Key facts
- Ger and Enda Armstrong won the Galway Sustainable Pasture Progress Award for 2025.
- The herd's Economic Breeding Index (EBI) has been boosted to €161.
- The farm achieved a milk price 5c/L higher than the average in 2025.
- The herd produces 21.5L of milk with 3.68% protein and 4.4% fat, supplemented by 2kg of meal.
- Milk solids in 2025 were 446kg, with a target of 475kg within two years.
- The dairy platform is stocked at 3.68 cows/ha, with an overall farm stocking rate of 1.6.
Ger and Enda Armstrong, dairy farmers in Kilcolgan, Co. Galway, have been recognized for their exceptional breeding and grassland management practices. The farm, which milks 137 cows, won the Galway Sustainable Pasture Progress Award for 2025. Enda Armstrong, who returned to the farm in 2019, implemented strategies to enhance the herd's solids production and boost grass output. These efforts have resulted in an Economic Breeding Index (EBI) of €161 for the herd and a milk price 5c/L higher than the average in 2025. The farm's performance was highlighted at a recent farm walk hosted by ArraTipp in conjunction with Teagasc and Munster Bovine. At the event, the Armstrongs shared details of their operation, including current milk production figures of 21.5L with 3.68% protein and 4.4% fat, supplemented by 2kg of meal. Their milk solids reached 446kg in 2025, with a goal to achieve 475kg in the next two years. Grassland management involves two weekly walks to monitor cover, growth, and demand, ensuring efficient utilization and surplus bale production. The dairy platform of 40.6ha is stocked at 3.68 cows/ha, with an overall farm stocking rate of 1.6. Breeding is a key focus, with a six-year emphasis on protein and solids, balancing milk litres with the use of Jersey and later black and white bulls. Heifers are synchronised for breeding, and heat detection collars are used for the main herd. The breeding season totals nine weeks, maintaining a 6.7% empty rate.