Beef
Springing into Organics: A Clover Grazing Guide
Clodagh Morgan, Walsh Scholar, Teagasc Galway/Clare, discusses the role of clover in enhancing soil fertility, biodiversity, and sustainability.
08 April 2024
Breeding the key to suckler success
With the breeding season just around the corner, Kilkenny farmer Ruairí Cummins talks about his farming system, and a breeding strategy for improving his suckler herd’s performance while also meeting SCEP targets, writes Aisling Molloy, Teagasc FutureBeef Programme.
07 April 2024
2024 BISS applications for New Registered Farm Partnerships
Ruth Fennell, Collaborative Farming Specialist, outlines the process and considerations for registering a new farm partnership, focusing on steps for the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) application.
07 April 2024
Calving coming to a close and preparing for breeding at Derrypatrick
Two key aims of Derrypatrick herd are to achieve a nine week breeding season and to have over 80% of the cows calving in the first six weeks. Peter Doyle, Research Officer at Teagasc Grange, tells us how this is achieved.
06 April 2024
Newford update: Calving progress, replacement heifers and managing through a wet spring
89% of the cows in the Newford herd had calved up to March 24, writes Michael Fagan, who also details the management of the replacement heifers and grassland management on the farm now based in Co. Roscommon.
05 April 2024
Future Beef farmer Trevor Boland gives an update on his farm
Future Beef Programme farmer, Trevor Boland is on this week’s episode of the Beef Edge podcast to give an update on his farm, focusing on closing for silage and selecting sires.
03 April 2024
Major turnout at least 7-10 days away on drystock farms
High levels of rainfall, resulting in challenging grazing conditions, have created difficulties on beef and sheep farms this spring, Pearse Kelly, Teagasc Head of Drystock Knowledge Transfer, told the National Fodder and Food Security Committee on March 29.
03 April 2024
Easing the burden of coccidiosis
This spring has posed many challenges on farms throughout the country. Tommy Cox, Teagasc DairyBeef 500 Advisor, writes that one such challenge which can be particularly prevalent on some calf rearing farms is coccidiosis.
03 April 2024
Can farms combining livestock and crops improve sustainability?
Tasos Chatzichristou, PhD student in Agricultural Economics at Teagasc, tells us why mixed farming systems are a potential solution to bridging the gap between agriculture's economic and environmental challenges.
31 March 2024
Beef-Quest: on a mission to reduce finishing age
Paul Smith, Mark McGee, Bernadette Earley, Edward O’Riordan, Paul Crosson and David Kenny, Teagasc Grange, and Alan Kelly (UCD), outline the new Beef-Quest Project.
30 March 2024
Advisory messages from the National Fodder and Food Security Committee meeting
An online meeting of the National Fodder and Food Security Committee (NFFSC) took place on Friday, March 29, at the request of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD.
29 March 2024
Suckler herd breeding season success
A successful breeding season within a suckler herd hinges on a number of key factors, Professor David Kenny, Head of Animal and Bioscience Department at Teagasc, told a recent Future Beef Webinar titled: ‘Getting your cow back in calf’.
28 March 2024
DairyBeef 500 financial and slaughter performance update
DairyBeef 500 Manager, Alan Dillon is on this week’s episode of the Beef Edge podcast with some tips for rearing calves at this time of year, the financial performance update for 2023 as well as slaughter performance.
27 March 2024
Coping with another bad spring on beef farms
2024 is starting on a similar bad note to 2023, writes Alan Dillion, DairyBeef 500 Manager, with incessant rainfall in the early part of the year leading to some serious issues on farm in terms of fodder supply, bedding supply, slurry storage and grazing.
27 March 2024
A trilogy of tools to aid dairy-beef breeding, mating and trading
The expansion of the national dairy herd, improved dairy cow fertility, and the rapid growth in the use of sexed semen to generate dairy replacements will contribute to a greater quantity of Irish beef originating from dairy herds.
26 March 2024
Slow and steady approach delivers for suckler herd fertility
The correct breeding policy lays the foundation for profitability within suckler systems. Once you get it right, you are heading in the right direction.
25 March 2024
Reducing age of slaughter in beef cattle
Dr. Peter Lawrence, Teagasc Tinahely, discusses strategies for farmers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by lowering the slaughter age of cattle through improvements in genetics, nutrition, and health.
23 March 2024
€25 million scheme to improve beef progeny from the dairy herd unveiled
A €25 million scheme to incentivise the use of genotyped and genetically superior beef sires for breeding dairy beef calves has been unveiled.
21 March 2024
10 years of experience in an organic beef system
Ken Gill operates an autumn calving, organic suckler to beef system in Co. Offaly and he joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to explain his system.
20 March 2024
Time to bite the bullet on grazing?
On beef farms, Mícheál Kelly, B&T Drystock Advisor, Teagasc Galway/Clare writes, there is lots of grass available, but farmers have been unable to get cattle out to grass due to a combination of poor ground conditions and erratic, harsh weather.
20 March 2024
Getting ready for the calving season
Shane Devaney, Beef Advisor, discusses the importance of preparation for the calving season, emphasising organisation, proper equipment maintenance, calving pen readiness, the significance of colostrum for newborn calves, and the need for safety around calving cows to prevent accidents.
20 March 2024
Webinar series to focus on profitable, functional cows and genetics for the future
The Teagasc Future Beef team will host a series of webinars over the month of March, which will centre on a farmers’ guide to suckler breeding.
19 March 2024
March Update: Grassland Management and Livestock Progress at Tipperary Farm
Chloe Millar gives an update on the Tipperary Dairy Calf to Beef Demonstration Farm. She provides an update on grassland conditions, livestock management, and recent developments on the farm, including the arrival of 2024 born calves.
19 March 2024
Silage quality improvements - Ten point plan
On dairy calf to beef farms all animals are priority stock. It is essential that all animals are gaining weight every day. As silage can make up to at least 1/4 of the annual diet on these farms, animals should be fed very high quality silage during the winter housing period.
16 March 2024
Teagasc BEEF2024 Open Day in Grange planned for 26 June
The Teagasc BEEF2024 Open Day will take place on Wednesday, 26 June at the Teagasc, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Grange, County Meath.
14 March 2024
Keeping Calves Healthy this Spring
Stephen O’Callaghan, Walsh Scholar, Teagasc Meath, discusses the critical aspects of calf rearing, emphasizing the importance of calf health for achieving growth targets and ensuring animals thrive.
14 March 2024
Why Michael Mcguigan is moving to Spring Calving
Michael McGuigan farms 23.5 ha in Clongiffen, outside Longwood in Co. Meath. In the last couple of years he has been calving the 35 cows in the months of October until the end of December, writes Gabriel Trayers.
13 March 2024
What is the right Teagasc course for me?
When it comes to this time of year, the question of doing an agricultural course arises and with so many on offer it can be difficult to decide what Teagasc course suits best.
13 March 2024
Newford Farm Calving Season
Michael Fagan discusses the recent calving activity at Newford Farm.
13 March 2024
Strategic Breeding with James Skehan
James changed the calving season for his herd in 2023 to match the grass growth on his farm. This year he really enjoyed the break between Christmas and when calving started in early February, so he plans to continue it.
10 March 2024