Tipperary Dairy Calf to Beef Demonstration Farm Open Day

Wednesday, 22 July, Ballyvadin Beef Farm Ltd. Fethard, Co. Tipperary, E91 E0X3.

A practical open day focused on Labour Efficient Dairy Beef systems was held on the Tipperary Dairy Calf to Beef Demonstration Farm, showcasing the latest research and best practices to help farmers improve efficiency and sustainability on farm.

Ballyvadin Beef Farm was established in 2022 to demonstrate best practice technologies and management for dairy calf-to-beef production. Operating as a fully transparent commercial enterprise, the farm provides farmers with real-world financial and technical performance data to support decision-making.

Following a 25-hectare expansion in 2025, the farm now spans 134 hectares, including 113 hectares of pasture dedicated to dairy-beef production. Despite its scale, the enterprise is managed with just 1.5 full-time labour units, reflecting its strong focus on labour efficiency.

The farm delivered €1,620 per hectare net profit in 2025, while generating a return on labour of €74 per hour worked. These results were driven by improved animal performance, efficient grassland management and strong beef prices.

Calf supply contract & genetics

A key feature of the Ballyvadin system is its contract calf supply model. In spring 2026, the farm sourced 442 calves from nine spring-calving dairy farms, ensuring a consistent supply of healthy, genotyped calves with high Commercial Beef Value (CBV) genetics. Calves are selected based on health, beef merit and performance potential before entering a structured rearing programme designed to maximise performance.

• Feeding: 3 L twice daily until 30 days, transition to once a day (4 L) over 7 days. Milk replacer mixed at 125 g/L.
• Weaning: minimum 80 kg and eating ≥1.5 kg concentrate/day. Typical milk powder fed while on the farm ~28–34 kg per calf
• Mortality: low (≈0.7–1.0%).
• Calf Specification: healthy, genotyped, suitable sires for beef merit, Feb–Mar births. Pricing based on weight, sex and CBV.

Finishing performance

The farm continues to improve finishing performance through a combination of superior genetics, grassland management and targeted nutrition. In 2025, Ballyvadin finished 191 steers and 153 heifers.

Steers averaged 316 kg carcass weight at 21 months, finishing one month younger and 10 kg heavier than the previous year.
Heifers averaged 270 kg carcass weight at 20 months, representing a 16 kg improvement on the previous year.

Impact of sire breed on 2025/26 finishing performance

Animal health

A vaccination programme is combined with regular health monitoring throughout the production cycle. Rather than relying on routine dosing, parasite control is guided by faecal egg count testing every three weeks, ensuring treatments are only administered when required. This targeted approach helps protect animal performance while reducing the risk of anthelmintic resistance.

Vaccination protocol

Financial performance

Operating as a commercial business, the farm publishes financial performance, including labour, machinery and capital costs, giving farmers an accurate picture of the economics of dairy-beef production.

While 2025 delivered exceptionally strong returns, projections for 2026 indicate tighter margins as higher calf purchase costs and lower beef prices reduce profitability. Despite these market pressures, the farm continues to demonstrate the importance of efficient labour use, excellent animal performance and disciplined cost control in maintaining a resilient dairy-beef enterprise.

The open day provided farmers with practical examples of how genetics, animal health, grassland management, labour efficiency and financial discipline can work together to build profitable and sustainable dairy-beef systems for the future.

Podcast

Chloe Millar, Teagasc Technologist with the Tipperary Dairy Calf-to-Beef Demonstration Farm, joined Catherine Egan on a recent episode of The Beef Edge podcast to discuss the farm’s progress. Chloe spoke about calf sourcing and rearing, health and grassland management, finishing cattle, and key technologies driving profitability and performance.

Listen to the episode: