The Dairy Trail

Mike Clohessy is milking 75 black and white cows in Fedamore, Co. Limerick where one Lely A4 robot and a strict breeding routine is paving the way for high solids and good work/life balance.

Mike also has a full-time job off farm as the director of the genetic company, Bullwise CRV and is able to manage dairy farming with his job with the help of the robot. 

Mike talks about his breeding programme and how he wants to breed a cow with good capacity, with an ability to intake large quantities of grass and can convert this to 600kg of milk solids a year. 

The Limerick man discusses the grassland management on the farm through an ABC robotic grazing system, time-off, plans for the future and a potential increase in cow numbers and robots.

What is The Dairy Trail?

Agriland's brand new limited podcast series 'The Dairy Trail' takes listeners inside the yard of dairy farms across the country to hear what is happening on the ground.

The new four-part series will cover everything from calving down cows, managing calves, herd nutrient requirements, getting cows out to grazing, and spreading slurry and fertiliser.

Listeners will get to hear how other farm systems operate, how different genetics perform, how different land types grow grass and how each farmer puts milk in the tank and money in their pocket in their own unique way.