Beef
Grassland management tips for this spring
Grassland management tips for this spring With a difficult spring leading to challenging grazing conditions, Teagasc Grass10 Manager, John Maher is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast with his top tips in relation to grassland management this spring. John discusses the current soil temperatures and grass growth across the country. He also explains […]
28 February 2024
Calf rearing: Getting the basics right
Calf rearing: Getting the basics right Gordon Peppard, Teagasc DairyBeef 500 Advisor, looks the important performance targets for calf rearers this spring, while also providing a guide on the typical variable costs associated with calf rearing. Performance targets Many bought in calves will have either come through marts/agents and will have been […]
28 February 2024
Organic beef finishing systems to be explored at Johnstown Castle
Organic beef finishing systems to be explored at Johnstown Castle Plans are in place to develop an organic beef research farm at Johnstown Castle, Co. Wexford. Joe Kelleher, Teagasc Organic Specialists, tells us more. There has been an unprecedented increase in the number of farmers converting to organics over the past two […]
26 February 2024
A refresher on pre-calving minerals
A refresher on pre-calving minerals What price do you put on cows that calve down with no issues, no retained cleanings, plenty of milk, a vigorous calf, don’t suffer from milk fever and most importantly, go back in calf? That is the value you place on a good quality mineral. Every extra […]
24 February 2024
Does night-time feeding reduce night-time calvings?
Does night-time feeding reduce night-time calvings? Some farmers may be implementing a feeding strategy where silage is restricted to suckler cows during daylight hours, instead being offered at night time, to reduce the incidence of night-time calvings. However, the implementation of such a strategy is no guarantee of reducing the number of […]
22 February 2024
Newford farm update – the move to Roscommon, calving preparation and performance review
Newford farm update – the move to Roscommon, calving preparation and performance review With the calving season underway, Michael Fagan, Teagasc Newford farm technician, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to give an insight into changes on the farm, preparation in advance of calving and a review performance of the herd. […]
21 February 2024
Diary dates: DairyBeef 500 spring farm walks
Diary dates: DairyBeef 500 spring farm walks Gordon Peppard, DairyBeef 500 Advisor, previews two upcoming events, where the host farmers will share the progress they’ve made in improving physical and financial performance of their dairy calf to beef enterprises. This spring, the Teagasc DairyBeef 500 team is holding two farm walks on […]
21 February 2024
A busy calving and breeding season for Ken Gill, Future Beef Farmer
A busy calving and breeding season for Ken Gill, Future Beef Farmer Ken bred 14 heifers and 58 cows to AI bulls between November 1 and December 11, which amounts to a six-week breeding season. While it means that the replacement rate on the farm is closer to 30% than the target […]
20 February 2024
The importance of colostrum to suckler calves
The importance of colostrum to suckler calves As a means to protect the early-life health of calves, suckler farmers have been encouraged to prioritise the feeding of colostrum to their calves this spring. This message came from John Donlon, a Teagasc vet working in the area of beef herd health, who joined […]
20 February 2024
Newford herd settled into new home in Roscommon
Newford herd settled into new home in Roscommon The Newford suckler demonstration farm, established by Teagasc and Dawn Meats with support by McDonalds, took up its new residence on a 118 acre farmable farm at Scrine Co, Roscommon at the end of 2023, Michael Fagan tells us more on the latest happenings […]
17 February 2024