Listen: Billy Gilmore’s farming system

Billy Gilmore, Grass10 Sustainable Grassland Farmer of the Year Drystock Category Winner, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss his farming system and grassland management on his farm.

Billy, along with his wife Anne, operates a contract heifer rearing system, rearing over 200 heifers a year. The system has changed over the years, moving from a mixed system consisting of an autumn-calving suckling system, a spring-lambing flock and tillage enterprise.

Billy explained: ‘‘I took over the farm at the age of 15. And shortly after, I remember I cycled to my first farm walk. The discussion back then was around the principle of growing grass in three weeks and grazing it in three days, setting up paddocks and applying lime. Fast forward 50 years and the principles are still the same that drive the success of any farm system.”

Billy outlines how he has managed grass on the farm this year and is now building covers for the autumn. Quality silage is important to the system, as well as the inclusion of clover to reduce fertiliser input.

Listen in below:

Upcoming event

In recognition of the Grass10 award, Billy will host a farm walk on Tuesday, August 27 at 6.30pm. Further details on this event are available here.

For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com, visit the Beef Edge podcast show page.