If labour is in short supply on your dairy farm, or if your farm layout is resulting in long walks to and from the milking parlour, maybe you have considered once-a-day (OAD) milking?
OAD milking, while currently only practised on an estimated 200 Irish dairy farms, is continuously generating interest among farmers who wish to reduce the number of daily milking’s to benefit their lifestyle.
On Thursday, January 14, at 10:00am, Teagasc will address the practice of OAD milking with its virtual conference which is free to attend.
Register your place today at: www.teagasc.ie/oadcon21.
The virtual conference will focus on the following topics:
- Challenges facing farmers such as risk of increased somatic cell count (SCC) and reduced milk yield;
- Results from the first two years of the Moorepark OAD milking experiment;
- The impact on farm performance and lifestyle – a farmer’s perspective;
- Milk production and reproductive performance of New Zealand dairy herds that are being milked once or twice a day (TAD).
Improved cow fertility and farmer lifestyle
Speaking at the launch of the OAD webinar, Brian Hilliard, Teagasc, said: “This is the fourth time we’ve organised the conference which will be delivered this year as a webinar.
“The big challenges farmers face when considering the option of OAD milking are the risk of increased SCC and reduced milk yield. This however is counterbalanced by improved cow fertility and farmer lifestyle.”
Speakers at this year’s Once a Day Milking Virtual Conference will include:
- Dr. Emer Kennedy, Teagasc Moorepark, who will review the performance of the first two years of the Moorepark OAD milking experiment and present the latest research about the impact of OAD on milk production and the steps that can be taken to manage this effect;
- Dairy farmer MJ Delaney from the Laois/Kilkenny border who transitioned to OAD in 2013 will discuss the impact on farm performance and lifestyle following the changeover to OAD with his 110-strong Friesian herd;
- Dr. Nick Sneddon who works with Fonterra, New Zealand’s largest milk processor, will review the milk production and reproductive performance of New Zealand dairy herds that are being milked either once or TAD. Cow type, particularly udder conformation and capacity, are of particular relevance to OAD herds. Dr. Sneddon will share the results of his research into the importance of conformation when breeding cows suitable for OAD milking.
Register today
Further information is available from: www.teagasc.ie/oadcon21.
