Evening milking times on Irish dairy farms was decided by tradition or habit. However, changing the time of your PM milking can dramatically improve work organisation on the farm.

According to Teagasc, a concern many farmers have about a reduced milking interval is that it will affect milk yield.

However, a Teagasc Moorepark study compared a 12-hour milking interval (12:12) and an eight-hour milking interval (16:8). It found that the milk yields and milk composition was not affected by the milking interval.

Benefits of earlier start time

1. Better lifestyle: Starting milking at an earlier time will allow you to spend time with family and on hobbies.

2. Happier staff: Fixed afternoon milking’s at 4:00pm to 4:30pm ensure a consistent finishing time of 6:00pm. This in turn helps retain staff and makes your farm more attractive for employees.

3. Succession: The 16-18 hour interval showcases dairying as a more positive career for the next generation.