Beef
What do dairy-beef farmers want in potential calves?
0 What do dairy-beef farmers want in potential calves? Purchasing decisions made on calf to beef farms in the coming weeks can have positive or negative impacts on the level of performance achieved throughout the animal’s life cycle and the resulting profit returned from the venture. Speaking on his experiences of working with […]
2 February 2024
Further flexibility granted for SCEP herds
0 Further flexibility granted for SCEP herds Further flexibility has been granted for participants in the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) whose herds may be impacted by the ICBF evaluation changes which came into effect on November 28, 2023. Split into five actions, one of the requirements of SCEP is the Female Replacement […]
1 February 2024
How to source the right calf
How to source the right calf Starting well is half the battle when buying and rearing calves for beef. Tommy Cox, Teagasc DairyBeef500, spoke with Olivia and Keith Lowry who gave their best tips and advice for sourcing calves. Farming 37ha of dry, sandy, land outside Tuam in north Galway, Olivia and […]
28 January 2024
Check list to prepare for purchasing calves
Check list to prepare for purchasing calves Alan Dillon, DairyBeef500 campaign manager, writes about the most important considerations when preparing for purchasing calves. In the next 4-8 weeks, roughly 400,000 to 450,000 calves will arrive on beef farms with the majority taken to either finished beef or to forward store stage. Due […]
27 January 2024
Mapping the direction of travel of dairy beef systems
Mapping the direction of travel of dairy beef systems An increase in the national dairy herd since milk quota removal in 2015 has changed the dynamic within the Irish beef industry. Animals of dairy origin now account for ~60% of Ireland’s beef throughput. Through a combination of the correct genetics, calf health […]
25 January 2024
Answering the key questions on the National Genotyping Programme
Answering the key questions on the National Genotyping Programme ICBF is writing to farmers, providing an information booklet, to answer the key and frequently asked questions they may have in relation to the National Genotyping Programme (NGP). The programme, operated by the ICBF, offers farmers the opportunity to genotype their herd at […]
24 January 2024
Sustainability focus areas for 2024
Sustainability focus areas for 2024 Dr Siobhan Kavanagh from the Signpost Programme is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss what areas you can focus on to make your farm more sustainable in 2024. The Signpost Programme is a multi-annual campaign to lead climate action by all Irish farmers. The programme […]
24 January 2024
Watch: A guide on drafting cattle
Watch: A guide on drafting cattle Drafting cattle for slaughter when they are actually fit to kill is a key management component of successful calf-to-beef systems. At a fat score of 3+, the carcass weight potential of Holstein Friesian steers is maximised. Moving too early or too late can result in penalties […]
24 January 2024
Beef calves coming earlier in the dairy calving season
Beef calves coming earlier in the dairy calving season Due to the breeding policies in play on dairy farms, beef-sired calves from the dairy herd tended to reach the market in the second half of the spring calving season. Now through the adoption of key technologies such as sexed semen, the use […]
23 January 2024
Limit sources when buying dairy-beef calves
Limit sources when buying dairy-beef calves An essential factor in developing profitable dairy-beef systems is the protection and maintenance of health. For many dairy-beef producers, this starts on the day the calf is purchased. To prepare farmers for the upcoming rearing period, the Teagasc DairyBeef 500 Campaign hosted a webinar on Tuesday, […]
19 January 2024