Kerry and Cork milk suppliers set to take part in new Joint Dairy Programme

TEAGASC, North Cork Creameries and milk suppliers have agreed to form a Joint Dairy Programme.

The new programme aims to boost farm profitability through better grassland management, better-managed nutrient planning, breeding, and nutrition.

The project aims to attract 40 milk-suppliers participating in the Farm Profitability Programme from the North Cork Creamery catchment in Kerry and Cork, with four different farmer groups in place: in Newtownsandes, Kanturk, Cullen, and Fealebridge.

These groups will be used to bring information and acquired knowledge to all milk suppliers.

“We are delighted to be working with North Cork Creameries and their dairy farmer suppliers for the coming years,” said Teagasc Regional Advisory Manager Cork East John Horgan.

“Peer-to-peer learning by farmers interacting with each other often results in joint programmes being very successful.

“We are undertaking this journey so that all milk suppliers will benefit from the joint programme and target to increase their milk solids output going forward,” he added.

“The milk suppliers will be part of a programme to increase milk solids by a target of 10 per cent after three years participating in the programme.”

The joint programme will be coordinated by North Cork Creameries CEO Pat Sheehan, Agri Manager NCC Jamie Curtin, and Agri Advisor NCC Darren Deasy, along with John Horgan and Majella Moloney of Teagasc.

The Teagasc Dairy Advisors involved in delivering the programme are Maurice Shine and Neily O’Sullivan from Teagasc Cork East region, and John Paul Lenihan and Niall Kerins from the Teagasc Kerry/Limerick region.