The Beef Edge

Teagasc researcher Dr. Peter Doyle outlines the impact of red and white clover on animal performance in suckler calf-to-beef production systems on this week’s Beef Edge podcast.  This is a recording from the Teagasc National Beef Conference held on November 19th.

Further details from Peter’s presentation are available at:

Presentation: 

The impact of red and white clover on animal performance in suckler calf-to-beef production systems(PDF)

Paper:

The impact of red and white clover on animal performance in suckler calf-to-beef production systems(PDF)

Watch a video recording of Dr Peter Doyle's presentation here:

https://youtu.be/_yPqOPCMyDs 

For further information on the conference please visit www.teagasc.ie/beefcon24

For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

 
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Health & Wellness coach, Shane Pearson, joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss key tips to staying resilient on the farm through stressful times of the year.

Studies show that many farmers experience poor mental health, high rates of burnout, and physical health issues related to stress and Shane highlights a number of resources available for farmers and which can be accessed at:

https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/publications/2024/Positive-Mental-Health.pdf

Farmers frequently face heightened stress during calving season, market preparations and inspections. By applying the 5 Ps of Resilience—Presence, Purpose, Power, People, and Preparation—farmers can build a solid foundation to handle stress, keep operations running smoothly, and sustain mental and physical well-being through each season. 

Resilience isn’t about eliminating stress, it’s about having the right ‘shock absorbers’ to take each challenge in one’s stride, allowing farmers to manage their unique demands with greater ease and balance.

Shane will be speaking at the Teagasc National Beef Conference which is taking place on 19th November in the Landmark Hotel Carrick on Shannon, Co Leitrim, at 5pm.

 Other speakers at the National Beef Conference include:

·      Dr. Peter Doyle, Research Officer, Teagasc Grange, will outline the impact of red and white clover on animal performance in suckler calf-to-beef production systems

·      Dr. Patrick Forrestal, Senior Research Officer from Teagasc Johnstown Castle, will discuss some practical nutrient management solutions that beef farmers can implement on their farms to increase efficiency, reduce costs and address environmental pressures facing the sector

·      Dr. John Donlon, Research Officer, Teagasc Grange, will out outline ways to control pneumonia in suckler weanlings

·      Eoin Ryan, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, will discuss the risks for Irish cattle farmers in relation to bluetongue

·      Martina Harrington, Programme Manager, Future Beef Programme, Teagasc, will outline innovations from the participants of Future Beef Suckler Farms

For further information go to: 

www.teagasc.ie/beefcon2024

For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

 
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Liam McWeeney and Noel Prunty from Teagasc Ballyhaise Agricultural College join Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge to discuss the beef system, review of the performance to date and preparing for winter ahead.

Liam first outlined the 32 cow suckler herd that is operated in a suckling to finishing system. Bulls are finished under 16 months and heifers are kept as replacements or finished under 20 months of age. The beef unit is 24ha of heavy soil type with some of the farm low lying.

AI is used on the farm to breed replacements and a Charolais stock bull is also used. Breeding went well this year and it done over 9 weeks with 92% of the cows proving in calf.

Bull weanlings were housed last week and are being fed 3kg/head/day of concentrates. Liam outlined the management up to finishing. Last year’s bulls averaged 390kg when finished at 14months of age.

Noel outlined the management indoors in the coming months and performance of heifers born in 2023.

Heifers calve at 24 months and Liam explained the management of the heifers to reach a target weight of 420kg by breeding, while Noel highlighted the importance of the herd health plan on the farm and over the housing period.

For further information on Teagasc Ballyhaise Agricultural College go to:

https://www.teagasc.ie/education/teagasc-colleges/ballyhaise/

For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

 
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

Grass 10 advisor Niamh Doyle joins Catherine Egan on the latest Beef Edge with grassland management tips for the month ahead.

Niamh discusses closing up paddocks with 60-70% targeted to be closed by early November. She also outlines the targets for the month ahead to extend grazing and reduce demand to maximise days at grass.

Drier than normal conditions continue to be predicted in the coming weeks which will help to extend grazing on farms. Temperatures are signalled to be closer to average, perhaps indicating a higher instance of night-time frosts. 

Broadly settled conditions seem likely to continue with some mist and fog also. Conditions are likely to turn more unsettled with rainfall predicted to return close to normal and temperatures close to the average for mid-November.

You can subscribe to the Grass10 newsletter here:

https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/grassland/grass10/grass10-enewsletter/

For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Teagasc Nutritionist, Aisling Claffey, discusses winter nutrition and diets on this week’s Beef Edge podcast.

Aisling explains that beef systems are simple and it comes down to trying to maximise intake and growth whilst minimising stress and digestive upsets.

A combination of factors ultimately decides how close you get to growing and finishing cattle to their genetic potential such as management, diet, housing, water and disease control.

Aisling highlights the importance of taking a silage sample and discusses the targets to see in the report. Then based on the result, the concentrates are balanced.  

Aisling also advises on the importance of energy and protein in the ration and for farmers to speak to their merchants about the ingredients to ensure high quality ingredients are included.

She then explains the inclusion of minerals in diets and it is important to be mindful of the dilution of nutrients when including minerals or getting farmers to compare diets. Minerals contribute no energy, fibre or protein – just ash and vital trace and macro elements.

For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

 
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

Dr. Eoin Ryan, Senior Superintending Veterinary Inspector with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, gives an update on the Bluetongue Virus on this week’s Beef Edge podcast. 

Since the end of August, over a hundred cases of Bluetongue have been detected in England and Wales and farmers in Ireland are hearing more and more about it. 

Bluetongue is a viral disease affecting cattle, sheep, goats, alpacas and other ruminants and camelids. Bluetongue does not pose a food safety or public health risk. It is spread between animals by biting midges. There are many different serotypes. Bluetongue virus 3 (BTV-3) is currently the most serious threat. 

It has been spreading rapidly across north-western Europe since last autumn. The high-risk period in Ireland runs from spring until late autumn when midges are most abundant.

Clinical signs include:

-       Fever

-       Inappetence (loss or lack of appetite)

-       Drop in milk yield

-       Reddening of the mucus membranes

-       Sores on the nose, gum and dental pads

-       Swelling of the face, lips and tongue (i.e. ‘bluetongue’)

-       Breathing difficulties if the tongue swells

-       Drooling

-       Discharge from the eyes and/or nose

-       Lameness

-       Abortion or deformities in offspring/foetus

In severe cases, death can result.

Eoin advises farmers to be vigilant and to report any suspected cases to the local regional vet lab in order to prevent spread of the virus.

There are huge steps being taken to prevent it and Eoin advises farmers against importing embryos or semen to decrease the risk.

More information on Bluetongue can be found on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s website at:

https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/cd6c0-bluetongue-virus/ 

For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

 
 Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

Bob Thomson, a New Zealand Farm Consultant specialising in sheep and beef, is on this week’s Beef Edge to discuss some of his insights into dairy beef in Ireland compared to New Zealand.

Bob has a wealth of experience working in extension, consultancy and project management for the past 50 years. 

He explains what he learned from the DairyBeef 500 farms he visited this week around the country and he describes the dairy beef industry in New Zealand, as well as the opportunities that he thinks could be implemented on Irish beef  farms. 

Bob is also involved in a highly successful monitor farm programme in New Zealand and he highlights the impact it has had.

For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

 
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

Niall Kerins, Teagasc Cattle specialist, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss winter cattle housing arrangements. 

Every winter a significant number of cattle are housed and fed in rented sheds. Whether you are the farmer renting out the shed or a farmer renting in the shed, there are a number of considerations for both parties.

Fodder, labour and machinery running costs are often included in the agreements that are made. The payment rate per head is usually determined by local supply and demand, with arrangements in many cases going back over a number of years. 

Niall outlines a number of questions regarding daily charge per head which depends on: 

• The type of animal being housed? 

• Is the forage being provided? 

• What quantity of meal is being fed? 

• Is straw bedding included? 

• Are labour and machinery costs included? 

An individual cost per head per day can be included for each of these.

Niall also advises contacting the Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine (DAFM) regarding movement of cattle rules. There should be no mixing of herds.

Before renting the shed it should be clean, have good lighting, and gates and barriers should be working properly etc. When returned it should be clean, power washed and disinfected.

It is important to set out the rules before the cattle are moved into the shed from who is feeding the cattle, what time will the cattle be fed, are meals being fed, is this once or twice a day, where is the meal to be stored, if drinkers/gates/barriers break who will fix them and who covers the cost etc.

For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

 
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

Grass10 advisor Niamh Doyle joins Catherine Egan on the latest Beef Edge with grassland management tips for the month ahead.

Niamh discusses closing up paddocks in rotation starting with the paddocks near the farmyard, the sheltered and the driest paddocks that will be grazed in early spring .

She outlines the targets for the month ahead to extend grazing, reduce demand to maximise days at grass and aim to have 60% of the farm closed by the first week of November.

You can subscribe to the Grass10 newsletter here:

https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/grassland/grass10/grass10-enewsletter/

For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Teagasc Financial Specialist Kevin Connolly is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss the main headline items arising from Budget 2025, from tax cuts to increased spending.

Kevin explains that the income tax standard rate bands have been increased by €2,000. The income tax rates (20% & 40%) have not been changed. There has been a €125 increase in the principle tax credits.

The rate applying to the middle USC band has been reduced from 4% to 3%. There has also been a realignment of the bands. The three Stock Relief measures have been further extended

Changes will kick in from 1 Jan 2025 to the Capital Gains Tax (CGT) Retirement Relief upper limits with changes to the upper age from age 66 to age 70 where limits are reduced. 

The €10 million limit applying to transfers from parent to child will also carry a longer clawback period to be complied with by the recipient. 

The Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT) thresholds have been increased with no change in the rate. A change has been made to Agricultural Relief whereby the Active Farmer conditions will also apply to the donor. 

The VAT flat rate farmer addition rate is to increase from 4.8% to 5.1% from 1st January 2025.  There are also changes to the VAT registration thresholds.

Additional funding allocated for specific measures relating to agriculture are:

·      Sheep Welfare scheme: increase by €5 per ewe to total of €13 per ewe

·      Beef Welfare scheme: increase by €25 per calf to total of €75 per calf

·      Dairy Beef Scheme: increase by €20 per calf to a total of €40/calf

·      Tillage Farming support: new €100/ha scheme supporting farmers to increase their area in tillage crops

·      ACRES: additional €60m bringing total allocation of €260 million for 2025

·      National Forestry Programme: €91 million in funding

·      Multi-Species €1.25m / Red Clover Swards €1.5m — to support the planting of these swards

·      Farm Safety: budget of €2.5 million to support initiatives

·      Soil Sampling Scheme: continued funding of €6 million

For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

 
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com