Make expansions safe and sustainable, says Teagasc

Dairy farmers must ensure their expansion ambitions are sustainable from an economic, environmental and a family farm perspective, says Teagasc director Prof Gerry Boyle.

He said Ireland’s milk supply is up 14% weekly versus last year. He was addressing thousands of farmers attending Teagasc Moorepark Dairy Open Day in Fermoy, Co Cork.

“It’s three months since milk quotas were abolished, and the indications are that we are going to see a significant increase in milk production over the coming years,” he said. “This shows the preparation that on farms and at processing level over the last three years. It shows how technologies such as animal breeding and grassland management being applied at farm level, are fuelling this expansion.”