A total of 12,779 dairy farmers have confirmed their herd’s 2024 excretion rate band through the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) portal by the deadline last month.
In addition, over 120 manual banding forms were submitted directly to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) by May 15, which are still being processed.
For excretion rate bands confirmed through the ICBF portal, the following table provided by the DAFM presents the breakdown of the number of herds in each band.
The table includes dairy farmers who selected the option to manage crude protein levels in concentrates to achieve a lower excretion rate for their dairy herd.
Organic N/cow <4,500kg 4,501-6,500kg >6,500kg Total 76 33 33 78 32 32 79 166 166 80 2,441 2,441 87 98 98 89 171 171 90 967 967 92 7,656 7,656 98 19 19 100 31 31 103 89 89 106 1,076 1,076 Herds 2,672 8,892 1,215 12,779
Where a dairy farmer has not confirmed their nutrient excretion rate band for 2024, the DAFM will default their herd to the highest excretion rate band of 106kg of nitrogen (N) per cow per year until the information is submitted.
This is in accordance with the Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Waters Regulations. The DAFM will shortly be writing to those dairy farmers who have not confirmed their band for 2024.
N and P statements
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue recently indicated that the Agriculture Water Quality Working Group will discuss how to improve the N and phosphorus (P) statements service provided to farmers.
Under banding it is “no longer possible” to calculate these figures accurately until the bands are confirmed and the area declared under the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) for the year in question is stable, the minister said.
“I appreciate the importance of this data and it is a priority of my department to ensure that the figures are released as soon as is feasible and as regularly as possible thereafter,” Minister McConalogue said.