Scientific appraisal of the Irish grass-based milk production system as a sustainable source of premium quality milk and dairy products

Abstract

The Irish dairy industry is critically important to the economy and general well-being of a large section of the Irish population. Its quality, sustainability and maintenance are the key for a vibrant rural society in the future. Two important elements for the future of this industry include (a) the quality, marketing and sale of dairy products on the export market and (b) sustainability from the perspectives of people, planet and profit. This paper provides a short review of current scientific evidence in relation to a number of topics, each of which is important in maintaining and developing dairy product quality and the sustainability of the Irish dairy industry. The topics addressed in the paper are as follows: the parameters of milk composition; milk processing; hygiene quality and safety; farm management practices and the regulations that govern such practices; animal health and welfare; environmental impacts; economic implications for farm families and rural communities; and the overall future sustainability of the family-based dairy farm structure.

The “Grass-Fed” Milk Story: Understanding the Impact of Pasture Feeding on the Composition and Quality of Bovine Milk

“…In Ireland, cows usually graze outdoors from the middle of February till late November. With that (i.e., pasture feeding) allows the cow to express normal behaviors such as grazing [74,75]. Furthermore, outdoor feeding systems can be beneficial for udder, foot and leg health [76,77,78].…”

“…Furthermore, outdoor feeding systems can be beneficial for udder, foot and leg health [76,77,78]. From an environmental perspective, pasture feeding systems are efficient in their use of resources through grassland and soil management [74]. O’Neill, et al [79] have found that pasture feeding systems have less impact on the environment by lower production of enteric methane (CH 4 ) emissions/cow relative to DMI and unit of milk fat and protein yield compared to that of a TMR system.…”

Increasing Grazing in Dairy Cow Milk Production Systems in Europe

“…In temperate regions, grazed grass is the lowest cost feed for milk production. Increasing farm self-sufficiency in terms of livestock feed supply through grass production and use offers farmers insulation from volatile feed costs and milk prices [60,61].…”

A survey analysis of farmer practices and perceptions of zero-grazing on Irish dairy farms

“…In temperate regions such as Ireland, grass provides a comparatively low-cost and sustainable diet for dairy cows (Läpple et al, 2012;O'Brien and Hennessy, 2017). The relative cost of pasture as a feed source for livestock production compared with grass silage and concentrate has been reported as 1:1.8:2.4, respectively (Finneran et al, 2010), and farmers are encouraged to capitalize on the large amounts of grass that can be grown.…”

“…In pasture-based systems, the size of the grazing platform typically dictates stocking rate and the quantity of grazed grass available to the dairy herd (O'Brien and Hennessy, 2017). This has become a key limitation to dairy expansion in Ireland since the abolition of the European Union milk quota regimen in 2015 (Ruelle et al, 2018).…”