The ‘George Goes Dairy Farming’ series has achieved a major milestone with the innovative series achieving over one million views.
The George Goes Dairy Farming series is a farm-focused series produced by by AgriLand Media Group, Progressive Genetics and AgriNet.
The series is hosted by Co. Wicklow-based dairy farmer, George Beattie, as he travels around the country meeting farmers and hearing about their farming systems.
George Goes Dairy Farming
Collectively, the series has achieved over 1.1 million views over a number of platforms including Facebook and YouTube.
Now on its third series, George has travelled the length and breadth of the country meeting farmers along the way including Briege Corkery in Co. Cork, Anthony Betts in Co. Waterford and Colm Markey in Co. Louth.
The seasons have focused on the progression of these farms and how they have used the technology available to them to increase efficiency on their farms.
In total there has been 14 episodes over three series, featuring farmers from Co. Meath, Wexford, Waterford, Wicklow, Longford, Louth and Cork.
Fan favourite
A favourite among many viewers was Anthony Betts farm in season two, as viewers heard how Anthony had developed his herd during his farming career.
Over Anthony’s 47-year farming career – during 39 of which, Anthony solely held the reins – he has developed his herd to have an average economic breeding index (EBI) of over €196, putting it in the top 1% of herds in the country.
Anthony retired from farming earlier this year and his herd sale set what is believed to be an Irish record price for a non-pedigree cow.
Setting what is believed to be a record that day was Lot 15, a third lactation cow freshly-calved, sired by Ballinteskin Arnold (FR4021), sold for 4,900gns.
She had the highest EBI in the herd and in her second lactation produced 5,470kg of milk, with an average butterfat of 5.41% and protein of 4.66% and an average somatic cell count (SCC) of 31,000cells/ml.
Her month-old heifer calf also sold on the day sired by Blackbush Gorytus SRM (FR6751); she made 1,750gns.
Another highlight of the series was when George met 18-times All-Ireland winner Briege Corkery in season three.
Farming alongside her husband Diarmuid, they are milking 225 cows in the Rebel county.
Viewers heard how the duo got their start in dairying and how they progressed in recent years.