Page 14 - AWA Vol.42-No.1 issue

DAIRY FARMING

Driving Herd Quality Through Precision Technology

and Strategic Breeding

On the Irwin family farm in North-
ern Ireland, three generations of
dairy expertise are coming togeth-
er with cutting-edge technology to
transform herd performance. Colin
and Philip Irwin, third-generation
farmers following in the footsteps
of their father and grandfather, are
managing a 330-cow dairy herd with
a clear focus: fewer cows, better
quality, and data-driven decisions.
With young George already show-
ing a keen interest in the farm, the
Irwins are building a sustainable, ef-
ficient operation for the future.
The Challenge: Closing the Fertil-
ity Gap
Like many dairy farmers, Colin
faced the persistent challenge of fer-
tility inefficiencies that were holding rates. cant improvements:
back genetic progress. With a calv- Genomic Testing and Selective • Conception rate increased from
ing interval stretching beyond 420 Breeding 34% to 40%
days and conception rates at just Every heifer on the farm is genom-
34%, the herd wasn't performing to ically tested, with only the top per- • Calving interval reduced from 420
its potential. formers selected as replacements. days to 375 days
"We needed to get on top of fertil- Those that don't make the cut are put • Pregnancy rate now at 22%
ity," Colin explains. "You can't im- to beef, ensuring the herd constant- • Production at 11,000 litres per cow
prove your herd if cows aren't get- ly improves generation after gener- with 4.20% fat and 3.55% protein
ting in calf at the right time." ation. • Daily yield of 40.4 litres per cow
The Cogent Solution: Precision Colin uses Cogent's Legend pro-
Technology Meets Strategic Breed- gramme sires—including Captain, The herd is milked twice daily and
ing Thorson, John Boy, and Aspire—with fed a diet of silage and maize blend,
In March 2024, after six years work- sexed semen for his elite replace- supporting consistent, high-quality
ing with Cogent, Colin invested in ment heifers. production.
PrecisionCOW collars for the en- Strategic Beef Breeding Looking Ahead: Quality Over
tire milking herd. The decision has For animals not making the genom- Quantity
proved transformative. ic grade, Colin has developed a so- Colin is happy with his herd size
Real-Time Heat and Health Detec- phisticated beef breeding strategy: and has no plans to expand. His fo-
tion • Wagyu – Easy calving with calves cus remains firmly on genetic im-
The collars provide 24/7 monitor- reaching 60kg at just three weeks provement and herd quality.
ing, sending alerts directly to Col- • Culard Charolais – Easy calving
in's phone when a cow is in heat or with highly saleable calves "We're keeping the same numbers
showing early signs of health issues. but constantly improving the quali-
• Triple Impact Angus – High con-
"Money well spent," Colin says. ception rates for use on lower fertil- ty," he says. "We're only breeding
"You know you have a sick cow be- ity cows from the best now, and that's making
fore you even see it. It's picked up all the difference."
rumen issues, health problems— "The Wagyu are easy calved and With the foundation of Cogent
everything. And for heat detection, the calves grow fast. The Culard genetics, PrecisionCOW technolo-
it's been brilliant. You get far better are the same—easy calving and the gy, and three generations of farm-
conception when you're AI-ing cows calves sell really well," Colin notes.
at exactly the right time." Results That Speak for Them- ing knowledge, the Irwin family is
As a DIY AI operator, Colin relies selves well-positioned for whatever the
on the collar alerts to time insemi- Since implementing PrecisionCOW future holds—perhaps with young
nations perfectly, eliminating guess- collars and tightening his breeding George at the helm one day.
work and maximising conception strategy, Colin has achieved signifi- Circle 13 on enquiry card
12 Vol. 42 No. 1