At the Irish Grassland Conference on Wednesday, Greenfield Farm manager David Fogarty reviewed performance for what's happening in Kilkenny.
In his paper, David explained that he is from a non-farming background near Galmoy, Co Kilkenny.
"I’m from a non-farming background and have chosen what has been an enjoyable career to date in grass-based dairy farming. I graduated from University College Dublin in 2014 with a first class honours degree in agriculture (animal and crop production).
Experience
"I was unsure of what my ideal career looked like when I graduated so I gained experience in a few different areas of interest over the course of the subsequent 12 months."
David explained during his time at UCD he would’ve heard quite a bit about New Zealand, its dairy systems, business structures, progression pathways, etc.
Don’t be afraid to share your knowledge or experience
So in July 2015, he went there to figure it out for himself. He spent two and half years in New Zealand and explains how he was lucky enough to have worked on three different farms in Canterbury and brush shoulders with some other top-end kiwi farmers.
David worked with three farmers that each had what he describes as their own individual takes on what low-cost, grass-based dairying looked like: namely Erik Lenssen, Birchdale Dairies; Alistair and Sharon Rayne, Inisfree and Simon Van Der Heyden, Canterbury Grasslands.
Conclusions
His experience led him to draw the following conclusions:
Run your farm as a business. Have a clearly defined farming system with measurable, relevant metrics. Maximise pasture grown and utilised through optimum soil fertility, variety selection, grazing management, calving rate and calving date. Breed the correct type of cow for your system that’ll calve every 365 days for a number of lactations, and finally. Don’t be afraid to share your knowledge or experience or offer credible opportunities to young people in the industry.Towards the end of March 2018, David moved back to Kilkenny and took up his first farm management role at the Greenfield Dairy Farm from late April. Looking to the future, David plans on further expanding his knowledge, move into herd ownership, with the ultimate plan being to use cows and grass to help him get his own slice of land.
Hope
To many agricultural science graduates, David's career story to date will give comfort and hope for those not sure of what direction they want to travel as soon as they graduate.
For non-farmers, David's career moves show how some can succeed and progress with a vision and plan.
On the Kilkenny farm, grass growth rates have been exceptional over November and December. Farm cover is now over 1,100kg DM/ha and a good chunk of the winter months are behind us, but, as we all know plenty can happen yet in terms of weather disruption. One cow calved well before time but all is good.
Read more
Grassland conference: drought cost Greenfield €110,000
At the Irish Grassland Conference on Wednesday, Greenfield Farm manager David Fogarty reviewed performance for what's happening in Kilkenny.
In his paper, David explained that he is from a non-farming background near Galmoy, Co Kilkenny.
"I’m from a non-farming background and have chosen what has been an enjoyable career to date in grass-based dairy farming. I graduated from University College Dublin in 2014 with a first class honours degree in agriculture (animal and crop production).
Experience
"I was unsure of what my ideal career looked like when I graduated so I gained experience in a few different areas of interest over the course of the subsequent 12 months."
David explained during his time at UCD he would’ve heard quite a bit about New Zealand, its dairy systems, business structures, progression pathways, etc.
Don’t be afraid to share your knowledge or experience
So in July 2015, he went there to figure it out for himself. He spent two and half years in New Zealand and explains how he was lucky enough to have worked on three different farms in Canterbury and brush shoulders with some other top-end kiwi farmers.
David worked with three farmers that each had what he describes as their own individual takes on what low-cost, grass-based dairying looked like: namely Erik Lenssen, Birchdale Dairies; Alistair and Sharon Rayne, Inisfree and Simon Van Der Heyden, Canterbury Grasslands.
Conclusions
His experience led him to draw the following conclusions:
Run your farm as a business. Have a clearly defined farming system with measurable, relevant metrics. Maximise pasture grown and utilised through optimum soil fertility, variety selection, grazing management, calving rate and calving date. Breed the correct type of cow for your system that’ll calve every 365 days for a number of lactations, and finally. Don’t be afraid to share your knowledge or experience or offer credible opportunities to young people in the industry.Towards the end of March 2018, David moved back to Kilkenny and took up his first farm management role at the Greenfield Dairy Farm from late April. Looking to the future, David plans on further expanding his knowledge, move into herd ownership, with the ultimate plan being to use cows and grass to help him get his own slice of land.
Hope
To many agricultural science graduates, David's career story to date will give comfort and hope for those not sure of what direction they want to travel as soon as they graduate.
For non-farmers, David's career moves show how some can succeed and progress with a vision and plan.
On the Kilkenny farm, grass growth rates have been exceptional over November and December. Farm cover is now over 1,100kg DM/ha and a good chunk of the winter months are behind us, but, as we all know plenty can happen yet in terms of weather disruption. One cow calved well before time but all is good.
Read more
Grassland conference: drought cost Greenfield €110,000
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