If scenery was nourishment, then Seamus Cronin’s cows near Rathmore in Co Kerry would be well fed.
As it happens, they are already well fed on excellent quality grass but the views over mid-Kerry and across to the Pap Mountains are a sight to behold.
Seamus is milking 71 cows on a 56ac milking block with a further 90 acres leased in various outside blocks.
About 50 to 55 calves are kept every year between replacement heifers and beef calves. All beef stock are sold at 18 months of age.
Farm performance is excellent.
The herd EBI is high at €233, with a predicted difference of 0.19% for fat and a predicted difference of 0.13% for protein. The herd is all black and white and Seamus has stayed away from crossbreeding.
The herd delivered 521kg MS/cow last season and 92% calved inside the first six weeks of calving. Cows are fed between 900kg and 1,000kg of meal per cow.
When picking bulls, Seamus says he concentrates on fat and protein percent and kilos of fat and protein, as well as EBI for fertility. He also says he looks at kilos of milk but aims to keep this within the plus or minus 30kg range.
When the bulls are picked, he puts them into ICBF’s Sire Advice to best match the bulls with the cows.
Seamus started milk recording 25 years ago and carries it out seven times per year, saying he gets great value from the reports. Breeding started this year on 8 May and continued for 4.5 weeks before the Angus bull was released.
The Cronin herd grazing at Rathmore in Co. Kerry.
Sustainability is a key focus for Seamus. He is following many of the measures in the Evolve programme including using protected urea and feeding low protein dairy ration. He has also let four acres of the farm develop into a high nature value area.
Local community
Seamus is steeped in the local community, namely Rathmore GAA club, where he is the maintenance officer as well as training the under-11, under-13 and under-15 GAA teams, which is nearly a fulltime job in itself.
In order to do this and run the farm, Seamus is strong on early finish times. He starts milking at 6.30am each day and is finished for 4.30pm every evening.
He says he starts milking a little bit earlier in the evenings in spring in order to give cows a few hours of grazing before bringing them in for the night.
Seamus Cronin is milking 71 cows near Rathmore in Co Kerry. The farm is high-performing, with the herd delivering over 520kg MS/cow in 2022. About 1t of meal is fed per cow on average.
If scenery was nourishment, then Seamus Cronin’s cows near Rathmore in Co Kerry would be well fed.
As it happens, they are already well fed on excellent quality grass but the views over mid-Kerry and across to the Pap Mountains are a sight to behold.
Seamus is milking 71 cows on a 56ac milking block with a further 90 acres leased in various outside blocks.
About 50 to 55 calves are kept every year between replacement heifers and beef calves. All beef stock are sold at 18 months of age.
Farm performance is excellent.
The herd EBI is high at €233, with a predicted difference of 0.19% for fat and a predicted difference of 0.13% for protein. The herd is all black and white and Seamus has stayed away from crossbreeding.
The herd delivered 521kg MS/cow last season and 92% calved inside the first six weeks of calving. Cows are fed between 900kg and 1,000kg of meal per cow.
When picking bulls, Seamus says he concentrates on fat and protein percent and kilos of fat and protein, as well as EBI for fertility. He also says he looks at kilos of milk but aims to keep this within the plus or minus 30kg range.
When the bulls are picked, he puts them into ICBF’s Sire Advice to best match the bulls with the cows.
Seamus started milk recording 25 years ago and carries it out seven times per year, saying he gets great value from the reports. Breeding started this year on 8 May and continued for 4.5 weeks before the Angus bull was released.
The Cronin herd grazing at Rathmore in Co. Kerry.
Sustainability is a key focus for Seamus. He is following many of the measures in the Evolve programme including using protected urea and feeding low protein dairy ration. He has also let four acres of the farm develop into a high nature value area.
Local community
Seamus is steeped in the local community, namely Rathmore GAA club, where he is the maintenance officer as well as training the under-11, under-13 and under-15 GAA teams, which is nearly a fulltime job in itself.
In order to do this and run the farm, Seamus is strong on early finish times. He starts milking at 6.30am each day and is finished for 4.30pm every evening.
He says he starts milking a little bit earlier in the evenings in spring in order to give cows a few hours of grazing before bringing them in for the night.
Seamus Cronin is milking 71 cows near Rathmore in Co Kerry. The farm is high-performing, with the herd delivering over 520kg MS/cow in 2022. About 1t of meal is fed per cow on average.
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