Ireland: Dairygold and Teagasc have launched a new four-year Joint Programme aimed at helping Dairygold milk suppliers develop profitable, sustainable and resilient dairy farming businesses. The initiative will run until 2029 and represents a major investment in technical knowledge, farm development and the long-term future of dairy farming across the Dairygold catchment area.
The programme has been designed to provide practical support to all Dairygold milk suppliers while addressing four key priorities: improving farm profitability through technical expertise and advisory services, strengthening environmental sustainability, supporting succession planning, and improving the long-term viability of dairy farms.
The initiative will operate through four main pillars: a Demonstration Farm Network, technical and business planning services, farm development services, and discussion group support.
Eight Demonstration Farms
A central element of the programme will be the Demonstration Farm Network, consisting of eight farms located across the Dairygold region. These farms will demonstrate practical approaches to improving productivity, sustainability and overall farm performance.
Suppliers will be able to participate through farm walks, workshops, technical consultations, innovation events, videos and peer-to-peer knowledge sharing. The demonstration farms are expected to provide practical examples that other dairy farmers can adapt to their own operations.
| Demonstration Farmer(s) | Location | Key Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Aileen Sheehan & Philip O’Leary | Whitechurch, Co. Cork | Productivity and sustainability |
| Gearoid Slattery | Ballina, Co. Tipperary | New entrant and heavy-soil farming |
| Michael G. & Michael J. Tobin | New Inn, Co. Tipperary | Fertility and drought management |
| Adrian & David Tanner | Bandon, Co. Cork | Milk solids and grazing |
| Conor McSweeney | Aghabullogue, Co. Cork | Efficiency and genetics |
| John, Noreen & Billy Dunne | Ladysbridge, Co. Cork | Drought resilience |
| Kieran & Colm Kennedy | Buttevant, Co. Cork | Milk solids and genetics |
| John, Margo & George Fox | Ballylanders, Co. Limerick | Heavy-soil farm management |
Focus on Productivity and Sustainability
Over the four-year period, the programme will target improvements in areas including grass utilisation, milk solids production, breeding performance, fertility and overall farm profitability.
Environmental priorities will include water quality and biodiversity. The initiative will also provide support for succession planning, young farmers and new entrants to the dairy sector.
Dairygold’s advisory team will work alongside the programme to help suppliers implement the practices and lessons demonstrated through the initiative at farm level.
The selected demonstration farms represent different farming systems and operating conditions. For example, Aileen Sheehan and Philip O’Leary milk 138 cows in Whitechurch and produced 497kg of milk solids per cow in 2025. They were also named overall winners of the 2024 Dairygold Milk Quality and Sustainability Awards.
New entrant Gearoid Slattery began milk production in late 2024 and currently milks 126 predominantly Friesian cows. His herd produced 532kg of milk solids per cow in 2025, while his farming system places emphasis on soil fertility, reseeding and grazing infrastructure.
Other participating farms have also recorded strong production and breeding performance. Adrian and David Tanner’s 212-cow herd produced 544kg of milk solids per cow in 2025, while Conor McSweeney’s 160-cow herd produced 561kg.
The Kennedy family operates a larger dairy enterprise, milking 300 cows at Buttevant alongside a second leased unit. Their herd produced 544kg of milk solids per cow in 2025 and had an EBI of €175.
Through these farms and the programme’s advisory and knowledge-sharing activities, Dairygold and Teagasc aim to provide suppliers with practical tools for improving farm performance while addressing environmental and generational challenges facing dairy farming.
The four-year initiative will continue until 2029, providing Dairygold suppliers with opportunities to access technical expertise, farm development support and practical examples from farms operating across the cooperative’s catchment area.
