Planning for success in West Cork

The Irish Grassland Association held their summer dairy gathering in West Cork back in June. The Kingston and Bateman farms were the bases used. Both farms are run by young, progressive farmers with a firm determination to prepare their farms for the future.
First stop for the 500-strong attendance was at the farm of John and Anne Kingston at Ballygarvan. Here the emphasis was on developing an ëeasy care cowí that would be profitable and long lasting. This is a large herd by Irish standards, with 214 pedigree cows being milked.
The long-term aims include improving milk solids, increasing fertility and breeding for improved health traits in the cows. The emphasis is very much on production per hectare. There are 75 hectares on the home farm with a further 30 hectares rented a few miles away. The quota has been built up to over 1m litres. Together with John there is one other full-time labourer on the farm. In addition, there is relief help especially in springtime to assist with calf rearing, as well as during holiday times. It is estimated that there is a total of 2.5 labour units involved when all labour involvement taken into account.
The farming system has taken a number of turns over the years. There was a time when the herd was in winter milk with a large tillage enterprise in operation, mainly on rented ground. At this stage, all calving is in the spring and the tillage enterprise has been dropped.