The majority of dairy farms who made the switch to once-a-day milking in recent years are very happy with this move, according to Vincent O’Dwyer.

O’Dwyer, a science teacher in Scoil Ruain in Co. Tipperary, highlighted the recent findings from a BT Young Scientist entry from Lisa Millerick, a fourth year student in the school.

As part of the project, the student surveyed over 45 farmers, who operate both a once-a-day (20) and twice-a-day (25) production system, he said.

From the results, he said, the majority of once-a-day farmers surveyed would not make the switch back to twice-a-day milking.

However, the results indicate that there is a yield drop associated with the move to once-a-day milking, but the quantity of milk solids produced increases, he said.

O’Dwyer also said that the project aimed to understand why more farmers in Ireland were not operating once-a-day milking systems.

To fully understand this, he said, that the student interviewed over 25 farmers who milk twice-a-day to see how they feel about milking once-a-day.

The BT Young Scientist Exhibition will take place on January 6-9.