Modern technology has revolutionized Hugh Harbison’s family farm in Aghadowey, County Londonderry, where he uses electronic collars on his cows to track their activity. This innovative approach helps him determine when his best-producing cows are ready for insemination, enabling more effective breeding and better genetic stock. The technology has allowed him to optimize his farm’s productivity while maintaining a focus on sustainability.
Farming is under increasing pressure to reduce its environmental impact, particularly in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. Agriculture, including methane emissions from cattle, is responsible for the largest share of Northern Ireland’s greenhouse gases. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that, while short-lived, has a much greater warming potential than carbon dioxide. Addressing emissions from livestock, especially dairy cows, is therefore a significant concern for both environmental and economic reasons.
Hugh’s farm is home to a 180-strong dairy herd, and one of his primary goals is to improve the efficiency of his operation. This means ensuring that his cows produce more milk with fewer resources, particularly reducing the environmental footprint of the farm. By using technology to monitor activity and improve breeding, Hugh has been able to make great strides in achieving this goal. For example, in the past five years, he has increased the fat and protein content of his milk by over half a percent, and he has also boosted milk production from forage, growing more of his own feed rather than relying on expensive and carbon-intensive feed and fertilizers.
The collars the cows wear are crucial in monitoring their behavior, enabling Hugh to track which cows are most productive and ready for insemination. This real-time data ensures that the best animals are bred, improving the overall genetic quality of the herd. Such improvements in the herd’s genetics lead to greater milk yields and better overall efficiency, contributing to both environmental and financial sustainability.
Hugh has also focused on optimizing his soil to produce the feed needed for his cows. Instead of purchasing feed and fertilizers that have high carbon costs, he has incorporated more clover and multi-species swards into his grazing land. This not only benefits the cows’ nutrition but also improves the health of the soil and reduces the reliance on artificial inputs. These changes are part of a gradual, ongoing effort to make the farm more sustainable over time.
Despite these significant improvements, Hugh emphasizes that sustainability in farming requires collaboration and support. Farmers are keen to improve their environmental practices, but they need assistance from government departments and other stakeholders to make meaningful progress. While farmers can drive efficiencies on their own farms, they need evidence-based policies and support to ensure they can achieve broader sustainability targets, such as the 48% reduction in emissions that Northern Ireland aims for by 2030.
The dairy sector plays a crucial role in the economy, contributing almost £1.5 billion annually and supporting rural communities. However, to meet the growing demand for sustainability, there needs to be a concerted effort to balance environmental responsibility with economic viability. The adoption of technologies like electronic collars, along with better soil management and sustainable feeding practices, can help farmers achieve these dual goals.
Ultimately, as Hugh points out, sustainability is not about making one major change but rather about consistently taking small steps to improve practices over time. By working together and using technology, the agricultural sector can reduce its environmental footprint while maintaining its vital economic role. Through continued innovation and collaboration, farmers like Hugh are proving that it is possible to make farming more sustainable, both for the environment and for future generations.
