Measuring the economic and environmental impact of low carbon dairy farms

Circular pasture-based dairy production.

On the Solohead Research Farm in Ireland, Teagasc Livestock Systems are testing systems of pasture-based dairy production with minimal external inputs, and as much internal circularity as possible.

Solohead Farm is a hub in a network of 30 commercial Low Carbon Dairy Farms (LCD farms) who wants to implement similar practices for economic and environmental reasons. Recent inflation in input prices has accelerated this aspect of the project.

“As a part of the CircAgric-GHG project we are measuring the economic and environmental impacts of the transition taking place on these LCD farms”, explains Dr. James Humphreys, Principal Research Officer at Solohead Research farm.

Last year, more than 1000 farmers visited Solohead, to exchange knowledge and learn from each other.

In the following are some pictures from activities at Solohead.

The equipment on this picture is measuring ammonia emissions, in order to work out an ammonia emission factor for biological N fixation.

Here calving is occurring, in the beginning of February, and cows are delighted to be back at pasture after eight weeks indoors.

The tractor in this picture is getting ready to apply cattle slurry with a band spreader on an umbilical system where the slurry is pumped directly from the house to the field. The cattle slurry was generated by the cows during the winter. “We try to spread it on the fields as early as possible to promote spring grass growth and to minimise methane emissions associated with slurry storage. Essentially, we are recycling the nutrients harvested in silage last year, and fed to cows while they were housed”, says Humphreys.

By: Anette Tjomsland Spilling
Photos: James Humphreys
Published: 17.04.24.