“The transition was very smooth, and we were guided every step of the way by the team from Lely Center Eglish. We love milking cows, and are glad we went for the robot. Even our young daughters are taking an interest and getting involved in the dairy enterprise,” added Kirsty, who also runs KD Kennels.
“The herd comprises of pure and three-quarter bred Fleckvieh cows and heifers, and a number of Holstein Friesians,” added Kirsty. “The herd is relatively young, and the majority of the cows have been imported from Austria through David Clarke from Cows.ie.
“Sourcing cattle in a batch helps to reduce the risk of disease, and we really like working with the Fleckviehs. They are docile, have good feet and legs, excellent fertility, and longevity.”
The milking portion of the herd (60 cows) is housed and managed in one group. Heifers calve into the herd at around twenty-four-months of age.
“The herd is relatively young and we are averaging around 30 litres per head per day, and are on course for a 305-day average of over 9,000 litres per cow at 4.0% butterfat and 3.28% protein,” added David.