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An Evaluation Of Parameters Which Affect Dairy Herd Movement On Irish Pasture-Based Farms, Paul James Maher, Michael D. Murphy, Michael Egan, Patrick Tuohy
An Evaluation Of Parameters Which Affect Dairy Herd Movement On Irish Pasture-Based Farms, Paul James Maher, Michael D. Murphy, Michael Egan, Patrick Tuohy
Publications
In pasture-based grazing systems, farm roadways are a pivotal link to connect paddocks on the grazing platform to the milking parlour. However, their effectiveness in the efficient movement of the dairy herd between the grazing paddocks and the milking parlour has yet to be fully quantified. A validation experiment was conducted on a research farm to analyse characteristics on farm roadways that may affect cow throughput, which was observed as the number of cows per minute (CPM) passing a specified location. Roadway width (R2 = 0.96) and surface condition score (SC) (R2 = 0.78, respectively) were both positively associated with …
Development Of A Grass Measurement Optimisation Tool To Efficiently Measure Herbage Mass On Grazed Pastures, D. J. Murphy, B. O'Brien, Michael D. Murphy
Development Of A Grass Measurement Optimisation Tool To Efficiently Measure Herbage Mass On Grazed Pastures, D. J. Murphy, B. O'Brien, Michael D. Murphy
Publications
Accurate and efficient estimation of herbage mass is essential for optimising grass utilisation and increasing profit for pasture farming. There is no definitive sampling protocol for grass measurement on Irish pastures. This paper presents the Grass Measurement Optimisation Tool (GMOT), designed to generate measurement protocols that optimise for time and accuracy. The GMOT was designed in the form of a decision support tool that generates interactive paddock maps that guide the farmer on how to optimally measure their pastures in a random stratified manner based on GPS co-ordinates, resulting in accurate non-biased estimations of mean herbage mass. Rising plate meter …