Sustainable Dairy Farming

Sustainable dairy farming includes some of the following practices:

  • Utilising new technologies to improve fertility, animal health, grass management and maximise outputs.
  • Utilising green fertilisers like slurry or "protected urea",  low emissions slurry spreading can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ammonia emissions from dairy farms.  
  • Managing grasslands carefully, utilising  clover in grass swards or choosing multi-species swards can help improve biodiversity and ensure sustainable production of milk. 
  • Using biological control to control pests and diseases.
  • Using minimum tillage practices when reseeding grassland.

  1. Low Emissions Slurry Spreading

  2. Protected Urea Fertiliser

  3. Minimum Tillage Reseeding

  1. Multi-Species Swards

  2. New Technologies (MooMonitor+)

Teagasc Research Findings

“Protected urea grows the same amount of grass as CAN, while being very cost competitive. Low emissions slurry spreaders can deliver 3 extra units of nitrogen per 1,000 gallons slurry compared to splash-plate spreaders, while also reducing grass contamination and allowing more targeted application of slurry.”

“Research has shown the benefits of clover inclusion in grassland swards, with a reduced requirement for nitrogen (N) fertilizer application, increased herbage dry matter production, increased milk production and improved N use efficiency."

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