Have you listened to the Beef Edge podcast?
By Catherine Egan,
Beef Specialist Catherine Egan.
Teagasc Athenry
Podcasts are free audio shows that anyone with an iPhone, Android phone or computer can listen to. You can listen anywhere and anytime. The Beef Edge podcast is celebrating its 1st Anniversary. Over 24,000 farmers have tuned in to hear timely technical information and the latest research and advice from Teagasc and industry stakeholders. Presented by Teagasc Beef Specialist Catherine Egan the podcasts cover the latest news, information and advice to improve your beef farm performance.
Over the past year there have been regular updates in relation to grassland management throughout the year, making quality silage and efficient fertiliser use. Key breeding tips, using AI and heat synchronisation options have also been discussed on previous podcast episodes. Animal health topics such as parasite control have been discussed on previous episodes of the podcast at the appropriate time. With the launch of a number of beef schemes in 2020 such as beef environmental efficiency programme- suckler (BEEP-S) and the beef finishers programme (BFP) Catherine asked the key questions to find out the requirements and details you as a farmer needed to know.
In September the ‘Beef Edge Masterclass’ was launched with regular monthly updates from expert farmers explaining their system. First in the series to discuss his system was Niall O’Meara, a suckler farmer from Co. Galway who operates an autumn calving suckling to weanling system. Niall is achieving all the key targets from birth to weaning and he explains just how he does it. In the second series JP Hammersley a farmer in Co. Tipperary, explained his system whereby British Friesian bull calves are brought to beef as steers at 24 & 28 months.
There are also regular updates from the Derrypatrick Teagasc research farm at Teagasc Grange and research carried out at Johnstown Castle & Newford Demonstration farm. The Beef Edge also provides information on education courses and updates from the Agricultural colleges such as Kildalton and Gurteen Agricultural Colleges.
Teagasc offer a full suite of Podcasts such as the Dairy edge, Ovicast, Pig Edge, Tillage Edge and research field which can be seen on the website www.teagasc.ie/podcasts.
You can catch up on all the shows and interviews from The Beef Edge podcast on the Teagasc website at www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge , or you can listen on Apple and Google podcasts, as well as Spotify. Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a show.