Production Considerations

A National Perspective

The Irish dairy industry is a key component of the economy in Ireland, providing much needed employment spread across rural areas. Our industry processes over 7.5 billion litres of milk, across 30 sites and is supplied by 18,000 family farms, many of whom are owners of the primary business. Since the abolition of quotas, we are striving to be a global leader in the development of a high value, environmentally sustainable dairy industry based on our extensive grass-based dairy system. Irish dairy companies have invested hundreds of millions towards this goal, resulting in over €4 billion worth of exports in dairy products, ingredients and nutritional products per annum. Irish dairy is exported to 155+ markets worldwide with international markets beyond the EU becoming increasingly important. Irish primary dairies continue to be 100% Irish owned entities, and the quality of our produce is reflected in the fact that 3 of the world’s major specialised nutrition companies have chosen to base key secondary processing sites in Ireland.

Caring for our animals

Irish dairy is synonymous with quality and is recognised globally for its high standards. Irish cows spend most of the year on lush, spacious fields within the company of their herd. During the coldest winter months, the herd are housed indoors to ensure adequate nutrition and to protect them from adverse weather. Optimal standards of welfare are a legal and ethical obligation. Farmers are required to monitor the health and behaviour of their herd each day. This ensures best practice in animal care, which is also central to the production of high-quality milk.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), in collaboration with Animal Health Ireland and Teagasc, provide a range of resources and training to guide farmers in this area. In addition, as part of routine monitoring programmes, all dairy herds are visited by an independent veterinary expert annually. These visits and other inspections provide an additional opportunity to ensure optimal care is being provided and identify any indicators of poor condition within the herd.

All calves born in Ireland must be registered and tagged for identification and tracking purposes. The DAFM provide comprehensive data on all calf births, movement, farming destination (beef/dairy), slaughter records, export and on-farm deaths, through their Animal Identification Movement system. Once a calf is born, it is at immediate risk of picking up infections from the calving environment, the cow or any other animals in the same space. Therefore, it is best practice for disease prevention and safety to separate the calf from the cow after birth. Calves are moved to a clean, freshly bedded area in the company of other calves. It ensures that the calves can be fed the right amount of the nutritious colostrum, in a more hygienic setting. Calves need to consume 8.5 % of birth body weight in colostrum to encourage good immunity. This can be ensured by taking the calf from the cow and feeding the correct amount independently. When the calves grow and are strong enough to graze the fields, they will re-join the dairy herd.

Are greenhouse gas emissions from dairy destroying the planet?

Sustainability and climate change are pressing challenges which need immediate action globally. Collectively, greenhouse gases arise from several sectors including energy production (e.g. electricity, oil, gas), transport (e.g. aviation, road vehicles), industry (e.g. air conditioning, electronics), waste (e.g. incineration) and agriculture (e.g. ruminant belching, fertilisers). The United Nations (UN) estimates that livestock contributes to 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with 2.7% coming from milk production. Therefore, while dairy is a contributor to global warming, it is not the main driver.

The dairy industry has committed to working towards reducing its emissions by signing the Dairy Declaration in 2016, to align with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. It continues to build on work from the previous 10 years, which achieved an 11% decrease in dairy’s global emissions intensity.

Also, on a national level, Dairy Sustainability Ireland was established in 2016, to help farmers meet environmental targets in Ireland.

Improvements in soil fertility, water quality and nutrient management are three focus areas which will significantly enhance the sustainable performance of Irish dairy by further reducing the environmental impact.

The availability of natural resources should be considered as key when assessing the sustainability of food production systems. In Ireland’s grass-based system of milk production, approximately 99% of the water used is supplied naturally by rainfall.

With almost zero impact on water stress, Ireland is one of the best places in the world for sustainable milk production.

Does dairy belong as part of a sustainable diet for the planet?

With the global population set to increase by approximately 2.4 billion people by the year 2050, it is predicted that demand for food production may need to rise by about 70%. The overall environmental impact of dairy must be weighed against its nutritional value when modelling the most sustainable options for feeding our growing population. For example, cows convert human-inedible materials such as grass into a nutrient dense, affordable source of protein.

As well as being nutritious, sustainable food production must also be safe, economically viable, environmentally acceptable and capable of meeting volume demands.

Dairy is considered a nutritious, versatile and affordable food and is well placed to play a role in meeting the global need for sustainable food production. This is why dairy continues to be included in dietary guidelines for sustainable diets.

Research and innovation in technology and farming methods are continually progressing to enable dairy production to proceed in a more sustainable manner.

What are Irish dairy farms doing to reduce their carbon footprint?

Ireland’s agri-food industry and Irish farmers are committed and proactively working to lower their carbon footprint.

With one of the lowest carbon footprints internationally, Irish dairy production systems have been found to be extremely efficient. This is due to its grass-based production system.

With increasing focus on sustainability and on farm efficiencies, many farmers are focusing on grassland management in an effort to extend the grazing season on their farm. It is estimated that for every 10-day increase in grazing season there is a 1.7% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Ireland is working towards more sustainable food production by carbon footprinting every farm. Bord Bia’s Origin Green programme is focused on increasing the efficiencies and reducing the impact of the food production systems in place in Ireland. This provides a structure to monitor, measure and focus efforts to deliver real improvements.

As a result, Irish data now shows a 10% reduction in the carbon footprint per kg of milk, with efforts continuing to improve.

The Carbon Navigator is a farm management tool, produced by Bord Bia and Teagasc and is used by farmers to evaluate their current performance in areas of environmental impact against specific targets. It estimates the percentage reduction in greenhouse gas emissions that will result from various farming practices, continuously helping farmers to identify where further improvements can be made.

Dairy Sustainability Ireland

The introduction of the Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme, the first national dairy scheme of its kind anywhere in the world is a clear indication of dairy farmers’ commitment to farm sustainability. It sets out requirements for best practice on Irish dairy farms in animal health and welfare, land management, biosecurity, safe farming practices and the production of quality milk. Close to 100% of farmers are now certified in the Scheme which is an indication of their commitment to operating and maintaining the highest possible sustainability measures.

What are Irish consumers’ greatest concerns in relation to sustainability and the dairy sector?

77% of Irish people believe that in order to save the planet, they must change their ways of producing and consuming foods
40% consumers feel well-informed about sustainability

A survey on Irish consumer attitudes towards sustainability and the dairy sector was undertaken in Spring 2018. The European Milk Forum conducted the survey in six markets – Ireland, Northern Ireland, France, Denmark, Belgium, and the Netherlands as part of a European campaign that aims to disseminate facts and solutions on how to safeguard our planet, reduce climate change and promote sustainability in dairy systems. The purpose of the survey, commissioned by the European Milk Forum, was to establish the responsibilities Irish consumers feel themselves towards the environment, and the role they see the Irish dairy sector has in making a change.

The survey was based on a representative sample of 2,000 respondents in Ireland, undertaken during July – August 2018.

Climate Change

The survey showed that 94% of Irish consumers believe in climate change and fear for the world their children or grandchildren will grow up in. Extreme weather conditions, extinction of plants and animals and floods topped the reasons why Irish people worry about climate change.

The majority of respondents (71%) pointed to themselves when asked who has the greatest responsibility in contributing towards a sustainable future, followed by the production industry (58%), politicians (54%) and farmers (28%). However, just 4 out of 10 Irish consumers actually feel well-informed about sustainability, proving it can be hard to navigate through the myriad of advice and guidelines that they are exposed to from several sources in the public debate.

Although Irish consumers see themselves as the ones with the biggest responsibility in creating a sustainable future, only 12% think that sustainability is the most important factor when buying dairy foods. Nutritional value (57%), healthiness (55%) and price (53%) were cited as their top priorities.

Climate Considerations - The challenge ahead

Dairy Sector

80% of Irish people believe that the dairy sector plays an important role in creating a sustainable future, and 80% also believe that the dairy sector must focus even more on producing in a sustainable way by measures such as producing its own animal feed, waste re-use and recycling. Only 25% of those surveyed were aware that almost 100% of Irish farmers are certified in the Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme in Ireland. 59% of respondents believe that the dairy sector can help feed the world in a sustainable way.