Seán Cummins

Seán Cummins Profile Picture

Seán Cummins holds an honours degree in Animal Science for UCD. At AgriLand, he has a particular focus on the beef, dairy and sheep sectors.

Farm prevention and control mechanisms for heifer mastitis
Farm prevention and control mechanisms for heifer mastitis

Heifer mastitis can be a significant problem for some herds, with Animal Health Ireland (AHI) outlining that heifer mastitis can...

Spring lamb price progress appears to have stalled
Spring lamb price progress appears to have stalled

Although many spring lamb processors lifted base quotes by 5-10c/kg over recent weeks, any momentum that appeared to be building...

Love it or loathe it, we need a QPS grid for lambs
Love it or loathe it, we need a QPS grid for lambs

Love it or loathe it, the Quality Pricing System (QPS) – or grid – for beef has presented farmers with...

Have you considered selective dry-cow therapy?
Have you considered selective dry-cow therapy?

With the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the armoury of medications available to farmers when it comes to drying off...

More milk and milk solids from grass-clover swards – but TMR diets lead the way
More milk and milk solids from grass-clover swards – but TMR diets lead the way

Results of a recent research trial undertaken by Teagasc researchers in Moorepark, Co. Cork, were presented at the Grass-Fed Dairy...

‘If you were buying €2,000 worth of fertiliser, would you accept it without a label?’
‘If you were buying €2,000 worth of fertiliser, would you accept it without a label?’

Dr. Patrick Forrestal was tasked with informing delegates of manure and its management at the recent Soil Fertility Conference –...

Why bother with a dry period?
Why bother with a dry period?

Attention is slowly turning to the dry period at farm level and many dairy farmers may consider milking on to...

Have you tested your silage?
Have you tested your silage?

Grass silage is the predominant feed used on the vast majority of dairy, beef and sheep farms in Ireland. Although...

Calf births strike 2.19 million head
Calf births strike 2.19 million head

Just over 2.19 million calf births have been registered to beef and dairy dams so far this year, figures from...

A simple way to identify an underperforming ram
A simple way to identify an underperforming ram

Breeding has commenced for many March-lambing flocks and, after the difficult year that’s just gone, farmers are hoping that their...

14 steps to get the best results at drying off
14 steps to get the best results at drying off

The steps taken by farmers when drying off cows can have a significant impact on mastitis levels during the dry...

KT-approved winter feeding and finance event set for Wexford
KT-approved winter feeding and finance event set for Wexford

Teagasc will host a winter feeding and finance seminar in Wexford next week. Scheduled for Thursday, November 1, it’s a...

Are my ewe lambs heavy enough for breeding?
Are my ewe lambs heavy enough for breeding?

Given the pressures at lambing time, many farmers often decide against lambing down ewe lambs. However, where the correct management...

More green shoots of recovery for spring lamb prices
More green shoots of recovery for spring lamb prices

Like last week, the spring lamb market continues to show some green shoots of recovery. Last week, Kepak Athleague moved...

New panel of €5/straw Gene Ireland bulls formed
New panel of €5/straw Gene Ireland bulls formed

The Gene Ireland programme was launched in autumn 2012 and was established by the ICBF (Irish Cattle Breeding Federation) in...

85% of dairy farms had insufficient soil fertility levels in 2017
85% of dairy farms had insufficient soil fertility levels in 2017

Of the dairy farm soil samples analysed by Teagasc in 2017, just 15% had optimal soil fertility levels as indicated...

Spring lamb supplies continue to remain strong
Spring lamb supplies continue to remain strong

Although some signs of markets improving were witnessed this week, the number of spring lambs being presented for slaughter continues...

‘K fertiliser applications insufficient to meet offtakes over the past decade’
‘K fertiliser applications insufficient to meet offtakes over the past decade’

Silage swards have higher potassium (K) requirements than grazed swards, according to Teagasc’s Mark Plunkett, who spoke at the recent...