Smarter calf rearing: Technology, labour and health

Cork dairy-beef farmer, Philip O'Neill who operates a calf-to-store beef enterprise alongside a tillage enterprise, while also working off-farm, and his Teagasc Advisor, Alan Carey, join this week’s Beef Edge podcast.

Farming in a Registered Farm Partnership with his mother Denise, he manages multiple enterprises during the busy spring period. This means labour efficiency is essential and, in recent years, Philip has transformed his calf-rearing system by investing in an automatic calf feeder.

Philip explains what prompted the investment, the practical lessons he learned during the first season using the feeder, and how it has changed the day-to-day management of calves.

The labour savings achieved, how technology helps identify health issues at an early stage, and the management practices that have maintained excellent calf health and performance are also discussed.

The importance of planning, from sourcing calves over a short period to ensuring they are weaned before peak tillage work begins, is also outlined.

Alan Carey, Philip’s Teagasc Advisor, discusses the wider lessons for dairy-beef farmers. As many farmers begin reviewing this year’s calf-rearing season, Alan outlines the key areas that should be assessed before next spring, including labour requirements, calf health protocols, housing, nutrition and overall system efficiency.

He also discusses how farmers can control input costs and identify future investment opportunities, including supports available through TAMS, to improve labour efficiency and long-term profitability.

Listen in below:

For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page.

The Beef Edge podcast is produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com