Newford update - Breeding, Biodiversity and Beef2022
The latest Newford report has an update on breeding with the season now finished. Michael Fagan, Technician at Newford Suckler Demonstration Farm, Athenry also gives an update on the calves. The biodiversity initiatives on the farm and Newford at Beef2022
Week of 27th June 2022
Breeding season finished
The 2022 breeding season finished on Newford Farm on the 29th of June. It started on 20 April which equates to a 10-week period
- There were 82 mature cows and 23 maiden heifers put forward for breeding this year
- 98% of the mature herd was artificially inseminated in the first three weeks of breeding and 100 % of the herd were inseminated within the first four weeks of breeding
- Performance was positive and up until Tuesday 28th of June - 61 cows were inseminated once, 19 cows received a repeat insemination. Three cows repeated twice and were inseminated three times
'Once a day rule'
The ‘once-a-day AI rule’ was used again on the farm this year. Cows are inseminated once each day at midday.
- If a cow is inseminated at 12 noon and she is still showing signs of standing heat again that evening, that same cow will be served again the next day (12 noon)
- At the moment 17 cows out of the 82 mature cows have being inseminated twice on two consecutive days using this rule
Maiden heifers
All 23 maiden heifers (pictured) were inseminated once since breeding started on the 20th of April. These heifers were inseminated for six and a half weeks
- 23 heifers were inseminated once
- Four were inseminated twice
- Three were inseminated three times
Tail paint patches were used on the heifers as very little tail paint was being rubbed off by the teaser bull making it more difficult to visually pick up animals in heat
Calving down
Newford Farm calves down all its heifers at 24 months of age. Above is an example of a typical replacement on the farm.
- Hereford x Friesian-cross heifer born 8th March 2020
- Calved down: 2nd March 2022
- Artificially inseminated: 7th May 2022
- Calf sire: Ewdenvale Ivor (LM2014)
- Calf birth weight: 40 Kg ( Female)
- Weight on 1st June: 168 Kg
- Average daily gain from birth to weighing: 1.41 kg
Biodiversity on Newford Farm
Newford Farm is placing more attention on enhancing the level of biodiversity on the farm. The farm has been selected as a demonstration farm as part of the Teagasc Signpost Programme. This will see a suite of measures introduced over the lifetime of the programme. These will serve to reduce the volume of gaseous emissions the farm produces, protect water quality, enhance biodiversity and ultimately reduce cost and create more profitable and sustainable farming practices. A number of these initiatives have already commenced.
Multispecies swards
The farm reseeded 2.43ha (6 acres) with a multispecies mix on 13th May 2022. The crop is being trialled with a view to reducing the farm’s requirement for chemical fertilisers while still underpinning high levels of animal performance.
The advantage of multispecies and clover to the farm will help us to maintain a steady growth rate at reduce fertiliser application at a time that it is critical to reduce our greenhouse gases emissions
The multispecies seed mixture is as follows:
- Ballintoy (5 kg)
- Drumbo (5 kg)
- Aberherald (1 kg) clover
- Aberswan (1 kg) clover
- Puna ll Cichorium (1 kg)
- Tonic Plantain (1kg)
A total of 14kg seed was applied per acre while three bags of 10:10:20 were applied post sowing.
New hedgerow
The farm has planted a short section of hedgerow which will be used for demonstration purposes. A new section of hedgerow will be joined on an annual basis (next sowing date October 2022) and over time this will demonstrate optimum management practices.
The main hedgerow plant is a native species whitethorn plant and this will remain the focus.
Newford at Beef2022
- Call to visit the Newford stand in the Suckler Village at the Teagasc BEEF 2022 Open Day in Grange Co. Meath on the 5th
- The Newford Farm stand can be found at “ Signposts for Suckler – Future Beef village”
- Further details www.teagasc.ie/beef2022