The Beef Edge

Grass10 Advisor Niamh Doyle has her grassland management tips for the month ahead.   Niamh comments on current grazing conditions, grazing  the first rotation and regrowths on the first paddocks. She also discusses closing up for silage and the importance of completing a fodder budget and using slurry efficiently. It is critical to assess the correct balance between quality and quantity.   You can...

Teagasc Beef Specialist, David Argue, is on this week’s Beef Edge discussing cattle finished so far this year and, given current increasing beef prices, budgets for the coming months.   So far this year up to March 16th, 398,076 cattle have been finished according to the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine. This is an increase of almost 11,000 head of cattle in comparison to the same tim...

Teagasc Future Beef farmer, Proinnsias Creedon, and his advisor, James Mullane, are on this week’s Beef Edge Podcast with an update on the farm and how Proinnsias is managing grass this spring.    Proinnsias also explains his calf-to-beef system and how he manages balancing working off farm.   The excellent paddock system on the farm has been a big benefit to improving his grazing management and P...

Teagasc Future Beef programme advisor, Aisling Molloy, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to give an update on the Future Beef programme and to review profitability for 2024.     Aisling first discusses the plan at the moment to get cattle to grass across the country.    On review of the eProfit Monitor, the profitability for farmers in the programme has increased in 2024. But there is huge varia...

Grass10 Advisor Niamh Doyle has her grass management tips for the month ahead.   Niamh discusses turn out of cattle and the spring rotation plan on farms and she highlights the key targets this spring.   Niamh encourages farmers to apply slurry on soils that require Phosphorus and Potassium, particularly the silage ground. Based on soil samples and a nutrient management plan Niamh also discusses c...

Teagasc Researcher, Orla Keane, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss parasite control and anthelmintic resistance.    Orla highlights the importance of reviewing your farm health plan at this time of year and she discusses the project that she is involved in called the, ‘Managing Anthelmintic Resistance in Cattle Sustainably' (MARCS) project.   MARCS is a collaborative project between Te...

Teagasc DairyBeef 500 advisor, Fergal Maguire, discusses key tips around milk replacer to maximise performance on this week’s Beef Edge podcast.   Fergal explains the pros and cos around skim based or whey based milk replacer before outlining the concentrate of replacer and its components.   Temperature of milk is very important, he says, as well as consistency of feeding at the same time daily. ...

Teagasc DairyBeef 500 advisor, Tommy Cox, discusses calf housing to maximise performance on this week’s Beef Edge podcast.    Tommy says that good ventilation, adequate space, good drainage and warm sheds that are clean and comfortable are essential.  Good ventilation to ensure air is fresh and no draughts are important. Natural ventilation is used in the vast majority of calf houses.  Tommy recom...

Continuing the two-part series on fertiliser application, Teagasc specialist Mark Plunkett from the Teagasc Signpost programme, joins Catherine Egan on the Beef Edge podcast to discuss fertiliser application and the fertiliser register.   Mark reviewed 2024 regarding fertiliser usage and particularly chemical N.  There was a 10% increase, he said, compared to 2023. Chemical N use was at an all-tim...

Teagasc Grass10 advisor, Niamh Doyle, has her monthly update discussing grass management tips for the month ahead.   Niamh discusses over-winter growth and the importance of assessing opening covers and the need to ensure conditions are suitable before spreading.   Niamh also encourages anyone who has soil samples to collect to do so in the coming weeks to address soil fertility this year.   You c...

As thoughts on farms move to fertiliser application, Teagasc specialist Tim Hyde joins Catherine Egan on the Beef Edge podcast for the first of a two-part podcast on the rules and regulations surrounding nitrates.     Tim reminds listeners of the open period for chemical fertiliser, farm yard manure and slurry across the different zones, plus he outlines the regulations around roadways, storing ba...

Chris Daly from ICBF joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss the new Mart Tracker and the Commercial Beef Value (CBV).    Chris outlines the benefit of the Mart Tracker and the impact that it will have for farmers.   He also discusses the CBV and how important it is for farmers buying as well as selling calves and cattle overall.    Chris describes the values farmers shoul...

For the final part of our special series in advance of spring calving on the Beef Edge Podcast, Teagasc vet, John Donlon focuses on caring for the newborn calf.   John discusses the importance of colostrum and the 1,2,3 of colostrum in which you use the first milk (colostrum) from the cow; feed the calf colostrum within the first two hours of birth; and calves must be offered at least 3L of good q...

In advance of spring calving season, Teagasc Nutritionist  Aisling Claffey, and Teagasc Researcher and Vet, John Donlon, join Catherine for a special three part series, and this week, for the second part, John Donlon focuses on calving the cow.   John discusses the essentials that farmers can do to prepare and what items are essential to have ready and he outlines the key steps when it comes to in...

In advance of spring calving season, Teagasc Nutritionist, Aisling Claffey, and Teagasc Researcher and Vet, John Donlon, join Catherine Egan for a 3 part series on the Beef Edge podcast.    On the first part, Aisling Claffey focuses on nutrition pre and post calving.   Aisling explains how, at calving at this time of year, we see a lot of animal health problems. Obviously cow condition, particular...

Market intelligence specialist, Phelim O’Neill with the Irish Farmers Journal, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to reflect on 2024 and discuss the market outlook for 2025.   Looking back on 2024, Phelim discusses the increase in price seen in all cattle categories. Even with this increase in price, there is still a difference between UK and Ireland prices.   Phelim also comments on Irish export...

Michael Fagan, technician on the Newford demonstration farm in Co. Roscommon, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast with an update on the farm and a review of the year since moving from Athenry Co. Galway.    Michael outlines how the move has been busy with repurposing sheds, reseeding, installing paddocks and water systems, all the while getting used to the overall change in location and soil type...

Kilkenny farmer Liam Cassin is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss his contract heifer rearing system.    Liam moved from sheep to suckler cows and started contract heifer rearing 14 years ago. The steady monthly cashflow alongside the reduced financial input of purchasing stock are key benefits for Liam.   Grassland management and a good paddock system are very important to make the syste...

Dr. Natascha Meunier, Beef HealthCheck Programme Manager, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss how to control liver fluke effectively and understand it better.   Liver fluke is estimated to cost at least €90m to the Irish industry through reduced production and Natascha highlights how the incidence of liver fluke on this year’s Beef HealthCheck reports have doubled from 1% to 2%:  https:...

Teagasc research officer Dr. Patrick Forrestal, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss the practical nutrient management solutions that beef farmers can implement on their farms to increase efficiency, reduce costs and address environmental pressures facing the sector.   This is a recording from the Teagasc National Beef Conference held on November 19th.   Further details from Patrick’s pr...

There’s a bonus Beef Edge episode this week with Future Beef programme manager, Martina Harrington, discussing the innovations on Future Beef suckler farms which are driving sustainability.   This is a recording from the Teagasc National Beef Conference held on November 19th.   Further details from Martina’s presentation are available at:   Paper:  Driving Sustainability Innovations on Future Beef...

Teagasc researcher Dr. Peter Doyle outlines the impact of red and white clover on animal performance in suckler calf-to-beef production systems on this week’s Beef Edge podcast.  This is a recording from the Teagasc National Beef Conference held on November 19th.   Further details from Peter’s presentation are available at: Presentation:  The impact of red and white clover on animal performance in...

Health & Wellness coach, Shane Pearson, joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss key tips to staying resilient on the farm through stressful times of the year.   Studies show that many farmers experience poor mental health, high rates of burnout, and physical health issues related to stress and Shane highlights a number of resources available for farmers and which can b...

Liam McWeeney and Noel Prunty from Teagasc Ballyhaise Agricultural College join Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge to discuss the beef system, review of the performance to date and preparing for winter ahead.   Liam first outlined the 32 cow suckler herd that is operated in a suckling to finishing system. Bulls are finished under 16 months and heifers are kept as replacements or finished unde...

Grass 10 advisor Niamh Doyle joins Catherine Egan on the latest Beef Edge with grassland management tips for the month ahead.   Niamh discusses closing up paddocks with 60-70% targeted to be closed by early November. She also outlines the targets for the month ahead to extend grazing and reduce demand to maximise days at grass.   Drier than normal conditions continue to be predicted in the coming...