Insights

From the perspective of farm numbers and land area farmed, beef cattle farming is the most important agricultural enterprise in Ireland. Moreover, the sector contributed €4.2 billion, some 30%, to total agricultural output in 2025, an increase of €1.1 billion when compared to 2024. The beef sector is export orientated with over 90% of production […]

Suckler beef production in Ireland encompasses a wide range of production systems operating at varying stocking rates, although most farms are stocked at less than 130 kg organic nitrogen (N)/hectare (ha). This paper examines the key performance targets and indicators that determine efficiency, financial and environmental (greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions) performance of suckler beef systems, […]

Dairy-beef is an integral part of Irish beef production, with its contribution to beef output increasing in recent years in line with the 40% increase in dairy cow numbers since 2015, and dairy-beef now accounts for 62% of beef cattle processed in 2025. The current stabilisation of the dairy herd has led to a reduction […]

Irish suckler beef production is largely pasture-based where collectively, grazed and conserved pasture account for up to 92% of the lifetime feed consumption. As grazed pasture is invariably the cheapest cattle feed resource in Ireland, maximising the duration of the grazing season and animal growth performance at pasture is critical for sustainable production. This in […]

In 2025, 1.79 million calves were born in Ireland, and approximately 1.16 million animals were finished as prime (steers, heifers and young bulls) cattle. Nationally, suckler-bred animals now account for 38% of the prime beef cattle produced, reflective of a decline in suckler cow numbers (currently ~0.75 million), and an increase followed by a stabilisation […]

Correcting soil pH is an old but vital farm practice that delivers both productivity and environmental benefits. Maintaining optimum soil pH of 6.3 to 6.5 on mineral soils increases the biological soil activity and availability of major nutrients such as nitrogen (N) thus reducing the need for imported chemical fertiliser. Soil test results show that […]

Agriculture has a requirement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030, relative to 2018. To date agriculture has reduced emission by 4.6% since 2018. Meeting emission reductions will be challenging over the next 5 years. The Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC) developed by Teagasc sets out a menu of actions that farmers can […]

There has been a significant renewed interest in the role of legumes – both white and red clover – on Irish grassland farms in recent years, with seed sales having increased to 353 t and 131 t for white and red clover, respectively, equating to a 40% increase in 2025 from 2020. The main benefits […]

Grazing infrastructure is the farm layout and physical structures (roadways, fencing and water system). Optimal grazing infrastructure facilitates good pasture management practices to maximise days at grass and increases pasture utilisation in a rotational grazing system. Target pasture management practices: Enter paddocks at a pre-grazing herbage yield of 1,250-1,500 kg dry matter (DM)/hectare (ha) (9-10 […]

Irish cattle systems rely heavily on our competitive advantage – producing high yields of high nutritive value grazed grass. However, although emphasis must be placed on maximising the proportion of grazed grass in the diet, there is a significant part of the year on most Irish farms where grass silage will constitute part or all […]