Teagasc Green Acres Calf to Beef Newsletter: Issue 1 - June 2021
The first issue of the Teagasc Green Acres Calf to Beef Programme e-Newsletter has an update on Pat Collin's farm, Castlemartyr, Co. Cork; Best Practice in Dosing; Key management tasks; Calf purchases and purchase price. The Green Acres Calf to Beef e-Newsletter will issue fortnightly.
Pat Collins, Castlemartyr, Co. Cork
Growth rates have picked up over the past weekend, averaging 92kg DM/ha/day across the three blocks. The wet and cold weather we had experienced before this did result in growth rates dipping somewhat, with just 59kg DM/ha/day recorded in the second last farm walk. After being unsettled on account of lower dry matter grass for the past month, cattle are beginning to settle much better and clean outs are improving.
Best Practice in Dosing
Stomach worms and lungworm are the two main parasites of calves, and older cattle, at grass. A thorough dosing regime is required for effective managemet of worm infestation.
Key Management Tasks
- Walk farms twice weekly, many farms are in a position of grass surplus.
- Identify paddocks for surplus bales or possible reseeding, if growth allows.
- Complete faecal egg count tests on cattle to identify the need to dose.
- Ensure second-cut silage ground is adequately fertiliser.
- Begin drafting cattle being finished at grass; although April and May have been difficult, these animals have performed well.
Calf purchases and purchase price
Sourcing and purchasing the correct calf at an appropriate price is critical to the success of calf to beef systems. An over-expensive outlay on day one of the production cycle can add pressure in terms of making a margin at slaughter. Click below to view a breakdown of calf purchasing on the Teagasc Green Acres farms in the spring of 2021.
The Teagasc Green Acres Calf to Beef e-Newsletter will issue monthly and you can read it here each month on on Teagasc Daily.
To find out more about the Teagasc Green Acres Calf to Beef Programme click here
