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Currently grass utilised on irish beef farms is 4.7 T/DM/ha , despite potential to grow over 13 T/DM/ha (Teagasc, 2015)

Utilisation a hugh problem in the west of Ireland due to large amount of rainfall

BETTER farms on PBI grew on average 11t of grass and this vaired from between 16.6t - 6.2t/DM/ha per year

Potential increase of 105 euro /ha for every 1.0t DM/ha increase in grass utilisation on drystock farms (Dr. Tom O' Dwyer, Teasgasc)

Grazed grass 7c kg/DM, Zero grazed grass 11c kg/DM ( Teagasc 2015)

Land drainage costs 2500 - 3000 euros ( Patrick Tuohy, Owen Fenton, James O’Loughlin and James Humphreys, Teagasc)

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Current beef sytem of production on my home farm

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Current beef sytem of production on my home farm

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Suckler to finish
weanling to finish

20 spring calving cows

Cattle 0-1 = 30
Cattle 1-2 = 30
Cattle 2+ = 26

Stock bull / Ai

35ha grazing block split into 3 different blocks about 1 km apart- fragmented

10ha of forestry planted 7 years ago- all softwood

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Good fertile herd with an average calving interval of 375 days 2017

6 week incalf rate of 67% 2017

70% of the farm dry - early spring grazing - other 30% heavy ground, needs good managment

Soil testing and silage sampling

Re-seeding programme put in place for 2018 onwards

Good housing facilities and plenty of room for expansion.

Good potential to grow grass

well located in relation in meat factories- 4 different factories to choose from

land for rent/ lease plentiful in the area.

Option to split calving between autumn and spring as creep areas available

Educated - green cert and sons with ag science and engineering degrees

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Works full time off farm

Make farm more productive

not in any discussion group

price volatility

Grass utilisation - high rainfall in the west

lack of willingness of old farmers to lease there land - left fallow

slurry - maybe need to look at trailing shoe option for slurry spreading especially if zero grazing intorduced

Some wet ground needing drainage

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The objective of this beef farm over the next 5 years is to increase the amount of quality forage/grass grown and utilised on the farm. This will be ahcieved by starting grass measuring and budgeting, put a reseeding plan in place, focus on increasing silage quality 72% DMD + and implamentation of a Zero grazing finishing sytem and paddock system for suckler cows.

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Brexit - could have massive implications for beef industry

Change in policy - nitrate regulations

price of inputs

weather - high rainfall during summer hard to utilise grass

Price of inputs - concentrates, fertiliser

large numbers of Dairy breed calves

beef price

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increase stocking rate

meadow ground for silage in plentiful supply - option of grazing more of our owned ground

Teagsc Newford herd nearby

zero grazing

Store lambs in back end utilise grass better

join local teagasc discussion group

Measurement tools available

Pasture base

split calving autumn and winter - split workload

reduce fertiliser cost - slurry spread with trailing shoe

massive scope to grow and utilise more grass

calf to beef - increase output

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Continue grass measuring

re soil test whole farm

increase silage quality forward 1% DMD

Continue apply slurry with trail shoe
Increase stocking rate by 0.5 unit per ha

re seed another 15 % of the farm

Invest in Paddocks on grazing block

Year 4
Analysis of data collected so far

Review some of system changes see are they working

keep increasing amount of fresh grass in the diet

Re seed another 15% of the farm

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invest in more infrusture such as paddocks, water troughs etc for suckler herd

continue to monitor performance of the systems -  weighing cattle

look at alternate forages -suchas wholecrop -barley, peas lupins triticale, Kale, clovers

continue to finish cattle indoors using zero grazer

bring in grass to all cattle at shoulders of the year if needs be - Febuary - March, October - November

continue to reduce fertiliser costs by spreading slurry with trailing shoe

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purchase second hand zero grazer

map farm grazing block

soil test

silage sampling

carry out drainage on 6 acres and reseed

Year 2
start measuring grass and using pasture base

Get contractor to apply slurry with trailing shoe

Aim to increase silage DMD to by 1% on previous year

creep grass spring calves

Reseed 15 % of farm