Kilkenny farm family named CellCheck Champion

Congratulations to Kilkenny Farmer Owen Talbot who was named Tirlán CellCheck Champion of the year at this years AHI CellCheck awards.

The ceremony was attended by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon TD as well as leaders from across the agriculture and dairy sector.

The CellCheck Milking for Quality Awards, sponsored by FBD and supported by Ornua, highlight the top 500 milk suppliers nationwide with the lowest annual SCC from the previous production year, acknowledging farmers who maintain exemplary herd health standards 

Each co-op also nominated an individual “CellCheck Champion.” These farmers demonstrate leadership in their co-op achieving consistently low SCCs, continuous improvement, and a commitment to sustainable dairy farming for this and subsequent generations.

CellCheck Programme Manager Finola McCoy said: “The farmers we’re recognising tonight with these awards are real life examples of how low somatic cell counts and effective herd health can be maintained by being brilliant at the basics. We are also continuing to see a reduction in the number of cows in this cohort receiving antibiotic dry cow therapy, as the implementation of selective dry cow therapy continues to grow. Our CellCheck Champions are setting a standard for all dairy farmers. It is encouraging to see all of our winners achieve SCC levels below 76,000 cells/mL, which isa significant accomplishment.”

AHI Chair James Lynch also addressed attendees, stating: “The CellCheck Awards recognise and pay tribute to the commitment to excellence by Irish dairy farmers. Our dairy farmers are world-class food producers, and the CellCheck programme has, for over 10 years, supported them on the journey of improved herd health, reduced SCC, and the continued application of selective dry cow therapy.”

Michael Berkery, Chair of FBD Trust, remarked on the long-standing partnership with the awards:
“FBD has supported this initiative since its launch in 2014, and it is encouraging to see how it continues to develop. The CellCheck Programme, and the work of Animal Health Ireland overall, has delivered tangible benefits for farmers, with improvements in milk quality directly contributing to increased farm income. I congratulate all of this year’s award recipients. Their efforts reflect the ongoing progress in Irish food standards and reinforce our competitiveness as a leading food-producing and exporting nation.”

Tirlán suppliers who received an award for their Low SCC on the night, by county:

Carlow:

• NIALL KELLY FARM LTD
• KIERAN BYRNE LIVESTOCK SCANNIN

Cavan

• DAMIEN GILSENAN FARM LTD
• JOE PLUNKETT
• JOHN TEEVAN
• PADRAIG LYNCH
• KENNETH & LISA TURNER

Cork

• EMMA HOWARD COTTER
• KIERAN & LAURENCE COAKLEY
• JOSEPH & JODY O'NEILL
• JAMES MACKESSY
• SONNY COTTER
• JOHN FORDE
• MATTHEW, EILISH & MARTIN MURPHY

Dublin

• RATHBEALE MODEL FARM PARTNERSH

Kildare

• SHANE O'LOUGHLIN FARM LTD
• PAUL BARRY
• JIM & ROBERT BYRNE
• KILWARDEN DAIRY LTD

Kilkenny

• TREVOR PARR
• JMJ P/SHIP
• J DELEHANTY FARM LTD
• PADDY TEEHAN FARM LTD
• MEEHAN P/SHIP
• THOMAS TYNAN
• GERARD DOHENY
• B&S STAUNTON
• BERTIE TOBIN
• THOMAS,ELEANOR & BILL GAFFNEY
• PHYLLIS O'SHEA
• JAMES O'NEILL
• RICHARD HOWLEY LTD
• DOYLE AND SONS AGRI LTD
• MICHAEL, MARY & PATRICK DELANEY
• JOHN & MARY CONWAY
• EDWARD&BRIDGET &KIERAN CONDON
• TIMOTHY ROCHE
• LAST FIELD FARM LIMITED
• KNOCKMOYLAN FARM LTD
• NICHOLAS HOYNE & BARRY HOYNE
• CURRAGHMORE FARM PARTNERSHIP
• PATRICK HENNESSY
• JOHN DENIS & EILEEN MURPHY
• JOHN FLOOD
• JAMES & WILLIAM WALSH
• MICHAEL DUNPHY
• GERARD EDWARD DOYLE
• RICHARD FLOOD
• JOHN PAUL VEREKER
• JAMES CHRISTOPHER SHEEHAN
• GLENTOWN DAIRIES LIMITED
• RICHARD KENNEALLY
• MICHAEL PHELAN
• JOHN MAHER
• BRIAN KENNEALLY

Laois

• KIERAN MCEVOY PAULINE PHELAN
• PAURIC AND AINE MCEVOY
• PATRICK SCULLY
• PATRICK HYLAND
• HENRY & SEAN MOONEY
• SEALES FARM PARTNERSHIP
• GARRENDENNY FARM LTD
• TIM & GILLIAN & ROISIN FITZGERALD
• BALLYGEEHAN CASTLE LTD
• BRENDAN BIRNEY
• ROSEHILL FARM
• PADRAIG DORAN
• CHRISTOPHER & PATRICIA RYAN
• WILLIAM, ROBERT & ANDREW CLEGG
• PHELAN FAMILY PARTNERSHIP
• BAWNGARRA FARM PARTNERSHIP
• SEAMUS AND JAMES BENNETT
• MARTIN DAVIN
• ROBERT CALDBECK
• WILLIAM WHITE
• PADDY BRENNAN
• GERARD KINGSTON
• LAURENCE WALSH

Louth

• DANIEL RUNDLE
• SEAMUS CONROY

Meath

• VINCENT & MARY ANN HOEY
• THOMAS FAY
• JAMES LARRISSEY
• CASTLERICKARD FARM LTD
• JAMES OLWILL
• DECLAN WALSH
• WILLIAM & KATE MURPHY P/SHIP
• JAMES AUSTIN
• DANGAN HILL FARM LIMITED

Monaghan

• R & G HUGHES FARM LTD

Offaly

• DESMOND & JEAN CLAXTON

Tipperary

• EDWARD KENNEDY & FIONA KENNEDY
• BRIAN & GRAEME HASLAM
• DONAL ROBINSON
• JOHN, THOMAS AND MAURA KERWICK
• MICHAEL JOSEPH & BILLY HORAN
• JAMES JOSEPH & MICHAEL COONEY
• PATRICK ROCHFORD
• JAMES MCGRATH
• LIAM MCEVOY
• JAMES & KATHLEEN O'BRIEN
• TOBERNABRONE FARMS LIMITED
• CLONAMICLON FARM LIMITED
• AEM FARMS LIMITED
• A. MORONEY LTD
• BOWDEN FARM PARTNERSHIP
• JOHN KELLY
• JIMMY FITZPATRICK FARM LTD
• KILNACARRIGA FARMS LIMITED
• JOHN & DANIEL FENNELLY
• JOHN AND ANDREW MOLLOY
• JAMES & SEAMUS MCGRATH
• SEAMUS DOHENY
• ROBERT & OLIVE HORAN (P/SHIP)
• GERARD CUNNINGHAM
• BILL & JOHN ANTHONY HUNT

Waterford

• FRANCIS & KEVIN O'BRIEN
• MILK LEEDS LTD
• SHEANGARRY DAIRY FARM LIMITED
• MAURA & GARRY DUCEY
• SHANAWALLA FARMS LTD
• GERARD, SHANE & BERNIE FLAVIN
• BALLINAMINTRA DAIRY LIMITED
• DERMOT LONERGAN
• JOHN & MARY BYRNE LTD
• MARY & DOMINIC WHELAN
• DROMANA DAIRY & POULTRY LIMITED
• EDMOND & PATRICK CURRAN
• COLIN HARTY
• FINNISK VIEW FARM PARTNERSHIP
• THOMAS TOBIN
• PATRICK JOHN PAUL WALSH
• FELIM POWER
• LIAM BERESFORD
• CAPTAL FARMS OLD PARISH
• ARDPADDIN FARMING LIMITED
• DANIEL J FLYNN
• WILLIAM JOSEPH BEGLEY
• GRAIGUE AGRI LTD
• PATRICK HALLINAN
• DECLAN & MARY FRENCH LTD
• JPM DAIRIES
• DRUMHILLS FARM LIMITED
• J&T COFFEY FARMING LTD C/O THO
• BALLYLYNCH FARM LTD
• CATHERINE O'BRIEN
• EDMOND LONERGAN
• JOHN KIRWAN JNR
• LIAM LENNON & LOUISE DUNPHY
• NICHOLAS C DUNPHY
• MICHAEL FRANCIS NORRIS
• A & H PARTNERSHIP
• GUILCAGH FARM LTD
• HEARNE FARMS
• PERCY & CARMEL KINGSTON
• MARY WALSH
• FRANCIS CURRAN
• LIAM, CATHERINE & BRIAN POWER
• PAT WALSH FARM LTD
• PATRICK POWER
• ROCK BROOK FARM LTD
• THOMAS & EMMA MURPHY
• LIOS FIELD FARM LIMITED

Westmeath

• ANTHONY FARRELL

Wexford

• MICHAEL,ELIZABETH & SEAN MURPHY
• NOEL MORAN
• JOHN WAFER
• MOORFARM DAIRY LTD
• JOHN DOYLE
• Rory and Ann Marie Hammel
• T & K ROCHE LTD
• BETTY AND AILEEN KEHOE
• HENRY & GEORGINA DEACON
• SUMMERVILLE FARM
• AIDAN WHITTY
• ROBERT & AVRIL JACOB
• BRIAN & PATRICIA DOYLE
• PETER DONNELLY
• JOHN & SHANE GAHAN
• CRORY FARMS LTD
• JAMES BYRNE
• JAMES DARCY
• RAY MARTIN
• SEAMUS ATKINSON
• JAMES JOSEPH BRENNAN
• MARTIN FURLONG
• BANVILLE FARM PARTNERSHIP
• MICHAEL & MICHAEL A BREEN
• PATRICK & SHANE O'GORMAN
• BALLYANNE FARM PARTNERSHIP
• JAMES & PATRICK O'CONNOR
• FRANK & JAMES CURTIS
• DAVID KINSELLA
• MARK REDMOND
• EDWARD EDNO KINSELLA
• ANTHONY & JOHN KELLY
• BUTLERSTOWN FARM LTD
• JOHN BARDEN
• WHITE STONE FARM LTD
• CLEARY FARM
• DERMOT, ANGELA & NOEL KEHOE P/
• KELLY & KELLY
• JOE COWMAN & CLAIRE O'DONOVAN
• SEAN RYAN
• MARY & GARY HAWE
• BOROSIDE FARM PARTNERSHIP
• OWEN TALBOT
• PAUDIE MURPHY FARM LIMITED
• TOMAS MULLALLY FARMS LTD

Wicklow

• REYNOLDSTOWN FARM P/SHIP
• PATRICK BRACKEN
• SIMON FENNELL