July 2026 Future Beef Newsletter

Sign up to receive the Teagasc Future Beef newsletter

Technical updates: Are your cows getting enough water? | Finishing beef cattle at grass – is feeding concentrates worth it?

Farm Updates: Olivia Hynes – Breeding & Calving Performance 2026 | Newford’s New Cattle Handling Facility Boosts Labour Efficiency and Safety

Top Tips | Upcoming Events | The Beef Edge Podcast

---

Top Tips for July

---

Upcoming Events

• Weds 1^st July: Beef2026 Open Day at Teagasc Grange, Dunsany, Co. Meath

• Weds 29^th July at 6.30pm: Farm walk on Olivia Hynes’ farm, Kilcash, Co. Roscommon. Signposted from Knockcroghery Village.

---

Technical Update: Are your cows getting enough water?

• Water is a key nutrient, directly affecting fertility, milk yield, calf growth rates, and overall herd performance in grass-based systems.
• Beef cattle typically require 10–15 litres of water per 100 kg liveweight per day, with demand rising significantly in lactating suckler cows.
• A suckler cow may drink 40–70 litres of water per day, with higher intake during peak lactation, hot weather, or when fed dry forages such as silage or finishing rations.
• Water intake in cattle can increase by 1.5–2 times during warm weather, making summer grazing systems particularly sensitive to water availability.
• Water trough size: The rule of thumb on trough size is 1.5 gallons or 7 litres per livestock unit. In larger herds you may need to have two water troughs per paddocks to meet demand.
• E.g. A herd with 20 suckler cows and calves will need a minimum water trough size of 40 gallons.

20 suckler cows & calves need a minimum water trough size of 40 gallons

• Water quality is just as important as quantity—clean, uncontaminated water supports rumen function and reduces disease risk.
• Water systems should be designed to meet peak herd demand, not average daily use, especially in spring-calving systems.
• Common issues include low flow rates, undersized pipes, dirty troughs, and faulty ballcocks, all of which restrict intake.
• Farmers should check water troughs daily at grazing, ensuring consistent supply across paddocks during the grazing season.

You can read more here.

---

Technical Update: Finishing beef cattle at grass – is feeding concentrates worth it?

Feeding strategies should match grass supply, animal type, and market goals

• For farmers aiming to finish cattle off grass this summer/autumn, supplementing with concentrates can deliver strong performance gains and reduce winter housing time.
• Autumn grass is typically lower in nutritional value compared to spring grass, and poor weather can limit grazing. However, grass remains cheaper than silage, making targeted concentrate feeding an attractive option.
• Teagasc research at Grange shows that feeding concentrates at grass can significantly improve carcass weight and fat scores, especially when grass is limited. A key factor is the substitution rate – how much meal replaces grass in the diet. When grass is scarce, concentrates boost total dry matter intake and energy, improving weight gain.
• In trials with suckler steers, feeding 5kg of concentrates daily for 95 days increased carcass weight by 32kg and daily liveweight gain from 0.34kg to 1.04kg. At a carcass price of €6.50/kg and meal costing €340/tonne, that’s a net gain of €47 per animal – excluding savings on silage and housing.
• Moderate supplementation – around 0.5kg per 100kg of liveweight – offers good returns when grass is limited or low in quality. Feeding strategies should match grass supply, animal type, and market goals.
• Safety warning: feeding large groups of cattle at grass carries risk. Avoid being in the pen during feeding. Use fenced-off troughs, feed under the wire, or automatic feeders for safer handling.

You can read more here.

---

Farm Update: Olivia Hynes – Breeding & Calving Performance 2026