Latest news with #NationalDairyAwards
Agriland
2 days ago
- Business
- Agriland
Sustainable gains: Clover success for Co. Limerick dairy farmer
Irish livestock farming is evolving and farmers are embracing solutions to drive both profitability and sustainability. Niall Moloney is a multi-award-winning dairy farmer working alongside his father, Gerry, in Crecora, Co. Limerick. The 2018 Teagasc Young Grassland Farmer of the Year, Niall was then crowned Germinal Responsible Grassland Manager of the Year at the 2023 National Dairy Awards after showcasing his talent for sustainable dairy farming. Having been farming on almost 97ha over three blocks, Niall and his father acquired an additional 15ha to bring the total area farmed to 112ha over four blocks. By September 2024, they had grown their herd to 170 cows on a 51ha platform. Understanding soil fertility is foundational For Niall, understanding and nurturing soil fertility is crucial. He explained: 'We soil test every year, that's non-negotiable. Over the years, soil fertility will drop in some fields where you don't expect it to, and you can react a lot quicker and get those fields back to optimising growing grass again. 'I even pick grasses for different types of soil in different places on the farm,' he explains. This meticulous approach ensures that every paddock is performing at its best, laying the groundwork for producing quality grass and forage. Niall estimates that 60% of the farm is on dry, free-draining soil, while the remainder is on heavier, more peaty soils. Clover supports self-sufficiency Faced with increasing input costs and soaring fertiliser prices, and the uncertainties around the Nitrates Directive derogation, Niall turned to Germinal's Climate Smart clover mixtures to help him reduce chemical inputs and boost sustainability, while maintaining output and performance. 'We're trying to use clover as much as we can to reduce chemical nitrogen inputs, and it does work. 'In the past, when spreading first-cut silage, you were using an awful lot of fertiliser. With red clover silage, we've pretty much erased that. 'The results speak for themselves. You notice it straight away at the end of the year, especially when fertiliser was rising to €1,000 per tonne,' Niall said. Germinal's technical director, Dr. Mary McEvoy, highlights the impact: 'Clover has a lot to offer. We can maintain our improved quality of the feed, but the real win is the ability of clover to fix nitrogen, reducing the need we have for nitrogen fertiliser. 'The Department of Agriculture in Ireland continues to prioritise reducing emissions and using clover on farms. 'Farmers are responding and we are seeing a major uptake in the number of mixtures we are being asked for with a higher clover content compared to the past.' As part of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) Red Clover Silage Measure, Niall sowed a Germinal mixture across 16ac in 2022. Seeing the results, Niall sowed an additional 30ac in 2023. In a good year, he can produce 15t/ha of red clover silage. When reseeding with a red clover mixture, Niall aims for early April to get a quicker turnaround time. He completes two runs with the disc and uses a power harrow with a seedbox for sowing. Sustainable grassland tips When discussing the concept of performance plus sustainability, Niall explains that both are required if farmers are to be profitable and climate smart. Here's what Niall is doing to reduce emissions on-farm: Start from the ground up and soil test every year. Maintain correct soil pH with a liming programme. Only apply fertilisers where they are needed. Reseed underperforming fields with clover to maximise grass growth. Cut back on nitrogen fertiliser once clover is established, and particularly when temperatures rise and clovers are fixing nitrogen. Low emission slurry spreading – once permitted, get slurry out early under the right ground conditions. Use protected urea for an early top dressing of nitrogen. Performance plus sustainability Germinal has just launched five new Climate Smart seed mixture ranges designed to deliver on performance and sustainability for Irish grassland farmers. Niall is using Germinal's Red Clover Silage mixture from the Climate Smart RESTORE range. Ready to take control of your grass and forage production?
Agriland
09-05-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Deadline only 4 days away for National Dairy Awards
The deadline to enter the National Dairy Awards is only a few days away, and farmers or their friends are being urged to get nominations in before it is too late. Agriland Media Group is delighted to be partnering with Agri Insider to bring you the 3rd Annual National Dairy Awards, which take place at the Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise, Co. Laois on June 19. The awards, initially launched in 2023, have quickly become the leading agricultural awards in the country. The deadline for nominations is Monday, May 12 and the entry process is really straightforward. To enter,click here, fill in your details, answer four or five questions relevant to your entry, review, and submit – it is that simple. The whole process takes less than an hour and you do not have to do everything in one go. You can start your entry, save it, come back and edit as many times as you want up to the deadline and, when you are happy with it, just press 'submit'. So, now is not the time to be modest. We want to hear from you! Or equally, do you know someone who is doing great work but out of humility would not dream of entering themselves? The plaudits and publicity that go with being a finalist, much less a winner, are definitely worth an hour of anyone's time. About the National Dairy Awards 'The best night in the dairy calendar' is a black-tie event celebrating the farmer, farm manager, dairy adviser, dairy vet, and the dairy innovators. The awards recognise your dedication and hard work. This celebration of excellence also extends beyond the farm to the artisan champions, the processors, the discussion groups, and the industry leaders, who are blazing a trail in ingenuity, creativity, and sustainability. There are 21 awards up for grabs across five main categories: Farmer Awards; Farm Network Awards; Dairy Produce Awards; Processing Awards; Headline Awards. So, if you would like to compare yourself against the best, please enter. We want to hear from you. Further information: Click here for further information on the awards and categories; for further information on the awards and categories; Click here for further information on the nomination and judging process; for further information on the nomination and judging process; Click here for further information on tickets; for further information on tickets; If you have any further questions, please contact: michael@ or 046-9732258. We do hope you enter and all going well hope to see you on June 19.
Agriland
29-04-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Deadline looming for entries to National Dairy Awards
The countdown is on to the 3rd Annual National Dairy Awards anf farmers are being urged to get their entries in now. The deadline for entries to this year's National Dairy Awards is Monday, May 12, less than a fortnight away. So, if you plan on entering yourself or nominating someone else, organisers are advising you to act quickly and get your entry in now. The awards ceremony will take place at a gala black-tie ceremony at Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise on the evening of June 19, 2025. National Dairy Awards What has been described as 'the best night in the dairy calendar' celebrates the farmer, farm manager, dairy advisor, dairy vet and the dairy innovators. The awards recognise dedication and hard work of those working in the dairy sector. This celebration of excellence also extends beyond the farm to the artisan champions, the processors, the discussion groups and the industry leaders. The awards applaud dairy champions and act as a meeting place to bring the entire dairy eco-system together for a great night of celebration and recognition. So, if you are or you know somebody doing great work in dairy, now is not the time to be modest. You are encouraged to enter yourself or nominate an entrant in order to be recognised. Claire Bailey Archibald, area sales manager, Germinal presents the Germinal Responsible Dairy Grassland Manager of the year award 2024 to Martin Ryan, dairy farmer, Tipperary at the 2024 National Dairy Awards The entry will take less than an hour to complete but the awards organisers have said that it could be the best use of an hour of your time this year. Categories A large number of entries have already been received, but with 21 categories, there is an opportunity for everyone to participate. 'We particularly want to hear from our farmers and encourage them to enter one or more of the six farmer-focused categories: Biodiversity Dairy Farmer of the year; Tech Innovator Dairy Farmer of the year; Animal Health Dairy Farmer of the year; Sustainable Dairy Grassland Manager of the year; Young Dairy Farmer of the year; Dairy Farm Manager of the year,' a spokesperson for the National Dairy Awards said. The National Dairy Awards are a joint promotion of Agri Insider and Agriland and are sponsored by: AXA; Mullinahone Co-op; Munster Bovine; Germinal; IFAC; Calor; Chanelle Pharma; Cormac Tagging; Local Power; Kerry Dairy Ireland; Carbery Group; FRS Co-op; Green Acre Marketing; Lely; and PTSB.
