The Farmers Journal team of farmer writes journalists from Ireland, New Zealand, the UK and beyond are dedicated to providing local farming news, comment and opinion across the dairy, beef & tillage sectors.

LATEST ARTICLES
News
Farmer Writes: picking out cull cows and show heifers
Karen McCabe
Karen McCabe writes of the difficulties in selecting cows for the cull list and the right heiferfor the commercial show ring.
24 May 2023 Farmer Writes
A simple trial and a ‘complete handling’
Robert McConaghy milks cows and finishes beef cattle on his farm outside Ballymoney, Co Antrim.
22 May 2023 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: silage 2023 meant pulling an all-nighter
The first cut of James Strain's red clover silage has gotten underway with 60 bales made from five acres.
Farmer Writes: gearing up for silage season
Ground conditions under the silage crops need every day they can get as well, with some paddocks still very soft.
17 May 2023 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: contracting out the breeding decisions
It's been a busy fortnight for Tommy Moyles as breeding and silage harvesting have got under way.
17 May 2023 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: nematodirus outbreak sends a wakeup call
Derek Robinson has pieced together the factors behind an outbreak of infection among his lambs.
17 May 2023 Northern Ireland
Switching from cow to deer milk in NZ
Zac Elkin from Craigantlet in Co Down is currently working on a dairy farm in the Canterbury foothills of New Zealand.
10 May 2023 Northern Ireland
Farmer Writes: rethinking our silage strategy
The current plan is to try and get a first cut of mainly hay in June, if possible.
10 May 2023 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: mixed-up, fire brigade State policies
What’s green about importing woodchip from Brazil into Foynes, then hauling the 1,500 lorry loads of it across the country to Edenderry power station, asks Gerald Potterton.
10 May 2023 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: cattle are a rare breed
James Strain had a bit of fencing to do after letting cattle out to grass.
8 May 2023 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: jury out on multispecies swards in the west
John Egerton established some multispecies swards on his Fermanagh farm in 2021 and 2022.
3 May 2023 Northern Ireland
Farmer Writes: breeding 2023 going to plan
The biggest change this year will be increasing again the amount of beef semen used.
3 May 2023 Farmer Writes