Teagasc director: New nitrates banding will force stocking rate reduction

By 2030, Ireland must reduce agricultural emissions by between five and seven million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent

A pilot programme for anaerobic digestion is likely to be rolled out soon.

There might be no official mandatory climate-related reductions in cattle numbers planned, however, the Nitrates Directive is putting downward pressure on stocking rate, said Teagasc Director Professor Frank O’Mara in a recent presentation.

He said banding in the nitrates regulations, based on milk yield, will move about 17% of herds from 89kg of organic nitrogen excretion per cow to the next band at 106kg per cow, and will force at least some to reduce stocking rate.