lot of emphasis on genetics, breeding top AI bulls. One such bull, Munta Mystic, now has 1,300+ daughters in over 400 herds — a testament to the genetic strength behind the system. The Meegan family's operation is now a template for modern efficiency, with Ryan having joined the operation full time. The Meegans have managed to scale up without losing sight of the fundamentals: fertility, simplicity, and smart investment in genetics. Maurice Harty – Ballylongane Herd, Co. Kerry Overlooking Ballyheigue Strand in coastal Kerry, Maurice Harty and his family run the Ballylongane Herd, a dairy herd of high-yielding Holsteins established in 1968 by Maurice's father Martin. Milking 100 cows across a split-calving system, with 170–180 calvings per year, Maurice is supported by his wife Geraldine and their three children, Muiris, Gearoid, and Aisling. The cows are milked through a 16-unit Dairymaster parlour and diet-fed most of the year — using beet, barley, silage, and straw and a protein balancer. With 3.5t of concentrate fed per cow, Maurice prioritises output per animal — and it shows in the staggering 10,578kg milk and 811kg solids averages. Calving is split to allow a brief winter break and better use of labour and facilities. The farm's ground also grows cereals and beet, with 80% retained for on-farm feed use. Maurice and Geraldine Harty and their 3 children, Muiris, Gearoid and Aisling. Source: IHFA Maurice's eye for a cow is clear — strong, fertile, high-yielding animals with plenty of protein. Placing emphasis on positive daughter pregnancy rate (DPR) and linear traits, the herd features standout cow families like the Marys, Marthas, Lulus, Princesses, Peitjes, and Ravens. Sexed semen is used in two thirds of inseminations, complemented by Angus and Hereford, the herd has benefitted from heavy use of the SSI PR Renegade sire line, including sons Parfect and Trooper, and grandson Cirrus P. With scenic coastal views and a hardworking herd, Ballylongane shows what is possible when long-standing tradition is matched by modern ambition. Across every farm, one thing is clear — Irish dairying is in good hands. These farmers are not just chasing numbers; they're building systems that work for their land, their animals, and their families. With a strong focus on breeding and genetics, they balance tradition with progress. No matter the size of the herd or the type of system, the goal is the same – to do things well and keep improving. Focus Farm Walk There will be two Focus Farm Walk events, both taking place in August, with dates and locations to be confirmed. Please keep your eyes pealed for updates across the IHFA social media platforms.
