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Title: Watch: Quality Milk Awards finalist Arthur O'Leary
NDC/Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards finalists Arthur and Anne O’Leary, together with sons Conor and Kevin, farm at Ballyagran near Kilmallock, Co Limerick.
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Watch: Quality Milk Awards finalist Arthur O'Leary
NDC/Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards finalists Arthur and Anne O’Leary, together with sons Conor and Kevin, farm at Ballyagran near Kilmallock, Co Limerick.
Arthur and Anne O’Leary with sons Conor and Kevin (on right) with John Kerrisk, Kerry Agribusiness and Milk Quality
Judges Patrick Wall and David Gleeson (far left).The old tie up milking parlour is still in the farmyard and
stand as a relic of times past.
The old tie up milking parlour is still in the farmyard and
stands as a relic of times past.
The new parlour with a blue barrel where the lid comes off
to hold waste paper.
The cubicles adjoining the collecting yard have a bar placed
along the cubicles to keep cows out during the summer.
Arthur and Anne O’Leary, together with sons Conor and Kevin, farm at Ballyagran near Kilmallock, Co Limerick. In 2015 they were milking 82 cows and total milk sales to Kerry Co-op were 402,345 litres. Cow numbers have increased to 91 milking cows in 2016 and the plan is to move towards 110 cows in the next two years. Arthur is a member of the Grenagh/Ballyagran Discussion Group.
The O’Learys farm over 73ha (180 acres) in total with 66ha available for milking cows around the parlour. They have a nice uniform herd of British Friesian-type cows. They are real cow lovers and know the background and pedigree of most of the cows without any paperwork in hand.
In 2014 the O’Learys built a new parlour and installed a 12-unit machine, but the parlour has capacity for 19 milking units. The dairy, parlour and all around the yard was sparkling clean when we called and you just got the feeling from the positioning of everything around the yard that it was a yard which is always clean. Little things like the excess plastic on the silage pit rolled up and nailed to the pit wall with a timber lath to prevent it from unravelling show the attention to detail.
There were some steps that stood out for the O’Learys as key to the success they have had on milk quality. These included milk recording four times per year, not drawing all cows routinely as this only increases the risk of spreading infection and carefully checking the filter sock after each milking (if there is any sign of a clot, all cows are drawn at next milking). Also, all teats are pre-sprayed with NanoDual and wiped dry with paper towel. Arthur is keen on that and feels it prepares the cows well for clusters. In addition, cows with recurring infection (mastitis) are sold to reduce risk of cross contamination and the milking equipment is hot-washed twice daily.
Arthur maintained the objective he has is to produce the cleanest milk he can. Anne keeps on top of all the cleaning and she claimed hot soapy water, that has a drop of vinegar (egg cup in a bucket) was her secret weapon to keep a shine on the bulk tank and all the other stainless steel in the dairy.
Factfile
Farming system: in 2015 the O'Leary family milked 82 cows delivering 402,000 litres to Kerry Co-op in a spring-calving production system. In total the O'Learys are farming 73ha (180 acres). Milk fat averaged 3.98% and protein percentage averaged 3.56%.
Arthur and Anne O’Leary, together with sons Conor and Kevin, farm at Ballyagran near Kilmallock, Co Limerick. In 2015 they were milking 82 cows and total milk sales to Kerry Co-op were 402,345 litres. Cow numbers have increased to 91 milking cows in 2016 and the plan is to move towards 110 cows in the next two years. Arthur is a member of the Grenagh/Ballyagran Discussion Group.
The O’Learys farm over 73ha (180 acres) in total with 66ha available for milking cows around the parlour. They have a nice uniform herd of British Friesian-type cows. They are real cow lovers and know the background and pedigree of most of the cows without any paperwork in hand.
In 2014 the O’Learys built a new parlour and installed a 12-unit machine, but the parlour has capacity for 19 milking units. The dairy, parlour and all around the yard was sparkling clean when we called and you just got the feeling from the positioning of everything around the yard that it was a yard which is always clean. Little things like the excess plastic on the silage pit rolled up and nailed to the pit wall with a timber lath to prevent it from unravelling show the attention to detail.
There were some steps that stood out for the O’Learys as key to the success they have had on milk quality. These included milk recording four times per year, not drawing all cows routinely as this only increases the risk of spreading infection and carefully checking the filter sock after each milking (if there is any sign of a clot, all cows are drawn at next milking). Also, all teats are pre-sprayed with NanoDual and wiped dry with paper towel. Arthur is keen on that and feels it prepares the cows well for clusters. In addition, cows with recurring infection (mastitis) are sold to reduce risk of cross contamination and the milking equipment is hot-washed twice daily.
Arthur maintained the objective he has is to produce the cleanest milk he can. Anne keeps on top of all the cleaning and she claimed hot soapy water, that has a drop of vinegar (egg cup in a bucket) was her secret weapon to keep a shine on the bulk tank and all the other stainless steel in the dairy.
Factfile
Farming system: in 2015 the O'Leary family milked 82 cows delivering 402,000 litres to Kerry Co-op in a spring-calving production system. In total the O'Learys are farming 73ha (180 acres). Milk fat averaged 3.98% and protein percentage averaged 3.56%.
This year 13 farming families compete for the Overall title in the NDC/Kerrygold quality milk awards.
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There were some steps that stood out for the O’Learys as key to the success they have had on milk quality. These included milk recording four times per year, not drawing all cows routinely as this only increases the risk of spreading infection and carefully checking the filter sock after each milking (if there is any sign of a clot, all cows are drawn at next milking). Also, all teats are pre-sprayed with NanoDual and wiped dry with paper towel. Arthur is keen on that and feels it prepares the cows well for clusters. In addition, cows with recurring infection (mastitis) are sold to reduce risk of cross contamination and the milking equipment is hot-washed twice daily.
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