FutureBeef Webinar: Maximising Output on the Suckler Farm

For the third year running, the Teagasc Future Beef Programme is hosting a series of practical Breeding Webinars for 2026.

Join us on Tuesday, 24 March at 8pm for the first webinar in the Building a More Profitable Suckler Herd series. This webinar will focus on Maximising Output on the Suckler Farm.

Click here to register for the webinars!

Chair: Aisling Molloy, Future Beef Programme Advisor

Speakers:

• Alan Kelly, University College Dublin (UCD)
• Frank O’Sullivan, Veterinary Practitioner
• Ruairí Cummins, Future Beef farmer

This webinar will focus on one of the most important drivers of profitability in suckler systems – maximising output while minimising inputs and labour. A central theme will be achieving a calf per cow per year, which remains the foundation of a successful suckler enterprise.

Key discussion areas planned for the evening include:

• Achieving a calf per cow per year
• Genetics for fertility and management
• Key management factors affecting cow and bull fertility
• Nutrition, body condition score and herd health considerations
• Bull management, acclimatisation and bull:cow ratios
• Observation and breeding management during the breeding season

Also discussed on the night will be:

• Culling empty cows and whether it is viable to retain non-pregnant animals
• Calving heifers at 24 months, including target weights, bull selection and common issues.
• Benchmarking your herd performance using ICBF reports and comparing your herd with the top 10% of suckler farms.

Find out more about the upcoming webinars as part of the series here