Beef

Getting back on track in south Mayo
Michael Biggins and his son Niall farm just outside the village of Glencorrib in south Mayo. Gabriel Trayers, Teagasc Future Beef Advisor, tells us how they are getting back on track after a difficult spring, focusing on replenishing silage stocks, introducing a red clover sward and breeding.
18 May 2024

Summer dosing strategies for dairy beef animals
An important factor in achieving the desired levels of animal performance on calf-to-beef systems during the grazing season is ensuing they are free from parasites. Due to its grass-based nature, dairy beef animals are particularly exposed to outbreaks of stomach worms and lungworm.
16 May 2024
An update from the Tipperary Dairy Calf to Beef Demonstration Farm
It has been a busy few weeks on the Tipperary Dairy Calf to Beef Demonstration Farm, writes Chloe Millar who updates us on infrastructure improvements, calf rearing, animal performance and grassland management.
16 May 2024

How to maximise the breeding season on your farm
Teagasc Researcher, David Kenny is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss how to deal with current breeding issues and the key tips to be aware of.
15 May 2024

How this Future Beef Farmer plans to make quality silage
Teagasc Future Beef Programme participant, John Dunne has plans to replenish his silage stocks after a long winter. Along with ensuring sufficient fodder is available, he’s targeting the production of high-quality silage in the first cut.
15 May 2024

Key tips on building a fodder reserve this summer
Following a wet spring and a prolonged winter housing period, silage and fodder reserves on many farms are now completely exhausted. Silage stocks will need to be replenished to provide adequate fodder for next winter and for any unplanned times of wet weather or drought conditions.
14 May 2024

John Pringle: Preparations for winter silage after a challenging spring
Spring 2024 has been long and hard, and has tested the resolve of most farmers in Ireland. John Pringle will be ensuring he has enough silage for the coming winter.
13 May 2024

A stitch in time - actions taken during challenging weather pay off at breeding
Aonghusa Fahy discusses how he managed bad weather conditions, maintained the body condition of cows ahead of the breeding season and tailored his bull team to match the needs of his herd.
11 May 2024

Adding continental sires to the dairy breeding mix
After mastering their replacement heifer breeding strategy, Kevin and Enda Farrell have doubled down on their beef breeding strategy to produce quality calves.
11 May 2024

Diary date: ‘Securing your future’ key theme of BEEF2024
Taking place on Wednesday, June 26, Teagasc’s major beef open day BEEF2024 was launched at the Teagasc, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Grange, Co. Meath.
09 May 2024

In-person SCEP training planned for summer
To address the concerns raised by farmers following the launch of online SCEP training recently, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D, confirmed that a number of in-person SCEP training events will be held later this summer.
08 May 2024

Management tips for dairy-beef farms for the coming weeks
DairyBeef 500 Advisor, Tommy Cox is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast with an update on the programme farms, management tips for the coming weeks and advice on weaning.
08 May 2024

Ken Gill's plans for grazing and fodder management
Ken is firmly focused on catching up on field work since the weather has improved. He has spring oats, a pea/wheat combination crop mix and grass seed to sow across 47 acres on the farm. However, he has been planning for next winter’s feed since early spring.
07 May 2024

A breeding plan to improve beef merit and maintain calving traits
Limerick dairy farmer, Niall Moloney places a firm focus on calving ease and gestation length when selecting beef sires for use on his dairy herd, but that doesn’t mean the beef merit of the calves produced can’t be improved.
04 May 2024

A review of calving at Newford
The calving season came to a close on Newford Farm on April 15, where 82% of the cows calved within the first six weeks, Michael Fagan provides an overview of how the season progressed.
02 May 2024

Upcoming DairyBeef 500 Farm Walk
Next Tuesday, May 7 at 6pm, the Teagasc DairyBeef 500 team will hold a farm walk on the farm of Peter Byrne, Newtown, Castledermot, Co. Kildare. Eircode R14 R763. This event will be of great interest to both dairy and beef farmers alike.
02 May 2024

All you need to know about the SCEP course
Margaret Brennan, Assistant Principal Officer over Beef Schemes with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) course.
01 May 2024

A game of thirds - splitting the beef team by gestation
Milking 170 cows on a 55ha grazing platform in Kilconieron, Co. Galway, David Gannon will follow a beef breeding programme to enhance the beef characteristics and merit of his calves – especially those born in the shoulders of the calving season.
01 May 2024

Mandatory training course for SCEP participants launched
The launch of an online training course for participants in the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) was yesterday, April 29, announced by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, T.D.
30 April 2024

DairyBeef 500 Ambassador shares 2024 beef breeding plan
On this week’s episode of the Dairy Edge, Stuart Childs is joined by David Gannon, Aurivo Joint Programme Monitor Farmer and DairyBeef 500 Ambassador, and John McCabe, Monitor Farm advisor with the Aurivo Joint Programme, to discuss the beef breeding plan for David’s farm for 2024.
29 April 2024

Breeding for Profitability and Labour
Trevor Boland based in Dromard in Sligo is a part time farmer, calving 50 suckler cows from July to September. He sells the bull calves at 11-12 months of age and the heifers at 1.5 – 2 years old. Trevor discussed breeding and genetics with Chris Daly of ICBF on a recent Future Beef webinar.
29 April 2024

Producing quality beef calves to ensure repeat custom
Milking 75 Friesian cows in Pallasgreen, Co. Limerick, Seán Barry is following a dairy-beef breeding programme centred on the use of high Dairy Beef Index sires, with individual bulls selected for heifers, second calvers and mature cows.
29 April 2024

What traits are you breeding for?
Striving to breed a functional, milky cow, capable of producing a heavy weanling, Wesley Browne discussed the breeding and genetics on his farm with Chris Daly, ICBF, as part of a recent Teagasc Future Beef webinar.
27 April 2024

Stock bull fertility: 10 key considerations
With four out of every five calves born on beef farms sired by a stock bull, bull fertility is very important, writes Catherine Egan, Teagasc Beef Specialist.
27 April 2024

Tips for buying a stock bull
The purchasing of a stock bull is a task that requires careful thought. Patricia Lynch, Drystock Advisor, Teagasc Ballinrobe, shares some key things to bear in mind.
27 April 2024

3 important things to consider as turnout and breeding meet
After a long winter, turnout and the start of breeding have coincided on many suckler farms. Teagasc Beef Specialist, Catherine Egan has some key advice for suckler farmers to maximise the success of the breeding season.
26 April 2024

Should I bulk up silage in the first cut?
After a long winter that exhausted silage stocks on many farms, the temptation is to ‘bulk up’ the first cut of silage. However, this may prove to be a false economy.
26 April 2024

Breeding season commences at Newford
With calving completed, Michael Fagan outlines the breeding programme for the Newford herd, highlighting the sires that will be used over the coming weeks.
25 April 2024

Dispelling some of the myths around TB
David Quinn, Superintending Veterinary Inspector at the Department Of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, is on this week’s joint episode of the Dairy Edge and the Beef Edge with hosts James Dunne and Catherine Egan to dispel some of the myths around TB (Bovine Tuberculosis).
24 April 2024

Replacing used P and K
A recent Teagasc Beef Newsletter article addresses the decline in soil phosphorous and potassium levels due to reduced fertiliser application, its impact on nitrogen efficiency and farm emissions, and provides recommendations to mitigate these effects.
24 April 2024