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.

Should I use calf jackets this calving season?
Should I use calf jackets this calving season?

The use of calf jackets on dairy farms during the spring has become increasingly more popular, but do they have...

BullWise now the main disributor for CRV in ROI and NI
BullWise now the main disributor for CRV in ROI and NI

Ireland is set to see the introduction of new artificial insemination (AI) company to the market called BullWise. The company...

Black and White sale brings top price of 14,000gns
Black and White sale brings top price of 14,000gns

The 36th Black and White dairy sale took place on Saturday, December 3, at Borderway Mart in Carlisle, England. The...

Footbathing to prevent lameness this housed period
Footbathing to prevent lameness this housed period

The footbathing of cows is an important measure to prevent certain types of lameness from occurring in your herd. The...

Grazing season 2022: Knowing when to call it a day
Grazing season 2022: Knowing when to call it a day

The 2022 grazing season will be remembered by most for the challenges it posed at different times of the year....

75% of UK and Irish dairy farmers now milk recording
75% of UK and Irish dairy farmers now milk recording

Milk recording on Irish and UK farms has gained significant popularity in the last few years. A recent survey conducted...

New partnership to result in more Irish bull genetics on UK farms
New partnership to result in more Irish bull genetics on UK farms

The British artificial insemination (AI) company Genus ABS has announced a partnership with Ireland Genetics also known as the National...

Autumn grass: Checking AFC targets
Autumn grass: Checking AFC targets

Autumn average farm cover (AFC) targets on many farms will not be reached this year, with many having to settle...

More dairy cows in Co. Tipperary than Scotland
More dairy cows in Co. Tipperary than Scotland

In 2021, Scotland had a dairy cow population of 174,000 head, while Co. Tipperary had a population of 187,300 dairy...

Time to BCS your spring-calving cows
Time to BCS your spring-calving cows

Ahead of drying off, it is important to determine the body condition score (BCS) of spring-calving cows. To ensure that...

Jersey heifer comes out on top at Multi-Breed Dairy Calf Show
Jersey heifer comes out on top at Multi-Breed Dairy Calf Show

An 11-month-old Jersey heifer calf was awarded supreme champion at the 19th Multi-Breed Dairy Calf Show, held at Dungannon, Co....

Baileys cow champion title goes to Co. Down
Baileys cow champion title goes to Co. Down

The Baileys cow competition made its long-awaited return today (Wednesday, August 24), with the champion cow coming from Hilltara Holsteins...

Autumn-calving: Getting ready for calves
Autumn-calving: Getting ready for calves

The autumn-calving season will be getting underway on many dairy farms in the coming days and weeks. With the calving...

Breeding season: Time to pull the bull
Breeding season: Time to pull the bull

All good things must come to an end, so it is now time to pull the bull and end the...

Access to water critical on dairy farms amid high temperatures
Access to water critical on dairy farms amid high temperatures

During the current warm weather being experienced on dairy farms, ensuring cows have access to water at all times is...

Summer Sizzler breaks Northern Ireland record
Summer Sizzler breaks Northern Ireland record

Last Saturday (July 2), the Summer Sizzler dairy sale took place on the Maineview Farm of Andrew and Caroline Kennedy...

Chilean meat factory worker allegedly disappears with overpaid salary
Chilean meat factory worker allegedly disappears with overpaid salary

A Chilean meat factory worker has reportedly disappeared after being paid 330 times his monthly salary, in error. The employee...

Study: Heat stress causing milk yield loss in cows
Study: Heat stress causing milk yield loss in cows

A study has determined that heat stress in dairy cows may be causing significant milk yield loss. As a result,...