Up to a million calves to be born this spring as farmers face an uncertain future over inflation, milk prices and regulation

Mr Keohane feels that many family farms never could have imagined it would come to this post-2015 quota lifting.

Teagasc estimates that about 50% of dairy cows will calve by the end of February. Picture: Kieran Ryan-Benson

As calving on dairy farms gets in full swing, many farmers are fearing empty pens in years to come as a result of the nitrates derogation.

Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association chairman Denis Drennan has said that this peak calving season comes after last year being such a “tough” experience for so many and that there is not “that spring in people’s step that there was last year” as a result of dropped milk price, high input costs, and the loss of the 250kg nitrates derogation.