The Beef Edge

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How my farm grows more grass? Jul 01, 2020

Show notes

Sean Roddy, suckler farm manager of the Lyons Demesne farm Co. Kildare, joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge to discuss grassland management on his farm. Last Spring, Sean calved 90 stabiliser breed cows with all stock brought to finish at 18-20 months. By measuring grass on a weekly basis it allows him to utilise grass better. His main aim is to finish all progeny off grass with little or no concentrates. Sean’s excellent grazing management on the farm is evident in the high animal weight gain he can achieve from grass. Sean will be featuring as part of the Teagasc Virtual Beef Week on Thursday 9th July at 7pm where he will also be joined on the panel by his Teagasc advisor Christy Watson and Edward O’Riordan, Teagasc Grange, and will be available for you to ask him questions facilitated by Beef Specialist Aidan Murray. For further details https://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2020/todays-farm-july-august-2020.php For more episodes and information covered on the Beef Edge, visit: teagasc.ie/thebeefedge The Beef Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.

Overcoming the challenges to producing sustainable Irish beef Jun 24, 2020

Show notes

Producing Irish beef sustainably is important and poses many challenges as reducing Greenhouse Gases (GHG) is something farmers have heard about a lot lately, especially with agriculture accounting for 34% of Irish GHG emissions. On this episode of the Beef Edge, Catherine Egan is joined by Prof Sinead Waters, Researcher in Teagasc Grange and Dr Dominika Krol, Researcher in Teagasc Johnstown Castle to find out more. One of the mitigation measures is protected urea as it reduces losses of both ammonia and Nitrous Oxide compared to conventional N fertilisers whilst consistently yielding as well as CAN and at similar cost. Dominika highlights the importance of the 4 Rs: Right fertiliser source, Right rate, Right time, Right place. Sinead discusses the preliminary findings one of the projects, RumenPredict, which is a collaboration with the ICBF in Tully, where they are studying methane emissions from large numbers of beef sucklers, and it suggests that reducing methane production enhances on-farm profitability. On July 8th, the day will be dedicated to ‘Sustainable Beef Production - Where policy meets practice’ as part of the Teagasc Virtual Beef Week. The challenges and the solutions in improving water quality, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and maintaining and enhancing biodiversity will be discussed. For more information click here. For more episodes and information covered on the Beef Edge, visit: teagasc.ie/thebeefedge The Beef Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.

The current research findings in dairy calf to beef systems at Teagasc Johnstown Castle Jun 17, 2020

Show notes

Since 2013 there has been research in dairy calf to beef systems in Teagasc Johnstown Castle and on this episode of the Beef Edge Podcast, Ruth Dunne, research technologist in Teagasc Johnstown Castle, joins Catherine Egan to discuss the current research findings. Ruth highlights how results from the previous production systems research have shown that systems where a high proportion of weight gain was achieved from grazed grass were the most profitable. Current trials are investigating optimum stocking rates for grass-based production systems. There are three ‘farmlets’ with three stocking rate intensities, high which is stocked at 3.2 LU/ha, medium at 2.9 LU/ha, and low at 2.6 LU/ha. Alongside this trial, there is also a sire evaluation trial in conjunction with ABP. The aim is to find the ideal bull that can achieve good calf growth rates and beef traits, while having the desirable easy calving and short gestation traits. Ruth also discusses current performance on farm and how she is coping with current weather conditions. Ruth will be featuring in the Dairy Calf to Beef Day as part of the Teagasc Beef virtual week on the 7th July to discuss the trials in Johnstown Castle and how to optimise stocking densities on farms. For further details about the Teagasc Beef Virtual Week click here. For more episodes and information covered on the Beef Edge, visit: teagasc.ie/thebeefedge The Beef Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.

What are the main parasites to be aware of at the moment? Jun 10, 2020

Show notes

Gut worm infection negatively impacts the performance of grazing calves. In grass-based beef production systems good gut worm control is highly dependent on the availability of effective wormers (anthelmintics).

Gut worms can develop resistance to the wormers used to control them. This is known as anthelmintic resistance. Orla highlights the importance of treating for the correct parasite, using the correct product and administering the correct rate of dose for the product.

Orla gives her opinion on the future of Anthelmintic Use in the Suckler Herd. She highlights some very interesting changes that farmers need to be aware of in relation to the future EU regulation changes.

Farmers can hear more about this on the Teagasc Beef Virtual Week on 6th July in the evening panel discussion.

For further information click here

For more episodes and information covered on the Beef Edge, visit:
teagasc.ie/thebeefedge
The Beef Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.

How to deal with the current drought conditions on farms Jun 03, 2020

Show notes

Currently the west is growing more grass than the east, heavier ground is growing more grass than drier ground, newer ryegrass swards are growing more grass than old pasture and farms with higher soil fertility are growing more grass in general than those with poorer soil fertility.

Demand is also very variable; some drystock farms that have a low daily demand for grass will only need a few minor tweaks while others have a very high demand so each farmer needs to look at their own individual situation.

Further information here
https://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2020/information-for-drystock-farmers-dealing-with-current-very-dry-weather.php

For more episodes and information covered on the Beef Edge, visit:
teagasc.ie/thebeefedge
The Beef Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.

An update from Kildalton College on the breeding season to date May 27, 2020

Show notes

Kildalton Beef Unit operates a mixed grazing system for the cattle and heifers with the sheep flock and all grazing groups rotate around paddocks. Two paddocks are reseeded each year and the grass seed includes clover.

The herd operates a 50% AI and 50% stock bull breeding programme for 12 weeks. Billy Fraher does the AI across the herd and between good conception and culling they don’t carry barren cows. Billy splits the herd into high replacement star cows plus their calves run with the replacement heifers and get material AI straws while the main herd is a mix of stock bull and selective AI. A Fr x steer with a chin ball is used for heat detection along with tail painting.

The herd is there for skills training of the students in Kildalton and WIT. The staff demonstrate various systems, breeds, skills and management to students through the suckler herd. The aim is to have a 4-5 star herd of cows that can leave a gross margin of over €1000 annually from a high input high output system with good grassland management allowing the farm to carry +2.6 LU / ha annually on a sustainably run farm.

For further details click here.

For more episodes and information covered on the Beef Edge, visit:
teagasc.ie/thebeefedge
The Beef Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.

Pat Collins, Green Acres calf to beef participant, gives an update on his progress May 20, 2020

Show notes

The second phase of the Teagasc Green Acres Calf to Beef Programme was launched in April 2019 and Pat Collins, Green Acres calf to beef participant joins Catherine Egan to give an update on his progress.

Located just outside Castlemartyr, Co. Cork, Pat operates a mixed farming system, consisting of 28ha of leased grassland and a tillage enterprise.

Having first ventured into calf rearing in 2017, with the purchase of 50 calves, numbers have grown considerably since. All of the calves are sourced from local dairy herds and this reduces the calves’ exposure to disease.

Initially, Pat operated a calf to store system, with animals sold to meet rising demand from grass buyers. Over recent years, Pat has invested heavily in grassland. As some of the ground was previously under tillage, a large degree of reseeding has been undertaken with high-yielding perennial ryegrass varieties.

For more episodes and information covered on the Beef Edge, visit:
teagasc.ie/thebeefedge
The Beef Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.

The key information farmers need to be aware of for the final year of BDGP May 13, 2020

Show notes

As we approach the final year of Beef Data Genomics Programme 1 with over 22,500 participants, Martina Harrington, Teagasc Beef Specialist, joins Catherine Egan to discuss the key dates farmers need to be aware of this year.

On the 31st of October 2020 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 and born after 1st January 2013.

If you do not meet these criteria you face a 140% penalty.

ICBF ran a genomic evaluation on the 24th of March 2020.If you login to ICBF, click on BDGP Eligibility you will see your position. This is a live profile, updated daily. If you click on the female tab you will see all your females and their star ratings.

For more episodes and information covered on the Beef Edge, visit:
teagasc.ie/thebeefedge
The Beef Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.

The Importance of Silage Quality on Beef Farms and the Steps Farmers Can Take to Improve It May 06, 2020

Show notes

As the silage season fast approaches, Joe Patton joins Catherine Egan on the latest Beef Edge episode to discuss the importance of silage quality on beef farms.

Nationally, silage quality is 65 DMD. The farmers who consistently make good quality silage always have a plan in place. Short and long-term planning is required to maximise the yield and quality of silage with a target cutting date in mind of mid-late May.

The key factors that affect digestibility are discussed in detail; these include a delay in harvesting, old pasture, lodging and dead material in the crop. All of these factors cause a reduction in Dry Matter Digestibility.

Joe highlights the steps that farmers can take in order to increase the quality of their crop in 2020. The impact of the decisions made now in relation to making good quality silage won’t be discovered until next winter.

However, there will be a reward of reduced supplementation of concentrates and reduced costs on the farm if action is taken now.

For more episodes and information covered on the Beef Edge, visit:
teagasc.ie/thebeefedge
The Beef Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.

An Update on the Grange Dairy Calf to Beef Trial Apr 29, 2020

Show notes

Established in the spring of 2018, the Grange dairy calf to beef trial is headed up by researcher Nicky Byrne and technician Donal Fahy to compare the physical and financial performance of progeny from both Holstein Friesian and Aberdeen Angus sires used in the dairy herd.

These sires vary in breeding value for carcass weight and conformation and are managed in a grass-based system, aiming to be finished as steers under 24-months.

Nicky Byrne, researcher in Teagasc Grange joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge to give an update on the latest results from the trial. For further information click here

For more episodes and information covered on the Beef Edge, visit:
teagasc.ie/thebeefedge
The Beef Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.

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