Beef

Monitor your fertilizer allowance for the remainder of the spreading season
Alan Dillon discusses new fertilizer regulations and the need to manage fertilizer applications carefully to avoid penalties and protect payments.
31 July 2024

Research update: Dietary oil to reduce methane
Stuart Kirwan, Neal Folliard and Emily Roskam report on Teagasc Grange research that examined suppressing methane production with dietary oil.
31 July 2024

The benefits of scanning suckler cows
Is it at least 30 days since the last cow in your herd could has been served? If your answer is yes, then you should consider scanning your cows. Catherine Egan, Teagasc Beef Specialist, outlines the benefits of scanning your suckler cows in this article.
30 July 2024

The grassland improvements at the Tipperary Dairy Calf to Beef Demonstration Farm
Chloe Millar, Jack Spillane, Michael Egan and Ciarán Hearn share details of how the Tipperary Dairy Calf to Beef Demonstration Farm has transformed in terms of grassland management since the lease was signed on the venture in 2022.
28 July 2024

Signpost Series: Calf welfare and TAMS supports
On this episode of the Signpost Series, host Mark Gibson, Teagasc Head of Outreach and Innovation, was joined by Stephanie Ronan and Dr Robert Leonard, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), to discuss calf welfare and TAMS supports.
27 July 2024

More options and higher profits from high CBV animals
Animals of a higher Commercial Beef Value (CBV) offer beef finishers more options when selecting the most appropriate finishing strategy for their farm.
27 July 2024

Target of €50 profit per hour worked at Tipperary Dairy Calf to Beef Demo Farm
Established as a joint initiative between Dawn Meat, Shinagh Estates and Teagasc, the Tipperary Dairy Calf to Beef Demonstration Farm aims to demonstrate the best technologies for profitable and sustainable production of beef calves from the dairy herd.
25 July 2024

Grazing advice: Act now as key actions need to be taken
After a testing year thus far for grass growth, Teagasc Grass10 Advisor, Niamh Doyle gives an update on the current grass situation, providing management tips for the coming weeks. on this week’s Beef Edge podcast hosted by Catherine Egan and OviCast podcast hosted by Ciaran Lynch.
24 July 2024

Valuing a standing crop of silage
With second-cut silage underway or nearing harvest, Manager of the Teagasc Future Beef Programme, Martina Harrington provides key figures and tips on how to value a standing crop of silage.
24 July 2024

Drystock incomes hit by higher costs and lower output in 2023
Higher production costs and declines in output over the course of 2023 had a negative impact on the incomes generated on drystock farms nationally, results published through the Teagasc National Farm Survey (NFS) 2023 have shown.
23 July 2024

Ensuring you have enough fodder for winter 2024-2025
Following a wet start to 2024 and a prolonged winter housing period, silage and fodder reserves on many farms were completely exhausted this spring. Grass growth to date in 2024 has been poor with further supplementary feeding of fodder taking place in recent weeks on some farms.
22 July 2024

Farmers reminded to use slurry additives with a ‘solid scientific backing’
Slurry additives can help reduce emissions, but farmers attending the Farming for a Better Future Open Day at Teagasc Johnstown Castle were told to only use slurry additives with a solid scientific backing.
19 July 2024

Fence water courses to prevent cattle access
Fencing off watercourses to prevent cattle access is recognised as one of the ‘8-Actions for Change’ within the Teagasc Better Farming for Water Campaign, and visitors to the recent Farming for a Better Future Open Day, held in Teagasc Johnstown Castle, heard of the benefits it can bring.
18 July 2024

Reducing the finishing age nationally
Reducing the mean finishing age of prime beef cattle from 26 to 22-23 months by 2030 is fundamental to achieving Ireland’s 25% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture. On this week’s episode of the Beef Edge podcast, Teagasc researcher Paul Smith discusses this topic.
17 July 2024

Best practices to protect your herd against TB
Roisin Scully, KT Masters Student, Teagasc Ballinrobe, shares key areas to manage within your farm gate to reduce the incidence of TB.
17 July 2024

Difficult year hits Newford weights
A combination of a cold and wet year has resulted in a reduction in animal performance at Newford, Michael Fagan tells us more.
16 July 2024

Livestock an important part of our overall food system – Teagasc Director
The benefits of livestock inclusion in the overall food system were outlined by Professor Frank O Mara, Director of Teagasc, on the recent Signpost Series webinar titled: ‘Cultivating a sustainable future for Irish agriculture’.
15 July 2024

What is your fodder situation?
Aidan Murray, Beef Specialist, emphasizes the importance of creating a winter fodder budget early, assessing available silage, calculating winter feed requirements, and planning accordingly to ensure sufficient feed reserves.
14 July 2024
Managing Grass Shortfall on Trevor Boland's Beef Farm
Grass growth on Trevor's farm has declined, leading to below-target average farm covers and necessitating measures such as fertilization, supplemental feeding, and potential stock reduction to manage the shortfall until conditions improve.
13 July 2024

Growing Organics: Sucklers, sheep and tillage in Donegal
Cathal McCauley, Teagasc Organics Advisor, shares insights from John Hamilton’s farm in Co. Donegal, the host of a recent Growing Organics farm walk and home to a suckler, sheep and tillage enterprise.
12 July 2024
Redefining the image of organic beef farming
Ken Gill, an organic suckler farmer and a participant in the Future Beef Programme, was posed an interesting question as part of the ‘Securing your future in beef farming forum’ at the recent BEEF2024 Open Day in Teagasc Grange – ‘Do you get a lot of interest from other farmers?’
11 July 2024

First open day at Tipperary Dairy Calf to Beef Demonstration Farm
Demonstrating the best technologies for profitable and sustainable production of beef calves from the dairy herd, the Tipperary Dairy Calf to Beef Demonstration Farm opened its gates, today, July 10, to all farmers to visit and see the progress that has been made since its establishment.
10 July 2024

Energy and farm diversification options for farmers
Barry Caslin, Teagasc Energy & Rural Development Specialist, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss energy and farm diversification options and the areas for farmers to consider.
10 July 2024

Book straw supply as soon as possible
Shay Phelan, Crops Specialist at Teagasc, provided the reconvened meeting of the National Fodder and Food Security Committee on July 8 with a tillage update, where he shared key details on crop performance, potential yields and straw availability.
10 July 2024

The weighing scales doesn’t lie
Regular animal weighing throughout the year gives the knowledge and power to make informed decisions early. Gordon Peppard, DairyBeef 500 Advisor, tells us more on how to use the information generated through weighing for better decision making.
10 July 2024

Budget and take action to secure fodder stocks
The results and key advisory messages arising from the Teagasc June Fodder Survey were presented to the National Fodder and Food Security Committee (NFFSC) on Monday, July 8.
09 July 2024

Early August opening for new suckler scheme
A new suckler scheme, with a total budget of €20 million, is on track to open in early August, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D., has announced.
09 July 2024

All roads lead to the Tipperary Dairy Calf to Beef Demonstration Farm
Located in Ballyvadin, Fethard, Co. Tipperary, the Tipperary Dairy Calf to Beef Demonstration Farm aims to demonstrate best practice in breeding, rearing and finishing dairy-beef animals, and will host its first open day on Wednesday, July 10.
08 July 2024

The cost of feedstuffs on beef farms
Visitors to BEEF2024 heard of the ‘Grange Feed Costings Model’, which was used to determine the cost of commonly grown feed crops in March-April 2024. Feedstuffs included grazed grass – with and without white clover – grass and red clover silage, maize and fodder beet.
08 July 2024

Breeding, drafting and grassland management with Shane Keaveney, Future Beef Farmer
June proved to be a particularly busy month for Shane Keaveney, Teagasc Future Beef Programme participant from Co. Roscommon, whose focus centred on breeding, grassland management and drafting bulls for slaughter.
08 July 2024