Dairy Farms In Northern Ireland Research Articles

Calving pen management

Calving is one of the most stressful events to occur during the production cycle in dairy cows, and the environment in which this occurs can significantly impact the health of the neonatal calf. The incidence of enteric and respiratory disease in young calves can be reduced by managing this environment better, limiting contamination and resultant infection pressure. The environment in which calves were managed from birth onwards was observed and scored on 66 dairy farms in Northern Ireland over a 3 week period. Assessments were made on hygiene factors such as stocking density, presence of sick cows, bedding frequency, cleaning frequency, ease of cleaning and hygiene scoring. This study highlights that, despite the clear need for managing hygiene around the time of birth, hygiene in the calving pen is often an area that producers do not focus on improving in order to efficiently rear a healthy, productive and robust dairy cow.

Milk Composition and Production Efficiency within Feed-To-Yield Systems on Commercial Dairy Farms in Northern Ireland.

Simple SummaryFeed-to-yield concentrate allocation systems seek to improve precision by targeting more nutrients to dairy cows with the greatest nutrient requirements. This study investigated the effect of offering concentrates on a feed-to-yield basis to housed cows on the relationships between milk yield, intake, milk composition and production efficiency during the first five months of lactation. Performance data for individual cows were collected from 26 farms in Northern Ireland, and intakes were subsequently calculated. Total dry matter intake increased with increasing milk yield. Cows with higher milk yields produced milk with a lower fat and protein concentration, likely due to a combination of cow genetics, diet, and a ‘dilution’ effect associated with yield. The reduction in milk fat and milk protein concentration with increasing milk yield is particularly important for farmers supplying milk for processing, as milk pricing mechanisms within these supply contracts normally include bonuses or deductions determined by milk composition. Cows with greater milk yields had improved nitrogen and energy use efficiency but were offered more concentrates per kilogram of energy-corrected milk produced.This study examined the relationships between milk yield and diet composition, nutrient intakes, milk composition, and feed use efficiency when concentrates were offered using a feed-to-yield (FTY) approach. The study was conducted on 26 dairy farms in Northern Ireland. Cows (n = 3471) were fully housed and were offered concentrates on an FTY basis. Individual cow genetic information was obtained for 18 herds. Concentrate intakes of individual cows were either obtained from the farms or calculated, while milk yield and milk composition data were obtained from test-day milk recording. Mean test-day milk yields during months 2 to 5 post-calving were calculated for each cow, and cows within each lactation were placed into one of six equal-sized milk yield (kg/cow/day) groups. Diet effects and performance responses to milk yield groups were tested for linear and quadratic effects. Total dry matter intakes increased with increasing milk yield. Milk fat and milk protein concentration declined as milk yield increased, which could be attributed in part to genetics and diet. As milk yield increased, nitrogen and energy use efficiency was improved. However, concentrates offered per kg of energy-corrected milk also increased at higher milk yields, indicating an increased reliance on concentrates for these cows.

A short survey of key silage-making practices on Northern Ireland dairy farms, and farmer perceptions of factors influencing silage quality

AbstractNorthern Ireland dairy farmers (n = 174) were surveyed to identify key silage-making practices, and factors perceived to influence the quality of grass silage made on their farms. The majority of farmers (65%) harvested grass for silage three times/year: 62% normally used a contractor, while 47% routinely used a silage additive. Delays to mowing and delays to harvesting due to adverse weather or poor ground conditions were perceived to have a large or very large impact on silage quality (68% and 53% of farmers, respectively). Inadequate wilting, poor-quality swards on owned land, on rented land and “contamination” of first-cut grass with autumn or winter growth herbage were all perceived as having a large or very large impact on silage quality (32%, 27%, 40%, 30% of farmers, respectively). Over the previous decade, 11%, 41% and 37% of farmers claimed a small, moderate or large improvement in silage quality, mainly due to earlier cutting of grass and ensiling better quality swards.

Modelling environmental technical efficiency and phosphorus pollution abatement cost in dairy farms

The dairy sector is an important sector in Northern Ireland being the single largest contributor to its agricultural economy. However, the sector contributes more to soil phosphorus (P) surplus compared to other agricultural sectors. Consequently, the goal of this research is to analyse the environmental technical efficiency of dairy farms making use of a novel parametric hyperbolic distance function approach. The model is able to internalise P surplus as undesirable output in the dairy production process by treating desirable and undesirable outputs asymmetrically. The stochastic production frontier model is analysed simultaneously with an inefficiency model to explain variability in efficiency scores assuming the existence of heteroskedasticity in the idiosyncratic error term. Additionally, we estimated the shadow price and pollution cost ratio of P surplus in dairy farms. This paper contributes to the existing literature as it provides the first attempt to empirically estimate the pollution abatement cost of P surplus in dairy farms. Besides, the hyperbolic environmental technology distance function methodology employed to achieve the study objectives is less restrictive compared to the radial output/input distance function approach employed in previous studies. This allows for the estimation of a more robust environmental efficiency measure and shadow price of P surplus that is consistent with public policy goals that seek to simultaneously reduce pollution and increase production of desirable outputs. Our results showed that the average environmental technical efficiency estimates for dairy farms in Northern Ireland is 0.93 and the shadow price (marginal abatement cost) of P surplus evaluated at the mean is £12.29/kg. Intensification resulting in increased use of concentrates feed was found to be negatively related to environmental technical efficiency. We also found that age of the farmer and share of milk output have a positive relationship with environmental technical efficiency.

Seasonal variation of Fasciola hepatica antibodies in dairy herds in Northern Ireland measured by bulk tank milk ELISA.

Bovine fasciolosis, caused by the infection of the trematode parasite Fasciola hepatica, remains a problem in dairy herds causing significant production losses. In this study, bulk milk tank samples were utilised to generate a comprehensive survey of the variation in liver fluke exposure over the four seasons of 2016 in Northern Ireland (NI). Samples were tested using an antibody ELISA test; within-herd prevalence levels were categorised relative to sample-to-positive ratio (S/P%). Overall, 1494 herds (~ 50% of all active dairy farms in NI) were sampled. In total, 5750 samples were tested with 91% of herds having a sample result for each season. The proportion of herds with evidence of liver fluke exposure was very high across the year, with 93.03% of all bulk milk samples having some indication of liver fluke antibody presence. A high proportion of samples (2187/5750; 38.03%) fell within the highest infection class (indicating high within-herd prevalence). There was significant seasonal variation in the mean S/P%. A multivariable random effect ordinal logit model suggested that the greatest probability of being in a higher infection class was in winter, whilst the lowest was recorded during summer. There was a significant negative association between increasing herd liver fluke infection class and herd size. Furthermore, there was significant variation in infection levels across regions of Northern Ireland, with higher infection levels in northern administrative areas. This study demonstrates the very high liver fluke exposure in this region of Europe, and that risk is not equally distributed spatially or across seasons in dairy herds.

Estimation and determinants of phosphorus balance and use efficiency of dairy farms in Northern Ireland: A within and between farm random effects analysis

The dairy sector is the most important agricultural sub-sector in Northern Ireland both in terms of size and contribution to the economy. However, the abolition of the milk quota regime in 2015 and the government's initiative for industry growth has given rise to concerns about environmental pollution, especially in terms of phosphorus (P) balance. In light of these concerns, this study analyses the level and determinants of P balance and use efficiency on Northern Ireland's dairy farms. The study employs the OECD/EUROSTAT nutrient balance methodology and the within-between farm random effects modelling technique on a balanced panel data set. The results show that P balance in dairy farms in the study area is relatively high. However, the more profitable dairy farms have relatively lower P balance. We also found that the amount of grass grazed, and fertilizer price have a negative and statistically significant relationship with P balance, while stocking density was found to have a positive relationship with P balance. On the other hand, the age of the farmer and the amount of grass grazed where found to have a positive and statistically significant relationship with P use efficiency. The study demonstrates that increasing the percentage of grass-based feeds reduces phosphorus balance and also has a positive impact on the profitability of the dairy farms. The study recommends that farmers in the study area should increase the percentage of grass-based feeds alongside feeding concentrates with lower phosphorus contents. A moderate level of intensification should also be maintained.

Circular Biogas-Based Economy in a Rural Agricultural Setting

This study investigates the application of a circular economy in a rural agricultural setting in Northern Ireland, centered around a typical anaerobic digestion (AD) plant, showing its potential to provide renewable energy for the electricity and transport fuel needs of an average dairy farm and associated milk processing facilities. It was calculated that a typical AD plant has the potential to fuel 22 average sized dairy farms in Northern Ireland, equating to the production, transport, and processing of 51,986 litres of milk per day. The feedstock needs of the AD plant can be provided by the local farming community.

The effect of early lactation concentrate build-up strategy on milk production, reproductive performance and health of dairy cows

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of two early lactation concentrate build-up strategies on cow performance, fertility and health. The study was undertaken on five Northern Ireland dairy farms, and involved 385 multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows. Cows were allocated to either an ‘Immediate’ or ‘Delayed’ concentrate build-up strategy postpartum. All cows were offered a ‘basal’ diet comprising forage and concentrates (mean, 7.4kg concentrate/cow/day), with a target crude protein (CP) and starch concentration of 145 and 170g/kg dry matter (DM), respectively. An additional 7.0kg of concentrate (mean across the five farms) was then introduced into the diet of each cow, at an incremental rate of approximately 0.5kg/day, over days 1–14 of lactation (‘Immediate build-up’) or over days 21–35 of lactation (‘Delayed build-up’), with the target CP and starch concentration of the total diet being 175 and 200g/kg DM, respectively. While average daily milk yield and fat-plus-protein yield was reduced (P<0.05) during weeks 2 to 5 of lactation with the Delayed concentrate build-up strategy, treatment had no effect on milk yield, milk composition or milk fat and protein concentration over the first 305 days of lactation. Cows on the Delayed build-up strategy produced milk with a higher somatic cell score (P<0.05), while no treatment×time interactions were observed on body condition score during the experimental period. Conception rate to first service was higher with the Delayed build-up strategy (P=0.047), although treatment had no effect on conception to first and second service, calving interval and cows confirmed pregnant during the study (P>0.05). The Delayed build-up strategy tended (P=0.051) to reduce the incidence of fertility related health issues within the first 30 days of lactation, but increased the incidence of mastitis (P<0.05). Treatment had no effect on any other health measures, the reasons that cows were culled, or the stage of lactation when cows were culled (P>0.05). Although concentrate build-up strategy had short-term effects on milk yield and fertility in early lactation, no long term benefits in performance, fertility, health or survival were observed with the Delayed Build-up strategy.

Key housing and management factors affecting lameness levels on Northern Ireland dairy farms

Key housing and management factors affecting lameness levels on Northern Ireland dairy farms

An investigation of calf rearing practices on dairy farms in Northern Ireland

Without a detailed understanding of how calf rearing is performed in practice, it is difficult to establish 1) the effectiveness of technology transfer initiatives and 2) how best to focus future research efforts. In view of this, the objective of the current study was to investigate calf rearing practices on Northern Ireland dairy farms.

Using the mixtures-of-distributions technique for the classification of farms into representative farms

The selection of ‘representative’ farms in farm level modelling where results are aggregated to the sector level is critically important if the effects of aggregation bias are to be reduced. The process of selecting representative farms normally involves the use of cluster analysis where the decision regarding the appropriate number of clusters (or representative farm types) is largely subjective. However, when the technique of fitting mixtures of distributions is employed as a clustering technique there is an objective test of the appropriate number of clusters. This paper demonstrates the mixture of distributions model (MDM) approach to cluster analysis by classifying dairy farms in Northern Ireland.

The effect of maturity of maize silage at harvest on the performance of lactating dairy cows offered two contrasting grass silages

Under Northern Ireland conditions, until recently, it was difficult to achieve high starch maize (greater than 200 g/kg DM) more often than one year in fifteen. However, recent developments in maize breeding and in agronomic practices, particularly the development of degradable full cover plastic mulch, have resulted in the possibility of consistently producing high starch maize. As there is considerable variability in the quality of grass silage produced on Northern Ireland dairy farms, the objective of the present study was to examine the effects of maturity of maize silage at harvest on the performance of lactating dairy cattle offered two contrasting feed value grass silages. The potential concentrate sparing effect of contrasting maize silages was also examined.

A LINEAR PROGRAMMING STUDY OF FAMILY‐RUN DAIRY FARMS IN NORTHERN IRELAND

The paper presents the results of a study in which multiperiod linear programming models were used to examine the probable responses of small and medium sized dairy farms in Northern Ireland to various policy, farm indebtedness and development options and to project consequent structural change in the dairy sector. The introduction of quotas has curtailed the considerable potential for expansion of output on these farms while having a less detrimental effect on farm profits and the survival of the smaller dairy herd than the price cut necessary to produce the same reduction in output.