The Pig Edge

On this our 50th episode of the Pig Edge podcast, we reflect on the strengths of our industry and look to the opportunities that lie ahead.

Heather Peppard, Nutritionist with Brett Brothers, and Roy Gallie, pig and tillage farmer and Chair of the IFA National Pigs Committee, join Amy Quinn to do just that.

For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/ 

Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

The Teagasc Outlook 2024 conference took place on the 28th of November where an economic overview and outlook for the various agricultural sectors was presented by a number of leading Teagasc experts. 

Michael McKeon, Specialised Pig adviser with the Teagasc Pig Development representing the pig sector, reviewed 2023 and look ahead to 2024.

So on this episode of the Pig Edge, Michael joins Amy Quinn to talk us through the main highlights and lowlights from the past year and to discuss his expectations for the industry for the year to come. 

For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: 

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/  

Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

The majority of farms out there are operating on a weekly farrowing system but there is another option potentially worth considering: batch farrowing. 

It’s thought to have many labour saving and time management benefits for some farms and we are seeing it increasingly used. 

So on this episode of the Pig Edge podcast, Amy Quinn is joined by Tomás Ryan, the farm manager of the Teagasc Pig research facility which is a 3 week batch farrowing farm, to talk through the pros, cons and logistics to help you see if this system could be the right fit for your farm.

For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: 

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/  

Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

The Annual Teagasc Pig Farmers’ Conference will be taking place on the 17th and 18th of October, in Hotel Kilmore in Cavan on the 17th and in the Horse and Jockey hotel in Tipperary on the 18th .

Head of Pigs Knowledge Transfer, Ciarán Carroll, joins Amy Quinn on the latest Pig Edge podcast to preview the conference and highlight some of the key speakers and topics where you will get the chance to hear the wide-ranging technical programme. 

The conference is also a great opportunity to catch up with fellow pig producers and the familiar faces in the Pig Development Department and to find out more go to:

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/events/pig-farmers-conference-2023/

For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: 

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/  

Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Minister Simon Harris recently announced the launch of new farm apprenticeships with these new programmes marking an exciting stepping stone for both farms and farm staff allowing the next generation of farmers access to the education they want and need, whilst still working on farm.  

These programmes will provide a career pathway for staff already working on farms and looking to upskill, school leavers, or those looking for a change in career or looking to get back to employment. 

So on this episode of the Pig Edge, Amy Quinn is joined by Marcella Phelan, National Apprenticeship Programme Co-ordinator with the Teagasc Curriculum & Development Standards Unit, to tell us what we need to know about the farm apprenticeship programmes and what exactly we need to do to get involved.

The next step for interested farms is to register their interest without delay at this link: 

https://www.apprenticeshiponline.ie/#/employer/register

For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: 

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/  

Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Farm Safety Week took place from July 17th to 21st aiming to raise further awareness of farm health and safety, share stories and technology that can improve farm safety and challenge farm safety attitudes, as well as encouraging farmers to look after their physical and mental health. 

With this in mind we thought it would be a good time to revisit health and safety on pig farms.

On this episode of the Pig Edge, Amy is joined by pig specialised advisor, Michael McKeon, who has a particular interest in farm health and safety to discuss the main issues and best practices from what he sees on the ground out at farms, plus the main supports available to farmers. 

For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: 

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/  

Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

In 2016 Teagasc opened the Teagasc Pig Research Facility in Moorepark Co. Cork, a facility which many of you are familiar with. 

On this episode of the Pig Edge, Amy Quinn us joined by Tomás Ryan & Aisling Holmes who are in charge of the day to day running of the unit. 

They reflect on some of the changes they have made in the unit over the past number of years and their motivations as to why.

For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: 

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/  

Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

The 2022 Teagasc National Pig Herd Performance Report is hot off the press, showing some changes in our key performance indicators for 2022. 

On the latest Pig Edge podcast, Specialised Pig Advisor Ger McCutcheon joins Amy Quinn to discuss the report and interpret the figures and trends in more detail.

For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: 

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/  

Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

The Teagasc Pig Open day is just around the corner, taking place in Teagasc Moorepark Fermoy, Co. Cork at 10am on Tuesday May 9th and in Ballyhaise Agricultural College, Ballyhaise Co. Cavan at 10am on Thursday May 11th.

The pig development department will be showcasing the results of the comprehensive research programme undertaken here in Teagasc, giving you the chance to interact with our researchers, advisors and postgraduate students.

With this being a brand new event,  Ciarán Carroll, Head of Knowledge Transfer in the Teagasc Pig Development Department, joins Amy Quinn on the latest Pig Edge podcast to preview the event and explain what those attending can expect. 

To register in advance for the event go to:

https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/national-events/events/pigopendaymoorepark.php 

https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/national-events/events/pigopendayballyhaise.php 

For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: 

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/  

Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

The Spanish pig sector has sparked a lot of interest here over the past number of years, for a lot of reasons.

It’s shown impressively fast growth to become the largest pork producer in Europe.  It’s demonstrated remarkable resilience during the recent financial crisis, with only a slight reduction in herd size.

Plus there’s the scale of its vertically integrated systems, as well its continually strong pig prices.

As a result, representatives of the Teagasc pig stakeholder group recently travelled to Spain on a study trip to find out first-hand what we need to know about the industry.

Jason McGrath is a pig farmer from county Waterford who was on the trip and Amy Quinn spoke to him for the latest episode of the Pig Edge podcast to find out more.

For more episodes and information from the Pig Edge podcast go to: 

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/pigs/the-pig-edge-podcast/  

Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com