Uploaded January 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Dung beetles and other actions for nature on my dairy farm'
Bruce Thompson runs dairy farm in Ballyfin County Laois. He is an 8th generation farmer. The farm which was traditionally a mixed farm is now a commercial dairy farm with a herd of 320 cows. Bruce operates a grass based, high efficiency production system. In 2020, Bruce started a Nuffield Scholarship and from this he developed a passion for dung beetles. On his own farm he has a particular interest in reducing animal remedies through prevention, with a focus on animal wormers. He has made dramatic reductions in his wormer usage by making use of his farm microscope for diagnosis and pioneering new grazing strategies. Other actions taken for nature on his farm include managing hedgerows for biodiversity, planting new hedgerows and incorporating multi-species swards into his grassland to help reduce inputs. For more information on Bruce's farm go to: https://www.farmingfornature.ie/nominees/bruce-thompson-2/
Our Ask the Farmer Q&As are supported with funding from NPWS and DAFM.
Dung beetles and other actions for nature on my dairy farm'
Bruce Thompson runs dairy farm in Ballyfin County Laois. He is an 8th generation farmer. The farm which was traditionally a mixed farm is now a commercial dairy farm with a herd of 320 cows. Bruce operates a grass based, high efficiency production system. In 2020, Bruce started a Nuffield Scholarship and from this he developed a passion for dung beetles. On his own farm he has a particular interest in reducing animal remedies through prevention, with a focus on animal wormers. He has made dramatic reductions in his wormer usage by making use of his farm microscope for diagnosis and pioneering new grazing strategies. Other actions taken for nature on his farm include managing hedgerows for biodiversity, planting new hedgerows and incorporating multi-species swards into his grassland to help reduce inputs. For more information on Bruce's farm go to: https://www.farmingfornature.ie/nominees/bruce-thompson-2/
Our Ask the Farmer Q&As are supported with funding from NPWS and DAFM.
![Healthy Soil is the Key | Homesteading with Jim Cronin [Chapter 11]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gSC-OwT5B7w/mqdefault.jpg "Healthy Soil is the Key | Homesteading with Jim Cronin [Chapter 11]
Whatever you are trying to achieve on your homestead, healthy soil is an imperative
Farming for Nature is supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the National Parks and Wildlife Service")
