FBD Trust Marking 50 Years
In this second instalment in the series, we look at how FBD Trust and Animal Health Ireland (AHI) have worked together to establish the CellCheck programme and awards.
The AHI annual CellCheck awards took place recently in an event that acknowledges and recognises the excellence of Irish farmers.
The CellCheck programme, which was first launched in 2010, has been running the annual awards with the support of FBD Holdings plc for the last 12 years.
CellCheck senior programme manager, Finola McCoy said: "To be able to celebrate the achievements of these farmers is a privilege, and made possible by the financial support of FBD."
CellCheck first launched farm guidelines for mastitis control in 2012, a move which was also supported by FBD, before establishing the national bulk tank somatic cell count (SCC) database in 2014.
The database was launched with the aim of establishing a baseline of national udder health performance, and monitor progress over the years, and gave the programme a pathway to holding the awards.
Since then, the national average bulk tank SCC has reduced by almost 100,000 cells/mL to the current 173,000 cells/ml.
According to AHI, this has resulted in reduced antimicrobial usage and reduced agri-emissions, while simultaneously improving farm profitability.
However, the reduction has been even bigger for the award winners, who are described as the "cream of the crop", as they went from 103,000 cells/mL in 2014 to 71,000 cells/mL in 2025.
CellCheck
The CellCheck programme captures data on approximately 90% of the milk supplied across Ireland.
From that information, all participating co-ops have suppliers included in the CellCheck Best 500 awards programme.
The 'Milking for Quality’ award is then awarded to suppliers with the lowest, weighted annual average SCC for the year.
Speaking about the awards, McCoy said: "It is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate what Irish farmers are currently achieving.
"The pride in the room is just palpable."
McCoy highlighted that what these farmers are doing is just their everyday work, saying that they "describe themselves as normal farmers and many of them are surprised to be considered award-winning".
McCoy added that one of the unique things about the CellCheck awards is that nobody has to be put forward, "so there is no need to be brave or put yourself out of your comfort zone".
She said the selection process involves nearly all of the co-ops sharing the raw bulk tank cell count data from their suppliers in the previous year in an anonymous fashion.
McCoy noted how 16,200 farms are part of that data, and the top 500 are ranked and selected before their anonymous profile is brought forward to the co-op to be matched with the supplier and consent is sought.
FBD
McCoy highlighted that FBD are long-standing supporters of the CellCheck programme, offering financial support since the beginning.
The awards give the industry an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of these farmers, which McCoy said "is a privilege, and made possible by the financial support of FBD".
"AHI and its stakeholders are immensely grateful to FBD for this support."
The chair of award sponsors FBD Holdings plc, Jim Bergin also paid tribute to the work of farmers across the country at the event.
Awards
630 people attended this year's award ceremony, which took place on Thursday, November 27 in the Killashee Hotel, Naas, Co. Kildare.
On the night, each of the 16 winning processors had one CellCheck Champion identified.
The list of participating co-ops' CellCheck champions is as follows:
- Arrabawn Tipperary: Joe and Mary Hayes;
- Aurivo: James Garrivan;
- Bandon: Michael, Pat, and Ciaran Crowley;
- Barryroe: Máire Keohane;
- Boherbue: Eoin and Mary O'Riordan;
- Callan: Pat and John Prendergast;
- Centenary Thurles: John and David Fitzpatrick;
- Dairygold: Sean Kelleher;
- Drinagh: Donal and Mary Hayes;
- Kerry Dairy Ireland: John and Brendan Collins;
- Lakeland: Óisin and Eamon Gallen;
- Lee Strand: John Shanahan;
- Lisavaird: Stephen Buttimer;
- North Cork Creameries: John Stack;
- Strathroy: Ibar Cousins;
- Tírlan: Owen Talbot.
McCoy said she hopes the programme continues to run into the future, but said it may change over time as additional selection criteria become available, such as reduced antimicrobial use.
Click here to read the other articles in the FBD Trust Marking 50 Years Series.