Beef Newsletter - July 2022

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In this month's edition:

• Sustainable parasite control
  Young calves are not resistant to stomach worms and this is why we need to treat them, especially in their first season at grass. However, spring-born suckler calves do not have a large intake of grass in the early and mid-season periods of the year, which means they may not have a large burden of stomach worms until much later in the season.
• Five July jobs
  1. Stop the breeding season
  2. Remove heavy covers of grass as baled silage
  3. Castrate bull calves
  4. Spread ground limestone on the grazing fields that need it.
  5. Scan suckler cows 30 days after the breeding season ends.
• Research Update - Reducing enteric methane emissions using feed additives
  Stuart Kirwan and Sinead Waters report on how a number of feed additives are being studied to see if they can reduce methane emissions from ruminants. Agriculture is the single largest contributor (~34%) to overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Ireland, with methane being a potent GHG accounting for the majority of GHGs arising from agriculture.
• Health & Safety - The most dangerous month
  July is the month with highest levels of farm workplace deaths based on past records. Let us change this trend in 2022. Children on the farm, long working hours and managing tractors and machinery are particular safety concerns during July. It is important to be vigilant and carry out tasks with safety in mind.