Milk Price III

Maby there stocked that way because there not blessed with a large single block and as I alluded to earlier have fragmented blocks …..where’s the issue as long as said farmer is compliant re storage and can actively show that nutrients are been shared around ….heavily stocked compliant farmers who treat slurry and nutrients etc as sn asset and transfer it to all ground are not the issue ….it’s the messers and lads out pipping slurry all winter that are

It's possible to create a definition for anything now and write it into legislation and that's it.

Will the area aid maps see the silage, maize or zero grazer grass in the feed passage? There are more ways to choke a cat than with butter.

Why should the gov. emplement such a drastic move ,when water quality in our rivers does not seem a problem .Most of the over stocked milking platforms locally have either got out,scaled back or leased a 2 nd dairy set up but it suits some lads starting up to stock mp at high level to get established and I dont see the problem if they are not polluting water ways .A guy with a broken down yard is probably causing more pollution !!

Bang on..

Most "grazing" herds in Europe are on tiny milking platforms. Was on a "signpost equivalent" farm in France earlier in the year....Cows had full time access to grazing...100 cows could go out to 5 acres..

Can't see how they could victimise Irish farmers .

Water quality is going in the wrong direction, especially eutrophication of estuaries. That's why derogation is being cut. That's why all those BS rules are being added in to get derogation. Everyone knows the reason why people are overstocking. The thing is that the reason is not an excuse. It's like expecting to be able to drive home from the pub because you live far away.

I'd say you need to educate yourself on what is facing us and don't be burying your head in the sand.

Our cows methane isn't the issue either but that isn't stopping them cutting our herds.

To tell you the truth ,I am nearing 50,my money made and dont give a rats arse but I wont turn on fellow farmers on a public forum to give vested interest more ammunition

Everything. Your milking platform is anywhere that you can go with the zero grazer and a slurry tanker.

Actually, I have a friend stocked at 2.2 to the hectare and is zero grazing as his land is in 8 different pieces.

I drew 200k gallons of slurry 8 miles this year

and will do it again next year too

just because you don’t have to mightn’t need to increase your milk sales doesn’t mean others don’t

Good man.

I find it incredible that livestock are being blamed for the burning of fossil fuels and climate change, but I reckon that gov/epa etc are using the guise of ‘emissions’ to halt the decline of water quality. It’s an easy sell to the populace. Look to Holland… badly sold/packaged to farmers/populace, but it’s not going to change because the Eu are now involved. Kildare St. know this, they’re not thick…Jack (Ah, Lads) is gone.

Cows are in the shed or collecting yard 5 to 6 hours a day so they do piss there then I'd say, or maybe they are such divils for the emissions that they like to hold it til they go out.

If he goes back to 3 to the ha on a strict mp like you want he will have 48 cows to support a family. He is not even in derogation, stocked to 165kgs/Ha but needs to zero graze to be viable. The river at the bottom of his farm is regularly monitored by an bord iasca mhara. They say that the biggest indicator of water quality is the presence of weevils and there are loads there. I still fail to see the problem with what he is doing.

It's up to yourself and others to cut fertiliser use and head off any decline in water quality.

Said yourself Teagasc advice is non sensical. So act yourself.

If people want to have a stocking rate that allows them a living then get busy cutting your fert rates back. There's posters here have posted how they are getting the same grass grown with 7 units/ acre that others have to spread 27 units by conventional Teagasc advice.

The Teagasc advice is leading to a one way outcome. Maybe that's the plan?

My advice to you straight and everyone is take back control of the situation while theres still time and hope.

Because if ye don't there'll be no time and no hope.

He has 16 weeks storage. No problem with dumping slurry there.