The Beef Edge

For this final part of the ‘Dairy Calf to Beef’ series on the Beef Edge, Liam Gannon from Volac discusses feeding the calf up to weaning and the key dos and don’ts around feeding milk replacer.    Liam explains the ingredients one should focus on when selecting a milk replacer and the key benefits of feeding a high-quality milk replacer in terms of nutrition and calf performance cannot be underest...

For the third part of our ‘Dairy Calf to Beef’ series, vet Tommy Heffernan discusses the key areas to ensure a healthy calf and developing a sustainable profitable dairy beef system.    Tommy says that pneumonia, scour and coccidiosis are some of the main issues with calves. The damp, cold spring weather impacts calf health and increases risks.    Tommy outlines ways to rescue pneumonia and scour...

For the second part of the 'Dairy Calf to Beef’ series’ on the Beef Edge, Teagasc Beef Specialist, David Argue, discusses what to be aware of when sourcing calves and the essential things to get right during the rearing process.   David explains that when sourcing dairy-beef calves this spring, the health of the calf, breed and genetic make-up are very important.   Avoid any signs of ill health, a...

In the first part of a ‘Dairy Calf to Beef’ series on the Teagasc Beef Edge podcast, DairyBeef 500 Manager, Alan Dillon, discusses the key performance indicators of a sustainable, profitable dairy beef system.   Alan outlines the importance of increased grass utilisation, improved silage quality, a good herd health plan and daily liveweight gains and the impact breed and commercial beef value can...

Teagasc Beef Specialist, Niall Kerins, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast with some of the key management tips for the weeks ahead.    Niall discusses the importance of using a pre-calving mineral on farm and he outlines some key things to have on hand in advance of calving cows and purchasing calves.    Niall also explains the importance of updating your nutrient management plan on the farm in 2...

Pearse Kelly, Teagasc Head of Drystock, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to reflect on beef supply, market and beef prices in 2025 and how to plan for 2026.    Bord Bia had forecast the national kill would be back 70,000-90,000 in 2025 but that has been closer to 200,000. This is likely to remain similar in 2026.    Pearse’s long term outlook is positive but he says that farmers should complete...

For this special Christmas episode of The Beef Edge, we’re re-visiting our 300th episode of the podcast that was recorded earlier this year with Matt Dempsey, whose career spans multiple decades and various roles in agricultural journalism and beyond.   Matt has been instrumental in driving innovations in Irish agriculture through his work as a journalist, farmer and chairman of various industry g...

For a special joint podcast on bluetongue, with Stuart Childs from the Dairy Edge and Ciaran Lynch from Ovicast, this week’s Beef Edge is joined by vet John Donlon to find out more about bluetongue.   Primarily transmitted via biting midges, the cases on farms in Northern Ireland significantly reinforces the need for increased awareness in the Republic of Ireland.    Early action, identification a...

Dr. Paul Crosson, Beef Enterprise Leader, Teagasc Grange, is on this week’s Beef Edge to discuss the latest research being carried out in 2025 and the plans for 2026.   Pauls highlights the current research underway on the Derrypatrick and Maternal Herd and he outlines the findings from the dairy beef work being carried out as well as the latest research relating to additives.   You can also watch...

Rebecca Fitzpatrick, Superintending Veterinary Inspector with the Department of Agriculture, outlines the changes affecting beef and sheep farms this year on this week’s joint Beef Edge and OviCast podcast.   From 1st December, new rules on veterinary medicines came into effect as part of Ireland’s national strategy to tackle antimicrobial and anti-parasitic resistance.    These changes mean that...

Ronan Lynch, agronomist with Deeside Agri, and suckler and beef finisher, Brian Kirk from Co. Louth, are on this week’s Beef Edge to discuss the opportunity of using native grains in rations.    Ronan explains that of the 7 million tonnes of grains used in the country, only 2 million are produced in Ireland.    He highlights the benefits of oats and reducing the carbon footprint by incorporating h...

Rupert Claxton, Meat & Livestock Director, GIRA, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast discussing the global outlook for the beef industry.    Rupert highlights that the supply of beef is tight, while demand from the consumer is remarkably robust. The result of good global demand and tight supply are the high prices seen today.   Rupert explains how several UK retailers have included beef from a...

With the Teagasc National Beef Conference taking place on Tuesday, the 18th of November at the Raheen Woods Hotel in Athenry, County Galway, Future Beef farmer, John Barry from Nenagh, County Tipperary, is on this week’s Beef edge podcast to explain his suckling-to-weanling system and how he balances shape and quality to meet both home and export market demands.   John Barry runs a 90-cow suckler...

Pearse Kelly, Teagasc’s Head of Drystock, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to give an insight into what’s in store at the Teagasc National Beef Conference which is taking place on 18th November in the Raheen Woods Hotel, Athenry, Co. Galway, starting at 5pm.   This year’s theme is ‘Beef Farming 2025: Value, Profit and Renewal’, with a strong focus on producing high-value weanlings, managing far...

For the final part of the special series, ‘Getting Winter Ready’,  Natascha Meunier from Animal Health Ireland is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss ‘Health at Housing’.     As always, there  are liver and rumen fluke, lice and mites, and going in to housing, gutworms or lungworm (hoose) might still be problematic.    Natascha says to be particularly careful about lungworm as it has been...

Grass10 Manager, John Maher, joins Catherine Egan on the latest Beef Edge with grassland management tips for the month ahead.   John discusses current grazing conditions and explains the different scenarios across the country.   John discusses an action plan for closing up paddocks and he highlights the importance of being flexible and to ensure swards that are closed are not re-grazed again befor...

James Strain, nutritionist with Inishowen Co-op, is on this week’s Beef Edge Podcast to discuss ‘Winter Nutrition’.    James highlights the importance of a good herd health plan which is key before looking at nutrition to maximise winter performance.    When assessing silage quality James explains Dry Matter Digestibility, Dry Matter, Crude Protein and pH, while he also discusses feeding rates to...

In the first part of a three-part series, ‘Getting Winter Ready’, on the Beef Edge, Teagasc Beef Specialist, Niall Kerins, discusses ‘Winter Housing’.   Housing is a key part of maximising winter performance, farmers can have the nutrition of the animal correct and the animal treated to have them healthy and yet still not be achieving 0.6kg/head/day over the winter period on weanlings.   Space all...

Teagasc Beef Specialist, David Argue, is on this week’s Beef Edge Podcast to discuss beef markets and budgets.    David outlines current beef markets and highlights the national weekly kill has risen in the last week of September to 30,000/head.    David emphasises the importance of completing a budget tailored to each farm based on input costs and fixed costs of the farm   Each budget calculates...

IFAC Accountant, Trevor Boland, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss financial planning and managing cash flow for the rest of the year.   Suckler and beef farmers are currently receiving higher prices than ever before for their livestock sales, both through the live trade and through beef prices received from processors.    Trevor says that farmers need to be aware of what their farm pr...

Teagasc Farm Management specialist, James McDonnell, and Succession Ireland mediator, Clare O’Keeffe, join Catherine Egan and Ciaran Lynch on this week’s joint episode of the Beef Edge podcast and Ovicast to discuss all aspects of generation renewal, succession and mediation.   James highlights the importance of Generation renewal while Clare outlines the importance of a mediator to aid the proces...

Grass10 Manager, John Maher, joins Catherine Egan for this month's Grass10 update and he discusses the situation across the country, outlining the actions to take to develop an autumn rotation plan on farms   Red/Yellow rust has started to appear on grass plants across the country and John discusses management at this stage of the year.   You can subscribe to the Grass10 newsletter here: https://w...

Teagasc Researcher, Peter Doyle, is on this week’s Beef Edge Podcast with an update on breeding performance and grassland management for the Derrypatrick herd.   Peter discusses this year’s calves’ performance and weaning management.   Peter also outlines how he is managing red clover on the farm currently and how it has performed to date.   Plus he explains the plan for finishing cattle and the c...

On this special 300th episode of the Beef Edge podcast, Matt Dempsey, whose career spans multiple decades and various roles in agricultural journalism and beyond joins host Catherine Egan.     Matt has been instrumental in driving innovations in Irish agriculture through his work as a journalist, farmer and chairman of various industry groups and he gives his outlook for the Irish beef industry. ...

Margaret Brennan, Assistant Principal Officer over Beef Schemes with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss the new Beef Welfare Scheme announced recently and to give an update on all things scheme related.   The objective of the Beef Welfare Scheme 2025 (BWS) is to further increase the economic efficiency of and enhance animal health and...