Beef

Taking Care in the Countryside

Irish farmers work very hard each day, managing their animals & crops. This is done while also maintaining habitats, protecting watercourses & supporting their communities. Teagasc Health & Safety Specialists John McNamara & Francis Bligh have advice for farmers on how to keep the countryside safe.
22 July 2021

Opportunity to Clear the Decks

You'd have to look back to 2013 to see beef prices similar to what we have today which is great to see even if it is not as frequent as we might like. Aidan Murray, Teagasc Beef Specialist says tight cattle supplies at home and internationally plus positive global demand all point to a good back end
22 July 2021

Quad Safety on farm

As part of Farm Safety Week, David McLaughlin, a hill sheep farmer in Co. Donegal talks about safety when using his quad while farming. David advises to keep your eye on the ground, not on the sheep. Watch as David demonstrates in this short video
21 July 2021

Heat Stress in Cattle

Compared to other animals cattle cannot dissipate their heat load very well. Cattle do not sweat effectively and rely on respiration to cool down. Dr. Bernadette Earley, Teagasc Grange Researcher has produced a timely fact sheet to help farmers manage cattle on these hot days. Read it here
21 July 2021

Know your blind spots

Up to 50% of fatalities in agriculture involve a farm vehicle or machinery. Serena Gibbons, Education Officer, Teagasc Athenry talks about blind spots around tractors and has top tips to staying safe and making our farms safer when it comes to working with tractors
21 July 2021

Farm Safety may not cost the earth but not doing it may cost your life

When we think of the wide range of tasks a farmer does each day it's easy to see that managing a farm and doing it safely is a challenge. Farmers must develop many skills to carry out these jobs competently. John McNamara & Francis Bligh, Teagasc Health & Safety Specialists have low cost suggestions
21 July 2021

Farming Safely with Farm Machinery

Nearly half of farm accidents are caused by tractors, farm vehicles and machinery. Inexperienced operators, lack of concentration, human error, time pressure and unguarded parts like PTO shaft are the main causes of accidents. Teagasc Machinery Specialist, Francis Quigley has more here
20 July 2021

Staying safe around livestock on your farm

Did you know?... Over the last 10 years 18% of fatalities on farms have been associated with livestock - cows and heifers making up 50% of this. Francis Bligh, Health and Safety Specialist with Teagasc raises awareness and has key suggestions for staying safe around livestock on your farm here
20 July 2021

Tiredness Kills

Farmers are constantly surrounded by livestock and machinery and the hazards they pose. Additionally, many other hazards occur on farms such as working at heights or emptying slurry tanks. Penny Gavin, Teagasc / H.S.A./ UCD Walsh Scholar on Farm Safety advises on staying alert by avoiding tiredness
20 July 2021

On-farm Steps to Benefit the Environment

Climate change and the Environment are real and urgent topics which will be with us for a long time to come. In this short video Peter Comer, Mayo ASSAP Advisor looks at a few of the "heavy hitters" that farmers can adopt right now which will have a significant positive impact on the environment
18 July 2021

Reviewing Dairy Calf Purchases

There is an increasing interest in calf rearing systems recently. Positive research results on profitability, new farmers trying to get a start and people working more from home is likely the main driver of this interest. Drystock Advisor Colm Kelly advises to reflect on this springs purchases.
17 July 2021

Growth Watch: Focus turns to second-cut silage

Excellent quality silage plays a crucial role in the nutrition of both weanling & finishing stock on calf to beef farms. Séan Cummins, Teagasc GreenAcres Advisor has some advice on second-cut silage. Seán also caught up with Peter O’Hanrahan & Richard Long to get an update on their grass situation.
16 July 2021

REAP Margins fencing date approaches

Aoife Leader, Teagasc Walsh Scholar, highlights how farmers can maintain and enhance field margins for farmland biodiversity bearing in mind that farmers availing of the REAP scheme may choose to fence these margins from livestock. For REAP this fencing must be in place by 15th July 2021. See more
14 July 2021

Clonakilty Agricultural College Open Day

Clonakilty Agricultural College wishes to welcome you to their 2021 Covid-19 compliant Open Day taking place Thursday 15th July. The Guided Tours will run from 11am to 3pm and your place on the tour must be booked in advance. See more details here
14 July 2021

Best practice management of dairy calves in their first season at grass

Trials at Teagasc Johnstown Castle show performance of young dairy-bred beef calves in the first summer at grass can have a big impact on their subsequent lifetime performance. It is essential then that they meet their target daily gains during the summer. Martina Harrington Beef Specialist has more
14 July 2021

Breaking the Pathway of Phosphorus and Sediment entering Waterways

When farmers are applying fertilisers, cultivating, grazing or draining land close to watercourses, careful, site specific land management can minimise the risk of Phosphorus and sediment loss and help improve water quality. Ivan Kelly, ASSAP Advisor, Teagasc Galway/Clare has good advice here
13 July 2021

Grassland and Cattle Management in July

July is an important month for getting second cut silage crops harvested and getting quality back in the sward and setting the farm up for a plentiful supply of quality grass in the autumn. John Galvin, B&T Drystock Adviser with Teagasc Galway/Clare tells us more
12 July 2021

Managing stomach and lungworm in calves

Stomach worms and Lungworms or Hoose are the two main parasites that will affect calves at grass. Both are favoured by warm humid conditions. Patricia Lynch, Teagasc Westport emphasises the need to have a worm control plan in place, describes lungworm symptoms to watch out for and more here
12 July 2021

Climate Actions for July

For the latest current and up to date farm advice from the Signpost Programme and for details of the Climate Actions that you should adopt for the month of July on your farm see here
12 July 2021

Managing existing clover swards

Best practice grazing management is similar for grass-white clover swards and grass-only swards. Deirdre Hennessy, Teagasc Researcher talks here in a short video about Managing existing clover swards, mid-season fertiliser requirements, preventing bloat and more
11 July 2021

Teagasc Green Acres Newsletter Issue 3

This issue of the Teagasc Green Acres Calf to Beef Programme e-Newsletter has an update on Aidan Maguire's farm; Key management tips; focus on weight targets and tracking thrive over previous years on the Green Acres farms. The Green Acres Calf to Beef e-Newsletter issues fortnightly. See it here
11 July 2021

Growth Watch: Remember to replace what you take off

This week's GreenAcres Growthwatch comes from the farms of Pat Collins, Co. Cork and Martin Connolly, Co. Roscommon. James Fitzgerald & Seán Cummins, Green Acres Advisors provide advice on replacing what you take off. A typical bale of silage contains 10 units of N, 1.6 units of P and 10 units of K
10 July 2021

If you go down the woods today...…you shouldn’t see deer every time

The continuous deer population growth that has occurred in Ireland in the last 20 years has led to a situation where deer numbers may now be 200,000+ approximately. John Casey, Forestry Development Officer, Mallow takes a look at the impact of deer on forestry and at the SMARTDEER project and more
09 July 2021

Teagasc Signpost Programme Newsletter July 2021

This issue of the Teagasc Signpost e-newsletter features timely climate actions for July as well as a glossary of commonly used climate change terms. We meet Signpost Farmers Aidan Maguire and Tim Leader. Get useful tips on managing clover swards, minimising nitrates loss to water & research updates
08 July 2021

Maintaining cattle performance from mid-season to housing

A minimum of three weight recordings should be carried out on beef farms and preferably more. Alan Dillon Teagasc Beef Specialist, has advice here around rectifying sward quality to ensure good animal performance off grass and he has 3 sound tips for best practice cattle weighing
08 July 2021

What should I be dosing beef animals for now?

Orla Keane, Senior Researcher at Teagasc Grange, has some timely advice in relation to updating your herd health plan and parasite control on this week’s Beef Edge podcast.
07 July 2021

Beef Newsletter - July 2021

This month's Beef Newsletter includes information on: Sustainable parasite control; Five July jobs; Climate actions for July; Marketing early-maturing steers off grass; Research Update - Reducing methane emissions; and Health & Safety - Farm Safety Week.
07 July 2021

Record 3 (Movement of Slurry/FYM ) goes online

Farmers exceeding a stocking rate of 170kgs of organic N (Nitrogen from livestock), who do not avail of a Nitrates Derogation must export slurry / FYM off the farm to avoid penalties and notify DAFM. Séamus Nolan, Dairy Advisor Teagasc Castlerea explains that this Record 3 process is now online only
06 July 2021

ASSAP Service: A typical Farm Assessment

The ASSAP (Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory programme) is a free advisory service aimed at improving water quality. There are 10 PAA’s (Prioritized areas for action) in West Cork. Lane Giles, ASSAP Advisor, Clonakilty explains what the service provides for the farmer in West Cork
03 July 2021

Growth Watch: Controlling weeds in May reseeds

The timing of reseeding plays a crucial role in the ability to control problematic weeds going forward. Where reseeding was completed earlier this year, there’s an opportunity to tackle problem weeds, like docks and chickweed, now. James Fitzgerald & Seán Cummins, Green Acres Advisors provide advice
02 July 2021