Patrick Grennan

Address: The Kennedy Homestead, Dunganstown, New Ross, Co. Wexford

Farm Size: 31 ha in grass (24 Ha owned and 7 Ha rented)

Soil type: Clonroche soil series (Fine loamy drift with siliceous stones) - Free draining farm suitable for early turn-out in spring

Farming system: Spring calving suckler calf-to-beef system

Farm plan: To achieve a gross margin in excess of €1000/ha by 2016 on a part-time suckler farm. One challenge on this farm is to improve soil fertility to help maximise grass growth over the grazing season to help increase stocking rate. This farm has also increased cow numbers from 35 to 46 since joining the programme to increase output of beef produced per ha to help dilute variable costs. Replacement heifers are homebred and beef heifers are finished at 20-22 months of age. Male animals are slaughtered under 16 months of age.

This farm will demonstrate how a part-time farmer can achieve a gross margin of €1,000/ha on a very fragmented farm.