The Byrne Family Dairy Farm is located at Coolnasmear, outside Dungarvan in Co Waterford in the picturesque Comeragh Mountains. The family includes John and Mary and their teenage children, Molly and Eamon, and John’s parents, Eamon and Mary. John is the fifth generation on the farm and it’s clear that they are farming with the future in mind. With an unwavering focus on milk quality and animal welfare standards, John and Mary see their job as stewards, minding the farm for those who will follow, and enhancing it along the way.
Nominated by Tirlán, the Byrne Family milk 220 cows. The farm produced an outstanding average of 556kg of milk solids in 2024, with an impressively low TBC (12) and SCC (56) during the year. With a 20-unit DeLaval parlour, the family work very hard to maintain the highest standards of hygiene with a strict cleaning regimen.
Animal health and comfort is a priority on this farm with significant investment in both technology and facilities, and strictly observed animal health protocols all contributing to increased longevity. The family has invested heavily in buildings, including a spacious calving shed and pens. In terms of animal health, close observation and taking swift action means problems are addressed early. Well-maintained roadways lessen impact and cows that need extra care are kept in a spacious paddock adjacent to the parlour, easy to observe from the farmyard with shorter distances to walk. Attention to detail is also evident in animal nutrition, pen hygiene, colostrum during calving and record-keeping. All of the cows are equipped with collars, allowing the Byrnes to be proactive with animal health.
