The Beef Edge

This is a bonus episode of The Beef Edge featuring a recording of the Beef Pulse Forum on Market & Policy Outlook from the recent Teagasc BEEF2026 Open Day.   Sean Doorley, Teagasc Beef & Sheep Adviser, was joined by Frank O’Mara, Director, Teagasc, Kevin Hanrahan, Head of Rural Economy, Teagasc, and Joe Burke, Senior Manager of Meat and Livestock with Bord Bia.     For more episodes from...

It was another hugely successful Open Day at Teagasc Grange this year with the theme of ‘Driving Sustainable Performance’ showcasing the latest technology and insights into Irish beef farming.   For this week’s Beef Edge, Catherine Egan spoke to some of those in attendance including Director of Teagasc, Professor Frank O’ Meara, Joe Burke from Bord Bia, Kevin Hanarahan Head of Rural Economy with T...

DairyBeef 500 advisor, Tommy Cox, gives some top tips to manage your dairy beef system in the coming weeks and Teagasc advisor, John Kilboyle, previews the National DairyBeef 500 Open Day on the farm of Keith and Olivia Lowry taking place on the 9th July in Co Galway.   Tommy outlines the key grassland management tips for dairy-beef farmers currently and into July and August, particularly in a yea...

Teagasc Researcher, Peter Doyle, and Grass 10 advisor, Nikki Kennedy, join this week’s Beef Edge to discuss the grazing demonstration at BEEF2026which is taking place at Teagasc Grange.   Nikki outlines how the demonstration focuses on pre-grazing and post-grazing sward heights.    Many farmers are facing difficult decisions this year due to variable grass growth and Nikki outlines the key indicat...

Teagasc ASSAP programme manager, Cathal Somers, and Teagasc Specialist with the Signpost Programme, Mark Plunkett, discuss the importance of lime and soil fertility and the impact it can have on water quality, production and profitability.   Water quality continues to be a major focus for farmers and Cathal outlines the main pressures affecting water quality on beef farms and the eight key actions...

Teagasc researchers, Paul Smith and Emily Roskam, discuss the latest research on growing and finishing cattle, how this is being implemented on farms and look ahead to the upcoming National Beef Open Day, BEEF2026, taking place on July 1st at Teagasc Grange.   Emily says the biggest opportunities to improve feed efficiency in growing cattle without increasing costs on farm is through good grasslan...

Teagasc Research Technologist, Edwin Carroll, and Future Beef Programme Manager, Martina Harrington, are on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to give an update on the suckler beef research taking place in Teagasc Grange and how this is being implemented on the Future Beef Programme farms.  Plus they preview the upcoming National Beef Open Day - BEEF2026 - taking place on July 1st in Teagasc Grange.  ...

DairyBeef 500 Manager, Alan Dillon, and Teagasc researcher, Jamie O’Driscoll give an update on the dairy beef research taking place in Teagasc Grange and how this is being implemented on the DB500 Programme farms.  Plus they preview the upcoming National Beef Open day BEEF2026 taking place July 1st in Teagasc Grange.   Alan and Jamie discuss the importance of the CBV when purchasing calves and the...

Future Beef programme farmer, John Dunne, from Co. Offaly  is on the Beef Edge podcast this week to give an update into his suckler beef and dairy beef finishing systems, the breeding season, their grassland management and the upcoming National Beef Open Day taking place on 5th June.   John farms alongside his son James just outside Portarlington, operating a highly profitable and progressive beef...

Grass10 advisor Nikki Kennedy has the monthly grass update from around the country and tips for the month ahead.   Nikki highlights that drought conditions are being experienced in the east and she discusses management tips for grazing in the weeks ahead. With silage being harvested in the coming weeks Nikki describes the actions to ensure quality silage, whilst also assessing the categories of an...

Future Beef Programme farmer, John Pringle from Co. Wicklow, joins this week's Beef Edge to give an insight into his suckler beef system finishing bulls at under 16 months, preparing for silage and the upcoming National Beef Open Day taking place on 29th May at 6:30pm.   John details his sheep and beef enterprise and how the farm has evolved over the last number of decades.    He describes the man...

With breeding season under way, Teagasc researcher, Peter Doyle, joins this week’s show to give an update on the Derrypatrick herd.   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  

Pat Joyce from Co. Galway, who operates a contract heifer rearing system, and his Teagasc advisor, Charlie Devaney, join this week’s Beef Edge to give an overview of the farm and the steps that Pat takes to make good quality silage. Pat farms outside Williamstown in Co. Galway; having previously operated a suckling system, he changed in 2017 to contract rear heifers for a dairy farmer. This system...

DairyBeef 500 advisor, Tommy Cox, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss transitioning calves to grass.   When calves underperform during their first season at pasture, it makes it difficult to achieve key performance targets, irrespective of systems further down the line.    Failing to hit an average daily gain targets of 0.7-0.8 kg/day results in delayed slaughter, the production of ligh...

On this week’s joint episode of the Beef Edge along with Ciaran Lynch from Ovicast, Chris Maughan Technical Manager, Whelehan Crop Protection, discusses weed control and planning for the year ahead.   It’s been a cold wet start to year with grass growth hampered this spring and Chris outlines dock control options on grazing and silage ground.   He also explains general weed control and ragwort con...

With rising input costs and tighter margins, it’s never been more important to understand your costs of production and where your system stands.    On this week’s episode of the Beef Edge podcast, Teagasc beef specialist, David Argue, who has been working through a range of beef budgets for autumn 2025 and spring 2026, discusses everything from under-16 month bull systems, to forward store finishi...

Teagasc technician on the Newford demonstration farm, Michael Fagan, gives an update from the farm, breeding season ahead and the breeding open day taking place on April 22nd.   The event will focus on the key drivers of suckler herd efficiency, offering attendees the opportunity to see proven systems in action. With the breeding season fast approaching, the timing  is ideal for farmers looking to...

It was a very challenging spring this year and for the monthly Grass10 update, Nikki Kennedy and John Conroy give updates from around the country and plan for the month ahead.   John says that while some ground has been grazed, there is still a lot not grazed yet in the west and it is unlikely that silage ground will be grazed at this stage.    Nikki has an update from Teagasc Grange and says a fl...

Teagasc Specialist Mark Plunkett, from the Signpost Programme, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss fertiliser application for silage this year.   As we move through a challenging spring, many farmers are reassessing their silage strategy. Weather disruption, fertiliser costs, and environmental pressures all mean that getting the basics right has never been more important. Mark outlines...

With many beef farmers balancing part-time work off the farm, this episode marks the first in our new monthly series, ‘Managing Labour on Farm’.    Father and son, Eamon and Donnchadh McCarthy from Youghal, and participants in the Future Beef Programme, share how they successfully run their suckler-to-beef system whilst both working off-farm.   Labour efficiency on the farm is very important and l...

For this second of a two-part series focused on the Commercial Beef Value, Ciaran Conway who runs a weanling to finishing heifer system with his son Diarmuid outside Mullingar Co. Westmeath, discusses his system and use of CBV on their farm which was awarded 2025 Suckler Finisher Award for Ashbourne.   High-CBV continental weanlings, disciplined management and a grass-driven system underpin the re...

Over the last few years, farmers have become more aware of the Commercial Beef Value – or CBV – and so, this week is the first of a two-part series on the importance of CBV.   The ICBF’s Research Project Co-ordinator, David Kelly, who is based in the Tully Research Centre, joins the show to discuss the latest information and findings at Tully with regards to CBV.    David highlights the fact that...

Over the last decade the Irish agriculture and food sector has grown, developed and modernised. Teagasc recently launched the Teagasc Enterprise Road Maps and on this week’s Beef Edge podcast, Teagasc Head of Drystock, Pearse Kelly, and Beef Enterprise Leader, Dr. Paul Crosson at Teagasc Grange, discuss current performance, market outlook, sustainability priorities and future targets for Irish bee...

Mark Plunkett from the Teagasc Signpost Programme joins Catherine Egan on this week’s episode of the Beef Edge podcast to discuss soil fertility and planning for the year ahead.    Mark outlines how only 13% of the soil on drystock farms is optimum for pH, P and K. While there has been a big rise in recent years with the amount of lime being applied, in 2026 another 500,000 tonnes are still needed...

Grass10 Advisor, Nikki Kennedy, and Grass10 Manager, John Maher, are on this week’s Beef Edge with an update on the current situation around the country and planning for the spring ahead.    John gives a review of 2025 which was a great year for most farmers in relation to grass.   January was significantly wetter than average, especially in eastern and southern counties, contributing to saturated...