The Beef Edge

In the final episode of the Beef Edge podcast for 2022, Catherine Egan is joined by Teagasc Drystock advisor Christy Watson, who is based in Naas, Co. Kildare.    As Christy retires this year, he gives his insights into the changes and challenges that he has seen over the past four decades.    Christy talks through his time in Teagasc in Leitrim, Kildalton College, Wicklow and Kildare and he discu...

This week’s episode of the Beef Edge podcast is a recording of the Teagasc National Beef Conference panel discussion titled ‘Delivering sustainability at farm level’ which took place on the 13th December in the Shearwater hotel, Ballinasloe.    It was Facilitated by Matt O’Keeffe, from the Irish Farmers Monthly and the panel participants were Professor Sinead Waters, Teagasc, Dr Dominika Krol, Tea...

Teagasc Environment specialist, Catherine Keena, joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to give an update on the new Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme also known as ACRES.    This new €1.5 billion flagship agri-environment scheme closed last week for applications of which there were 47,000 applications.    There were 27,000 in the general scheme comprising of Tier 1, 2 and 3. Th...

Teagasc researcher, Nicky Byrne, joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss if red clover has a role on beef farms as well as previewing the upcoming National Beef Conference taking place on the 13th December in the Shearwater Hotel, Ballinasloe at 6pm.    Nicky outlines the benefits and barriers to red clover and discusses how the red clover swards performed this year at Tea...

DairyBeef 500 advisor, Sean Cummins, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast with interesting insights into the recent DairyBeef 500 farmer study trip to Spain.   Over the course of the trip they visited a number of farms in the Catalonia region in the north-east of Spain, with the two main enterprises being calf to beef and suckler to beef.    The key differences between both systems were that farmer...

Joe Patton, Head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer at Teagasc joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss what beef farmers should be looking out for next spring when it comes to sourcing quality calves for their beef system.    There have been big changes in dairy herd  numbers in the past few years, with 1.6  million dairy cows expected to calve down in 2023. While 30% will be ret...

Teagasc Researcher Colin Byrne joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast with an update on the Maternal Herd in Teagasc Grange Co. Meath.    Colin give a background to the herd and outlines the future research being carried out, plus he discusses this year’s weanling performance and the management over the coming winter.   For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show pa...

Teagasc Beef Specialist Aidan Murray joins Catherine Egan on this week’s episode of the Beef Edge podcast with some top tips on managing nutrition with high feed costs this winter.    Aidan outlines the current position with feed availability this winter and discusses the various options.   This year, he explains, it’s very important for farmers to test silage in order to reduce costs as much as p...

With heavy rainfall across the country, a lot of cattle were housed over the past fortnight.    Natascha Meunier from Animal Health Ireland, joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss the key parasites farmers should keep in mind this winter, what you should be treating for, when to dose and which product to use.   Natascha also discusses fluke, worm and lice treatments and s...

Teagasc’s Michael Fagan is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to give an update on the Newford Demonstration Farm in Athenry Co. Galway, with an insight also into the heifers that were finished.   To date, 83% or 33 out of the 40, 2021-born beef heifers have now been sold at an average age of 17 ½ months, or 527 days of age. Heifers were drafted off grass with no concentrate supplementation provided...

As part of Sustainability Week, Teagasc Farm manager of the Kildalton suckler herd, John O’Connor, joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast with a focus on calving at 24 months which also helps to reduce emissions.    The stock on display at the Teagasc stand at the Ploughing this year were the beef herd in Kildalton college and John describes the cow, her bull calf and the heifers th...

Michael McGuigan from Longwood, Co. Meath is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast with an insight into his beef system and his targets in detail.  He is a participant in the Future Beef programme and farms part-time, managing his own company off-farm.    Michael bought the farm in 2016 and set about developing it and improving the soil fertility and grassland. He farms 23.5 hectares and it is a mixtur...

Teagasc advisor, Austin Callaghan from county Mayo, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast with some key advice to help apply for ACRES and to complete your plan.   The major difference in ACRES compared to previous agri-environment schemes will be the change from action-based payments to results-based payments.   When it comes to the plan, Austin outlines that many farmers will undertake grassland a...

Teagasc Financial Management Specialist, James McDonnell, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast with important tips and advice to help farm families with the process of transferring the family farm and all aspects that need to be considered when writing a succession plan.     Succession planning can seem to be a very complex task but it doesn’t have to be with early planning, says James.  Every fami...

Teagasc organic specialist, Elaine Leavy, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to give an insight into the new organic scheme opening in October, the key steps to consider in conversion as well as details on the upcoming National Organic Open Day.   Elaine outlines the changes to the new organic scheme opening in October for 8 weeks and she highlights the steps involved in conversion as well as the...

Teagasc Energy & Rural Development Specialist, Barry Caslin, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss what renewable energy options are available for beef farmers.   Barry discusses the different renewable sources of interest, particularly the  anaerobic digester, which may be an opportunity for farmers to supply grass and slurry.   Solar power has created increased focus in the past num...

Teagasc Environment specialist Catherine Keena is on the latest Beef Edge podcast to discuss the new proposed Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme also known as ‘ACRES’.     While listeners would have participated in previous environmental schemes such as Reps and most recently GLAS, the new Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme has similarities and differences.   ACRES is the new Department of A...

Dairy Beef 500 farmer, Richard Long, from Co. Waterford and his advisor, Sean Cummins, join Catherin Egan on this week’s episode of the Beef Edge podcast.    Richard and Sean describe how they developed a plan to reduce age at slaughter on the farm and its impact on profitability, plus they detail the upcoming open day being held on the farm on September 8th.   The level of integration between dai...

With parts of the country in drought and some rain arriving, Joseph Dunphy, Grass10 advisor, and Fergal Maguire, Dairy Beef 500 advisor, are on this week’s Beef Edge podcast with advice and tips in advance of the last rotation.   First, Joseph outlines the grass situation in the west and south, while Fergal describes the situation in the east where there’s been very little rainfall.    Building co...

Teagasc Researcher Dr. David Wall is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast with top tips to manage soil fertility for the rest of the year plus details on the upcoming Johnstown Castle Open Day.     David highlights that putting a plan in place now is important as high prices are forecast for next year. There is an increase in lime being applied on farms to correct pH and there has also been a focus on...

Future Beef farmer, Ed Curtin from Co. Cork, discusses how he manages his autumn calving herd pre and post-calving.     Ed outlines how he manages the cow’s body condition score to ensure she is fit and not fat for calving.    Ed calves his heifers at 24 months. He describes her management from once she is born up to calving.    Heifers are penned separate to the cows to give them every opportunit...

Teagasc Advisor, Alan Nolan, based in Ballinrobe Co. Mayo, joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to review key messages for suckler farmers from Beef2022.    Alan highlights the big focus of the day on was on improving reproductive performance, through genetics, AI, heat synchronisation and calving at 24 months.    There was a big discussion in the suckler village on the day in rel...

Dr Eddie O’Riordan, Teagasc Researcher, is on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss the key points from Beef2022 for growing and finishing cattle farmers. Topics on the day included silage quality, concentrate supplementation, herd health and the drafting of cattle.    Silage Quality will have high influence on performance and costs and Eddie explains there is a difference of €100 in costs movi...

DairyBeef 500 campaign manager, Alan Dillon, joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to review the key messages from Beef2022 for dairy beef farmers; plus he discusses the lessons learned from the Green Acres Programme and outlines the new five year DairyBeef 500 campaign that was launched recently.   Alan first explained how building a sustainable dairy-beef system was highlighted a...

At the Beef2022 National Beef Open Day last week a forum took place moderated by Ivan Yates with the theme, ‘Supporting Sustainable Beef Farming’.   It was an open discussion with Professor Alice Stanton, RCSI, Michael Biggins, Future Beef Farmer from Co. Mayo, Professor Frank O'Mara, Teagasc Director and Phelim O'Neill, Irish Farmers Journal.    This week’s Beef Edge episode is a recording of the...