Beef Newsletter - January 2023

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In this month's edition:

• Budgeting for spring feed requirements
  Across some parts of the country, particularly in the southern region, stock have eaten a lot more silage than expected for this stage of the winter. A combination of summer drought (which led to silage being fed outside from July to September), and an earlier than expected winter when heavy rain arrived in October has led to a large bank of the winter feed being consumed on some farms.
• DairyBeef 500 update
  Ciaran Bartley farms 74ha of mixed quality land near Boher in Co. Limerick. A total of 160 dairy-bred calves, mainly Friesian with a small number of Angus, are purchased each spring and taken through to finish. Moving towards a younger age of slaughter has become a priority for Ciaran, with the majority of steers and heifers killed under 24 months of age.
• Research Update - Liver fluke
  Teagasc research looks at the risk of liver fluke and how to target them. Infection of cattle with the liver fluke flatworm, Fasciola hepatica, can lead to chronic infections and reduced performance. The prevalence of infection in Ireland is generally high. Damp, poorly drained conditions provide an ideal habitat for the intermediate host, the mud snail, and the risk of fluke varies between regions, farms and from year to year depending on weather and ground conditions.
• Health & Safety - Start the new year safely
  Let’s all make 2023 a safe and healthier year for everyone working and living on farms. Improving safety and health requires intention in advance of action. Review and update your risk assessment document and then take actions. A total of 12 fatal farm workplace accidents were recorded in 2022 (provisional data). This