The effect of twice daily 3-nitroxypropanol supplementation on enteric methane emissions in grazing dairy cows.

Although 3-nitroxypropanol (3-NOP) has been proven to reduce enteric methane (CH) by ∼30% in indoor systems of dairying when the additive is mixed throughout a TMR, very limited research has been done to date in grazing systems in which the most convenient method of additive supplementation is at milking twice daily. To investigate the effect of twice daily 3-NOP supplementation on enteric CH emissions, a 12-wk study was undertaken in which treatment cows (n = 26) were supplemented with 3-NOP (80 mg/kg DMI) twice daily at morning and evening milking, and control cows (n = 26) received no additive supplementation. Enteric CH, hydrogen (H) and carbon dioxide (CO) were measured using GreenFeed units, and milk production, BW, BCS, and DMI were monitored to determine the effect of 3-NOP supplementation on productivity.

Animal factors that affect enteric methane production measured using the GreenFeed monitoring system in grazing dairy cows.

Similar to all dairy systems internationally, pasture-based dairy systems are under increasing pressure to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Ireland and New Zealand are 2 countries operating predominantly pasture-based dairy production systems where enteric CH contributes 23% and 36% of total national emissions, respectively. Ireland currently has a national commitment to reduce 51% of total GHG emissions by 2030 and 25% from agriculture by 2030, as well as striving to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

Factors affecting energy efficiency in herringbone and rotary milking parlours.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals aim to double the productivity of small-medium food producers (2015-2030), while food demand is estimated to increase by 60 % by 2050. The objectives of this paper were to identify and quantify the relationship between energy efficiency and milking efficiency, identify the main energy consuming processes associated with milking, and investigate whether milking efficiency, energy efficiency or the relationship between them varies depending on parlour type. Energy and milking efficiency data from 26 pasture-based dairy farms in the Republic of Ireland were analysed (17 herringbone, nine rotary).

Evaluating enteric methane emissions within a herd of genetically divergent grazing dairy cows.

Enteric methane (CH) emissions of 3 genetic groups (GG) of dairy cows were recorded across the grazing season (early March to late October). The 3 GG were (1) high economic breeding index (EBI) Holstein-Friesian (HF) representative of the top 1% of dairy cows in Ireland at the time of the study (elite), (2) national average (NA) EBI, which were representative of the average HF dairy cow in Ireland, and (3) purebred Jersey (JE) cows. Enteric CH was recorded using GreenFeed technology.

Predicting methane emissions of individual grazing dairy cows from spectral analyses of their milk samples.

Data on the enteric methane emissions of individual cows are useful not just in assisting management decisions and calculating herd inventories but also as inputs for animal genetic evaluations. Data generation for many animal characteristics, including enteric methane emissions, can be expensive and time consuming, so being able to extract as much information as possible from available samples or data sources is worthy of investigation. The objective of the present study was to attempt to predict individual cow methane emissions from the information contained within milk samples, specifically the spectrum of light transmittance across different wavelengths of the mid-infrared (MIR) region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Evaluating the effects of grass management technologies on the physical, environmental, and financial performance of Irish pasture-based dairy farms.

Grass management technologies (grass measuring devices and grassland management decision support tools) have been identified as important tools to improve the performance of pasture-based dairy farms. They have the potential to significantly improve the efficiency and sustainability of dairy systems by increasing milk production through enhanced pasture growth and utilization, which would reduce the need for supplementary feeds, along with increased output, therefore increasing farm profitability and environmental sustainability. Despite the several potential benefits of grass management technologies, there is a lack of empirical research around the effects of these technologies on the performance of pasture-based dairy systems.

Characterising sustainability certification standards in dairy production.

Despite the increasing use of private certification standards to meet the demand for sustainable dairy production, research into these standards is lacking. In this paper, we characterised sustainability certification standards currently used in dairy production. A literature search for dairy sustainability initiatives revealed one hundred-and-sixteen possible standards.

Factors associated with intensity of technology adoption and with the adoption of 4 clusters of precision livestock farming technologies in Irish pasture-based dairy systems.

Precision livestock farming (PLF) technologies have been widely promoted as important tools to improve the sustainability of dairy systems due to perceived economic, social, and environmental benefits. However, there is still limited information about the level of adoption of PLF technologies (percentage of farms with a PLF technology) and the factors (farm and farmer characteristics) associated with PLF technology adoption in pasture-based dairy systems. The current research aimed to address this knowledge gap by using a representative survey of Irish pasture-based dairy farms from 2018.

Modeling the economic impacts of mobility scores in dairy cows under Irish spring pasture-based management.

Moderate to severe forms of suboptimal mobility on dairy cows are associated with yield losses, whereas mild forms of suboptimal mobility are associated with elevated somatic cell count and an increased risk to be culled. Although the economic consequences of severe forms of suboptimal mobility (also referred as clinical lameness) have been studied extensively, the mild forms are generally ignored. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to determine the economic consequences associated with varying prevalence and forms of suboptimal mobility within spring calving, pasture-based dairy herds.

Invited review: Current enteric methane mitigation options.

Ruminant livestock are an important source of anthropogenic methane (CH). Decreasing the emissions of enteric CH from ruminant production is strategic to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5°C by 2050.

Life cycle assessment of pasture-based dairy production systems: Current and future performance.

To overcome the environmental challenges faced by the global agricultural sector while also ensuring economic viability, dairy farmers must improve the efficiency of their systems. To improve system efficiency, the performance of an average production system must be determined, as it establishes a benchmark from which the efficacy of proposed management practices and mitigation strategies can be assessed. Identified management practices and mitigation strategies can then be compiled to create ambitious but realistic targets for the sector to strive toward.

Economic impact of different strategies to use sex-sorted sperm for reproductive management in seasonal-calving, pasture-based dairy herds.

To maximize efficiency, profitability, and societal acceptance of modern dairy production, it is important to minimize the production of male dairy calves with poor beef merit. One solution involves using sex-sorted sperm (SS) to generate dairy replacements and breeding all other cows to an easy-calving, short-gestation bull with good beef merit. We used the Pasture Based Herd Dynamic Milk Model to investigate the effect of herd fertility and use of SS on farm net profit in a herd of 100 cows.

Incorporation of the grazing utilization subindex and new updates to the Pasture Profit Index.

Grazing efficiency has been shown to differ between perennial ryegrass varieties. Such differences affect the utilization of grass within grazing systems, influencing the profitability of grass-based ruminant production systems. The Pasture Profit Index (PPI) is an economic merit grass variety selection tool developed to identify varieties with the greatest economic potential for grass-based dairy production systems.

Greenhouse gas emissions and nitrogen efficiency of dairy cows of divergent economic breeding index under seasonal pasture-based management.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and nitrogen (N) efficiencies were modeled for 2 genetic groups (GG) of Holstein-Friesian cows across 3 contrasting feeding treatments (FT). The 2 GG were (1) high economic breeding index (EBI) animals representative of the top 5% of cows nationally (elite) and (2) EBI representative of the national average (NA). The FT represented (1) generous feeding of pasture, (2) a slight restriction in pasture allowance, and (3) a high-concentrate feeding system with adequate pasture allowance.

Severe tail lesions in finisher pigs are associated with reduction in annual profit in farrow-to-finish pig farms.

Objectives: We investigated the financial impact of different prevalence levels of severe tail lesions (STL) during the finisher stage associated with changes in average daily gain (ADG) in farrow-to-finish pig farms.

Methods: Prevalence of STL was estimated for 31 farrow-to-finish pig farms. Regression tree analysis was used to identify a threshold for STL associated with differences in ADG.

A bio-economic simulation study on the association between key performance indicators and pluck lesions in Irish farrow-to-finish pig farms.

Background: Pluck lesions are associated with decreased performance in grower-finisher pigs, but their economic impact needs to be further investigated. This study aimed to identify the main pluck lesions and the cut-off value for their prevalence, associated with changes in average daily gain (ADG) during the wean-to-finish period, to simulate their effects on economic performance of farrow-to-finish farms. Pigs (n = 162 ± 51.

Financial Analysis of Herd Status and Vaccination Practices for Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus, Swine Influenza Virus, and in Farrow-to-Finish Pig Farms Using a Bio-Economic Simulation Model.

This study aimed (1) to quantify the effects of positive status and vaccination practices for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSv), swine influenza virus (SIV) and (MHYO) on the profitability of farrow-to-finish pig farms and (2) to examine the financial impact of vaccination status in PRRSv and SIV positive farms. Data from 56 Irish farrow-to-finish pig farms were used for this study. Production effects associated with herd status for the three pathogens were incorporated into the Teagasc Pig Production Model (TPPM), a bio-economic stochastic simulation model for farrow-to-finish pig farms.

Economic assessment of Holstein-Friesian dairy cows of divergent Economic Breeding Index evaluated under seasonal calving pasture-based management.

The objective of this study was to investigate the economic performance of 2 genetic groups (GG) of Holstein-Friesian dairy cows of divergent Economic Breeding Index (EBI), evaluated within 3 contrasting spring-calving pasture-based feeding treatments (FT). The study was a simulated economic appraisal, using the Moorepark Dairy Systems Model, a stochastic budgetary simulation model integrating biological data obtained from a 4-yr experiment conducted from 2013 to 2016. The 2 divergent GG were (1) high EBI representative of the top 5% nationally (elite) and (2) EBI representative of the national average (NA).

Associating mobility scores with production and reproductive performance in pasture-based dairy cows.

Lameness in dairy cows can have significant effects on cow welfare, farm profitability, and the environment. To determine the economic and environmental consequences of lameness, we first need to quantify its effect on performance. The objective of this study, therefore, was to determine the associations of various production and reproductive performance measurements (including milk, fat, and protein yield, somatic cell count, calving interval, cow death, or cow slaughter), and mobility scores in spring-calving, pasture-based dairy cows.

The Effect of Compositional Changes Due to Seasonal Variation on Milk Density and the Determination of Season-Based Density Conversion Factors for Use in the Dairy Industry.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of seasonal variation on milk composition and establish an algorithm to predict density based on milk composition to enable the calculation of season-based density conversion calculations. A total of 1035 raw whole milk samples were collected from morning and evening milking of 60 spring-calving individual cows of different genetic groups, namely Jersey, Elite HF (Holstein-Friesian) and National Average HF, once every two weeks for a period of 9 months (March-November, 2018). The average mean and standard deviation for milk compositional traits were 4.

Cow and herd-level risk factors associated with mobility scores in pasture-based dairy cows.

Lameness in dairy cows is an area of concern from an economic, environmental and animal welfare point of view. While the potential risk factors associated with suboptimal mobility in non-pasture-based systems are evident throughout the literature, the same information is less abundant for pasture-based systems specifically those coupled with seasonal calving, like those in Ireland. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the potential risk factors associated with specific mobility scores (0 = good, 1 = imperfect, 2 = impaired, and 3 = severely impaired mobility) for pasture-based dairy cows.

Grazing Cow Behavior's Association with Mild and Moderate Lameness.

Accelerometer-based mobility scoring has focused on cow behaviors such as lying and walking. Accuracy levels as high as 91% have been previously reported. However, there has been limited replication of results.