The National Dairy Conferences are set to return as in-person events in early December, it has been announced today (Thursday, November 3).
The first 2022 National Dairy Conference will take place on December 6, at the Rochestown Park Hotel in Cork and the second on December 8, at the Mullingar Park Hotel in Westmeath.
The theme of this year’s conferences is ‘turning challenges into opportunities’.
National Dairy Conferences
Speaking at the launch of the conference, Dr. Joe Patton, head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer at Teagasc, said that while dairying is quite positive, it does face challenges.
“Irish dairying has delivered a viable economic model for family farms and an excellent food product for consumers over many years,” he said.
“Nonetheless, the industry now faces a number of challenges particularly in relation to improving water quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
“Dairy farmers are also very conscious of the need to maintain animal health and welfare standards while reducing antimicrobial use.”
He said that the conference will provide an opportunity to hear the latest research on these issues and discuss the practical solutions.
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Farmers can expect presentations by milk market experts from two major dairy processors, who will outline the evolving demands of customers around food traceability and the environmental footprint of dairy products.
“We will also be joined by Dr. Mary Flynn from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), to provide a scientific perspective on the role of dairy products in human nutrition”, Dr. Patton continued.
Input costs were a major concern with many farmers this year, particularly regarding the price and availability of artificial fertilisers.
One key technical session at the conference will focus on strategies to maintain sward and animal performance while reducing chemical nitrogen (N) input.
A panel of farmers and researchers will share insights on grazing management and sward quality, as well as establishing and maintaining clover content.
Also being discussed in the afternoon will be the topic ‘delivering a better-quality calf crop’.
Themes will include selective use of high-index beef artificial insemination (AI) while minimising calving issues, managing space requirements of calves, and practices to promote high welfare of beef calves from birth to sale.
The final part of the day will see a series of short technical updates that will focus on some of the key practical issues affecting dairy farmers in the coming months.
Of particular interest will be a paper on benchmarking production costs for 2023.
Setting targets for low somatic cell count (SCC) in early lactation, how work routine and technology affect labour input at milking, and the latest results on methane reduction at pasture, will also be discussed.