AgNav: Supporting Farm Sustainability Series
Utilising AgNav 'makes our farm more productive & helps the environment'
Agriland Media Group is delighted to team up with Teagasc, Bord Bia, and ICBF to bring you the 'AgNav: Supporting Farm Sustainability Series'.
Dairy farmers Katie and Phil Gleeson explain how they have used AgNav on their dairy farm in Templemore, Co. Tipperary, supported by their Teagasc Signpost Climate Adviser, Padraig Fogarty.
Farmers can use AgNav to develop farm-specific sustainability action plans to reduce on-farm emissions and improve water quality.
The Gleesons are running a 100-cow spring calving herd grazing from early February until mid-November.
The farm is family run and there is no staff - just Phil, Katie and Phil's dad are keeping things going.
The Gleesons said: "In farming now, sustainability is the name of the game and we wanted to incorporate sustainable actions into our farm, to make it more productive and to help the environment."
The Gleesons first heard of AgNav through Teagasc and again at their local discussion group.
They said: "It’s great to have a platform that pulls together all the existing data - from Bord Bia and ICBF - and gives you a clear picture of what’s happening on your farm."
The Gleesons use AgNav to measure and manage their farm’s environmental performance, allowing them to figure out how to reduce emissions further as they go about their everyday actions.
The Gleesons have already made some big changes - they have completely moved away from calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) and now use 100% protected urea.
All the slurry on the Gleeson farm is spread using low emission slurry spreading (LESS) equipment, and they make sure to get most of it - around 75% - out in the spring, when it is more effective.
The Gleesons are also incorporating clover into their re-seeds, which they said has reduced their fertiliser use as they are trying to minimise chemical fertiliser and maximise the use of organic nitrogen (N).
"Since switching to protected urea, we’ve already seen a drop in our carbon footprint. It’s been the most noticeable impact so far."
One thing that the Co. Tipperary farmers are really focusing on now is herd genetics. They are using sexed semen on their best cows to improve milk solids and yield, and are being very selective with the bulls they use.
Through the Economic Breeding Index (EBI) section in the AgNav Forecaster, the Gleesons said that they can actually see the improvements they are making – not just in performance, but in their carbon footprint too.
They added: "Genetics has a huge role to play, and now we can measure the difference it makes.
"We’ll keep using it to guide what we’re doing. It simplifies things. It’s giving farmers an idea of where they are and what their options are. You can build a clear action plan with real targets."
For the Gleesons, it’s about doing what is right for the farm now – and what is right for the future.
Teagasc Signpost Climate Adviser, Padraig Fogarty, who is based in north Co. Tipperary, said: "I help farmers introduce actions and measures that can reduce their carbon footprint but also increase their profitability."
Padraig mentioned that the most common actions taken on farm are the use of protected urea, building soil fertility, incorporating clover, and improving herd genetics.
However, he explained: "It’s not one-size-fits-all - different actions are suited to different farms.
"A lot of the measures and actions we talk about are designed with both the environment and the bottom line in mind. That’s the carrot when it comes to adopting new technologies."
A big part of what Padraig does is introducing farmers to AgNav. The adviser uses the platform to show farmers the carbon emission figures for their farm and gets them comfortable with using the platform.
Another thing that Padraig highlighted is that a lot of farmers appreciate how AgNav lets them see the impact of their actions.
"When they log in, they can view how different measures would reduce their total emissions."
The Teagasc Signpost Climate Adviser believes that when farmers see those figures, combined with the financial benefits, it encourages them to implement changes.
AgNav is available to all beef, dairy, and tillage farmers through the AgNav website (www.agnav.ie).
Additionally, all beef, dairy, and tillage farmers can sign up for the free Teagasc Signpost Advisory Programme for support and guidance on using and implementing AgNav.
Beef and dairy farmers can also join through an affiliated processor sustainability scheme.