Beef Newsletter - July 2024

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In this month's edition:

• What is your fodder situation?
  By the time we get to the end of this month, most if not all first- and second-cut silage should be in the yard, after what has been a long winter, a difficult spring, and poor growth in June. The ability to take out surplus grass for silage has been minimal. With very little reserve of forage on farms from last spring, it is timely to sit down this month and complete a fodder budget with your advisor for the coming winter. It is best to act earlier rather than later.
• Upcoming events in July
  • A major Teagasc Open Day is planned for Tuesday, July 16, at the Teagasc Environment, Soils and Land Use Research Centre, Johnstown Castle, Co. Wexford. More details here 
  • We also have two Future Beef suckler events in July:
    • The first is on Friday, July 12, at the Organic Farm of Ken Gill in Clonbullogue, Edenderry, Co. Offaly, R45 HT67. This starts at 6.30pm.
    • The second will take place on the farm of Eamon and Donnchadh McCarthy on Friday, July 26, in Carrigeen, Glendine, Youghal, Co. Waterford, P36 DT18. Start time is 3.00pm.
    • More information can be found on these events here
• Research Update - Dietary oil to reduce methane
  Stuart Kirwan, Neal Folliard and Emily Roskam report on Teagasc Grange research that examined suppressing methane production with dietary oil. In Ireland, agriculture accounts for ~34% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Enteric methane, a potent GHG, accounts for 65% of these agricultural emissions. Enteric methane is produced as a result of the fermentation of feed in the rumen, predominantly from cattle and sheep.
• Health and Safety - Avoid long working hours
  July is a particularly busy month on farms, with long hours of hard and high-risk work, usually involving tractors and machinery. Farmers and contractors must never underestimate the impact of excessively long working hours. Long hours can lead to long-term embedded fatigue and mistakes that would not otherwise happen.