For many, dairying is a family tradition handed down from one generation to the next. For Donal Ronayne and his uncle Liam Trench, it is also a story of innovation, courage, and partnership. Together they have built Trench Dairy Ltd. in Ballindine, Co. Mayo into one of the most exciting new entrants in Irish dairying, a model that has already turned heads across the sector. They are both share holders in the company, Donal manages the enterprise and Liam continue operating his busy contracting business.
Donal greeted the judges on crutches, recovering from cruciate ligament surgery, yet the farm ran seamlessly in his absence from the pit, a testament to the systems and technology he has put in place. Football and farming have been his two great passions since childhood. He grew up on a beef and suckler farm run by his father alongside a full-time job in An Post, before choosing to study Dairy Business in UCD. Placements in New Zealand and Moorepark cemented his ambition to milk cows in his own right. After gaining experience on large farms in the west, he devised a plan with Liam to convert Liam’s suckler-to-beef holding into a modern dairy unit. They adapted some of the existing beef housing and, combined with new builds and a Waikato parlour, have created an impressive facility.
In 2021, Donal began milking 205 heifers, all carefully sourced from proven herds, Bill Carrol Clongowes (100) and 50 from Denise Weeks in Limerick (another UCD Dairy Business graduate) and 50 more from Michael O Gorman in Dungarvan. The herd has gradually scaled back to 173 cows today. The system is compact, efficient, and grass-focused, with the River Robe, which drains into Lough Mask, forming part of the farm boundary. Conscious of water quality, fencing has been set back three metres and environmental protection is central to their approach. White clover has been sown across the platform and slurry is applied with a trailing shoe, and hedgerows and riparian zones enhance biodiversity. Donal admits that controlling docks is the biggest challenge when managing clover
Technology plays a big role: collars, an automatic drafter, and a calf feeder all help to streamline labour, while twice weekly grass walks ensure top-quality forage. The cows themselves are bred for efficiency, with 100% of the dairy semen used being sexed, and beef AI on the remainder, Limousin, Angus and easy calving Belgian Blue. Liam retains around 70 beef calves each year and the remainder go to repeat customers, Donal’s focus is on herd’s genetics, herd health, nutrition, and performance. The figures speak volumes in 2024 the herd averaged 551kg milk solids per cow, with butterfat and protein percentages consistently strong.
Family involvement adds further strength. Donal’s brother Thomas, another football fanatic, who is in third year Dairy Business in UCD was doing a lot of the heavy lifting while Donal is on crutches. Liam’s daughter Hannah is a key member of the milking team, while Liam’s sons Aaron and Joe who are machinery buffs in the contracting business lend a hand when needed. Transition years students and relief milkers complete the team.
Recognition has followed quickly. Trench Dairy Ltd. were overall winners of the Aurivo Milk Quality Awards and claimed the Highest Solids Award, testament to the strong foundation in genetics and grassland management that drives the business. But perhaps their greatest achievement lies in the model itself. The collaboration between uncle and nephew offers a fresh template for Irish dairying, a way to bring in new entrants, give older farmers a route to step back, and keep family farms thriving in rural Ireland.
As Donal himself puts it, the farm is run on simple principles: compact spring calving, good grass, and attention to detail. Behind that simplicity lies vision, determination, and an ability to inspire others. Trench Dairy Ltd. may be a young business, but it has already established itself as a shining example of where the future of Irish dairying can go.
