GETTING people to work on Irish farms – especially in the busier spring periods on dairy enterprises – is becoming something of ‘a perfect storm’, according to the latest research from Teagasc.

One of the main reasons for that, Teagasc point out, is that the average dairy herd size in Ireland has risen over recent years from 52 to 93 cows.

This has created an ‘unprecedented demand’ for additional people to work on dairy farms outside of the family unit.

Teagasc Moorepark researchers Marion Beecher and Thomas Lawton now point to a growing need for dairy farmers to develop key managerial and employer skills.

Survey data was taken from 203 dairy farmers and analysed to examine the variations in employment practices on those farms.

According to one of the study’s authors, Thomas Lawton, the findings showed a low level of adoption of employment practices generally.

“Across all farm sizes, there is significant scope for improvement in all aspects of employment. Herd size and the number of employees on the farm influenced the adoption of employment practices.

“Farmers’ level of education – and experience as an employee – were positively correlated with compliance with employment legislation, health and safety, and retention practices,” Thomas Lawton observed.

An article in the summer edition of the Teagasc TResearch magazine, the research concluded that farmers with more employees and larger herds were more likely to comply with the legislative requirements.

Pictured: Unprecedented demand for dairy workers.