The Beef Edge

Dr Siobhan Kavanagh from the Teagasc Signpost Programme is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast with her presentation from the National Beef Conference examining the main drivers of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) on beef farms and the steps that farmers can take to reduce them. Siobhan’s presentation is available at: https://www.teagasc.ie/beefcon23/siobhan-kavanagh/ Full conference details are here: https://...

As a bonus Beef Edge episode, Dr. Maria Guelbenzu from Animal Health Ireland (AHI) who presented at the Teagasc National Beef Conference, discusses the prevalence of Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR), and why Ireland needs to move towards a national eradication programme.   Maria’s presentation is available at:  https://www.teagasc.ie/beefcon23/Maria-Guelbenzu/   Full conference details are...

This week’s Beef Edge podcast features Ellen Fitzpatrick from Teagasc Johnstown Castle who gave an interesting presentation at the Teagasc National Beef Conference describing how to make the most of a Low Input/High Output Dairy Beef system.   Ellen’s presentation is also available here: https://www.teagasc.ie/beefcon23/ellen-fitzpatrick/   And full conference details are here:  https://www.teagas...

It is expected that more than €1.8 billion in payments will be issued to farmers before the end of the year.    Teagasc Advisor, Keith Fahy, based in Athenry Co. Galway, is on this week’s Beef Edge Podcast to outline some of the payment dates later this year.   Keith outlines how BISS, CRISS, Eco-Scheme and ANC have started to be paid already or in the coming weeks.    ANC advance payments commenc...

DairyBeef 500 manager, Alan Dillon, and programme advisor, Fergal McGuire, are on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to give an update on the programme and they also discuss winter management on farms.    Alan describes how the difficult weather conditions have decreased performance this year and it is important to get silage quality tested and balance rations accordingly.    Fergal highlights that due...

To explain the upcoming improvements that are being made to both the Terminal and the Replacement beef indexes, Teagasc Beef Enterprise Leader Paul Crosson, in Teagasc Grange, and Dr Margaret Kelleher from ICBF, are on this week’s episode of the Beef Edge.    They discuss the changes being made and Margaret outlines how the replacement and terminal index have progressed over the past decade.    Ch...

With farmers seven times more likely to have cardiovascular disease, on this week’s Beef Edge podcast, Catherine Egan is  joined by Croí’s, Annie Costelloe, Head of Patient & Community Engagement, and Community Nurse, Caroline Dermody, to discuss tips and advice relating to farmer health.   People usually think of cardiovascular disease as an older person’s problem but small changes matter and...

An Garda Síochána Crime Prevention Officer, Sergeant John Fitzpatrick, discusses, on this week’s Beef Edge podcast, top tips and the steps you can take to reduce the possibility of theft on your farm.   As the evenings are getting darker earlier, Sergeant Fitzpatrick says it’s an ideal time for farmers to review their farm security and he advises farmers on how to protect theft of livestock.    Lo...

DairyBeef 500 farmer, Gareth Peoples from county Donegal, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss his winter management on his dairy beef system. Gareth discusses the importance of good quality silage and matching the results with the correct protein percentage in the ration. Ventilation, feed space, lying space are also important he says, plus implementing the correct health plan on the fa...

As part of Sustainability Week, on the latest Beef Edge podcast, DairyBeef 500 farmer, James O’Sullivan from West Cork, discusses the steps he’s taking to improve the sustainability of his farm by increasing animal performance and incorporating clover and multi-species on his farm.    James highlights the steps he takes from purchasing calves and management on the farm.  Maximising weight gain fro...

With the housing of animals coming around again, farmers’ thoughts are turning to parasite control, and on this week’s Beef Edge podcast, Dr. Natascha Meunier, Beef Health Check Programme Manager with Animal Health Ireland, discusses the parasites to look out for and how to treat them, as well as top tips for housing this winter.   For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page...

Future Beef farmer, Proinnsias Creedon, gives an insight into his beef system and how he maximises performance over the winter.    Proinnsias farms with his wife Máire and sons Ciarán, Aodhán and Diarmuid. The farm is located outside Macroom, Co. Cork and he is farming 33.31Ha of variable land with a good bit of rough grazing ground.     There is a lot of heavy soil in the farm with some reclaimed...

Aidan Murray, Teagasc Beef Specialist, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss what beef price you can afford to pay for stock, what impact costs have on the bottom line and what price will be needed to cover these costs.   Aidan first compares the figures to date to show that the national kill has decreased from the same time last year.    While beef prices for purchasing are increasing, t...

As the grazing of the last rotation approaches, on this week’s Beef Edge podcast, Catherine Egan is joined by the Grass10 team, John Maher, Joseph Dunphy and John Douglas, with tips and advice.   Grazing has been difficult nationwide however recent weather conditions have made a huge difference and John Maher says don’t be tempted to graze paddocks that are closed first in the rotation.    Meanwhi...

DairyBeef 500 farmer, Pat Collins, from Castlemarter Co. Cork, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to give his personal experiences of his dairy calf to beef system, management on the farm and his upcoming open day.   This year there were 300 calves reared on the farm. Pat discusses how his beef system has changed over the years.   It’s been a difficult few months weather wise and Pat describes ho...

Future Beef suckler farmer, Ger McSweeney, from Millstreet Co. Cork, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast  to give an update on his beef system, plus he discusses how AI on his farm is increasing performance and reducing age to slaughter and previews his upcoming open day.    Ger operates a spring calving suckler system with bulls finished U16 months and heifers U21 months.    There is 100% AI used...

On the latest Beef Edge podcast, John O’Connor from Kildalton Agricultural College gives an update on the suckler farm, and Joe Day teacher in Kildalton, discusses the upcoming open day.    John describes how it’s been a difficult summer and how grass is being managed at the moment in Kilkenny.   He highlights the breeding performance of the herd this year and how the finished cattle have performe...

Michael Cunniffe from Co. Roscommon joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss his in-calf heifer system and grassland management.   Michael buys in approximately 150 each year, all of different types and breeds to meet his customers’ demands. The heifers are vaccinated and dosed when purchased. They are fed on a grass only diet on a paddock grazing system and silage only ove...

Teagasc researcher Peter Doyle joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to give an update on the Derrypatrick herd in Grange.      Peter discusses how calving went this spring and how breeding season went on the farm. The pre-breeding scan was well worthwhile this year, Peter explained, and helped resolve any issues before they arose. Perter discussed the traits that sires were select...

With the launch of the new National Beef Welfare Scheme by the Department of Agriculture Food & the Marine, which replaces Beep-S, on this week’s Beef Edge podcast, Catherine Egan is joined by Teagasc Beef specialist Aidan Murray to get all the details.   The new scheme which is funded by the Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) is a one year programme and it essentially replaces the old BEEP-S sch...

The Certified Irish Angus Schools competition challenges students to rear five Irish Angus calves over 18 months while completing a research project, and is organised in partnership with ABP Ireland and Kepak Group.    On this week’s Beef Edge podcast, the students from Mercy Secondary School Kilbeggan Co. Westmeath discuss their involvement in the competition and their journey to date. The team c...

Teagasc Director of Knowledge Transfer, Stan Lalor, joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast with an update on the recent launch of the Signpost Advisory Programme and details on how you can take part.   This public programme is available to all farmers and it will build on the network of Signpost Demonstration Farms by providing enhanced advisory and training support to farmers to co...

Ruaraidh Petre, Executive Director, Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, joins Catherine Egan on this week’s episode of the Beef Edge podcast.   Ruaraidh discusses the work of the Global Roundtable that is carried out across 24 countries working together to produce sustainable beef.    Originally from Ireland, but now living in New Zealand, Ruaraidh discusses comparison between the countries’ b...

DairyBeef500 advisor, Tommy Cox, joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast with an update on the programme, as well as discussing grassland management and the upcoming National Open Day on the farm of Austin & Jarlath Ruane in county Mayo on Thursday 13th July at 6pm.   For further details of the event go to: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/jarlath-and-austin-ruane-dairybeef500-farm-wa...

Gearóid Slattery from ICBF joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss the National Genotyping Programme.     The National Genotyping Programme is a collaborative initiative enabling Ireland to take the first step in achieving a fully genotyped national herd. The scale of the programme is a world first and sees Ireland placed firmly at the forefront when it comes to national s...