National champions share expertise with open day on heifer rearing

More than 250 farmers attended yesterday’s open day on the farm of Jim and Teresa White, Cloneen, Co Tipperary, to learn about dairy replacement heifer rearing.

The Whites were the national winners of the 2013 Heifer Rearing competition. Teagasc’s head of dairy knowledge transfer, Tom O’Dwyer, said a growing number of farmers are providing a heifer rearing service, allowing other dairy farmers to specialise in milk production. The White system of heifer rearing provides a template in best practice for all to follow, he said.

Pat Cahill of Volac added: “Excellence in heifer replacement rearing forms the foundation of the future potential in any dairy herd. This competition looks to reward farmers who have already adopted rearing strategies that maximise a heifer’s lifetime performance.