The next Teagasc quality milk farm walk will be held at the McCarthy Family Farm, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick on 15 June, 2022 at 1.30pm.
The McCarthy family is the 2021 national winner of the NDC and Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards. “Irish farming is more than just a business, it is a way of life. Irish farmers learn their craft from their parents and grandparents before them. In every sense, Irish farmers are #MadeForThis,” writes Kerrygold. The awards, dubbed the Oscars of the Dairy World, are organised to recognise excellence and celebrate the top-quality milk farmers in Ireland.
Said judge Dr David Gleeson: “The McCarthy family is innovating in all the right places, making data-driven decisions, and has succeeded in establishing sustainable systems in the environmental, welfare and technical activities of their farm. They are excellent ambassadors for the Irish dairy industry and are well-deserved winners of (the) award.”
Meanwhile, the upcoming farm walk is organised by Teagasc with the support of Kerry Agribusiness, the National Dairy Council and Ornua.
The farm walk will address the following:
- Review of the McCarthy family farm performance
- Producing high-quality milk with low somatic cell count (SCC) and total bacterial count (TBC)
- Establishing and managing high-performance clover swards
- Selective dry cow therapy – making better decisions with milk recording
- Carbon-efficient milk from pasture-based dairy systems
The farm is located at Kilmurry, Feenagh, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick. Eircode: V35 RF70.