300-day lactation is most profitable milk-production system by far

TEAGASC have shown that the standard, 300-day lactation is the most profitable system of milk production.

This allows an eight- to-10-week dry period, which is optimum in most situations for yields of high-protein milk from the minimum number of cows. With high fertility levels, it also facilitates a good break from milking around the Christmas period.

But a more normal herd-fertility level requires a reduced average lactation length of about 280 days, to give a reasonable winter break, and is a compromise between lifestyle and maximum profit.