Big Income Boost for Award Winning Dairy Farmer

12 March, 2004

Use of the latest technology and rigid financial control is generating an additional profit of more than €300 per cow on Irish dairy farms, a national awards ceremony has been told.

One of the farmers reaping the highest income gain is Jim Delahunty from Carrig, near Birr, in North Tipperary, the winner of the Protein 350 Awards for 2003. Jim took the top award in the national competition, sponsored by ACC Bank and run by Teagasc in association with the Farmers Journal.

Due to a milk protein level of over 3.5%, Jim Delahunty received a price premium of 1.5 cent/litre. This, together with a cost reduction of 5 cent/litre relative to the average milk producer, amounts to additional profit of €300 for a cow yielding 5,000 litres (1,100 gals).

Jim Delahunty, who supplies 245,000 litres (54,000 gals) to Arrabawn Co-op, was presented with the prestigious Protein 350 Award by Irish Dairy Board Chairman, Michael Cronin, at a function at Teagasc Moorepark.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Dermot McCarthy, Chief Dairy Advisor with Teagasc, stated that all the major elements of the Teagasc recipe for successful dairy farming in the post Fischler era are currently applied on the Delahunty farm.

“The four key elements are financial management, grass management, breeding policy and expansion. Achievements on the Delahunty farm to date are a total production cost of 13 cent/litre, 286 days at grass, less than 20% replacement rate with compact calving in February / March and 100% expansion in quota size over the past 10 years,” he said.

He said that Jim Delahunty is a typical example of the group of dairy farmers who have made huge progress in recent years.

“This group have benefited enormously from participation in discussion groups and monitor farm walks and this is reflected in lower production cost and increased grazing days. I would urge more farmers to join discussion groups as the best aid to farm development and cost control, thereby helping to fight the impending milk price reductions resulting from the Fischler reforms,” said Dermot McCarthy.

He said the intensive Teagasc campaign to increase protein levels in milk is delivering results. Average protein level has increased from 3.2% in the late 1990s to 3.3% in 2003, with the leading group of farmers achieving in excess of 3.4%.

Regional awards in the ACC Bank sponsored competition were made to Philip Donohoe from Goresbridge in Carlow, a Glanbia supplier and Maurice Graham from St. Johnstons, Donegal, a supplier to Donegal Creameries.