Farm Smart: Young Dairy Farmer Focuses on Sustainability and Efficiency

Nicole Keohane’s roots in farming run deep. Her passion for agriculture was nurtured on her grandparents’ farm in Innishannon, Co. Cork. She received her first pair of wellies and overalls at the age of seven. From that point on, her grandmother Anne — who has stewarded the farm since the late 1970s — taught her the traditions of dairy farming.

Today, at 26, Nicole manages approximately 95 Holstein Friesian cows across 40 hectares. She is committed to reducing antibiotic usage and exploring alternative methods to promote animal health. Furthermore, she balances this with a full-time role at DATAMARS Livestock — relying on Herdwatch to keep the farm records in order around her busy schedule.

Nicole’s educational journey began at Waterford Institute of Technology. There, she earned her Green Cert and practical farming qualifications. She went on to complete a Research Masters focused on a non-antibiotic approach to improving udder health in Irish dairy cows.

Her achievements include winning the Dairy Master Student Award and speaking at prestigious events such as the EPA’s annual climate conference. In addition, she is the West Cork Farming Award winner for May, hosted by the Southern Star.

Animal welfare and calf enrichment on the farm

Nicole’s innovative spirit is evident in her approach to calf welfare. Her calf enrichment initiatives — such as hanging space hoppers in the calf shed — gained significant attention on social media. They also sparked genuine conversations about animal welfare on Irish dairy farms.

Calves are kept for up to six weeks to ensure a healthy, hardy calf leaves the farm. They are dehorned by a vet, with sedation and pain relief used throughout. As a result, animal welfare is prioritised at every stage of the process.

Nicole’s vision: sustainability and technology on farm

Nicole’s goal is to optimise dairy yield while minimising environmental impact. She wants to ensure economic viability for future generations. To achieve this, she is integrating technology and sustainable practices into every aspect of the farm’s operations.

Her plans for investment include collars, drafting gates, automatic calf feeders, and solar panels. Each of these aims to boost efficiency while also reducing the farm’s environmental footprint. In particular, her ambition is to transition from a 2–3-person operation to a more efficient one-person system through better technology and infrastructure.

Beyond the farm, Nicole is an active member of Macra na Feirme and an ambassador for the National Dairy Council. She champions sustainable practices and works to bridge the gap between scientific research and practical farming. Moreover, she regularly engages with non-farming audiences to share the realities of dairy farming in Ireland — including a recent appearance on a podcast hosted by Kathryn Thomas alongside other women in agriculture.

How Herdwatch keeps Nicole’s farm running

With a full-time job and a busy dairy farm to manage, Nicole relies on Herdwatch to stay on top of records without adding hours to her day. The app gives her access to every animal’s information instantly — at the click of a button, from anywhere.

Nicole uses the Milk Performance Dashboard to track top and bottom performers, monitor SCC, and review milk yield across the herd. In addition, she records medicine usage, calf registrations, and weights in real time as she goes.

Consequently, when the Bord Bia auditor arrives, all her records are up to date and ready to hand over. There is no last-minute scramble. Everything is already there.

The key features Nicole relies on include:

• Milk performance dashboard — top and bottom performers, SCC, milk yield
• Medicine usage and remedy tracking
• Calf registration
• Weight recording
• Bord Bia audit reports

You can read more real farmer stories on our farm case studies page.