Dairy farm motoring successfully along in north Tipperary

The M8 motorway southbound runs right beside the Hogan family farm near the Horse and

Jockey in Co Tipperary. The farm has changed substantially since 1870 when the Hogan family first started farming at Summerville. After our visit Brian was setting out to further develop the farm, with plans at an advanced stage to construct a new collecting yard and build on to an existing cubicle shed. It’s probably done by now.

Brian and Lorraine Hogan are farming with the help of Brian’s parents Pat and Kay. This is very much a family farm and Brian wasn’t hanging around after we departed as he was booked for training the Moycarkey Borris U12 Camoige team that evening. Brian’s father Pat has a long association with the local co-op Centenary Thurles and IFA. Brian is a member of the Teagasc Templemore Discussion Group and also another privately run group, the Elite Discussion Group.

The spring-calving herd is up to 151 cows in 2022 from 133 cows in 2021. In 2021, the 133 cows delivered 884,000 kg which converted into 72,400kg of milk solids. The performance is excellent when you consider the milk yield is close to 6,950l/cow or just shy of 590kg of milk solids per cow. There are 120ha farmed in total with 62ha available for grazing. The performance is even better when you consider that shy of 700kg of meal was fed per cow.

Herd EBI is very good at €176, with replacement heifers over €60 ahead of this again at €230 EBI. Over 85% of the calves born on the farm are dairy-bred as Brian had scope to increase herd size in 2022 and needs extra milk to pay for land purchase and additional on-farm expenses.

Sexed semen

Brian is using sexed semen and increased from 50 straws used in 2021, to 75 straws used in 2022.

AI straws are a mix of high-EBI genomic sires and 50% LIC daughter-proven sires. Calving starts end of January and finishes up in early April.

As well as sexed semen Brian is not afraid to use selective dry cow therapy. In 2021, 25% of the herd got teat sealers only.

It’s all hands on deck in the spring and Lorraine and Pat support Brian doing all the other jobs such as feeding calves, office work, washing and herding.

As well as the family help, Brian relies on relief milkers to get some time off, with regular relief bookings for Friday, Saturday and Sunday night during the summer.

The proposed higher energy charge between 5pm and 7pm in the evening won’t affect this farm too much as the aim every day is to be finished up milking for 5pm.

Brian is very clear that on farm over the last five years he has moved the business to be more efficient and environmentally friendly. All farm roads have been cambered away from drains, while water is metered to get a handle on what is being used and alert Brian to any leaks. Well water is used to cool milk as it is 10°C cooler than scheme water in summer.

An efficient bulk tank was purchased and milk is fully cooled before the milking machine is turned off. A GPS has been purchased for the farm to make fertiliser spreading more efficient. No ditches have been taken out of late and extra hedging has been planted.

As Lorraine said, “Ultimately we are breeding a high-EBI cow that requires less feed and protein but yet is producing a higher percentage of milk solids and hence less water has to be transported.”

With a young family – Caoimhe, Bríana and Liam – it is clear Brian and Lorraine will have plenty of help shortly. Caoimhe is already helping out Lorraine when feeding calves etc. A top farm doing a very good job.