Beef
Making more use of AI on Future Beef farm
Recently Brian Daly, Teagasc advisor Roscommon caught up with Olivia Hynes. Olivia, is a full-time beef and sheep farmer from outside Four Roads, Roscommon and is part of the Teagasc Future Beef programme. He started off by asking Olivia how the current crop of calves born this spring are doing.
17 May 2022
Kildalton 50th Anniversary Open Day launched
Kildalton College in South Kilkenny will hold a major open day on Saturday, 25th of June this year kindly supported by FBD. Martin Heydon TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine recently launched the open day in Kildalton and reviewed the plans for the event.
16 May 2022
Meet the farmer - Prionnsias & Máire Creedon Future Beef/SignPost
Proinnsias farms with his wife Máire and sons Ciarán, Aodhán and Diarmuid in Clondrohid, Macroom, Co. Cork. They are farming 33.31Ha of variable land with a good bit of rough grazing ground. Here their advisor Anthony Dineen who is in the Teagasc Office Macroom gives some information on their farm
15 May 2022
Fertiliser Spreader – Basic Setup and Calibration Factsheet
Teagasc recently published a compendium of 20 factsheets providing the latest technical advice on soils, nutrients and fertiliser. The fifteenth of these is about the Fertiliser Spreader – Basic Setup and Calibration and can be read here. All 20 will be published here on Teagasc Daily
15 May 2022
How to reduce Nitrogen losses at farm level?
Diffuse nitrogen (N) loss is a key pressure on water quality. Losses typically occur in ‘light’ free draining soils, which water can easily permeate through. Teagasc Advisor Mary Roache has advice on ways to minimise N leaching on your farm and Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE)
14 May 2022
Today's Farm - May/June 2022
The May/June edition of our bi-monthly magazine is now available online. The main focus of this edition is on Teagasc Grange research and previews the BEEF2022 Open Day. It also has articles on the upcoming Sheep Open Day; heart health; butterflies and moths; fodder budgets; silage walls and more.
13 May 2022
Managing and Utilising Grass in the Mid-Season
Maximising animal performance from an all grass diet is the main goal in midsummer grazing. Cathal Conaty, Drystock Advisor, Teagasc Claremorris has pointers for drystock farmers in setting up paddocks in order to grow, manage and utilise grass more efficiently
12 May 2022
Investigating the role of red clover on beef farms
The inclusion of red clover into silage swards has great potential and can contribute to future proofing beef systems by enhancing N balance and ultimately economic and environmental efficiency. Nicky Byrne, Donall Fahy, Peter Doyle and Paul Crosson, Teagasc Grange discuss their red clover research
11 May 2022
Grass10 Newsletter - 10th May 2022
In this week's newsletter get the regular Grass10 weekly tips, grass growth figures plus details of upcoming webinar on the grass wedge using PastureBase Ireland. Brian McCarthy, Teagasc Clonakility is The Clover Reporter and this week's Grass10 featured farmer is Aidan Maguire, 2021 Drystock GFOTY
11 May 2022
May update from three Future Beef Farmers
Aisling Molloy, Teagasc Future Beef Programme Advisor, has a Future Beef Programme update on the breeding season from the farm of James Skehan, Co. Clare, on grass growth from the farm of William Kingston, Co. Cork and on animal health from organic farmer Kay O'Sullivan, Co. Cork
11 May 2022
Direct selling from Castlemine Farm
The Allen family has been farming Castlemine Farm for five generations. The 250ac farm, located at Four Mile House in Co Roscommon produces pasture fed beef, lamb and free-range pork. Anne Kinsella, Teagasc Rural Economy Development Programme, Athenry visited the farm and farm shop to learn more
10 May 2022
27% of farmers in Ireland report their wellbeing was ‘poor’ or ‘below average’
A recent Irish study shows that 27% of farmers reported their wellbeing was ‘poor’ or ‘below average’ whilst a further study found that the most common sources of work related stress are weather, workload and money. Other issues causing stress include policy changes, regulation and farm succession.
10 May 2022
Red Clover for silage swards
Red clover has the potential to fix between 150-200 Kg N/ha per year from the atmosphere in well managed silage swards. Nicky Byrne, Research Officer in Teagasc Grange highlights the progress of a red clover/ perennial ryegrass silage sward at Grange in this video
07 May 2022
Getting to Grips with the Summer Wedge on PastureBase
Join John Douglas & Joseph Dunphy from Teagasc Grass10 and Micheal O'Leary from PastureBase in this webinar on Thursday 12th May at 7pm, as they give advice on understanding the summer wedge, managing summer grass and more. They will be joined by 2021 young GFOTY Philip Tyndall
07 May 2022
Managing stress
The most valuable assets that any person has is their health and safety. With pig farmers facing into increasingly difficult times – be it financial, personal or professional – the one thing that shouldn’t be neglected is your mental health and well-being.
06 May 2022
Newford Notes - Week of 26th April 2022
Michael Fagan, Technician at Newford Suckler Demonstration Farm, Athenry summarises the calving results for 2022 now that all cows have calved. Breeding is underway. Michael summarises the criteria used when selecting sires for the 2022 breeding season. Two strong paddocks were baled. Read more here
06 May 2022
Teagasc Signpost Programme Newsletter May 2022
In this month’s newsletter, we publish a factsheet on practical steps to reduce chemical N use on farms as well as an article on useful tips for managing silage effluent. We have the profiles of 3 Signpost farmers, our monthly climate actions, key messages from the Teagasc clover walks and more
05 May 2022
Teagasc response to a call for a complete ban on burning in the uplands
Catherine Keena, Countryside Management Specialist, Teagasc said that fire has a traditional and important role in the management of upland areas and that there is a need to bring these upland areas into active management, while balancing the agricultural objectives & habitat management sustainably
05 May 2022
Grass10 Newsletter - 3rd May 2022
In this week's newsletter the Grass10 team return to farmer Lawrence Sexton in The Clover Reporter section as well as this week's Grass10 featured farmer Philip & John Tyndall. View some Grass10 weekly tips, grass growth figures and upcoming webinar on the grass wedge using PastureBase Ireland
04 May 2022
The Silage Dilemma - Bulk or Quality
Aidan Murray, Teagasc Beef Specialist discusses bulking up the silage crop and warns of the negative impacts such as reduced overall digestibility and therefore feed value. Lower quality means extra feed costs. Aidan has advice on deciding on cutting date and on getting good preservation
04 May 2022
Don't delay silage cutting date on your dairy farm
James Dunne, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, Ballyhaise, outlines why delaying silage cutting date will have a negative effect on quality and quantity of silage for dairy systems. He advises against using a ‘one big first cut’ approach, which can lead to fodder shortages due to late first cuts being made
03 May 2022
Reducing the cost of growing grass
In this article Dr. Peter Lawrence Teagasc drystock advisor Co. Wicklow, has advice for reducing the cost of growing grass. His tips include using paddocks, soil testing and drawing up a fertiliser plan based on the reports and incorporating white clover into grass swards
30 April 2022
Save the dates – Teagasc Open Days 2022
Teagasc has a busy summer offering of events and open days. Open Days planned for 2022 include Beef 2022 in Grange, Sheep Open Day in Athenry, and Kildalton 50th anniversary celebration. More information on these and other events below.
29 April 2022
Kildalton College takes top prize at Macra Challenge Day
The 2022 Macra Na Feirme Challenges day ran in Gurteen Agricultural College, Ballingarry, Co. Tipperary on Wednesday, 27 April 2022. The overall winners this year were Kildalton College.
28 April 2022
From costs to the weather, how stressed out are farmers?
Analysis: farmers and farm workers have been found to experience high levels of stress and relatively low levels of wellbeing.
This article by Mary Brennan, Emma Dillon and David Meredith, Teagasc and Thia Hennessy, UCC, was first published on RTÉ Brainstorm recently
28 April 2022
Grass10 Newsletter - 26th April 2022
In this week's Grass10 e-newsletter; PastureBase Ireland growth figures, Grass10 Weekly Tips, Grass growth and soil temperature predictions, Grass10 Farmer David Gannon, Red clover for silage swards and Aidan Maguire, Drystock GFOTY on measuring grass. Sign up for the weekly e-newsletter here
27 April 2022
Targeting an early year reseed in Carlow
Shane Cranny operates a calf-to-beef system in Myshall, Co. Carlow. After correcting soil fertility and improving grazing infrastructure, Shane began the journey of reseeding in 2021 when 12 acres were reseeded. Sean Cummins, Teagasc GreenAcres Advisor details Shane's approach to reseeding since.
27 April 2022
Should you consider clover in 2022?
Vincent Ronayne, Teagasc Advisor Ballinrobe, notes that Clover offers an alternative to expensive artificial fertilisers and helps towards Environmental Sustainability. Incorporating clover in grassland swards can to reduce costs, improve profitability and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
27 April 2022
Alternative Forage Crops for Winter 2022
Many farmers will question an article about next year’s winter fodder supply while they still possibly have stock in sheds. But given the exceptional rise in input costs, it's now time to plan for adequate winter feed. Kevin O’Hara, Education Officer, Teagasc Ballinrobe advises on alternative crops
26 April 2022
Planning for Fodder Stocks Factsheet
Teagasc recently published a compendium of 20 factsheets providing the latest technical advice on soils, nutrients and fertiliser. The eleventh of these is about Planning for Fodder Stocks and can be read here. All 20 will be published here on Teagasc Daily
24 April 2022