Beef

Opportunity to ‘flick a switch’ and create new approach to dairy beef breeding

Opportunity to ‘flick a switch’ and create new approach to dairy beef breeding An opportunity exists to improve the quality of beef being produced from the dairy herd, but it’s going to take buy in from dairy farmers nationally. That was one of the many key messages delivered by Dr. Nicky Byrne, […]
28 January 2023

Feed and fertiliser costs hit DairyBeef 500 monitor farm profits

Feed and fertiliser costs hit DairyBeef 500 monitor farm profits Increased spending associated with higher feed and fertiliser costs were pinpointed as major contributing factors to a reduction in the profits witnessed on DairyBeef 500 monitor farms in 2022. Speaking from the DairyBeef 500 Spring Conference, Alan Dillon, campaign coordinator, presented average […]
27 January 2023

Budgeting for spring feed requirements

Budgeting for spring feed requirements Across some parts of the country, particularly in the southern region, stock have eaten a lot more silage than expected for this stage of the winter. A combination of summer drought (which led to silage being fed outside from July to September), and an earlier than expected […]
26 January 2023

Preparing for calving with John Pringle, FutureBeef farmer

Preparing for calving with John Pringle, FutureBeef farmer John Pringle is a full-time suckler and sheep farmer in Kilacloran, Aughrim Co. Wicklow. He farms with his wife Linda, daughter Lucy and sons William and Scott. In Aughrim, January is all about setting up for the calving season due to start mid-February. The […]
24 January 2023

Maximising the benefits of slurry and soil sampling on drystock farms

Maximising the benefits of slurry and soil sampling on drystock farms Slurry provides a rich source of nutrients to grow grass and its potential is enhanced on farms in early spring applications. Niall Kerins, Teagasc Tralee, outlines more. In terms of low emission slurry application this spring, 6 – 8 units of […]
22 January 2023

Delivering what you get paid for

Delivering what you get paid for Agriculture must lower its contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and reducing slaughter age is one way to help achieve these targets for beef producers. Keeping beef animals to older ages increases their lifetime GHG outputs. Slaughtering animals as soon as sufficient carcass fatness is reached […]
22 January 2023

Sustainable and profitable beef – the key drivers

Sustainable and profitable beef – the key drivers The two main drivers of profit and efficiency are age at first calving for suckler calf to weanling systems and optimising live weight performance (Average Daily Gain/ADG) for suckler weanling-to-beef systems. John Galvin, Teagasc advisor, discusses further. Beef production in Ireland is predominantly from […]
20 January 2023

What should I be looking for in a pre-calving mineral?

What should I be looking for in a pre-calving mineral? In advance of calving season, on this week’s Beef Edge podcast, Catherine Egan is joined by Teagasc Head of Dairy, Joe Patton, to find out how to manage cow nutrition in the crucial weeks pre and post-calving. Mineral supplementation prior to calving […]
18 January 2023

The Calm before the Storm on many Suckler Farms

The Calm before the Storm on many Suckler Farms As we move through this month calving will be edging ever closer on many suckler farms so a little planning can go a long way to ensure things run smoother once calving begins. Starting with the cows. How are things looking? Are they […]
18 January 2023

Focus turns to sourcing on Dairybeef 500 farms

Focus turns to sourcing on Dairybeef 500 farms With Christmas having come and gone and with the New Year upon the start of the spring calf rearing cycle is just around the Dairybeef 500 participants. Buying the right calf at an appropriate price, optimising nutrition and health, along with limiting disease pressure, […]
11 January 2023