Events
Building a More Profitable Suckler Herd
For the third year running, the Teagasc Future Beef Programme is hosting a series of practical Breeding Webinars for 2026.
Click here to register for the webinars!
Click on the links below to find out more about each webinar:
- Tuesday, 24 March | Maximising Output on the Suckler Farm
- Tuesday, 31 March | Breeding the Ideal Cow for Your System
- Tuesday, 7 April | Breeding Technologies in Practice
These timely online events are designed to help Irish suckler farmers maximise profit through improved output, focusing on the key drivers of a successful beef enterprise:
- A calf per cow per year
- A heavier, high-quality weanling
- A factory-fit animal at a younger age
Achieving this requires excellent genetics, good management and the right breeding decisions.
Successful suckler farmers know that the ideal cow does not happen by chance. She is built through careful breeding decisions, good herd management and the use of modern tools and technologies.
Many Irish suckler farmers rely primarily on stock bulls, and these webinars will also highlight the importance of selecting the right bull to match the cows in your herd and your production system – whether you are finishing bulls, steers, heifers, or breeding replacement females.
While stock bulls remain the backbone of breeding on many farms, AI can also be used alongside stock bulls to introduce high genetic merit sires, simplify breeding decisions and accelerate genetic progress.
Other technologies that will be discussed include:
- Synchronisation programmes
- Automated heat detection systems such as SenseHub
- Myostatin breeding strategies
- Embryo transfer technologies
Many Irish suckler farmers also work off-farm, meaning labour efficiency is critical. These webinars will explore how breeding and management can help develop a cow that works with the farmer – one that is fertile, docile and capable of calving herself.
Alongside the practical benefits, breeding also brings real satisfaction and pride, with more farmers now breeding a portion of their herd for show or pedigree purposes, helping maintain interest and progress in herd genetics.
Who should attend?
These webinars are ideal for:
- Suckler farmers aiming to improve herd performance
- Farmers looking to breed their own replacement heifers
- Farmers interested in AI, synchronisation and breeding technologies
- Producers wanting to reduce labour and improve efficiency
Night 2 – Breeding the Ideal Cow for Your System
Date and time: Tuesday, March 31st at 8:00pm
Chair: Chris Daly, Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF)
Speakers:
- Rose Goulding, National Cattle Breeding Centre (NCBC)
- Donnchadh McCarthy, Future Beef Programme participant who produces bulls for finishing
- John Barry, Future Beef Programme participant and weanling producer
This webinar will focus on how farmers can develop a cow that truly works within their system – one that is fertile, docile, milky, efficient to maintain and capable of producing a high-value calf each year. As you know, the cow contributes 50% of the genetics of every calf born, so breeding decisions are central to long-term herd performance.
Click here to register for the webinars!
The evening will also explore how different breeding goals suit different production systems, including:
- Under-16-month bull systems producing – ~400kg carcasses at 15–16 months
- Weanling production systems – targeting a 400kg, well-shaped weanling at 9–10 months
We are particularly keen for farmers to gain a better understanding of:
- Matching cows to the appropriate bull
- Selecting replacement heifers
- Interpreting star ratings and herd performance data
- The role of myostatin and other breeding considerations
- Analyse herd figures and select a stock bull.
Night 3: Breeding Technologies in Practice
Date and time: Tuesday, April 7th at 8:00pm
Chair: James Mullane, Future Beef Programme Advisor
Speakers:
- Daire Markham, Veterinary Practitioner
- Edwin Carroll, Teagasc Grange
- Aonghusa Fahy, Future Beef farmer
This webinar will focus on how breeding technologies can be used in practical farm situations to improve genetic gain, simplify breeding management and improve labour efficiency — an important consideration for many suckler farmers who are also working off-farm.
Click here to register for the webinars!
Key technologies that will be discussed include:
Synchronisation
- What it is and how it works
- Planning synchronisation programmes within a herd
- Costs involved
- Differences in application between heifers and mature cows
Fixed-Time AI
- How the system works
- Benefits for labour efficiency and breeding management
Heat Detection Methods
- Vasectomised bull with chin-ball harness
- Tail paint and heat detection stickers
- Activity monitoring collars
- The role of automated systems such as SenseHub
Embryo Transfer
- What it involves
- Situations where it may suit commercial farmers
- Its potential to accelerate genetic gain
The aim of this webinar is to give farmers a practical understanding of how these technologies can fit into real farm systems and how they can be used alongside traditional breeding methods to improve herd performance.
Night 1 – Maximising Output on the Suckler Farm
Date and time: Tuesday, March 24th at 8:00pm
Chair: Aisling Molloy, Future Beef Programme Advisor
Speakers:
- Alan Kelly, University College Dublin (UCD)
- Frank O’Sullivan, Veterinary Practitioner
- Ruairí Cummins, Future Beef farmer
This webinar focused on one of the most important drivers of profitability in suckler systems – maximising output while minimising inputs and labour. A central theme will be achieving a calf per cow per year, which remains the foundation of a successful suckler enterprise.
Watch back the webinar recording below
Key discussion areas planned for the evening include:
- Achieving a calf per cow per year
- Genetics for fertility and management
- Key management factors affecting cow and bull fertility
- Nutrition, body condition score and herd health considerations
- Bull management, acclimatisation and bull:cow ratios
- Observation and breeding management during the breeding season
Also discussed on the night will be:
- Culling empty cows and whether it is viable to retain non-pregnant animals
- Calving heifers at 24 months, including target weights, bull selection and common issues.
- Benchmarking your herd performance using ICBF reports and comparing your herd with the top 10% of suckler farms.