The Teagasc Moorepark 2017 Open Day is set to kick off tomorrow, July 4, in Teagasc Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork.

The theme for this year’s open day is ‘Resilient Technologies‘, which will allow dairy farmers and the wider industry to prosper in both good and more difficult times, according to Teagasc.

It said dairy farm businesses that adopt such technologies will be technically and financially efficient, capable of generating surplus cash, will consistently achieve financial expectations, and should be simple to operate.

These resilient technologies are based on the efficient production and usage of pasture, along with the use of high-EBI genetics in sustainable compact spring-calving systems.

According to Teagasc, the dairy sector now needs a reappraisal of farm management, with an increased focus on efficient work practices, subcontracting of particular jobs and attracting a higher supply of highly-skilled young workers into dairy farming.

Prof. Gerry Boyle, Director of Teagasc, spoke at the launch of the open day. He said: ”The Irish dairy industry is facing a number of challenges; the biggest being an inadequate supply of a trained and skilled workforce to meet the additional labour needs of an expanding national dairy herd.”

Additional challenges include the ongoing requirement to meet environmental targets, milk price volatility and any fallout arising from Brexit. The open day will provide guidance to farm families on management of larger herds.

There will be a network of themed villages for farmers to visit at the open day, including Grass10, Breeding, Milk Quality, Profitable Systems, Dairy Farm Infrastructure and Investing in People.

There will also be a series of demonstrations on grazing management, farm infrastructure, reseeding, calf rearing and health and safety. In addition, there will be workshops on strategic management, labour management and new entrants to dairy farming.

There will be two Q&A panel discussions in the afternoon, which will be facilitated by Sharon Ni Bheolain from RTE Six One News. The first panel discussion will focus on ‘Brexit and Irish Dairying’, while the second will ask ‘How attractive is a career in dairy farming?’. These topics will be discussed by a panel of dairy farmers.

The open day runs from 10:00am to 5:00pm. A comprehensive booklet will be provided to visitors, while admission and parking are free.