Meet the farmers taking centre stage at BEEF2024
Setting the scene for the fast approaching BEEF2024 open day, Teagasc Beef Specialist, Catherine Egan introduces us to some of the farmers featuring in the various forums on the day.
Along with showcasing the latest research and advice, BEEF2024 - taking place at Teagasc, Grange, Eircode: C15 PW93, on June 26 - will feature a number of panel discussions, covering key topics across a range of beef cattle production systems.
The ‘Securing your future in beef farming’ forum will take place at 2:30pm in the Forum Centre. In this forum, the main opportunities and challenges facing the sector and beef farm families will be discussed. Keynote speakers from the beef sector will outline the strengths of the sector and the potential to enhance profitability, sustainability and lifestyle through the deployment of the latest technologies.
Joining this forum will be Future Beef Programme farmer Eamon McCarthy and his son Donnchadh. Farming in Carrigeen, Glendine, Youghal, Co. Waterford, Eamon and Donnchadh will discuss the opportunities and challenges around succession and inheritance on their farm and the potential to enhance profitability, sustainability and lifestyle through the deployment of the latest technologies.
Eamon and Donnchadh McCarthy
Also joining this forum and providing an insight to his organic farming system is Ken Gill, a Future Beef farmer who farms in Clonbullogue, Co. Offaly. With more than a decade of organic farming experience under his belt, Ken will share the technologies he has embraced on farm to develop a more efficient autumn-calving suckler system.
Ken Gill
Future Beef and DairyBeef 500 forums
Along with the ‘Securing your future in beef farming’ forum, both the Future Beef and DairyBeef 500 teams will host panel discussions; the DairyBeef 500 forum takes place at 12.30pm and Future Beef forum starts at 1.30pm.
Farmer participants in both of these programmes will outline the progress they have made since they’ve joined. They will address the implementation of plans to improve profitability and reduce environmental impact through adoption of the latest technologies.
Aonghusa Fahy, a suckler farmer from Ardrahan, Co. Galway, and Shane Keaveney, who farms in Granlahan, Ballinlough, Co. Roscommon, will both partake in the Future Beef Forum. On the day, Aonghusa and Shane will outline the latest technologies they are using on their farm to increase profitability and sustainability of their suckler beef systems.
Aonghusa Fahy, pictured on the left, and Shane and Grainne Keaveney pictured on the right
Meanwhile, Charlie Smyth and Martin Connolly will both feature in the DairyBeef 500 Forum, sharing insights from their respective farming enterprises in the counties of Roscommon and Cavan.
Charlie Smith (left) and Martin Connolly (right)
Charlie will detail his focus on genetics through the use of the Commercial Beef Value when selecting calves, while Martin will detail the key changes and technologies he has implemented to further develop his dairy-beef system.
Find out more about BEEF2024 here.