Two of Ireland’s large and well-known dairy herds are about to be disbanded and people are naturally wondering why.

Father and son Tom and Simon Browne, own one of the biggest herds in the country in Killeagh, Co Cork. Developed by Tom from a greenfield site, the Greenhills Farm expansion was hampered by the dairy quota era. Tom built up the country’s biggest beet quota alongside his dairy operation.

Sugar beet processing is fading into memory, it’s 20 years since the last harvest went into Mallow. Ten years later – 10 years ago this month - came the end of dairy quotas. People with the scale of ambition of Tom Browne could now milk as many cows as they wanted. The Brownes’ herd was built up to 1,100 cows.

Meanwhile, in Wicklow, the McGraths are also set to cease milking. It’s a big change for Joe and son Seoirse. Cows have been milked every day on their farm since the 1800s, and milked well too. The McGraths have won the Tirlán quality milk award no less than three times. Their herd has been built up to 260 cows, and they are all being sold on 1 April. Despite the date of sale, no-one would call the McGraths fools. Neither are the Brownes.

Milk price is good at the moment, so what is driving these dairy exits?

In both cases, the younger generation possibly see opportunity outside of food production. The Brownes have announced plans to establish one of the largest solar farms in the country. The planned panels would provide 250MW of energy, enough to power 52,000 homes.

Meanwhile, the McGraths are applying for planning permission to build an anaerobic digester.

All farmers find compliance with ever-increasing levels of regulation a challenge, these are exacerbated on highly-stocked dairy farms. Labour issues are widespread, and more challenging on larger holdings.

These two dairy exits, in the Brownes case partial for now, must be of concern to dairy co-ops. It’s well known that the majority of smaller dairy units, particularly those with less than 60 cows, will struggle to maintain milk production through the transition to another generation.

But seeing people on large, well-established farms who could profitably continue milking cows, but who choose not to because there is an easier way of making a living from the farm, raises serious questions.

How much more profit will need to be made from dairying in order for it to compete with renewables? Will EU policy ever come around to incentivising food production and food security in the same way it is promoting renewables?