FutureBeef Events
Calving Series
The Future Beef team hosted a series of webinars in January 2025, which focused on essential pre-calving preparations, calving the suckler cow, and post calving management of the suckler cow and calf.
A video series was also produced with John Donlon, Vet and Teagasc Beef Herd Health Researcher who provides some advice on the following aspects of calving: the calving process and when to intervene; managing a difficult calving; and the process of resuscitating a calf.
Click on the links below to find out more
Calving Webinar Series
The Future Beef team hosted a series of webinars in January 2025, which focused on essential pre-calving preparations, calving the suckler cow, and post calving management of the suckler cow and calf.
Watch the webinar recordings below
Pre-Calving
Tuesday, 21 January
The first webinar in the series focused on a farmers' guide to pre-calving. The webinar was chaired by Aisling Molloy, FutureBeef Programme Advisor and featured Professor David Kenny, Head of the Animal and Bioscience Research Department, Teagasc; Emma Sargent, Ruminant Veterinary Area Manager, MSD Animal Health; and Ed Curtin, FutureBeef Farmer.
Night one focused on essential pre-calving preparations. A live calf is an vital part of every successful suckler system. The webinar provided advice to achieve this pre-calving through:
- Body condition scoring: Cows in good BCS at calving helps to reduce calving difficulty and also helps to get the cow back in calf quicker
- Pre calving minerals: Important to produce lively calves at birth that are quick to stand and feed to get optimum immunity from colostrum
- Pre-calving vaccines: Can reduce the incidence of scour & respiratory disease in the calf after birth which can reduce mortality and save money and time for suckler farmers.
Watch webinar recording below
Calving and Post-Calving Management
Thursday, 23 January
The second webinar in the series focused on calving and post-calving management. The webinar was chaired by James Mullane, FutureBeef Programme Advisor and featured Dr John Donlon, Beef Herd Health Research Officer, Teagasc; Dr Doreen Corridan, CEO of the National Cattle Breeding Centre (NCBC); and Michael Biggins, Future Beef Farmer.
The webinar focused on calving the suckler cow and post calving management of the suckler cow and calf, including if and when to intervene and how to manage the newborn calf. A key target in a profitable suckling enterprise is achieving a calf per cow per year and calving the herd compactly each year. The webinar focused on:
- Calving the suckler cow: Knowing when and if to intervene during calving, what the signs of a difficult calving are, what do you need to have in the calving shed? If you have a hard calving – how do you treat the cow afterwards
- Calf care: How can I reduce illness once my calf is born- scour, navel ill etc. If my calf does get sick – what can I do to minimise the effects - correct rehydration of using the correct products etc.
- Getting the cow back in calf: The webinar looked at ways achieve a 365 day calving interval, through post calving nutrition, decisions around breeding and fertility and is synchronisation an option – Michael Biggins' experience
Watch webinar recording below
Calving the Cow Series
In the below videos, John Donlon, Vet and Teagasc Beef Herd Health Researcher provides some advice on the following aspects of calving:
- The calving process and when to intervene
- Managing a difficult calving
- The process of resuscitating a calf
The calving process and when to intervene
John Donlon, Vet and Beef Herd Health Researcher in Teagasc, talks through the stages of calving and highlights when it is important to intervene to help a cow calving. John talks through the signs to look for through the calving process, explaining the different stages that follow. In stage one, we look for signs to show the calving process is commencing and the signs to indicate when a cow should be in a calving pen. A step-by-step of stage two of the calving process is demonstrated.
Watch the video below for more information
Managing a difficult calving
John Donlon, Vet and Beef Herd Health Researcher in Teagasc, discusses how to manage a difficult calving. Before beginning any calving process, ensure the appropriate calving attire and equipment are available to you, to protect both yourself, and the cow. John explains the step by step procedure, highlighting what to look for at each step, to aid a difficult calving process. He explains the importance of each step and when you may need assistance from your vet.
Watch the video below for more information
The process of resuscitating a calf
John Donlon, Vet and Beef Herd Health Researcher in Teagasc, explains how to resuscitate a calf after the calving process. John expresses potential affects of a difficult or hard calving, and highlights potential signs of respiratory acidosis in calves that may have experienced a hard calving. Knowing how and when to provide aid to get these calves breathing is crucial and John demonstrates ways to assist.
Watch the video below for more information
Previous Events
Breeding Webinar Series
A Farmers’ Guide to Suckler Breeding
The Future Beef team hosted a series of webinars in March 2024, which focused on a farmers’ guide to suckler breeding.
Topics discussed:
Journey to profitability – farmer stories
Wednesday, 20 March, 2024 | 8pm
The first webinar in the FutureBeef Webinar series took place on Wednesday, 20 March and focused on journey to profitability – farmer stories.
The webinar, which was chaired by Martina Harrington, FutureBeef Programme Manager, featured Shane Keaveney, Ruairi Cummins & Ken Gill, FutureBeef Farmers. The panellists were interviewed by Gabriel Trayers, FutureBeef Programme Advisor.
Topics discussed included: Achieving key breeding targets; Practical management tips; Compact calving; Calf per cow per year; Replacement policy.
Watch webinar recording below
Getting your cow back in calf
Farmer guide to a successful breeding season
Monday, 25 March, 2024 | 8pm
The second webinar in the FutureBeef Webinar series took place on Monday, 25 March and focused on getting your cow back in calf.
The webinar, which was chaired by Martina Harrington, FutureBeef Programme Manager, featured John Dunne and Aonghusa Fahy, FutureBeef Farmers and Professor David Kenny, Head of the Teagasc Animal & Bioscience Department. The panellists were interviewed by Aisling Molloy, FutureBeef Programme Advisor.
Topics discussed include: Managing your cow; AI/heat detection technologies; and is your bull fit for purpose?.
Watch webinar recording below
Genetics for the Future
FutureBeef farmers breeding for profit
Wednesday, 27 March, 2024 | 8pm
The third and final webinar in the FutureBeef Webinar series focused on genetics for the future.
The webinar was chaired by Martina Harrington, Future Beef Programme Manager. It featured Wesley Browne & Trevor Boland, Future Beef Farmers. The panellists were interviewed by Chris Daly, ICBF.
Topics discussed: Breeding a more efficient cow; Meeting market specification; What about carbon footprint?
View the presentation: Genetics for the Future (PDF)
Watch webinar recording below