DairyBeef500 Walk with Richard Long, Co. Waterford
Join the Teagasc DairyBeef500 team on Thursday, 8th September at 3pm on the farm of Richard Long, Ballymacarbry, Co. Waterford. Eircode: E91 VH67. Find out more and Book your ticket here
Our attention turns south east when on the 8th of September at 3 o’clock Richard Long will host our second DairyBeef500 event on his farm in Ballymacarbry Co.Waterford.
Richard operates a calf to beef system on 47ha of grassland after making the change from a suckler system in 2014. Calves are sourced directly off his brother’s standalone dairy herd across the border in Tipperary. Generally a mixture of continental and early-maturing sired bulls and heifers are purchased annually.
The close relationship between the brothers has allowed for more joined up thinking to occur when it comes to the genetics and breeding decisions on the dairy farm and this allows for an animal of improved beef merit to be produced, without having negative consequences on the dairy herd’s reproductive performance. This relationship has proved beneficial for both farms.
Richard is getting an animal that has the potential to produce a produce a heavier, better-conformed carcass at a younger age, while Richards’s brothers Mike and Liam are maintaining calving ease and the calving interval of their herd with no negative effect on milk production while also producing a highly saleable calf.
Hear what Richard Long and Sean Cummins, Teagasc DairyBeef500 advisor have to say about Richard's farm in the video clip below
Other topics for discussion
Along with looking at the importance of improving calf genetics and aiming to build relationships between dairy and beef producers. Other topics for discussion on the day will be improvements made in the grazing infrastructure on the farm. The farm is serviced by an extensive network of roadways and paddocks all of which were installed by Richard. Soil fertility corrections are ongoing on the farm and Richard will talk up though his liming programme and how he has started to build P and K levels on the farm. The importance of a good herd health programme in Dairybeef systems to ensure optimum performance throughout their lives from birth through to finishing will be discussed and Richard will take us through protocols taken on his farm to ensure animals remain healthy.
Find out more and book your ticket at Richard Long - DairyBeef500 Demonstration Farm Walk
The Beef Edge Podcast
Richard Long and his advisor, Sean Cummins, joined Catherine Egan on a recent episode of the Beef Edge podcast to discuss how they developed a plan to reduce age at slaughter on the farm and its impact on profitability. They also give an insight into what to expect at the upcoming open day being held on the farm on September 8th.
About the DairyBeef 500 Campaign
Given the large increase in the dairy herd in recent years and the resulting number of beef calves that will be reared to slaughter stage in Ireland over the coming years, Teagasc has launched the DairyBeef 500 Campaign.
This campaign will incorporate a number of dairy-beef initiatives including: demonstration farms located nationwide, a stand-alone demo farm unit in Co. Tipperary called Ballyvadin farm, a large emphasis on Knowledge transfer with a particular focus on discussion groups along with new dedicated dairy beef courses for farmers and a supporting research and education programme supported by weekly communication outputs.
The campaign is sponsored by Corteva Agriscience, Drummonds, Liffey Mills, Munster Bovine, MSD Animal Health and Volac while the Ballyvadin Demo farm is sponsored by Shinagh Estates Limited and Dawn Meats.
The DairyBeef 500 Campaign is led by Teagasc and will promote the adoption of best practice at farm level to increase the future viability and sustainability of the Irish beef sector.
The DairyBeef500 Campaign is part of the Teagasc Signpost Programme.