Latest news with #Teagasc
Agriland
a day ago
- Health
- Agriland
Weather conditions may offer perfect environment for lungworm to develop
After a few weeks of dry and warm weather, the recent rainfall may have created the perfect environment for lungworm development. Lungworm, also known as 'hoose', is a respiratory disease caused by the roundworm parasite Dictyocaulus viviparous and usually thrives and multiplies in humid conditions following rainfall. As the last couple of weeks have been dry, many animals will have experienced low levels of worm burdens thus far. However, with rainfall over the last week expected to continue into next week, vigilance is key. An infection starts off with one or two animals struggling to catch their breadth or coughing, and can quickly spread and affect cows within the herd. It is often more noticeable when cattle are being moved, as they can begin to struggle with breathing. Coughing can then quickly turn into pneumonia. Lungworm Lungworm has a number of phases. Adult lungworms live in the lungs and lay eggs, which are coughed up and swallowed. Older animals such as yearling or adults may serve as carriers over the winter, as some adult worms will survive in the lung. These eggs will then hatch and develop into stage one larvae as it is passed through the intestine before being released in the dung, where the larvae will then develop in stage three in the dung pat. When rain falls, or through the aid of the fungus Pilobolus spreading its spores, the splashing effect helps the stage three larvae travel from the dung pat up the grass plant, ready to be ingested by the animal. Once ingested, the larvae is passed from the intestine to the lung and grow into adult worms, piercing their way through the intestinal wall to move into the blood and lymphatic system to get to the lungs. It may take up to 24-28 days from the larvae being eaten to the passing of eggs but if the weather is warm, up around 20℃ and humid, infectious larvae may be available on pasture within seven days, according to Teagasc. Young calves that are on their first season of grazing are most susceptible to pick up lungworm, so they should be closely monitored for any clinical signs. Paddocks that were grazed by calves the year before are at a higher risk of contamination due to over-wintering of larvae. The risk assessment of different pastures at spring and mid summer as per Animal Health Ireland (AHI) are as follows: Time High-risk pastures Medium-risk pastures Low-risk pastures Spring Grazed by young calves in the previous year. Grazed by lungworm-infected cattle in the previous year Grazed only by cows or yearlings with no history of hoose in the previous year New pasture. Grazed by sheep or used for hay or silage only in the previous year Mid-summer Grazed by young calves in the spring Grazed only by cows or yearlings with no history of hoose Grazed by sheep or after grass (used only for silage or hay in the first half of the season) So, symptoms normally are seen in young cattle in their first grazing season, typically in the latter part of the summer. Symptoms will vary depending on the number of larvae ingested and on the animals immune response, but are as follows: Mildly affected animals will be coughing on and off, especially after exercise; Moderately affected animals will cough regularly at rest and have an increased respiratory rate; Severely affected animals will have difficulty breathing and may adapt a stance where the head and neck stretch out, mouth is open and the tongue hangs out; Lung damage can be severe and the damage can sometimes be irreversible, so mortality can occur despite the removal of worms with an anthelmintic; In milking cows, it can cause a severe drop in milk yield and this can occur before coughing; The problem is that when cows are affected, they are more susceptible to other respiratory pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. If a lungworm infection has been identified, treatment with one of the three classes of anthelmintic (white, yellow, clear) will be required. Treatment of the whole group should be done quickly after the appearance of clinical signs in order to limit the impact of the infection. If lungworm treatment gets delayed, lung damage may become severe and be untreatable and if heavy infections of lungworm are suspected within your calves or in your herd, your vet should be contacted to seek advice before treatment.
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
The ‘Stay Safe with Jessy' competition brings farm safety to the classroom
Teagasc is proud to announce the launch of the 'Stay Safe with Jessy' farm safety art competition and webinar, a new initiative aimed at promoting farm safety among children. The competition invites all primary school-going children across Ireland to participate in creating pieces of art that highlight the importance of safety practices in agriculture and on Irish farms. The art competition will be followed by a live webinar on Thursday, June 19, at 11am. This 40-minute webinar, hosted by Alison Maloney of Teagasc, will be live-streamed from the Teagasc studio in Oak Park, Carlow. Joining Alison in the studio will be Jessy the Sheepdog and Francis Bligh, Farm Safety Specialist in Teagasc. They will be going live to St Joseph's National School in Rathwire, County Westmeath, where Alma Jordan from Agrikids will be discussing farm safety with students. During the webinar on June 19, winners of the art competition will be announced. There are three prize categories in the art competition, with an overall winner and runner-up in each. The categories are: Junior and Senior Infants; 1st–3rd Class; and 4th–6th Class. Get your entries in quickly, as the closing date is Friday, June 6 at 5pm. Prizes include Smyths Toys vouchers to the value of €100 for each category winner, and an Agrikids Farm Safety Workshop with Alma Jordan for their school during the 2025/2026 school year. Each runner-up will receive a €25 Smyths Toys voucher. In addition, each winner will receive a Lily Nolan Memorial Trophy for their school. Jessy the Sheepdog was originally developed in 2007 by the late Lily Nolan of Teagasc and the HSA. The storyline in the original book follows a dog called Jessy and her three puppies as they encounter various dangers on the farm. The book is available to download here. Francis Bligh, Farm Safety Specialist in Teagasc, said: 'Farms can be dangerous places, especially for children. Through this campaign, we will be highlighting the main dangers and risks on farms, how to avoid them, and how to stay safe.' Alison Maloney, Digital and Online Communications Specialist with Teagasc, said: 'I'm looking forward to hosting the Stay Safe with Jessy event. I'm thrilled to see Jessy come to life, and I would encourage all teachers and parents to support children in participating in the campaign. It's a great opportunity to start the conversation around farm safety with children who live on or visit farms.' 'It's been a real privilege to work alongside Teagasc on the Stay Safe with Jessy campaign,' added Alma Jordan of Agrikids. 'This initiative is specifically focused on children, who can be powerful messengers for safety at home and on the farm. By making these lessons engaging and age-appropriate, we're helping to build safer habits from a young age — and that can have a lasting impact.'
Agriland
2 days ago
- Business
- Agriland
Share Farming EIP set to launch in coming months
A new European Innovation Partnership (EIP) project focused on share farming as an effective generational renewal option is set to launch in the coming months. Over €300,000 has been allocated to the project developed by The Land Mobility Service, in conjunction with Teagasc, Succession Ireland, Macra, and Lakeland Dairies. It was among three new EIP projects on the theme of generational renewal to secure funding from the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine (DAFM) and the EU earlier this year. Share Farming EIP The Share Farming EIP, which will run in the Lakeland Dairies catchment area, leverages the concept of share farming as an effective mechanism to bridge the gap between retiring landowners and aspiring young farmers. It aims to create opportunities while availing of existing environmentally compliant infrastructure, reduced financial outlay, relationship building, and asset and income security to deliver sustainable farm arrangements. Access to land has long been highlighted as a barrier to generational renewal. Land leasing and purchase favours established farmers and people with significant financial resources, including non-farmers. Patrick Brady, land mobility coordinator in Lakeland Dairies catchment area, told Agriland that it is hoped the new project will be rolled out over the coming months. 'It's a three-year project so we'll be looking for young trained farmers and landowners looking to retire or step back in order to participate in that project. We're starting hopefully from July onwards for three years,' he said. Agreement Share Farming is where two or more people come together to farm the same piece of ground. Both the landowner and share farmer will manage the farm jointly. The share farmer is responsible for farm operations and day-to-day management, with the landowner typically providing the land and infrastructure. The core objectives of the Share Farming EIP include: Establishing share farming agreements, involving young trained farmers and landowners; Providing comprehensive support to participants, covering farm and financial planning, communication, and sustainability practices; Demonstrating the benefits and scalability of share farming as a model for generational renewal. By the end of the project, participating young farmers will be operating as share farmers with the necessary skills and experience to operate independently. Meanwhile, retiring landowners will transition from active farming with confidence for the future of their land, according to the project team. There are a number of possible advantages of share farming, including: The landowner continues to be a farmer; The young person becomes a farmer as part of a good farm business with significantly less finance than would be the case with a lease or purchase; Share Farming requires a lower level of finance, equity and capital investment than land purchase or leasing. Also, existing infrastructure is fully utilised. This enables good farm care and performance; Both parties are separate from a tax and business perspective. The Share Farming EIP is aiming to address systemic challenges in Irish agriculture by introducing an innovative approach to land access and management. 'At its core, share farming involves two parties—a landowner and a young farmer—collaborating on farm operations while sharing responsibilities, risks, and rewards. 'This arrangement allows both parties to benefit, landowners can step back from daily operations while retaining income and oversight, and young farmers gain access to land and develop their farm business,' the project team said.
Agriland
2 days ago
- Business
- Agriland
Dairy Focus: Keeping breeding simple but effective in Co. Tipperary
At a recent Teagasc/Dairygold farm walk in Co. Tipperary, dairy farmer Mark Lonergan highlighted his breeding performance and how conception rates have been going so far, four weeks into the breeding season. Lonergan is milking 107 cows this year after reducing his cow numbers to bring down his stocking rate so he can match growth rates with demand during the mid-season, cutting down on silage and meal costs. The farm was also up at 250kg organic nitrogen (N)/ha and with an additional 8ac of land being rented and the reduction of cow numbers, the stocking rate last year sat at 206kg N/ha, leaving the farm comfortably stocked. Grassland management and breeding quality replacements was something that Lonergan had clearly prided himself on, as it was evident on the day how shrewd he was at keeping quality grass in front of cows which in turn helps achieve better conception rates. The herd of cows are primarily Holstein Friesian with a hint of Jersey in amongst the herd, as Lonergan used a couple of Jersey straws a couple of years ago. Performance For a primarily black-and-white herd of cows, Lonergan's percentages are very impressive as the cows produced 535kg of milk solids (MS)/cow, averaging 16.81L/cow/day with 4.64% fat and 3.81% protein. This high quality milk accumulated with a somatic cell count (SCC) of 138,000 cells/ml earned him an average milk price of 55.3c/L which is 4.2c/L over the Dairygold average. This milk price was highlighted in detail, as farmers often glance over how much above or beneath the average they are, but the significance of a few cent over was a major topic of discussion on the day. From 2018 to 2024, on average, Lonergan was over the average milk price by 3.3c/L which would have accumulated to €164,759 extra over the average Dairygold milk price throughout the seven years. With an aim of producing an extra 30kg/MS/cow this year with less volume, the projected cumulative value over the eight years is €184,759, which highlights how much a few cents over the average price can accumulate to over a number of years. Currently cows are producing 26L/cow/day at 4.34% fat and 3.68% protein, equating to 2.15kg MS/cow/day off 18kg of grass DM and 2kg of an 11% crude protein (CP) nut. Mark Lonergan's cows out grazing The farm grew 12.6t of grass last year and Lonergan fed 1.4t of meal/cow last year due to the poor grass growing last year as he usually tries feed between 700-800kg of meal cow each year. This growth and production was driven through applying 185kg N/ha -of which 98% was protected urea – applying 63t of lime. All slurry was spread through low emission slurry spreading (LESS), and 35% of the milking platform was in grass-white clover swards. 58% of the soil on the farm has a pH between 6.2 and 6.7, with 79% in index three or four for phosphorus (P) and 78% index three or four for potassium. Lonergan still goes with the 'little but often' approach for lime, as Teagasc dairy specialist, Stuart Childs highlighted that 0.5t/ha of lime will be washed away each year. For clover paddocks, Lonergan hopes to cut back on N application in the next number of weeks, as he is still applying 16-17 units of N/ac on low quantity clover paddocks and just soiled water on higher clover content paddocks. The farmer reseeds about 10% of the farm each year in which all his reseeds include clover and said that he used to over-sow clover but the results were 'hit and miss'. These efficient measures of turning grass into milk solids means that the farm's carbon footprint sits at 0.88kg CO 2 eq per kg of fat and protein corrected milk and nitrogen use efficiency of 29% and a N surplus of 184kg N/ha. Breeding Lonergan expressed that he has been breeding for percentages over the last couple of years while going for a higher maintenance figure, which currently sits at €14. Over the last seven years, the herd's fat % PTA went from 0.13 to 0.18 while the protein % PTA went from 0.08 to 0.13. The bulls that Lonergan has been using over the last few year are generally around 0kg of milk or plus or minus 100kg of milk with 0.2% protein and 0.30% fat. His herd has an average economic breeding index (EBI) of €253 with the 2026 calves predicted to be €292 and the weighted average of his bull team this year is €332. The bull team average 31.3kg of milk solids with -25kg of milk and 0.36% fat and 0.22% protein. Lonergan's collecting yard and drafting system coming from the parlour The calving interval last year was 371 days and Lonergan achieved an 89% six-week calving rate, with all of his heifers calving down within 26 months. Lonergan uses all dairy artificial insemination (AI) in the first 3-3.5 weeks with no over complications as straws are not matched up to each individual cow due to the similarity in bulls used. All the heifers were inseminated on May 8 after a fixed time AI programme and all received sexed semen straws. Lonergan achieved a 67% conception rate with sexed semen on heifers last year and 65% conception rate on cows last year. The Co. Tipperary farmer said he would never go back after using fixed timed AI on heifers for the last couple of years as he said they will all calve around February 9, before the peak of calving season which takes the pressure off. Breeding season for the cows starts on May 1 and only six cows were selected for sexed semen this year. Any cow that comes into heat in the first three weeks will get a conventional dairy straw as this year with over 90% submitted after three weeks. On the farm this year, 47 heifer calves were born, of which Lonergan kept 23 and sold 24, as he wants to ensure that he has an 18% replacement rate in two year's time. The first round of repeats will all receive conventional dairy straws and then Lonergan will use Aberdeen Angus for the rest of the breeding season. Lonergan is happy the way his breeding season works as it is not over complicated and he has repeat customers for Friesian bull calves and his surplus heifer calves. He is waiting for the calves' genomic results to pick the best calves for himself and sells the rest. Lonergan discussing farm performance with Teagasc dairy adviser, Darragh Kelly It is evident that the cows in the herd are well-fed as energy intakes are always maximised through grass utilisation and a small bit of meal which helps with fertility and conception. However, Lonergan highlighted that the Smaxtec bolus has helped immensely with his heat detection and conception rates. He is in his thrid year of having the Smaxtec bolus, which gives data straight from the reticulum, providing information on inner body temperature, rumination, water intake, heat detection, and calving detection, amongst other data. He has found the bolus a great aid in getting cows served at the right times and not missing heats, as well as detecting cows that are sick or have mastitis early before it becomes a problem. Lonergan runs a simple breeding season and overall system which proves very effective, as through doing the basics to a very high standard, he is reaping the rewards through milk production, grass utilisation and fertility performance.
Agriland
2 days ago
- Health
- Agriland
Growers discuss control of potato blight in Ireland
Irish growers fully recognise the need to secure effective blight control within their crops at all times. But some firmly believe they are not operating on a level playing field. The recent Teagasc farm walk hosted in Co. Meath provided those in attendance with an opportunity to air their views on this subject. Some claimed that potatoes grown in gardens and allotments, where fungicides are not used, represent a potent blight threat to commercial farmers. In tandem with this, the view was expressed that the non-commercial production of potato crops should be banned by the government. Organically produced potato crops were also cited as potent blight threats for the commercial potato sector. Blight control These were lines of thought that prompted a debate on how best the Irish potato sector can best protect itself against the fast-evolving threat of blight. Teagasc plant disease specialist, Dr. Steven Kildea, foresaw a future within which Integrated pest management (IPP) techniques would rise to the fore. He said: 'But in the here and now, we have to ensure that the fungicide chemistries available to the potato sector are used to best effect. 'Such an approach should also ensure the optimal longevity of these products.' Breeding new potato varieties with inherently higher resistance to fungal attack was flagged as part of the potato sector's response to blight. According to Dr. Kildea: 'But this is not a long-term, silver bullet. There is no doubt that fungal strains will evolve to counter the blight resistant properties of new potato varieties that we can breed. 'What we are looking at is a continuing battle – the grower versus the various blight strains that impact on Ireland.' Chatting at the Teagasc potato farm walk, (l-r): Daniel Williams and Rory Young, both from Lobinstown in Co. Meath The Teagasc representative also confirmed the value of the blight warnings issued by Met Éireann. 'However, these should be considered with evidence on the ground secured by growers actively walking their crops on a regular basis. 'For example, heavy dews can create conditions that are conducive to blight even during periods of dry weather.' But it wasn't all bad news emanating from the farm walk. The event was used as a platform to confirm the availability of a new blight fungicide, Privest from BASF, which has ametoctradin as a core active ingredient. Launched in the UK last year, Privest is a fungicide for use on a preventative basis and in the early stages of foliar late blight. It has been specified for use at the early season/rapid canopy stage within the 2025 Teagasc blight programme. BASF has indicated that there is sufficient Privest in Ireland to meet farmer demand at the present time. However, a number of growers at the Co. Meath farm walk indicated they could not source supplies of the product at all.
