The Irish dairy industry – recent history and strategy, current state and future challenges
Abstract
This study explores drivers and resulting changes in the structure and technical efficiency of Irish dairy farms from 2005 to 2018 (covering pre‐ and post‐milk quotas) during which milk production increased by 54%. Over this period, farm structure changed dramatically (fourfold increase in farmers milking >100 cows) and farmers improved technical efficiency and profitability and reduced the greenhouse gas emission intensity of milk produced. The impact of the adoption of key technologies at farm level and the contribution of strategic direction nationally (the Irish Government's Food Harvest 2020 Strategy) influencing this development are explored as are future sector challenges.
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The Irish dairy sector relies on a grass-based production system, where cows graze outdoors from early spring until late autumn through rotational grazing.
“the Irish dairy sector relies on a grass-based production system, where cows graze outdoors from early spring until late autumn through rotational grazing (Kelly et al., 2020;L ä pple, Hennessy and O'Donovan, 2012).”
From Extension and management pathways for enhanced farm sustainability: evidence from Irish dairy farms (2023) · cites this paper as Kelly et al., 2020
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Boyle, L. A., & Mee, J. F. (2021) · Frontiers in Veterinary Science · doi:10.3389/fvets.2021.645537 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Extension and management pathways for enhanced farm sustainability: evidence from Irish dairy farms
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- Authors
- Kelly, P., Shalloo, L., Wallace, M., & Dillon, P.
- Affiliations
- University College Dublin (IE)
- Teagasc - The Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority (IE)
- Corresponding author
- Kelly, Paidi
- Venue
- International Journal of Dairy Technology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2020-01-07
- Volume
- 73
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 309-323
- ISSN
- 1364-727X (ISSN-L)
- 1471-0307
- OpenAlex
- W3000277775
- Cited by
- 81
- References
- 59
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 25 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 4
- FWCI
- 17.35
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- International Journal of Dairy Technology (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Agricultural economics and policies
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Efficiency Analysis Using DEA
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › General Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agricultural Economics and Policy
- Keywords
- Irish dairy industry, technical efficiency, farm profitability, milk quotas, greenhouse gas intensity, agricultural technology adoption, future challenges
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