Beef
Balancing silage quality and concentrate feeding on calf to beef farms
Balancing silage quality and concentrate feeding on calf to beef farms Grass silage is an important winter feed in calf to beef systems. Balancing this forage with the correct quantity/quality of concentrate is key to achieving the desired winter weight gains. Why complete a silage analysis? The starting point in balancing calf […]
28 October 2023
Animal performance, red clover silage and finishing with DairyBeef 500 farmer Aidan Maguire
Animal performance, red clover silage and finishing with DairyBeef 500 farmer Aidan Maguire Like the rest of the country, ground conditions have deteriorated rapidly since the middle of October on Aidan Maguire’s farm in Navan, Co. Meath. In this article, Fergal Maguire, DairyBeef 500 Advisor to the farm, provides an update on […]
25 October 2023
Maximise all beef and suckler scheme payments this year
Maximise all beef and suckler scheme payments this year There was a number of new beef schemes introduced in 2023, namely the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP), the National Beef Welfare Scheme (NBWS) and the National Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme. In a year where costs are remaining high and it looks like […]
25 October 2023
What steps can I take to protect my farm?
What steps can I take to protect my farm? On this week’s Beef Edge podcast, An Garda Síochána Crime Prevention Officer, Sergeant John Fitzpatrick discusses top tips and the steps you can take to reduce the possibility of theft on your farm. As the evenings are getting darker earlier, Sergeant Fitzpatrick says it’s an […]
25 October 2023
Selecting AI sires for autumn breeding on Future Beef farms
Selecting AI sires for autumn breeding on Future Beef farms A number of farmers enrolled in Teagasc’s Future Beef Programme operate either entirely autumn-calving or a combination of spring and autumn-calving herds. In this article, Aisling Molloy, Future Beef Programme Advisor, looks at sire selection on a number of the farms enrolled. […]
24 October 2023
Keeping dairy beef animals healthy this winter
Keeping dairy beef animals healthy this winter This year’s wet and mild summer has resulted in higher parasitic burdens in dairy beef animals. With housing underway in many parts of the country, it is important to eliminate these burdens to ensure animals remain healthy to optimise performance during the indoor period. Stomach […]
24 October 2023
Advancements in feed and manure additives research to reduce methane emissions
Advancements in feed and manure additives research to reduce methane emissions New scientific advancements in feed additives to reduce livestock methane have been welcomed by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue and Minister of State with special responsibility for research and innovation, Martin Heydon. The announcement comes ahead […]
23 October 2023
The successful control of liver fluke
The successful control of liver fluke Liver fluke is a parasite of cattle and sheep. Like most parasites, it can only be picked up off grass. It has a 12 week life cycle within the animal’s liver, in which time it can cause severe damage. Martina Harrington gives advice on how to […]
20 October 2023
What should you do when you get the IBR test results?
What should you do when you get the IBR test results? By participating in the National Beef Welfare Scheme, herd owners will avail of funding to investigate the IBR status of their own herds, providing information to better manage risk, improve biosecurity and inform decisions on vaccination at herd level. IBR is […]
19 October 2023
Growing Organics: Establishing an organic suckler enterprise in Kerry
Growing Organics: Establishing an organic suckler enterprise in Kerry Thomas and Noreen Kavanagh joined the Growing Organics Monitor Farm Programme in 2023. Their participation will run for five years and is aimed at promoting the adoption of best practices at farm level to increase the future viability and sustainability of the Irish […]
19 October 2023