Future Beef Newsletter January 2025
Proinnsias Creedon
Michael McGuigan - Farm Update | Technical Update - why feed pre-calving minerals? | Top Tips for January | Beef Edge Podcast
Wishing you and your families a happy and prosperous New Year. From the Future Beef Programme Team.
Top Tips for January
Farm Profile - Proinnsias Creedon
Proinnsias with his wife Máire and sons Diarmuid, Ciarán and Aodhán
Proinnsias farms with his wife Máire and sons Ciarán, Aodhán and Diarmuid. The farm is located in Barrathanaknock, Clondrohid, Macroom, Co. Cork.
He is farming 33.31 ha of variable land with a good bit of rough grazing ground. There is a lot of heavy soil in the farm with some reclaimed over the past few years. The farm is in one block and is situated roughly 720ft above sea level and gets an average rainfall of 55-60 inches per year.
The Creedons have moved from buying 70-80 heifers annually at around 12-18 months and finishing most at 24-26 months to purchasing approx. 60 dairy-cross calves aged 3-4 weeks and taking take these through to finish at around 22-24 months of age.
They are part of the Macroom Grass 10 Discussion Group and have been one of the two host farms for them for a couple of years. All covers are recorded on PastureBase and are measuring grass on the farm using a Plate Meter. There are 42 paddocks on the farm with usually 3-4 groups grazing.
They have invested in a new slatted shed, handling area and in calf rearing facilities over the last few years to help improve management and reduce labour requirements on the farm.
Read more here.
Farm Update - Proinnsias Creedon
The farm runs a calf to beef finishing system buying in 60 calves annually for finishing under 24 months of age. The target is to have all heifers finished under 24 months of age at 280kg carcass weight.
Currently calves are sourced from 3 local farms, the majority of the calves are genotyped at birth and have CBVs available. In order to improve the finishing performance from these animals CBV is a tool which can enable the farm to achieve improved animal and financial performance. Proinnsias and Máire have developed a great working relationship with the 3 dairy farms supplying their calves and are open to discussing their requirements for calf CBVs for the future.
Watch the video below to see Proinnsias and Máire discussing their heifer finishing system on the farm.
Read more here about his management of newly purchased calves and the role of the CBV value on their farm.
Farm Update - Michael McGuigan
Michael McGuigan
Michael farms part time along with his wife Aisling and daughter Penny at Blackwater Farm, Clongiffen, Longwood, Co. Meath. They farm 23.5ha and are moving from a 25 cow autumn to spring calving suckler herd this year. The offspring are mainly sold as store cattle.
The autumn 2023 born yearlings started grazing the forage crop on 16th November. The variety sown is Interval and it is a kale/rape hybrid crop on 2.5ha. Michael manages stock on it as follows;
- Weanlings were given a mineral bolus pre-grazing containing copper, cobalt, iodine, and selenium
- They were gradually introduced to the crop over 1 week to help avoid any dietary upsets
- The crop is strip grazed and the wire is moved daily
- The wire is not moved until frost thaws (high nitrates can be toxic)
- Red clover and grass silage is provided ad lib to ensure that at least 30% of the diet is a fibre source
- Silage bales were lined after sowing in the field
- 5-2kg ration/head/day is being fed
- Water is available at all times
- It was sown in a sheltered field
At sowing Michael followed the cross compliance rules and left a 6 metre buffer from the water course and is grazing towards it, rather than away, to help avoid any nutrient loss. He also has a 0.8ha (>30% of forage area) grass lie back area to help prevent soil erosion.
Weanlings grazing the forage crop
Click here to read more about Michael’s body condition score results.
Technical Update - Why feed pre-calving minerals?
Benefits
- Reduced risk of calving difficulties
- Healthier more vigorous calves
- Better quality colostrum
- Better post-calving fertility and reproductive health
Practicalities
- Feed for 6 weeks pre calving
- Feed 100-120 grams/head per day
- Ensure all cows have equal access
- Boluses do not meet magnesium, phosphorus or sodium requirements
- Choose the Right Product for your farm
For more information click here.
Ruairi Cummins dusts pre-calving minerals along the silage for cows
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