Agritech, one of Ireland’s leading agricultural input specialists, is currently recruiting Full-Time Sales Advisors in Monaghan, Louth and Donegal. Manage farm visits, hit targets, and ensure customer satisfaction. Competitive pay plus commission. Grow your sales career. Apply today at careers.agritech.ie or email careers@agritech.ie

As one of Ireland’s leading specialist agricultural companies, Agritech is renowned for manufacturing and distributing a range of quality and innovative nutrition and forage products.

At Agritech, you’ll have the independence to grow your income, build relationships, and develop your potential. With unlimited earning opportunities, long-term progression, and a team that backs you every step of the way, this is your chance to build a successful professional sales career in agribusiness.

Key Responsibilities:

• Meet & support farmers in your region, building long-term relationships

• Drive new business and nurture existing accounts

• Promote Agritech’s range of proven nutrition and forage solutions

• Conduct on-farm advisory visits, recommend solutions, and follow up

• Achieve or exceed sales targets and capture repeat orders, and report on performance

• Participate in events and demonstrate technical expertise

Candidate Profile :

• Commercial mindset, self-driven, goal-oriented

• Strong farming interest and background

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

• Full clean driving licence and willingness to travel daily across your region

What We Offer:

• Competitive salary + bonus + holiday pay

• Company vehicle

• Structured training and continuous support

• Progression within a growing company

• Collaborative and flexible work environment

How to Apply?

If you are interested, submit your reply at careers.agritech.ie or directly to careers@agritech.ie

In recent weeks, slow growth has been the common factor noted across the regions, with much of the focus devoted to balancing grass availability and maintaining quality.

Where grass growth is slow, wasting grass must be avoided. Residuals of 3.5 – 4cm must be achieved in order to create high-quality covers for the next rotation when growth rates will hopefully rectify themselves. Grass walks should be undertaken at least once weekly but ideally twice weekly where grass is tight.

Milk output must also be monitored; average milk yield decline should be no greater than 2.5% per week at this point in lactation.

Where volume or solids are falling quicker than this, quality and quantity of grass needs to be revised. Where quality is low, or silage is introduced into the diet, ensure the cows’ energy requirements are being met accordingly. Increased supplementation may be required.

Reduced energy density in the diet will result in decreased milk protein % and reduced milk output. Once growth has increased and quality has been rectified (with breeding also concluding), feeding rates can be reduced.

Looking ahead to the winter, now is a good time to assess how much fodder is on farm with first cuts completed, while some early 2nd cuts and surplus bales have been taken.

It’s important to plan for the forthcoming winter while noting how much subsequent forage remains unharvested.

At this point, Spring-born calves should have smoothly transitioned to grazing.

Weighing scales remain one of the most underutilised management tools on farm and should be used to gauge where we are at regarding target weights ~ 200kg by mid-September (33% of mature cow weight) or 07-0.8kg/hd/day.

Parasite burdens can also have a huge impact on youngstock performance over the 1st grazing season and should be discussed on a herd-by-herd basis with your veterinary practitioner.

For more information and calf rearing advice, contact your local Agritech Sales Advisor here. 

The pleasant and warmer weather experienced during the first half of April finally brought about a welcome increase in grass growth, largely in line with the five-year average for this time of year.

Many paddocks identified for reseeding were sprayer, harrowed and sown at the start of April, with many more earmarked for the coming weeks. As Teagasc has noted, reseeding increases the farm’s overall productivity and allows higher animal output per hectare relative to permanent pasture.

The benefits of reseeding are well established since it represents the fastest on-farm investment return. Reseeding also helps farms to increase Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) by minimising nitrogen losses to water. It also improves yield and quality and helps to reduce the requirement to buy feed.

However, it’s worth re-emphasising several other benefits that arise from reseeding. Research indicates that new leys, when compared to older permanent pasture:

• Are 25% more responsive to applied Nitrogen;
• Results in more available grass in the shoulders of the season;
• Results in faster re-growths and
• Increases total annual production /ha.

Teagasc estimates that a low portion of perennial ryegrass in the sward is costing the average dairy farm up to €300/ha in lost grass production during the growing season.

When planning a reseed, the largest gains will be made by replacing the oldest/least productive swards e.g., your paddocks with the least number of grazings last year.

Where reseeding or sward rejuvenation occurs, clover inclusions cannot be overlooked for obvious reasons due to its nitrogen-fixing abilities. Soil fertility must be centric to the reseeding protocol, especially where we want a successful clover establishment (alongside good management practices in the first 12 months).

Over-sowing clover on grazing paddocks can work well – while the best opportunity to incorporate clover into a sward is always at the point of reseeding.

For further advice, contact your local Agritech Sales Advisor.

Grass Growth

In recent weeks, slow growth has been the common factor noted across the regions, with much of the focus devoted to balancing grass availability and maintaining quality. Where grass growth is slow, wasting grass must be avoided. Residuals of 3.5-4cm must be achieved in order to create high-quality covers for the next rotation when growth rates will hopefully rectify themselves. Grass walks should be undertaken at least once weekly but ideally twice weekly where grass is tight.

Milk Output 

Milk output must also be monitored; average milk yield decline should be no greater than 2.5% per week at this point in the lactation. Where volume or solids are falling quicker than this, quality and quantity of grass needs to be revised. Where quality is low, or silage is reintroduced into the diet, ensure the cows’ energy requirements are being met accordingly. Increased supplementation may be required. Reduced energy density in the diet will result in decreased milk protein % and reduced milk output. Once growth has increased and quality has been rectified (with breeding also concluding), feeding rates can be reduced.

Forage Stocks

Looking ahead to the winter, now is a good time to assess how much fodder is on farm with first cuts completed, while some early 2nd cuts and surplus bales have been taken. With forage stocks depleted due to the late spring, it’s important to plan for the forthcoming winter while noting how much subsequent forage remains unharvested.

2024 Spring-Born Calves

At this point, 2024 Spring-born calves should have smoothly transitioned to grazing. Weighing scales remain one of the most underutilised management tools on farm and should be used to gauge where we are at regarding target weights ~ 200kg by mid-September (33% of mature cow weight) or 0.7-0.8kg/hd/day. Parasite burdens can also have a huge impact on youngstock performance over the 1st grazing season and should be discussed on a herd-by-herd basis with your veterinary practitioner.

For more information, contact your local Agritech Sales Advisor

How to hit replacement heifer targets

For most parts of the country, grassland management has proven a struggle to date this year, given the contrasting rain levels between early and mid/late summer, contributing to sporadic periods of sustained high growth rates.

However, as we approach the later quarter of the grazing season, it is important to maximise perfomance off grass, while also setting the platform up correctly for Spring 2024. As always, we’re hoping to control the decline in milk production from here to the end of lactation. Milk yield in normal conditions will drop off 2.5% per week or 10% per month once we get to mid lactation.

Energy Deficit  

Any drop greater than this indicates an energy deficit, which would signal deteriorating grass quality or where a deficit occurs, the herd’s dry matter intake capacity may not be being met. However, milk protein and butterfat should be incrementally increasing at this point, with the target being at least +0.05% per month. Milk protein is energy based and where grass quality has suffered, summer milk protein percentages have been similarly impacted.

Next Generation

It is also a good time to reassess where we stand with the next generation of milking cows – that heifers are still on track to achieve their target weight for age (% of mature weight). Weighing now compared to weighing at the point of housing provides the opportunity to identify heifers that are behind target, and to make alternative plans where these targets are not being met.

The threshold figure for 2022 spring born weanling heifers is approximately 198kg in mid-September (33% of an assumed mature weight of 600kg). Heifers that are lighter than this should be separated into their own group and given priority access to high quality grass and supplementary concentrates (depending on how below target they may be).

Higher weight gains can be achieved from grass rather than from winter/silages diets and a good response to autumn supplementation can be achieved. Research shows that youngstock at grass in summer can achieve weight gain of 0.85kg/day on grass only. While in the autumn where 1kg of concentrate plus high-quality grass is offered, Average Daily Gains of 1kg/head/day can be achieved.

For more information, contact your local Agritech Sales Advisor.

As autumn progresses, the weather can change quickly so timing is critical; earlier reseeding allows for more flexibility with grazing and weed control. Remember, an unproductive sward could be losing you 3t of dry matter/ha/year. Swards with a low percentage of perennial ryegrass, that are not producing sufficient levels of grass in the shoulders of the year and have a poor response to N, shouldn’t be tolerated on the grazing platform.

Reseeding Management 

As ever, the target turnaround should be 50-60 days with a reseed. Therefore, complete spray-off by mid-august, target first grazing should be approximately the same date in October. Ideally, aim to graze at least once before closing for the winter to create a more established sward for the following spring.

With late autumn reseeds, avoid jeopardising your investment in reseeding by skimping on weed control or missing the window of opportunity. Post-emergence spraying is always your best chance to control weeds, typically applied approximately 5-6 weeks after sowing. When using a clover safe spray, keep in mind these can only be used until the end of September 2022.

Get the seedbed right

One of the most common issues seen this summer has been the inadequate rolling of new reseeds. Rolling is essential to create good soil-to-seed contact and it also helps maintain moisture within the seedbed.

Often new plants emerge quickly where the tractor tyre marks are, or in the headlands due to greater contact; this is a sign the field has been inadequately rolled. Ensure the seed bed is firm, not fluffy – roll prior to sowing if necessary to firm it up.

For further autumn reseeding advice or to find out more about our Tipperary Grass Seed Range, contact your local Agritech Sales Advisor. 

With ground conditions finally favourable and excellent grass growth levels, now is an ideal time to take the opportunity to reseed.

The never-ending debate always raises its head at this time of year as to ‘when is it too late to reseed?’. Although, the calendar acts as a guide to reseeding, it is not always the primary criteria and especially not this year.

At this stage, it is a matter of deciding between risk versus reward. If your plan is to reseed a certain percentage of the farm each year, it is important to stick to this plan and reseed now especially while ground temperatures are very good and there is excellent and almost unseasonable grass growth.

Making the decision to defer reseeding may only put additional pressure on next year. Autumn 2017 is a recent good example of this scenario as in that year, the weather was difficult, and many reseeding jobs were not completed. With a slow spring in 2018 and a drought hitting in early June, it meant that much of the ground not completed for reseeding in autumn 2017 had returned little in terms of new herbage by mid-summer.

Management Guide:
The objective of reseeding at this stage is to have the crop established before the winter sets in and to have the post emergent spray (if available) applied. In doing so, there are some important key factors that need to be taken into consideration:

Soil Fertility:
Reseeded pastures will not perform to their potential if soil fertility is not correct. To achieve maximum results, it is vital that the new reseed receives adequate levels of 10:10:20 and lime levels to balance pH requirements and kick start early growth.

Reseeding Method:
With a lot of ground burnt off beyond the recommended three weeks at this stage, some of the destroyed vegetation is now beginning to re-establish. It is therefore imperative that this ground is cultivated as soon as possible.

By now, it is becoming too late for reseeding methods such as minimal cultivation or direct drilling. Once you past the middle of September, ploughing or discing are the most reliable methods, as they create the best environment to facilitate germination.

Seeding Rate:
Increasing the seeding rate by 15-20% will maximise the rate of success and compensate for lower ground temperatures and growth levels at this time of year.

Clover inclusion is also essential when reseeding, with current research indicating that 1kg of clover is typically recouped with one month of clover growth. Rather than leaving clover out, we recommend increasing the level in the hope of achieving a better strike rate.

At Agritech, we have long recognised the importance of including optimal levels of clover in our grass seed mixtures. Our Tipperary Grass Seed mixtures are also treated with a biological seed stimulant called, GroQuik®, to ensure maximum germination and a stronger well rooted plant, even in more difficult growing conditions. The application of GroQuik® is especially beneficial to clover establishment as it has a more extensive and complicated root structure.

Post Management:
Watch out for the three most significant pests of reseeds, frit fly, leatherjackets and slugs which are particularly problematic in the autumn.

For further advice or to find out more about our 2020 Tipperary Grass Seed mixtures, contact your local Agritech sales representative or distributor. 

Grass seed assembly is the backbone of Agritech and we have long recognised that the key criteria in the assembly of grass mixtures is to include high quality grass varieties of complementary characteristics. Our 2020 Tipperary Grass Seed Range has revealed that two high quality late varieties, AberPlentiful and AberBite, are included in our grass mixtures once again.

AberPlentiful is the highest ranked variety for Total Yield on the 2020 Recommended List and Pasture Profit Index (PPI). It’s a late tetraploid with very good growth characteristics, especially spring growth, where it is also number one in the Late category. AberBite is also a highly sought after variety which features on the Recommend List and PPI. It features a unique combination of excellent grass quality characteristics and high silage yield potential.

According to Agritech’s, Seamus O Slatarra, “The latest Recommended List and PPI once again highlights our commitment to including high quality grass varieties in the assembly of our grass mixtures.

“Our Tipperary Grass Seed Range has a mix for every situation and has built an excellent reputation with farmers throughout the country for delivering optimal germination, establishment and increased yield in new grass leys. All of the Tipperary Grass Seed mixtures are treated with the unique GroQuik Seed Stimulant to further enhance germination rates and crop lifetime production.”

For further advice on spring reseeding or to choose a suitable grass mixture from the Tipperary Grass Seed Range, contact your local Agritech Distributor/Sales Rep or click here.

2020 Tipperary Grass Mixtures Brochure, available to View or Download Now

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Increased stocking rates particularly on dairy farms has meant that herbage output is more critical now than ever before. The recent Teagasc Moorepark Open Day highlighted that the anticipated further growth of the national dairy herd must be achieved in an environmentally sustainable way .

The application of biological seed stimulants is a key step in exploiting the potential of grass; something which has been adopted by Agritech from early on. Every grass seed mixture in the Tipperary Grass Seed Range is treated with a unique germination dressing called GroQuik®.

GroQuik® is a biological seed stimulant which accelerates germination and especially root growth in both grasses and clover. Environmental sustainability is very much at the forefront as the ingredients used in its manufacturing are 100% non-chemical and they even qualify for inclusion in grass seed mixtures for use on organic farms.

The application of GroQuik® is especially beneficial to clover establishment as it has a more extensive and complicated root structure. This is critical for Irish farmers, with research by Teagasc continuing to highlight that clover has a central role to play on all farms, whether the farming system is intensive or extensive.

Improved root structure

The benefit of an enhanced and more developed root structure helps to ensure that the grass plant has access to more nutrients from the soil, thereby ensuring improved efficiency and extra herbage yield.

Recent on farm experiments have highlighted the benefits of an improved root structure by comparing dressed and non-dressed grass mixture plots. Despite both plots receiving the same management in the same field at the same time, it was found that dressed plots showed a significant increase in herbage yield compared to the non-dressed plots.

Initially, it was thought that this benefit would last for a few months post sowing, however it is now very clear that the benefits last for years. Commenting on this, Agritech Sales Director, John Kenny states, “Going forward, stimulants such as GroQuik® will play a vital role in Irish Agriculture by increasing herbage output in an environmentally sustainable way. The benefits of the technology can be seen by farmers long after sowing by facilitating healthier plants and improved yields.”

For any further advice on autumn reseeding or to choose a suitable grass mixture from the Tipperary Grass Seed Range, contact your local Agritech distributor or click here.