Brian McDonnell

Brian McDonnell Profile Picture

Brian McDonnell is from Raheny, Co. Dublin. He has an honours degree in Sustainable Agriculture from Dundalk IT. He has worked on dairy and beef farms in both Ireland and the UK, including Teagasc Grange and a large-scale 650-cow dairy farm which also had a 1,200 animal youngstock-rearing farm in Scotland. He has a keen interest in agriculture and particularly the dairy sector and in his spare time is active in local rugby and golf.

Is your calf housing up to par?
Is your calf housing up to par?

Calf housing facilities are an important part of any dairy farm, with below-par facilities leading to increased sickness among calves....

Scour: Keeping autumn-born calves healthy
Scour: Keeping autumn-born calves healthy

Scour is the biggest killer of calves on farms under one-month-of-age and with calves arriving thick and fast onto autumn-calving...

Taking soil samples as fertiliser prices sky rocket
Taking soil samples as fertiliser prices sky rocket

Although most fields are currently too wet to take soil samples, you should consider doing so when conditions improve. The...

Autumn-calving: Clinical signs of pneumonia in calves
Autumn-calving: Clinical signs of pneumonia in calves

Pneumonia and scour are the main illnesses that are experienced by young calves, with pneumonia being the most common cause...

Controlling heifer mastitis on dairy farms
Controlling heifer mastitis on dairy farms

Heifer mastitis can be a significant issue on farms, with it threatening production and udder health in the first and...

New milking method launched aimed at cutting milking time
New milking method launched aimed at cutting milking time

DeLaval has announced the launch of two new products as part of its new Flow-Responsive milking system, which it claims...

Maximising calf performance pre-weaning
Maximising calf performance pre-weaning

On a recent Volac 'Feeding For Future' webinar, Dr. Jessica Cooke spoke about maximising calf performance by increasing milk intakes...

Grouping cows is key to achieving good feed efficiency
Grouping cows is key to achieving good feed efficiency

Having good feed efficiency is key to achieving profitable milk production during the winter period from autumn-calving cows. Winter milk...

Dairy Focus: Mohoncross Holstein starting with 9 calves
Dairy Focus: Mohoncross Holstein starting with 9 calves

In this week’s Dairy Focus, Agriland made the trip to the rowing stronghold of Skibbereen, west Cork, to Jerry Hegarty of the Mohoncross...

Dairy analysis: European dairy markets continue upward drive
Dairy analysis: European dairy markets continue upward drive

European dairy markets continued a drive to the upside over the past few weeks with both butter and SMP [skim...

Autumn dairy sales return to Carnaross and Dungannon
Autumn dairy sales return to Carnaross and Dungannon

On Wednesday (September 15) Carnaross Mart hosted Taaffe Auctions’ dairy sale, with the sale being the first chance for buyers...

Steps to prevent the spread of TB within your herd
Steps to prevent the spread of TB within your herd

The Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) eradiation scheme has been in place for 67 years in Ireland, with the scheme costing €97.3...

Autumn-calving: Best practice for stomach tubing
Autumn-calving: Best practice for stomach tubing

Stomach tubing is the most effective way of ensuring a calf receives adequate and high quality colostrum shortly after birth....

September’s to do list: Selecting sires, fodder budget and grass
September’s to do list: Selecting sires, fodder budget and grass

Summer has come to an end, we have now entered September and autumn has begun. Now is a good time...

Autumn-calving: Preparing for calves on your farm
Autumn-calving: Preparing for calves on your farm

The autumn-calving season is due to kick off on dairy farms in the coming days and weeks, as farmers gear...

Video: 3-month old Holstein heifer sells for over £42,000
Video: 3-month old Holstein heifer sells for over £42,000

On Wednesday (August 25) MartEye alongside Norton and Brooksbank hosted the first part of the Boghill Glamour herd dispersal sale for M....

UK dairy imports decrease by 12%
UK dairy imports decrease by 12%

The latest trade figures from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) show that dairy imports into the United Kingdom...

Testing the quality of your farm’s water supply
Testing the quality of your farm’s water supply

The use of well water is common on Irish farms, but although it is free, you should still take annual...