Dairy Enterprise
Gurteen dairy herd has 240 pedigree Holstein Friesian cows spring calving milking 6250 litres and producing 510kg milk solids growing 13.5T DM of grass on 85 ha grazing platform. In Spring 2023 we have 80 heifers to calf and 167 cows with 85% expected to calf in 6 weeks. All calves are reared to 3 weeks with 50 bull calves and all dairy and beef replacement heifer calves being reared for 12 weeks before being transferred to the Drystock unit. Friesian heifer replacements are contract reared by the drystock unit. The Dairy has 2.5 full time labour units along with relief help. The herd EBI stands at €183, putting the Gurteen Herd amongst the top 10% of farms for EBI in the country.
If you want our most recent Dairy herd information, click here for our monthly Dairy herd report
Gurteen Dairy Herd Annual Performance Report : 2022
| Milk Pridction | 148559 Litres |
| Average Cow Number | 235 |
| Average Milk Price, c/L | €0.60 |
| Average milk yield per cow | 6250 Litres |
| Calving Interval | 370 days |
| Replacement rate | 27% |
| Protein % | 3.55% |
| Fat % | 4.20% |
| Calf Mortality | 4.50% |
| Herd EBI | €224 |
| 6 Week Calving Interval | 84% |
| Herd Average Lactation length | 3.20 lactations |
| Stocking Rate | 2.8 LU/ha |
Gurteen Dairy Herd Targets : 2023
510kg milk solids per year
>8.1% combined fat and protein
Peak 2.2 solids at grass
85% of bodyweight as milk solids
82% of diet as forage
85% calved in 6 weeks in Spring
Low incidence of lameness
Correct udders with low SCC
Maintain Herd EBI in the top 10% of Irish dairy herds.
70 Friesian Heifer to breed
Plan to milk 240 cows on 85ha
Target to improve clover is to stay below 150kg/ha, we are now one of the signpost host farms
Target to wean calves @ 100kg
Target to breed heifers at 330kg @ 15 months 60% , 550kg @ 24 months .
Aim to produce 500kg of milk solids in 300-day lactation and building up to 550kg of milk solids when herd matures. All been done through breeding programme and grassland management.
