A new joint dairy programme has been agreed between Teagasc, North Cork Creameries (NCC) and milk suppliers.
The Joint Programme will focus on improving farm profitability through better grassland management, improved nutrient management planning, breeding and nutrition.
The target is to have 40 milk supplier participants in the Farm Profitability Programme from the North Cork Creamery catchment area in counties Cork and Kerry.
These will be used to transfer the information and learnings to all milk suppliers, the organisers say.
John Horgan, Teagasc regional advisory manager in Cork East, said: “We are delighted to be working with North Cork Creameries and their dairy farmer suppliers for the coming years.
“Peer-to-peer learning by farmers interacting with each other often results in joint programmes being very successful.
L-R: Jerry Doody, chairman, NCC; Jamie Curtin, agri manager NCC; Pat Sheahan, CEO, NCC; Darren Deasy, agri advisor, NCC; and John Horgan, Teagasc Cork East regional manager. Image source: O’Gorman Photography
“We are undertaking this journey so that all milk suppliers will benefit from the joint programme and target to increase their milk solids output going forward,” Horgan added.
The milk suppliers will be part of a programme to increase milk solids by a target of 10% after three years participating in the programme.
The joint programme will be coordinated by: Pat Sheehan, CEO of North Cork Creameries; Jamie Curtin, agri manager, NCC; and Darren Deasy, agri advisor NCC, along with John Horgan and Majella Moloney of Teagasc.
The Teagasc dairy advisors involved in delivering the programme are Maurice Shine and Neily O’Sullivan from Teagasc Cork East region, and John Paul Lenihan and Niall Kerins from the Teagasc Kerry/Limerick region.