Northern Ireland farm focus: Changing the field with new technologies and sustainable practices

ITV News

2 days ago

From artificial intelligence feeding stock, to waste-free meat production, many farmers in Northern Ireland are doing things differently to stay viable and sustainable in a tough climate.
In the last week during our Farm Focus series, we have looked at issues plaguing the industry, including the scourge of TB, the uncertainty of IHT changes, the struggle with mental health in rural communities and more, while proposed changes to environmental rules in the Nutrient Action Plan r ecently caused a furore as farmers said they would decimate the industry.
This final piece in the series looks at futuristic feeding, high-tech tracking, and diversification to stay as efficient and resilient as possible against the backdrop of the complicated challenges facing the agri-economy in Northern Ireland.
UTV spent time on two farms which seem very different on paper, but have a lot in common.
Husband and wife duo Charlie and Becky Cole run a 'mixed-enterprise' at Broughgammon Farm, and there is a seemingly endless list of what they do on just 50-acres.
Situated outside Ballycastle, they rear kid goats and veal calves and free range pork, they have an on-site butchery, they produce their own eggs, fruit and vegetables, and they sell all this fare in their farm shop, their cafe and from their burger carts which can be found at various events across the island.
It doesn't stop there - every Tuesday, huge groups of tourists take tours of the farm. They also host classes including cheese-making, butchery and foraging, and they even offer a bird-watching walk scheduled.
This farm has tried to build up a farm-to-fork model which is integrated in the community and things are going well, but they are not immune to the current challenges facing the sector - especially the uncertainty of businesses planning during uncertain times with ever-changing policy.
You can listen to more of Charlie's interview here.
Meanwhile, less than 20 miles away at Carnhill Holsteins, you'll find Casey family tending to their dairy herd just outside Cloughmills.
They have come a long way since Cahal Casey was milking by hand - things are different not for his son Conor and 18-year-old grandson Charlie.
They have robotic milking systems installed, and the tech does not stop there.
A state-of-the-art autonomous feeder ferries feed, which it mixes itself from forage and meal bins, to the cattle. This saves an estimated three-hours of manual labour per day, allowing Conor some time to document his farming life on TikTok.
The cattle themselves wear tracking collars. These collect health data like temperature and rumination, and convey that back to Conor's phone.
It means that he never misses a fertility window and can spot sickness before clinical signs appear, and Conor swears by these valuable stats as a game-changer.
Listen as Conor explains how these investments have helped him "modernise and push the boundaries of efficiency and sustainability".
As well as the robotics, the Caseys also use AI in its other meaning.
You'll have heard in the news report above that Broughgammon Farm buys in male kids and bull calves that would have been a by-product of the dairy industry and would have been euthanised.
At Carnhill, they are using sexed-semen in their artificial insemination process meaning that no bull calves are born into their herd in the first place.
These relative neighbours have vastly different operating models, but they are both set in the stunning surrounds of North Antrim, they each have three generations living and working together, and they both have sustainability at the core of what they do.
The sun might not always shine when farmers want it to, but these business people are certainly working hard to make sure their futures stay bright.