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Flytipping

Flytipping is the dumping of waste on the side of the road for others to deal with.

Courtesy of the EPA

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Life-Cycle Chain from Extraction through Production to Consumption and Waste

Life-Cycle Chain from Extraction through Production to Consumption and Waste. Source: Ireland's Environment 2008.

Image is present on following page(s): Waste, Insulation and Resource Use, Waste

Statue of Justice, Dublin Castle

Statue of Justice which can be seen on the north side of the Great Courtyard at Dublin Castle. The statue caused much controversy whe it was first erected as "Justice" has her back to the city.

© The Irish Times

Image is present on following page(s): Access to Information, Public Participation and Access to Justice, Access to Information, Public Participation and Access to Justice

A typical compost bin

Compost bins, like the one in the image, are relatively cheap and provide an important source of environmental protection. It can also save you money on soil for your garden plants.

Image is present on following page(s): Composting, Infrastructure, How to Compost, How to Compost, How to Compost, Infrastructure, Composting

A discarded washing machine.

WEEE is very harmful to the environment if left like this.

Copyright Environmental Protection Agency

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Waterfall

Courtesy of the EPA

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Logging

Teagasc research (www.teagasc.ie/forestry) has found that well managed coniferous forests grow far faster in Ireland than in the UK, USA, Canada or Sweden. A major change in recent years has been the shift from the planting of predominantly conifer forests (mainly Sitka Spruce) to broadleaves, such as ash. Up until the turn of the century, conifers accounted for 90% of all planting, but this has fallen to 60% in recent years. Native species, including native broadleaves and Scots Pine, now account for close to 40% of all planting. Most planting is undertaken by farmers, whereas in the past it was undertaken by the State. Coillte, the State’s forestry company, owns over 445,000 hectares of land, or 7% of the land cover of Ireland.

Copyright Irish Farmers Journal

Image is present on following page(s): coniferous forests and top soil, Land Use in Ireland, Land Use in Ireland, Land Use in Ireland, Land Use in Ireland, Land Use in Ireland

Indoor water tap

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Image is present on following page(s): Pollution in Ireland, Drinking Water, Drinking Water, Pollution in Ireland, Environmental Concerns

Ireland's Biodiversity - Estimated Number of Species

Ireland's Biodiversity - Estimated Number of Species (Botanic Gardens, 2008; Birdwatch Ireland, 2008; DAHGI, 1998). Source: Ireland's Environment 2008.

Courtesy EPA

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Eutrophication

This type of algae bloom destroys entire ecosytems by depriving the other plant and animal life of oxygen and changes the colour of the water it invades.

© Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government

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Paper bins only

At your local bring bank you are likely to see bins like these, plus bins for cans, glass and other waste. It is important to separate your waste before heading off to a bring bank.

Image is present on following page(s): Infrastructure, Infrastructure

Car emissions

Every year, on September 22nd, we have a European Car Free Day. Across the EU, people are asked to take different types of transport like walking, cycling and public transport.

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Great soil groups of Ireland.

Great soil groups of Ireland. Source: Ireland's Environment 2008.

Courtesy EPA

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Poolbeg - the site of the Dublin plant

This is the site for the Dublin thermal treatment plant. The current power station is currently owned by ESB and sits beside the now-decommissioned Pidgeon House generating station where electricity was first generated in 1903.

Copyright John Kennedy

Image is present on following page(s): Disposal of Waste, Ambient Air Quality, Disposal of Waste, Ambient Air Quality

Dairy farmers per county

Dairy farming is practiced throughout all counties of Ireland, although Munster and eastern counties have the greatest number of cows. Cork had over 4,200 dairy herds, while Tipperary, Kerry and Limerick are also significant. A noted dairy production region touching all four counties is the "Golden Vale", a stretch of top quality land across Limerick, Tipperary and Cork and including the hinterlands of the towns of Charleville, Michelstown, Kilmallock and Tipperary.

Copyright Irish Farmers Journal

Image is present on following page(s): Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming

Farmer's markets

At a Farmers’ Market, farmers, growers or producers (usually from a defined local area) are present in person to sell their own produce direct to the public. Farmers’ Markets give local producers the opportunity to eliminate distributors and retailers’ margins, as well as generating very valuable direct feedback on the product. Consumers can make a more direct connection with the source of their food and learn more about what is in season and the best cooking methods. Farmers' markets are held weekly or monthly in many Irish towns and cities in Ireland - a listing of approved Farmers Markets is available from An Bord Bia (www.bordbia.ie).

Copyright Irish Farmer's Journal

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Bailed silage

Preserving grass silage as bailes is very popular in Ireland. The grass is compacted into a bale and then wrapped in an airtight plastic wrapper. The system offers more flexibility at feeding time than conventional pit silage, as bales can be transported for feeding. Some of the world’s best equipment for making baled silage is manufactured in Ireland by companies such as McHale (Mayo) and Tanco (Carlow).

Copyright Irish Farmers Journal

Image is present on following page(s): Harvest Time, Land Use in Ireland, Land Use in Ireland, Land Use in Ireland, Land Use in Ireland, Land Use in Ireland

Milking machine

Milk from dairy cows in Ireland is collected each day using a milking machine in a milking parlour. This highly efficient system uses a pulsated vacuum to draw milk from the cows. Milk let-down is encouraged by the release of the hormone oxytocin, which is promtpted by the pre-milking washing routine employed by the farmer. Milk is drawn from the cows and piped to a stainless steel bulk tank, wher it is quickly cooled for storage. Hygene is essential and milk is regularly tested to ensure that bacterial contamination is avoided (www.milkquality.ie)

Copyright Irish Farmers Journal

Image is present on following page(s): Dairy Cows and Calves, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming

Cattle Grazing in the Burren

The Burren is Ireland's most distinctive and internationally celebrated landscape, while the burren is inhospiabble it is used for farming.

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Holstein calves

The vast majority of dairy animals in Ireland are Holstein Friesians, the most popular bairy breed globally. They have been intensively selected for milk production in the main dairy regions around the world, particularly in the Netherlands and the USA. In 2010, there were 611,853 Holstein Friesian Calves born in Ireland compared to 17,099 Jersey calves and 9,472 Montbeliarde. Further details from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (www.icbf.com) and from the Irish Holstein /frieshian Association (www.ihfa.ie)

Copyright Irish Farmers Journal

Image is present on following page(s): Dairy Cows and Calves, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming

Silage making

Each year, Irish farmers harvest their surplus grass crops during the summer growing season and preserve it as silage or hay for feeding during the winter when cattle are housed indoors. Silage is brought into farmyards and stored in airtight conditions under plastic. The crop ferments, with the resulting acidity preserving the feeding value of the material. Most silage crops are harvested by large scale machinery run by contractors. Farms generally take two main cuts of silage, the first in June and the second in August.

Copyright Irish Farmers Journal

Image is present on following page(s): Harvest Time, Land Use in Ireland, Land Use in Ireland, Land Use in Ireland, Land Use in Ireland, Land Use in Ireland

Farm organisations

A high proportion of Irish farmers are members of representative organisations that provide information, offer strength in numbers as well as lobbying politicians and Government on their behalf. The largest organisation is the Irish Farmer's Association (IFA) (www.ifa.ie), with over 85,000 members in 947 branches nationwide. The picture shows a 2011 protest calling for farmers to receive a fair share of the retail price. For young farmers aged 17-35, Macra na Feirme (www.macra.ie), founded in 1944, offers a network of clubs active in agriculture, sports, travel, public speaking, community involvement and the arts. Thousands of Irish dairy farmers are also members of the Limerick based Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) (www.icmsa.ie). Drystock farmers are also represented by the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (www.icsaireland.com)

Copyright Irish Farmers Journal

Image is present on following page(s): Farming Organisations and Farming Matters, Land Use in Ireland, Land Use in Ireland, Land Use in Ireland, Land Use in Ireland, Land Use in Ireland

Clouds in a summer sky

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Courtesy of the EPA

Image is present on following page(s): Air Quality, Air Quality

An area of Land

Average land price in Ireland in 2011 was estimated to be €8,708 per acre. (Source: Irish Farmers Journal Agricultural Land Price Report, 2011). Prices peaked at over €20,000 per acre in 2007, driven by demand for development.

Copyright Irish Farmers Journal

Image is present on following page(s): Farming Organisations and Farming Matters, Land Use in Ireland, Land Use in Ireland, Land Use in Ireland, Land Use in Ireland, Land Use in Ireland

Teagasc Moorpark

Teagasc Moorepark Dairy Production Research Centre in Fermoy, Co Cork. Established by the Irish government in 1959, Moorepark Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre has played a vital role in the development of the Irish dairy industry. It has been the focal point of Irish research into all aspects dairy production and is regarded as one of the world's leading grassland agriculture research centres.

Copyright Irish Farmers Journal

Image is present on following page(s): Dairy Research Centre and Related Maps, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming

Cows grazing

Weather permitting, Irish dairy cows are generally grazed on grass pastures from March to October when the grass is in plentiful supply. Average milk yield per cow in Ireland in 2010 was 4,567 litres with constituents of 3.84% butterfat and 3.35% protine. This is relatively low by international standards; in the United States and Continental Europe, average milk yields are close to 9,000 litres per cow. However, the yields in Ireland reflect the prevalence of cost grass based systems rather than intensive indoor confinement systems based on concentrate feeds.

Copyright Irish Farmers Journal

Image is present on following page(s): Dairy Cows and Calves, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Protein

Calf rearing

A group of Holstein Friesian calves gather around a milk feeder on the farm of Ann Moore in Middleton, Co Cork. The system is and example of low labour techniques imported from New Zealand that allow large numbers of animals to be managed by one person. Milk is placed in the central drum and brought by ATV or tractor to the field where the calves gather around and suck mild from plastic teats. Once they are well fed and have good shelter, calves are very healthy outdoors. In 2011, Ann was awarded the European Innovation award for farm women.

Copyright Irish Farmers Journal

Image is present on following page(s): Dairy Cows and Calves, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming, Dairy Farming

Milk processor map

Thirteen major firms process Ireland's milk and produce butter, cheese, powders, fresh milk and other products for the domestic and export market. Kilkenny based Glanbia plc (glanbia.com) is the largest, followed by Kerry Group (www.kerry.com) Dairygold co-op (www.dairygold.ie) and Lakeland Dairies co-op (www.lakeland.ie). Glanbia and Kerry are publicly quoted companies listed on the Irish Stock Exchange, while the remainder are farmer owned co-operatives. Each month, the Irish Farmers Journal publishes a Milk League that tracks the price paid for milk by eack processor (www.farmersjournal.ie)

Copyright Irish Farmers Journal

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Farming in the Burren

The Burren is a good example of the wonders of nature situated in Clare and Galway, it is made up of limestone rock, there are flora and fauna which may not be found anywhere else.

Image courtesy of www.burrenbeo.com.

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Farmyard

The farmyard is the hub where all farming activity is centred, with machinery and winter fodder stored alongside animal housing. In Ireland, cattle usually need to be taken from the land and housed indoors for 8-24 weeks, depending on the land type and weather conditiond. A typical housing period would be from early November to early March. Ideally, farmyards are located in the centre of the farm. Farmers plant trees to create a shelter and reduce the visual impact of the buildings. This picture shows the farmyard of William Allen, a winner in the 2010 FBD Farmyard of the year competition run by the Irish Farmers Journal (www.farmersjournal.i.e)

Copyright Irish Farmers Journal

Image is present on following page(s): Farming Organisations and Farming Matters, Land Use in Ireland, Land Use in Ireland, Land Use in Ireland, Land Use in Ireland, Land Use in Ireland

Cattle breeding

Thousands of farmers in Ireland are engaged in pedigree breeding of cattle, with their purebred stock registered in the herdbook of their chosen breed. The numerically largest pedigree breed is the Irish Holstein Friesian Association (ww.ihfa.ie) with over 3,000 breeders (pictured). Eighteen beef breed societies are participants in the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (www.icbf.com). The following are the main beef breeds, as well as their country of origin and year of first importation: Angus (Great Britain, 1843); Aubrac (France, 1992); Blonde d’Aquitaine (France, 1974); Belgian Blue (Belgium, 1980); Charolais (France, 1964); Hereford (Great Britain, 1775); Limousin (France, 1972); Piemontese (Italy, 1982); Parthenaise (France, 1997); Saler (France, 1997); Shorthorn (Great Britain, 1882) and Simmental (Austria, 1971).

Copyright Irish Farmers Journal

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Irish National Stud

The State owned Irish National Stud (www.irishnationalstud.ie) based at Tully in Co Kildare is a major tourist attraction, with some of the most magnificent horses and sumptuous gardens to be found anywhere in the world. It is a working stud, with elite stallions available to breeders at commercial rates. The farm, purchased by Colonel William Hall Walker at the turn of the 20th century, helps Ireland retain its global leadership position in thoroughbred horse breeding. Each year, over 115,000 visit the farm and its exhibits. In May 2011, Queen Elizabeth II, a noted horse breeder, visited the farm during her historic State visit.

Copyright Irish Farmers Journal

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