The Beef Edge

James Madigan, a suckler farmer from Co. Kilkenny, joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast for the latest in the show’s Masterclass series.

James outlines his suckling to finishing system with bulls finished under 16 months and heifers under 20 months and he describes how he operates a split calving 50/50 spring and autumn calving herd with 100 cows put to the bull.

The spring herd calves December-March and the autumn herd calves in August/September. He achieves great weight gain in his stock up to weaning and credits it due to the grass and milk in his cows.

There are three Charolais stock bulls on the farm of which two are terminal and one is maternal. He breeds his own replacement heifers and purchases limousin cross from the dairy herd.

James outlines the key targets he has to achieve to finish bulls under 16 months. This year’s weanlings achieved 0.54kg/head/day for the first two months at housing.

James also highlights that achieving excellent quality silage is necessary to reduce cost and to ensure he makes a profit with 76DMD silage made last year. The type of cow on the farm is also essential to provide top quality stock that meet the spec requirements while having milk to rear the calf. James insists ‘Look after the cow and she’ll look after you.’

For more episodes and information covered on the Beef Edge, visit the show page at:

teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

Calving the suckler cow and caring for the new born calf are important tasks on every spring suckler herd in the coming weeks and for the second in a two-part interview, vet Tommy Heffernan joins Catherine Egan to discuss the key tips for caring for the newborn calf.

Tommy first outlines how building the immunity of the calf is important through quality colostrum and describes the 1-2-3 rule of colostrum and how to administer it with a stomach tube if necessary.

Hygiene is also very important and use of adequate amounts of straw is a big help. Treating the calf’s navel is the first point to avoid issues of infection and Tommy discusses the types and treatments of calf scour particularly Cryptosporidium and Coccidiosis.

He also explains that respiratory infections and diseases are one of the main causes of deaths in unweaned calves, highlighting the main causes and treatments.

Finally, Tommy advises on the use of vaccinations to prevent clostridial diseases and unfortunately it is often too late when detected. For further information please consult your local vet.

For more episodes and information covered on the Beef Edge, visit the show page at:

teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

Calving the suckler cow and caring for the new born calf are important tasks on every spring suckler herd in the coming weeks. Vet Tommy Heffernan joins Catherine Egan on the Beef Edge podcast for a two-part interview to discuss these important topics in detail.

In the first part this week, Tommy highlights all the top tips related to calving the suckler cow.

One issue on farms is when a farmer intervenes too soon, and Tommy advises how long to wait to intervene and how long is too long?

Tommy describes when handling a cow, what a normal presentation is and advises what to do if a calf is presenting with leg or the head is back or coming backways.

Tommy also discusses the key things to be aware of when using the calving jack and important points for farmers to keep in mind. Preparation is key and avoiding any situation where there is a health and safety risk is essential. Correctly restraining the cow is important at calving time. For further information please consult your local vet.

For more episodes and information covered on the Beef Edge, visit the show page at:

teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

As part of the Animal Health Ireland & Teagasc Calf Care Virtual Week, Teagasc researcher Emer Kennedy & Joe Patton, Teagasc nutritionist, join Catherine Egan on the latest Beef Edge podcast to discuss the guidelines for feeding milk and concentrates in the diet of the calf.

Emer outlines the importance of feeding six litres of milk to the calf. She highlights the importance of following the correct guideline for making up the milk replacer by following the guideline of the product being used.

Purchasing in dairy calves Emer advises on feeding electrolytes after transport for the first feed and depending on distance a second feed of electrolytes may be required.

Once per day feeding can be introduced from one month of age but Emer warns of the need to check calves twice per day.

Joe highlights that although consumption of concentrates is low it is important to introduce calves to it in the first week. Feeding good quality concentrates makes management post weaning easier.

He also advises on the importance of measuring and monitoring the concentrate intake of the calves to ensure they are meeting their requirements. Introducing fibre is necessary to allow this to happen also. Clean good quality straw is preferred to hay.

For further information of feeding milk click here:

https://youtu.be/lyhwegNyjls

And for further information on feeding concentrates click here:

https://youtu.be/EJ9Sa7CCg3w

You can tune into the Dairy edge podcast this week to hear about the 1,2,3 of colostrum management, colostrum quality & managing Johnes disease at calving here:

https://share.transistor.fm/s/d073ad20

For more episodes and information covered on the Beef Edge, visit the show page at:

teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

After years of uncertainty since the Brexit referendum in 2016, a deal on the future relations between the European Union and the UK has finally been sealed and on this week’s episode of the Beef Edge podcast, Kevin Hanrahan, Head of Rural Economy and Development Programme at Teagasc, outlines what this deal actually means for the Irish Beef sector.

With over 50% of Irish beef going to British markets and the imposition of tariffs and quotas gone, a huge threat has been removed, but Kevin warns that there will be challenges ahead.

Overall, farmers should have some reassurance of the deal versus previous fears of a no deal. Kevin discusses the likely impact for beef exports, live exports and trade in Ireland, north & south of the border.

While Beef exports into the UK will now avoid tariffs, it may be the second half of 2021 before we will know the real implications. With current Covid-19 restrictions and the Brexit deal, the projections will have to be updated but outlook for the beef sector is to remain steady for the first half of 2020.

However, Kevin does warn that there will be longer-term negative implications for Irish beef exports to the UK market in the future if the UK strikes trade agreements with major beef exporters from outside the EU.

For more episodes and information covered on the Beef Edge, visit the show page at:

teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

Michael Fagan, Technician on the Newford Demonstration Herd joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast with a review of the farm in 2020.

With 89% of the herd proving in calf, the focus on the farm at the moment is calving 2021. Michael explains how the finishing steers and heifers preformed in 2020.

There were 59 heifers and 46 steers on Newford farm to be slaughtered this year. All of them were sired from 5 star terminal sires Fiston, Gamin, and Mullary Intrepid were used on the mature herd, and Tow Thorpe Dubai and Elderberry Galahad were used on the first calvers.

Click here for more information:

https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/daily/beef/newford-farm-winter-finishing-of-beef-bullocks-and-sales-2020.php

Teagasc and Dawn Meats, supported by McDonald's and The Irish Farmers Journal have established a standalone suckler herd at Athenry, Co Galway, to demonstrate best practice in sustainable suckler beef production.

For further updates click go to: http://www.newfordsucklerbeef.ie/

For more episodes and information covered on the Beef Edge, visit the show page at:

teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

Calf diarrhoea and calf pneumonia the leading causes of death in Irish calves pre-weaning. Vet Doreen Corridan joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge to explain why vaccinations should be used. Preventing disease, less antibiotics and less labour are major benefits Doreen highlights for using vaccinations.

As scour accounts for more than 50% of all calf deaths Doreen recommends vaccinating pre calving to avoid issues on your farm. She outlines the vaccinations and protocols in detail.

Cryptosporidium also known as crypto can’t be vaccinated for but Doreen give tips and advice on how best can it be treated and prevented. Hygiene at calving is important to ensure the calf gets a good start in the first few hours after birth along with adequate colostrum. Doreen gives a number of tasks for farmers to do on their farm in to get every calf.

For further information:

https://youtu.be/6ZcTMN1Aax8

For more episodes and information covered on the Beef Edge, visit the show page at:

teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

The extension of contracts under GLAS & the Beef Data Genomics Programme (BDGP) are to be extended for a rollover period of one year in 2021.

Teagasc beef specialist Alan Dillon & Teagasc environment specialist Catherine Keena join Catherine Egan on the Beef Edge Podcast to explain more about these schemes.

The deadline to apply for GLAS extension is 31st December 2020 while the deadline to apply for BDGP 1 extension is 15th January 2021.

Further information is here:

https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/52789-mcconalogue-confirms-rollover-of-farm-schemes-in-2021/

For more episodes and information covered on the Beef Edge, visit the show page at:

teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

Do you have a spring calving suckler herd? Then you need to hear what Teagasc Nutritionist Joe Patton has to say in advance of spring calving season 2021 to find out how to manage your suckler cows' nutrition in the crucial weeks pre and post-calving.

On this week’s Teagasc Beef Edge Podcast, Joe highlights the importance of nutrition and particularly the body condition score of the cow in reducing health problems around calving.

There are countless testimonials from farmers that had issues in their herd and started feeding pre-calving minerals which solved the problem. Joe advises that every herd should be feeding a pre-calving mineral with no added Calcium, Phosphorus - depending on silage P levels - and Magnesium.

He recommends using minerals dusted on the silage. Micro minerals such as selenium, iodine & vitamins can be given as boluses or included in the mineral dust.

For more episodes and information covered on the Beef Edge, visit the show page at:

teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

Just over 3% of herds in Ireland will go down with TB in any given year and on this week’s episode of the Beef Edge Podcast, Catherine Egan is joined by Philip Breslin, Superintending Veterinary Inspector with the Department of Agriculture Food & the Marine to discuss all things related to bovine TB.

Philip outlines how the herd test works and why farmers have to do a herd test every year. Wildlife have been shown to play an important role in spreading TB to cattle in Ireland. The department are responsible for removing badgers from areas where there are severe TB outbreaks and introduced badger vaccination in recent years. Philip discusses the Wildlife Unit’s work in reducing the risk of passing infection from wildlife to badgers.

Unfortunately, too many herds experience TB breakdowns and farm families are all too familiar with the stress that this can cause. Philip discusses how the proposed new strategy to eradicate TB will reduce the number of affected farms. He also provides some practical tips on what steps farmers can take to reduce the risk of TB in their herd

For further information visit:

https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/animalhealthwelfare/

For more episodes and information covered on the Beef Edge, visit the show page at:

teagasc.ie/thebeefedge