Articles
Calf and calving facilities farm survey
Calf and calving facilities farm survey As the workload on most Irish dairy farms reduces it’s important to take time now to plan for calving next spring. The best starting point is to take an audit of your current facilities to quantify if you have enough space for rearing calves and calving […]
24 October 2022
Celebrating Ancient Traditions in the Burren
Celebrating Ancient Traditions in the Burren Aoife Ford, B&T Drystock Adviser, writes; As the winter weather has taken hold and the evenings begin to draw in, many farmers have started to think about housing cattle for the winter. Silage pits and bales are being opened as livestock begin to move indoors. For […]
24 October 2022
DairyBeef 500 Farm Update October 2022 – Peter O’Hanrahan
DairyBeef 500 Farm Update October 2022 – Peter O’Hanrahan I operate a calf to beef system just outside Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny, alongside my father Thomas, and we purchase between 180 and 200 mainly Holstein Friesian males calves annually. The production system has changed slightly over the past number of years. Initially all […]
24 October 2022
Growing cover crops to reduce N losses and improve soil quality
Growing cover crops to reduce N losses and improve soil quality Conor O’Callaghan, Teagasc Tillage advisor to Kepak Tillage Signpost Farm in Co. Meath discusses progress to date on establishing 270 acres of cover crops on the farm. Cover crops are very effective at taking up any remaining nitrogen (N) and phosphorus […]
23 October 2022
Growing wild – Haws and Spindle
Growing wild – Haws and Spindle Catherine Keena, Teagasc Countryside Management Specialist takes a closer look at some of our native Irish biodiversity to look out for in the countryside. Haws Look out for haws, the red berries of the whitethorn. They are rich in antioxidants and are eaten by birds, such […]
22 October 2022
Why are farmers engaging with climate change
Why are farmers engaging with climate change Farmers right across the country are engaging with climate change and taking action to reduce the impact that their farming system has on the environment. With the help of all partners to the Signpost Programme, they are putting plans in place to adopt the many […]
21 October 2022
Engaging with children on trees and forestry
Engaging with children on trees and forestry 2022 has once again given the Forestry Development Department the opportunity to meet and reengage with people. The return to events and shows gave the opportunity to ask children ‘What to trees and forests do for us?’ Forestry advisor Frances McHugh tells us more This […]
21 October 2022
How Teagasc are Supporting Farmers to Improve Sustainability
How Teagasc are Supporting Farmers to Improve Sustainability Teagasc are supporting farmers to improve sustainability in a number of ways. Tom O’Dwyer, Head of Signpost Programme, Teagasc, and Pat Murphy Head of Environment Knowledge Transfer, Teagasc, give details on some of the resources available. The Signpost Programme The Signpost programme is a […]
21 October 2022
Addressing Volatility
Addressing Volatility The rapid spike in feed cost and lag in pig price movement has resulted in Irish pig producers suffering unprecedented losses, writes Michael Mc Keon, however there are tools that can be used to reduce this volatility and maintain a more determinable income. Irish pig producers are currently (October 2022) […]
21 October 2022
Bees and food production: chaos, corruption and dodgy honey
Bees and food production: chaos, corruption and dodgy honey Laura Healy is a Teagasc PhD student and Walsh Scholar in Food Chemistry and Technology at TU Dublin, she writes about the ‘Rotten’ TV show’s portrayal of how some of the bee-keeping industry operates. The title of the first episode of Netflix’s Rotten sounds more […]
20 October 2022