Beef Newsletter - November 2022

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In this month's edition:

• Control fluke to maximise performance
  Fluke are present on many beef farms. Animals do not acquire resistance, so you need to consider dosing. Fluke have three different life stages and there are six active ingredients that kill them. Each active ingredient kills at different stages in the life cycle; therefore, control is complicated.
• Research update - Supplements to silage
  M. McGee, R. Kennedy, E.G. O'Riordan and A.P. Moloney of Teagasc Grange report on barley- or maize meal-based rations containing flaked peas, flaked beans or maize by-products as supplements to grass silage for finishing beef cattle. The intake, growth and carcass traits of late-maturing suckler steers (initial liveweight – 575kg) offered grass silage supplemented with barley- and maize meal-based rations containing flaked peas, flaked beans, maize dried distillers’ grains, or maize gluten feed for 110 days, were examined.
• TB testing changes
  The introduction of the EU’s Animal Health Law on April 21, 2021 aims to prevent and control disease that can be transmitted to other animals and humans, and it brings a change to TB testing requirements in Ireland. It will be introduced in two phases. Phase one will begin on February 1, 2023, and no date has yet been set for the introduction of phase two.
• Slurry and manure study
  Teagasc is seeking 30 beef, dairy, pig, sheep and broiler farmers to participate in a study that will analyse the composition of animal slurry and manure, and assess their suitability for a range of uses with and without pre treatment. All results will be anonymised and each farmer will receive his/her results free. To express an interest, please fill the online form (name, farm type and email) using the following link: www.teagasc.ie/animalwastes 
• Health & Safety - Over 4,500 farm accidents occur annually
  Research from the Teagasc National Farm Survey (NFS) has revealed that there were 4,523 accidents on Irish farms during 2020. The data shows over 88% of these accidents involved the farm operator, with a further 11% relating to family members. Farm workers accounted for the remaining 1%.