Mayo Irish Farmer: “I’ve used the products for three years now and I’m very happy with the results”

Meet Peter Murphy, a first-generation farmer from Anfield Hollymount in the south of Mayo. Together with his wife Sheila and their three children, Peter manages an 82-acre farm, spring calving their 88 strong Holstein Friesian herd.

Alternative methods for udder health challenges

“I heard of AHV from a representative, he suggested some alternative methods to use for udder issues for cows. So I used some of the AHV products and they worked brilliantly. I’ve continued to use them since.”

“This spring now I’ve pumped some cows after calving,  any cows that are low with the robot. If the conductivity goes high and rumination drops in the cow, I just go straight in and pump the cow and it just gets them back up and gets them at full tilt again. So there was a cow that had twins and I went in straight after calving and she’s doing perfect since.”

Proactive steps maintain health and productivity

Peter believes in a proactive approach. They’ve always taken good care of dry cow diets to ensure healthy calving and to eliminate the little challenges that can come. Their goal is a remarkable 98% to 99% success rate and any drop in cow performance triggers swift intervention. With AHV’s support and careful monitoring, Peter’s herd maintains optimal health and productivity.

“We would look at the information on the robot, in particular you’re looking at conductivity and again rumination. So we would monitor cow’s we’ve have treated and see the results from them. Any cow that goes into the red with cell, we go straight in with a Tablet and we find it brings it back down.”

Working with AHV

“It’s a great service from Gary at AHV. He’ll call if you need him and he gives you half an hour on the phone. We just do a herd health plan too and kind of keep everything in check. Any cows over a third lactation and over I just go in with Milk Start Tablets at calving and StartLac Paste.

If they have a hard calving then I use Metri Tablets. It just helps them clean out. They’re milking very well so far.”

Reducing chemical nitrogen

In addition to cow health, Peter is dedicated to enhancing the sustainability of his farming practices. They’ve already reduced chemical nitrogen usage by 25% and aim to reach 90% or even 100% less in the next five years. By incorporating mixed species into their fields, they’ve witnessed a transformation in cow health, reducing the need for traditional methods.

“I suppose we’re going away from our reliance on the traditional methods that would have been used. So marrying the two together going forward I suppose is the big thing for me. In the next 5 to 10 years we’re hoping to drastically reduce chemical nitrogen here possibly eliminate it.”

AHV is part of my future strategy

AHV plays a pivotal role in Peter’s future farming strategy. He’s an active member of Base Ireland, a group of forward-thinking farmers exploring ways to reduce chemical nitrogen.

Peter’s strategy involves using alternative treatments, including the innovative methods championed by AHV. Witnessing tangible results, improved cow health, and impressive milk production, Peter is committed to this sustainable approach.

Peter explains “So I’m continuing that route and that kind of feeds into what I’m then with as regards to AHV and their products. To be using alternative treatments is very rewarding.

I’ve used the products for three years now and I’m very happy with the results. It’s not all about being happy, but also seeing the results on the computer. The cows are health and they milk well so I suppose that’s the main thing.”