This week’s episode of Farmland discusses mastitis control measures and the growing Irish AgTech sector, which is helping farmers to meet climate challenges.

The programme, which is available to watch at the YouTube link above, hears acting CellCheck programme manager with Animal Health Ireland (AHI) Michelle McGrath discuss selective dry cow therapy, an approach that will be popular on dairy farms this year as a result of new European veterinary regulations on antibiotic use.

She outlines that farmers must now collect information on each cow to prove the need for an antibiotic, and explains that milk recording is the most practical way to do this.

McGrath also tells Agriland’s technical dairy expert Brian McDonnell that it is not too late in the year to begin recording, and offers farmers advice on how they can get started.

Michelle McGrath, acting cell check programme manager with Animal Health Ireland

Also discussed on Farmland

Meanwhile, Agriland editor Stella Meehan discusses innovative technologies to help farmers meet climate, labour and consumer-trend challenges with chair of AgTech Ireland and CEO of TERRA NutriTECH Padraig Hennessy.

Padraig explains what AgTech is, and how it can help farmers on the ground to produce more efficiently and simplify intensive processes.

He also outlines how AgTech Ireland is linking companies in the industry to create an ‘AgTech ecosystem’ that can add value to farming and help farmers to meet challenges around sustainability and changing consumer trends.

Hennessy discusses the reception to AgTech in Ireland and says he feels that it is only recently that it has begun to be seen as a solution to many of the challenges surrounding sustainability and traceability in agri-food systems.

Padraig Hennessy, chair of AgTech Ireland and CEO of TERRA NutriTECH

The latest episode and podcast of Farmland is now available on the Agriland platform. All episodes can be streamed via the award-winning digital platform, agriland.ie, and links will also be available across Agriland social media platforms.

All episodes of Farmland can be viewed by clicking here.