January 15, 2021 1:30 pm
Given the environmental constraints coming down the track for the Irish milk sector, scientists at University College Dublin (UCD) Lyons Dairy Education and Research Facility have been seeking an answer to the fundamental question: is it feasible to maintain Ireland’s current milk output from a reduced number of cows?
The last five years have seen staff at the Lyons facility monitoring the performance of a bespoke herd of 60 high Economic Breeding Index (EBI) cows, managed specifically to allow the aforementioned issue to be addressed.
The results generated by the project to date, which is about to enter its sixth and final year, were the focal point of a recent webinar. The event was hosted by members of the UCD research team, all of whom are involved with the Lyons Systems herd.