Brian McDonnell

Brian McDonnell Profile Picture

Technical Dairy Specialist

Brian McDonnell is from Raheny, Co. Dublin. He has an honours degree in Sustainable Agriculture from Dundalk IT. He has worked on dairy and beef farms in both Ireland and the UK, including Teagasc Grange and a large-scale 650-cow dairy farm which also had a 1,200 animal youngstock-rearing farm in Scotland. He has a keen interest in agriculture and particularly the dairy sector and in his spare time is active in local rugby and golf.

Breeding season: Increasing your conception rates

Dairy Technical

Breeding season: Increasing your conception rates

The focus on many autumn-calving herds is moving from the calving season to the impending breeding season. Ideally, you should...
Monitoring lameness and mastitis during housed period

Dairy Technical

Monitoring lameness and mastitis during housed period

Lameness and mastitis can, and do have a major impact on cow performance, with controlling these a focus for most...
Demand for calves remains at Enniscorthy Mart

Dairy Technical

Demand for calves remains at Enniscorthy Mart

Enniscorthy mart held its weekly calf sale on Wednesday, December 15, and as we head towards Christmas, many farmers seem...
Dairy Focus: 20 years of robotic milking on this organic farm

Dairy Focus

Dairy Focus: 20 years of robotic milking on this organic farm

In this week’s Dairy Focus, Agriland made the trip west to Co. Galway to Riverview Holstein organic dairy farm. Brendan...
Milk replacer hike for spring as prices increase

Dairy Technical

Milk replacer hike for spring as prices increase

On many farms, milk replacer is a key part of a successful youngstock rearing programme – but will farmers be...
Planning your spring slurry applications

Dairy Technical

Planning your spring slurry applications

At the recent National Dairy Conference, the importance of slurry on dairy farms this spring was highlighted as a way...
Controlling heifer mastitis during the housed period

Dairy Technical

Controlling heifer mastitis during the housed period

Heifer mastitis can be an issue on some farms, with heifers calving down with mastitis or a case developing early...
Parlour training your in-calf heifers, have you started yet?

Dairy Technical

Parlour training your in-calf heifers, have you started yet?

The milking production season has ended on many spring-calving dairy farms for 2021, and now is a good opportunity for...
Breeding targets for winter milk herds

Dairy Technical

Breeding targets for winter milk herds

The breeding season on autumn-calving herds will be starting in the coming weeks,, so the setting of breeding targets is...
Are your brisket boards correctly positioned?

Dairy Technical

Are your brisket boards correctly positioned?

A brisket board or pipe is a useful way to control the position of a cow on cubicles, thus reducing...
Have you considered vaccinating your calves for scour?

Dairy Technical

Have you considered vaccinating your calves for scour?

Scour is the most common cause of death in calves less than one-month old and accounts for nearly 30% of...
In pictures: Taaffe Auctions December dairy sale

Dairy Technical

In pictures: Taaffe Auctions December dairy sale

On Wednesday (December 8) as the tail end of storm Barra passed over the country, Agriland made the trip to...
Heifer prices: Quality stock still commanding high prices

Dairy Technical

Heifer prices: Quality stock still commanding high prices

The tail end of the year is when surplus dairy heifers tend to be sold / bought, however with 2021...
Autumn calf trade: Demand among farmers and exporters remains

Dairy Technical

Autumn calf trade: Demand among farmers and exporters remains

Agriland spoke with two mart managers this week to obtain some insight into the autumn calf trade, as marts wind...
8,500gns achieved by Kerry breeders at Black and White sale

Dairy Technical

8,500gns achieved by Kerry breeders at Black and White sale

The 2021 Black and White dairy sale took place on Saturday, December 3, at Borderway Mart in Carlisle, England. There...
Outlook: 21% decrease in net margin for dairy sector expected

Dairy Technical

Outlook: 21% decrease in net margin for dairy sector expected

Teagasc has released it Dairy Sector Outlook report for 2022, which is an estimated projection for the sector’s 2022 prospects....
Controlling feed cost on winter milk farms

Dairy Technical

Controlling feed cost on winter milk farms

Controlling the production cost of winter milk is key to making winter milk production profitable and sustainable on farms. The...
BCS autumn-calvers ahead of breeding season

Dairy Technical

BCS autumn-calvers ahead of breeding season

Rapid body condition score (BCS) loss after calving can lead to negative health implications and/or failure of going back in-calf....