The Beef Edge

This week's episode of the Beef Edge podcast is the first in a regular monthly 'Beef Masterclass’ series from expert farmers.

First in the series to discuss his system is Niall O’Meara, a suckler farmer from Co. Galway who operates an autumn calving suckling to weanling system. Niall is achieving all the key targets from birth to weaning and he explains just how he does it.

Bull weanlings are sold at 12 months of age at a target weight of 500kgs while replacement heifers calve at 24 months with a target weight at breeding of 475kgs at 14 months.

Niall highlights how calves are grazed at grass over the winter period and how grassland management is so important to achieving weight gains at low cost. He measures grass on a weekly basis and emphasises the benefit this is to him.

Using 100% AI on the farm Niall gives an insight into heat detection and management of the cow during the breeding season and over the winter period.

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

teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

Iarlaith Collins, Manager of Newford Demonstration Herd joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast with an update on the farm.

With 89% of the herd proving in calf the focus on the farm at the moment is weaning. Weight gain of the bull weanlings is 1.39kg/head/day from birth to weaning.

Extending the grazing season in very important to reduce costs and the winter period on the farm.

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.

The herd, which is known as the Newford Herd, is run on a fully commercial basis and demonstrates the potential of a moderately large suckler beef farm to generate a viable family farm income when operated to the highest level of technical efficiency and best practice.

The herd consists of 100 Angus and Hereford cross Fresian cows, originating from the dairy herd and first calving at 24 months of age. The system is 20-21 months steer beef (Average 350-370kg carcase) and 19 months heifer beef (Average 300kg carcase).

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

John Maher, Manager Grass10 Campaign, joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast with an update on grassland management tips to deal with current weather conditions.

Managing grass in the coming weeks will play an import role in extending the grazing season and John highlights that each additional day at pasture is worth €2/LU.

While there is huge variation across the country, John also discussed a number of issues that have been seen on farms at the moment. With the deadline to apply chemical Nitrogen and Potassium approaching on the 15th September, John advises to select the drier paddocks to apply fertiliser whilst also targeting responsive leafy swards such as reseeded or silage ground with good soil pH.

Also, Potassium (K) is very important this time of year particularly on paddocks where surplus bales were removed.

Watch previous GFOY winner Trevor Boland explain why he entered the competition:

https://youtu.be/jTRgSrk9D2Q

The link to the application form and for further information is:

https://bit.ly/GFOY2020

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

teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

Noel Meehan, Manager of the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advice Programme (ASSAP) joins Catherine Egan on this week’s episode of the Beef Edge to discuss the progress of the programme and what you can do to help improve water quality.

Farming plays an important role in the Irish economy and landscape and approximately two-thirds of the Irish land area is in agricultural use. The quality of the water in our rivers, lakes and groundwater needs to improve and farming practices play a key role in this improvement.

Noel states that the programme is a unique collaborative approach and has keen interest and involvement from farmers. Most often it’s a combination of approaches really and not a one size fits all approach when it comes to water quality.

Noel gives some simple useful tips to improve water quality such as:

- improved nutrient management with more targeted use of slurry and fertiliser

- new approaches to land management to reduce nutrient losses in critical source areas

- better farmyard management and practices

For further information on the ASSAP programme go to:

https://www.teagasc.ie/environment/water-quality/farming-for-water-quality-assap/assap-in-detail/

For further information on The Signpost Series visit:

https://www.teagasc.ie/corporate-events/sustainable-agriculture-webinars/

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

teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

The importance of pregnancy scanning cows is the topic on this week’s Beef Edge podcast and Catherine Egan is joined by Teagasc Researcher Professor David Kenny and Teagasc Advisor Sinead Devaney.

David highlights the many benefits of scanning of cows as well as the importance of the correct timing of scanning to identify date of calving next spring, twins and possibly the sex of the embryo.

Sinead then advises on the key points to be aware of this year when culling empty cows if you participate in the BEEP, BEAM or BDGP schemes.

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

teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

Aidan Murray, Teagasc Beef Specialist, joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge to discuss the Beef Finishers Payment scheme (BFP) which is an Exchequer-funded scheme of €50 million to provide income support for farmers with beef finishing enterprises, who have been impacted by the economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic has opened for applications.

The Beef Finishers Payment scheme is open from August 19th and Aidan discusses how you can apply.

An estimated 42,000 farmers will be eligible to apply for the scheme, which will be based on the number of cattle sent for slaughter in the period from 1 February to 12 June 2020, subject to a limit of 100 animals per herd. Based on estimates of eligible animals, a rate in the region of €100 per animal will be payable.

The closing date is 9th September 2020 and full details of the measure including terms and conditions are available at www.agriculture.gov.ie/farmerschemesandpayments/BFP

Applications can be made online through the agfood.ie portal or contact your local Teagasc Advisor.

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

teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

Chris Daly from ICBF joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss all you need to know about BDGP.

Chris outlined that there are over 22,500 farmers in BDGP I and the key upcoming date of the 31st October 2020 is very important to ensure that you must have 50% of the reference number of animals, genotyped 4 or 5 star on the Replacement Index. They must be at least 16 months of age, so born before the 30th June 2019.

For BDGP II herds, on the 31st of October 2020 you must have 20% of the reference number of animals, genotyped 4 or 5 star on the Replacement Index.

Chris also reminded farmers to complete their Carbon Navigator if they have not done so already to avoid penalties and receive payment in December 2020.

For any further queries in relation to BDGP contact your local Teagasc advisor or contact ICBF on 023 883 2883 or email [email protected].

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

teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

Teagasc Dairy specialist Patrick Gowing joins Catherine Egan on this week’s episode of the Beef Edge podcast to discuss the Teagasc Dairy Start-Up course.  

Patrick highlighted the fact that converting to dairy involves a major commitment and sizeable capital outlay, therefore you need to be sure you are making the right decision.

Patrick discussed the importance of selecting the right cow type, parlour, infrastructure and capital budget. 

The six day course starts this autumn and the locations of the course depend on demand. You can register interest online and for further details click here

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

teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

Soil pH plays a key role in soil fertility and it is also critical for maximising the availability of nutrients (N, P & K) applied in organic and chemical fertilisers.

On this episode of the Beef Edge Podcast, Shane Devaney Teagasc Business & Technology Drystock Advisor joins Catherine Egan to discuss the importance of lime on beef farms and a campaign he organised in 2018 in Co. Longford ‘Time 2 Lime’.

Shane highlights the fact that lime is continually being lost from the soil and needs to be replaced as part of a nutrient management programme.

During the ‘Time 2 Lime’ campaign the aim was getting farmers to apply two tonnes of lime per acre on part or all of their farm.

As a result of the campaign, there was 5,340 tonnes of lime applied on the farms over the 3 years which was nearly three times as much lime applied in 2018 versus 2017 and 2016. Feedback was very positive with the general quote that ‘the land that got the lime greened up very quickly’. 

Shane advises that now and over the coming months is the ideal ‘Time 2 Lime’.

For more on the campaign click here and for further advice on liming click here

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

teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

If you don’t measure grass you can’t manage it. On this episode of the Beef Edge podcast, suckler farmer Thomas O’Connor from Co. Kildare joins Catherine Egan to give an insight of his farming system.

 

The farm is run as a partnership by Monica, Tom and their son Thomas. It is a truly mixed farm with four enterprises comprising beef, sheep, tillage and pigs.

In 2015, Thomas was the winner of the FBD Young Beef Farmer of the Year Award. The beef enterprise consists of 70 suckler cows with all-male progeny finished as bulls under 16 months and heifers at 21 months, with 200- 300 additional cattle purchased for finishing. The unique feature of this farm is the way the O`Connors paddock graze the cattle in large groups during the grazing season.

This is the first year AI was used and Thomas gives an insight into how it went. Grassland management is excellent with all the farm laid out in 2 ha (5 acres) paddocks, with the provision for subdivision of all paddocks.

 

Thomas will feature as part of the Irish Grassland Association Virtual Beef event from 27th- 29th July 2020 along with beef farmers Tom Halpin, Co. Meath & Paul Turley Co. Down on the Irish Grassland Association social media channels: Facebook.com/Irish Grassland Association and Twitter @IrishGrassland.

 

For further details click HERE  

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

teagasc.ie/thebeefedge