Beef
Careful planning pays off for new finishing shed
Careful planning pays off for new finishing shed A new finishing shed constructed on Charlie Smyth’s DairyBeef 500 farm is ticking a lot of boxes for labour efficiency, animal performance, nutrient storage and location. DairyBeef 500 Advisor to the farm, Fergal Maguire tells us more. Charlie Smyth and his father Charles have […]
26 December 2024
A review of the year from Newford Farm
A review of the year from Newford Farm Michael Fagan, technician on the Newford demonstration farm in Co. Roscommon, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast with an update on the farm and a review of the year since moving from Athenry, Co. Galway. Michael outlines the key activities since the move, […]
18 December 2024
The correct feed to the right animal
The correct feed to the right animal John Pringle’s efforts to make excellent quality silage earlier in the year have borne fruit, allowing for flexibility and ensuring all animals on the farm are offered the most appropriate diet over the winter months. Having recently visited the farm in Aughrim, Co. Wicklow, Manager […]
18 December 2024
Contract heifer rearing – Liam Cassin’s experience
Contract heifer rearing – Liam Cassin’s experience Kilkenny farmer, Liam Cassin is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss his contract heifer rearing system. Liam moved from sheep to suckler cows and started contract heifer rearing 14 years ago. The steady monthly cashflow alongside the reduced financial input of purchasing stock […]
11 December 2024
Lightening the workload through infrastructure
Lightening the workload through infrastructure In order to maximise labour efficiency, Future Beef farmer Cathal Irwin has made a number of strategic investments on his farm over the last year. Farming 27.7ha in Castlebar, Co. Mayo, Cathal’s beef enterprise is of a part-time nature. The progeny from his 18 spring-calving suckler cows […]
11 December 2024
Outlook for cattle farming in 2025
Outlook for cattle farming in 2025 As part of the Teagasc Outlook 2025, Economic Prospects for Agriculture, Jason Loughrey and Kevin Hanrahan of the Agricultural Economics and Farm Surveys Department, Teagasc, forecast the expenditure for various input items and the beef price that is most likely to prevail in 2025. They also […]
11 December 2024
Watch: Finishing cattle with Future Beef farmer James Skehan
0 Watch: Finishing cattle with Future Beef farmer James Skehan Historically a weanling producer, a TB outbreak led James Skehan, a participant in the Teagasc Future Beef Programme, to start finishing steers and heifers off farm in the last two years. Farming part-time in Ballynevin, O’Briensbridge, Co. Clare with his wife Joanne and […]
8 December 2024
Controlling liver fluke this winter
0 Controlling liver fluke this winter A year of weather-related challenges has heightened the risk of liver fluke infection on some farms. Tommy Cox, DairyBeef 500 Advisor, shares key advice on the most appropriate treatment programmes to follow. After a year of grazing challenges – including delayed turnout, higher than normal rainfall levels […]
4 December 2024
Fluke: Why is it such a problem this year?
0 Fluke: Why is it such a problem this year? Dr. Natascha Meunier, Beef HealthCheck Programme Manager, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss how to control liver fluke effectively and understand it better. Liver fluke is estimated to cost at least €90m to the Irish industry through reduced production, and […]
4 December 2024
Breeding for a good score
Breeding for a good score Sarah Burke, Edward O’Riordan, Paul Crosson and Mark Mcgee of the Teagasc Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Grange, Co. Meath, report on exploiting genetic divergence for carcass fat score. Irish suckler cattle are mostly from breeds that take longer to mature. It’s harder for these […]
30 November 2024