DairyBeef 500 Farm Walk – Keith and Olivia Lowry

Join us on Thursday, 9th July at 6:30pm for a Dairy Beef 500 Farm Walk hosted by Olivia and Keith Lowry at their progressive calf-to-beef farm in Cappadavock, near Tuam, Co. Galway. Eircode: H54 HW77.

This is a fantastic opportunity to visit one of the programme’s leading demonstration farms and see first hand how a well managed, grass-based dairy-beef system can deliver strong animal performance, labour efficiency and profitability.

About the Farm

Farming 31 hectares of free-draining land, Olivia and Keith rear 70 to 80 calves annually through a predominantly early-maturing steer system. While both working full-time off-farm, they have successfully built a highly efficient enterprise through careful planning, targeted investment and focus on performance.

What to expect on the night? 

On the evening, all aspects of the Lowry’s dairy calf to beef system will be on full display.  Over recent years, the farm has undergone significant development, with major improvements in calf health, grassland management, soil fertility and grazing infrastructure. Visitors will have the opportunity to see how strategic investments have transformed the farm, including the redevelopment of an out-farm grazing block into a modern grazing platform featuring a central roadway, 16 paddocks and an extensive water system designed to maximise grass utilisation and simplify management.

Physical and Financial Performance 

The introduction stand, will outline Keith and Olivia’s calf to beef system where all physical and financial performance details will be discussed. With increased calf prices common place last spring, budgets will be completed at different beef prices to analyse the margins. Attendees will have the opportunity to see yearling steers grazing in the adjoining paddock.

Parasite Control in Calves

Stand two will look at the important steps in maintaining calf performance after turnout to grass. There will be a key focus on calf health and dosing strategies to prevent resistance building up whilst maintaining a good level of thrive and performance. Calves will be on display and everyone will get a run down on the rearing and management of these calves following turnout to grass earlier in the summer.

Maximising Gain from Grass

Stand three will outline how the Lowry’s aim to maximise grass production on their farm. Topics addressed here will look at their grazing infrastructure, paddock layout and how grazing at the correct grass covers allows for maximum animal performance. We will have a before and after look at the developments made on the Lowry farm in recent times. More yearling animals will be on display here.

Post Reseeding Demonstration

The final stop on the night will be a post management demo on reseeding grassland. Attendees will see a recently reseeded field where there will be an interactive demonstration on the management of this re seed in the weeks after sowing with particular emphasis on post emergence spraying and weed control.

Teagasc advisors, specialists and Dairybeef500 stakeholders will be available on the night for interactive discussion and to answer all questions that arise. There will be a lot of valuable information and experiences to be shared and anyone with an interest in dairy calf to beef system should feel free to attend. We look forward to welcoming you on the night.

These event is free to attend and there is no registration required.

Whether you are already operating a calf-to-beef enterprise or considering opportunities within the sector, this promises to be an informative and practical evening not to be missed.

Find out more about the DairyBeef 500 Programme here