Articles
Trends in production costs and drivers of profit on Irish dairy farms
Trends in production costs and drivers of profit on Irish dairy farms The financial landscape for dairy producers has been substantially altered during the last 3-4 years with unprecedented fluctuations in both dairy product prices and costs of inputs. Patrick Gowing, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, joins James Dunne on this week‘s Dairy Edge […]
26 August 2024
Are your replacement heifers on track?
Are your replacement heifers on track? Achieving weight for age targets in heifer calves is important for future productivity of the herd. When visiting farms, we see huge ranges in growth performance of heifer calves throughout the rearing period. Throughout the first summer, variations from 12kg to 30kg gain per month are […]
26 August 2024
Do you know what a species rich grassland looks like or if you have one on your farm?
Do you know what a species rich grassland looks like or if you have one on your farm? Teagasc Countryside Management Specialist, Dr Catherine Keena, joins us on the latest Environment Edge podcast to discuss natural and semi-natural grassland. The discussion covers various aspects of grassland management in Ireland, focusing on the […]
26 August 2024
Equine health: Don’t overlook forage and bedding quality
Equine health: Don’t overlook forage and bedding quality Equine producers were reminded to assess forage and bedding hygiene, and provide suitable storage facilities, through a video produced as part of the 10 Practical Steps to Protect Equine Health series. In the video jointly produced by Teagasc, the Irish Equine Centre and University […]
26 August 2024
Decision support tools can facilitate more sustainable beef-on-dairy systems
Decision support tools can facilitate more sustainable beef-on-dairy systems Siobhan Ring, Senior Geneticist at the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF), tells us how tools such as the Dairy Beef Index and Commercial Beef Value can facilitate most sustainable beef-on-dairy systems. The dairy and beef sectors are intrinsically linked. Approximately 75-80% of calves […]
25 August 2024
Bovine TB in dairy herds: Taking action to reduce the risk of breakdown
Bovine TB in dairy herds: Taking action to reduce the risk of breakdown Levels of bovine TB have been rising since 2016. In June 2024, 5.12% of herds had a breakdown in the preceding 12 months, with 32,118 reactors in that period. This has resulted in 5,242 herds being restricted. Dairy herds […]
25 August 2024
Earlier finishing the goal on DairyBeef 500 farms
Earlier finishing the goal on DairyBeef 500 farms One of the DairyBeef 500 Programme’s objectives is to reduce age of finish without compromising on carcass weight and quality, Tommy Cox, DairyBeef 500 Advisor, tells us more while also detailing the performance of steers, heifers and bulls on programme farms over 2023. Agriculture […]
25 August 2024
Concrete slats versus rubber-covered slats
Concrete slats versus rubber-covered slats Researchers in Teagasc Grange have assessed the effect of concrete slats versus rubber-covered slats on the performance and welfare of finishing and weanling cattle. Results of these studies were presented in a paper published by Bernadette Earley, Mark McGee, Edward O’Riordan, Alan Kelly and Cathy McGettigan as […]
24 August 2024
Grass10 Weekly Grazing Management Update: PastureBase Insights, Autumn Grazing Targets, and Weather Challenges
Grass10 Weekly Grazing Management Update: PastureBase Insights, Autumn Grazing Targets, and Weather Challenges Joseph Dunphy provides a Grass10 grazing update, highlighting current PastureBase data, autumn grazing challenges, and speaks with contract rearer Billy Gilmore of Tuam, Co. Galway. For this week’s Grass10 grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses PastureBase data, Dry Matter […]
24 August 2024
Growing Wild: Haws and Powdery Mildew on Whitethorn
Growing Wild: Haws and Powdery Mildew on Whitethorn Catherine Keena, Teagasc Countryside Management Specialist, takes a closer look at some of our native Irish biodiversity, focusing this time on Haws and Powdery Mildew on Whitethorn. Haws on Whitethorn Look out for haws on whitethorn and note where they are occurring – on […]
23 August 2024