Five Year Grassland Management Plan- Organic Beef by Jane Shackleton

Introduction

janeshack — 2020-01-22 10:17:51 UTC

65 hectares

Stocking rate- 1.2 LU/ha

Certified Organic sine 1996

Suckler to Beef system

35 Spring calving Cows
35 <12mths
35 >12mths

Sheep

Agroforestry

Acidic Brown Soil

Free Draining

Good existing soil fertility

Background & Sector information

janeshack — 2020-01-22 10:18:54 UTC

Continued growth in organic market demand
+10.5% in 2017 (Bord Bia, 2017)

Lack of knowledge on grass growing potential on Irish organic Beef farms

Ken Gill, BETTER farms programme- First organic farmer to be included.

EU Green New Deal includes a focus on increasing organic farming across

Organic Beef Processors: ABP & Slaney Meats

Average annual organic beef price 4.70/kg

New bonus for organic Aberdeen Angus 10c/kg

Strengths

janeshack — 2020-01-22 10:19:54 UTC

Farm is one block

Low input costs

Low debt

Good housing facilities

Market demand for organic produce increasing annually

Young farmer- Green cert, MSc. Org Farming

Up to date soil testing

Attends Farm walks & Information days

Working off farm- additional income

Weaknesses

janeshack — 2020-01-22 10:20:00 UTC

Farmer works off farm

Instability of beef markets

Future of Organic Farming Scheme- currently closed. (Dec 2019)

Lack of Organic Focused Discussion Groups

Difficulty of reseeding in organic systems

Reliance on external nutrients- straw & slurry

Too many enterprises- lack of focus

Majority of farm is set stocked, lack of infrastructure.

Lamb currently sold to conventional market due to distance to organic processor.

Opportunities

janeshack — 2020-01-22 10:20:06 UTC

GPS map Farm

Start measuring grass

Grow more homegrown protein- increase red clover, potential of tillage.

More knowledge now available on diverse pastures

Include fodder crops for outwintering/reseeding

Increase in payments for Agroforestry

€660/ha premium

Change in enterprise- Organic Dairy/Tillage

Direct Sales

Threats

janeshack — 2020-01-22 10:20:22 UTC

General instability in global beef markets

Lack of competition in organic meat processors in Ireland

Extreme weather events

Increasing world demand for protein, organic systems cannot supply this?

Shortage of labour

Brexit

Majority of Irish organic beef goes to UK.

Imports of organic seed and feed come from UK

Increasing standards in conventional farming= closing gap. (DAFM, 2019)

Current Land Use Types

janeshack — 2020-02-10 12:37:52 UTC

Red Clover
PRG & White Clover
Permanent Pasture
Agroforestry
Habitat

Integrated Land Use

janeshack — 2020-02-10 14:27:49 UTC

Phosphorous

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Potassium

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pH

janeshack — 2020-02-10 16:52:23 UTC

Existing Diverse Permanent Pasture

janeshack — 2020-02-11 10:50:20 UTC

Geographical Location

janeshack — 2020-02-11 11:07:03 UTC

Mullagh, County Cavan

EU Green New Deal

janeshack — 2020-02-11 12:23:01 UTC

Farm to Fork

OBJECTIVES OF GRASSLAND PLAN

janeshack — 2020-02-12 13:15:40 UTC

The objectives over the next 5 years on this farm is to increase grass production in parallel with stocking rate.

Increased focus on grass measuring, grass budgeting, infrastructure and stock type is important.

Focus on reseeding the poor performing fields

5 YEAR PLAN

janeshack — 2020-02-12 13:18:40 UTC

Soil Tests

Nutrient management plan

Grasstec digital mapping of farm

Set farm up on PBI

Infrastructure Plan

Year 2

Begin grass measuring on a regular basis

Temporary Fencing

Phase 1 of paddock fencing

Phase 1 additional drinkers

Increase importation of slurry/manure

Year 3

Continue grass walks- increase frequency

Continued use of PBI

Repeat Soil Tests

Broader testing for poor paddocks eg. mineral analysis, OM etc.

Year 4

Target paddocks for reseeding- increase red clover for silage

Use winter fodder crops to clean ground pre- reseeding or tillage

Investments in housing, grain storage

Look at micro level data at a macro level across farm

Quality of herbage grown etc

Year 5

Adjust stocking rate to maximize system based on collected data

Continue to measure grass & budget etc

Aim to reseed & rejuvenate 15% of farm per year

Continue to invest in infrastructure

Focus on non-grassland areas such as genetics, calving interval, animal health etc.

PastureBase Ireland

janeshack — 2020-02-17 11:56:35 UTC

Set up account
Use Account!

Focus on home grown protein

janeshack — 2020-02-17 12:45:29 UTC

Red clover silage
Potential of organic cereals...