Teagasc specialist Tim Hyde joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme, also known as TAMS which in January, the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine announced it was extending. Grant aid is 60% for young trained farmers or 40% in all other cases up to a maximum of €80,000 spend for individuals or €160,000 for partnerships. Minimum spend is €2,000 (all figures exclude VAT). There have been 20 tranches of TAMS and the Mini...
Mar 03, 2021•14 min•Ep. 58
Last week the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine advised farmers that the application process for the 2021 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and the Greening Scheme has now opened online. Over the past few days, farmers have been receiving a BPS information pack in the post containing maps and land details and on this week’s Beef Edge podcast, Teagasc Farm Management Specialist James McDonnell, joins Catherine Egan to discuss all you need to know about your basic payment application online ...
Feb 24, 2021•23 min•Ep. 57
If you want to reduce fertiliser bills on your farm, listen to this week’s Beef Edge podcast with Teagasc specialist Mark Plunkett joining Catherine Egan for top tips and advice Mark advises that the starting point on every farm is to have up to date soil sample results. In 2019 , there were 7,863 samples taken on drystock farms. These results show that 18% of these soils are optimum for lime, phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Once samples are taken a nutrient management plan can be developed fo...
Feb 17, 2021•9 min•Ep. 56
James Madigan, a suckler farmer from Co. Kilkenny, joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast for the latest in the show’s Masterclass series. James outlines his suckling to finishing system with bulls finished under 16 months and heifers under 20 months and he describes how he operates a split calving 50/50 spring and autumn calving herd with 100 cows put to the bull. The spring herd calves December-March and the autumn herd calves in August/September. He achieves great weight gain i...
Feb 10, 2021•18 min•Ep. 55
Calving the suckler cow and caring for the new born calf are important tasks on every spring suckler herd in the coming weeks and for the second in a two-part interview, vet Tommy Heffernan joins Catherine Egan to discuss the key tips for caring for the newborn calf. Tommy first outlines how building the immunity of the calf is important through quality colostrum and describes the 1-2-3 rule of colostrum and how to administer it with a stomach tube if necessary. Hygiene is also very important an...
Feb 03, 2021•19 min•Ep. 54
Calving the suckler cow and caring for the new born calf are important tasks on every spring suckler herd in the coming weeks. Vet Tommy Heffernan joins Catherine Egan on the Beef Edge podcast for a two-part interview to discuss these important topics in detail. In the first part this week, Tommy highlights all the top tips related to calving the suckler cow. One issue on farms is when a farmer intervenes too soon, and Tommy advises how long to wait to intervene and how long is too long? Tommy d...
Jan 27, 2021•15 min•Ep. 53
As part of the Animal Health Ireland & Teagasc Calf Care Virtual Week, Teagasc researcher Emer Kennedy & Joe Patton, Teagasc nutritionist, join Catherine Egan on the latest Beef Edge podcast to discuss the guidelines for feeding milk and concentrates in the diet of the calf. Emer outlines the importance of feeding six litres of milk to the calf. She highlights the importance of following the correct guideline for making up the milk replacer by following the guideline of the product being...
Jan 20, 2021•17 min•Ep. 52
After years of uncertainty since the Brexit referendum in 2016, a deal on the future relations between the European Union and the UK has finally been sealed and on this week’s episode of the Beef Edge podcast, Kevin Hanrahan, Head of Rural Economy and Development Programme at Teagasc, outlines what this deal actually means for the Irish Beef sector. With over 50% of Irish beef going to British markets and the imposition of tariffs and quotas gone, a huge threat has been removed, but Kevin warns ...
Jan 13, 2021•18 min•Ep. 51
Michael Fagan, Technician on the Newford Demonstration Herd joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast with a review of the farm in 2020. With 89% of the herd proving in calf, the focus on the farm at the moment is calving 2021. Michael explains how the finishing steers and heifers preformed in 2020. There were 59 heifers and 46 steers on Newford farm to be slaughtered this year. All of them were sired from 5 star terminal sires Fiston, Gamin, and Mullary Intrepid were used on the mat...
Jan 06, 2021•15 min•Ep. 50
Calf diarrhoea and calf pneumonia the leading causes of death in Irish calves pre-weaning. Vet Doreen Corridan joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge to explain why vaccinations should be used. Preventing disease, less antibiotics and less labour are major benefits Doreen highlights for using vaccinations. As scour accounts for more than 50% of all calf deaths Doreen recommends vaccinating pre calving to avoid issues on your farm. She outlines the vaccinations and protocols in detail. Cry...
Dec 30, 2020•19 min•Ep. 49
The extension of contracts under GLAS & the Beef Data Genomics Programme (BDGP) are to be extended for a rollover period of one year in 2021. Teagasc beef specialist Alan Dillon & Teagasc environment specialist Catherine Keena join Catherine Egan on the Beef Edge Podcast to explain more about these schemes. The deadline to apply for GLAS extension is 31st December 2020 while the deadline to apply for BDGP 1 extension is 15th January 2021. Further information is here: https://www.gov.ie/e...
Dec 23, 2020•14 min•Ep. 48
Do you have a spring calving suckler herd? Then you need to hear what Teagasc Nutritionist Joe Patton has to say in advance of spring calving season 2021 to find out how to manage your suckler cows' nutrition in the crucial weeks pre and post-calving. On this week’s Teagasc Beef Edge Podcast, Joe highlights the importance of nutrition and particularly the body condition score of the cow in reducing health problems around calving. There are countless testimonials from farmers that had issues in t...
Dec 16, 2020•17 min•Ep. 47
Just over 3% of herds in Ireland will go down with TB in any given year and on this week’s episode of the Beef Edge Podcast, Catherine Egan is joined by Philip Breslin, Superintending Veterinary Inspector with the Department of Agriculture Food & the Marine to discuss all things related to bovine TB. Philip outlines how the herd test works and why farmers have to do a herd test every year. Wildlife have been shown to play an important role in spreading TB to cattle in Ireland. The department...
Dec 09, 2020•22 min•Ep. 46
Where stock are to be grazed over the winter months, many farmers will be beginning to transition stock on to fodder crops over the coming days and managing this transition needs to be carefully considered. On this week’s episode of the Beef Edge podcast, Catherine Egan is joined by suckler farmer Michael Flynn from county Waterford to discuss his beef farm system and to find out how he is managing winter fodder crops on his farm at this time of year. There is often a fear among farmers as to wh...
Dec 02, 2020•10 min•Ep. 45
The 2020 Animal Health Awareness Week organised by the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine is taking place this week from 23rd-28th November. On this week’s Beef Edge Podcast, Mícheál Casey, Head of DAFM Regional Veterinary Laboratories (RVL) gives an insight into the many services they provide to farmers. The RVL network provides animal post-mortem examinations, surveillance of disease and laboratory diagnostic services and expertise to the farming community via veterinary practitione...
Nov 25, 2020•16 min•Ep. 44
From 2010 - 2019, 214 farmers lost their lives through a farming accident. They are not just a statistic, they are a valued family member. Each time we hear of a farm accident every farmer stops for a minute as we are all connected through the farming community. On this week’s episode of the Beef Edge, founding member of Embrace FARM (Farm Accident Support Network) Norma Rohan outlines the services it offers. Embrace FARM creates friendships with those who are in the same situation and talking t...
Nov 18, 2020•13 min•Ep. 43
Gurteen College Beef Lecturer, Peter Grogan, and Drystock Farm Manager, Gerard Carey, give an overview of Gurteen College, the farm systems operated and what it has to offer students on this week’s episode of the Beef Edge Podcast. Gerard gives an overview of the Autumn & Spring calving suckler herd, their beef finishing systems, and the dairy calf to beef enterprise along with the contract rearing of the heifers from the dairy herd. Peter gives an outline of the courses offered at Gurteen C...
Nov 11, 2020•22 min•Ep. 42
With consistent rainfall over the past ten days, a lot of cattle have been housed around the country. On this week’s episode of the Beef Edge podcast, Teagasc Nutritionist Joe Patton outlines a number of factors farmers should consider now at housing. As feed accounts for over 75% of variable costs on most beef farms, Joe highlights the results from the Teagasc fodder survey and tips to reduce costs this winter. Testing silage is very important to give an indication what ration is required. Joe ...
Nov 04, 2020•18 min•Ep. 41
In this second of a regular monthly 'Beef Edge Masterclass’ series from expert farmers on the Beef Edge podcast, Catherine Egan is joined by JP Hammersley a farmer in Lattin, Co. Tipperary. JP explains his system whereby British Friesian bull calves are brought to beef as steers at 24 & 28 months. Calves are purchased from one local dairy farmer at 4 weeks of age and arrive in batches of 12. This has worked well for JP over the years, as he knows he’s buying a healthy calf from a known sourc...
Oct 28, 2020•20 min•Ep. 40
In light of the Covid–19 restrictions Dr. Noel Richardson, Director National Centre for Men’s Health , IT Carlow, has some tips on mental and physical well-being on this week’s episode of the Beef Edge Podcast. Farmers are very resilient on a daily basis but at times there can be pressure and stress. Farmers were very busy during the first lockdown with calving and lambing etc. but it’s different coming into the winter time. There is lots we can still do to help each other out even though we are...
Oct 21, 2020•17 min•Ep. 39
Martina Harrington joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to give an overview of parasite control at housing. Housing is one of the best times of the year for treating cattle against some of the more common internal and external parasites. However, products vary in price, in what they control and in how they are given to the animal. Martina outlined what parasites should be controlled at housing. She highlighted that farmers need to be aware of resistance issues on farm and withdr...
Oct 14, 2020•15 min•Ep. 38
Henry O’Donnell project manager of the Inishowen Upland European Innovation Partnership joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to give an overview of the project and explains how it aims to improve the economic sustainability of farming High Nature Value (HNV) land in Inishowen. This is done through the implementation of a range of innovative measures which also deliver on environmental sustainability by increasing biodiversity, improving water quality and combating climate change...
Oct 07, 2020•17 min•Ep. 37
Michael McManus, Manager of the Derrypatrick demonstration farm at Teagasc Grange, joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to give an update on the farm. The Derrypatrick herd is a suckler to beef Teagasc research demonstration farm with a land block of 65 hectares bringing all progeny through to slaughter. In the spring, 105 cows calved and there were 110 live calves which calved over 11 weeks. Breeding season 2020 was confined to 9 weeks. This was to reduce the length of the calv...
Sep 30, 2020•10 min•Ep. 36
This week's episode of the Beef Edge podcast is the first in a regular monthly 'Beef Masterclass’ series from expert farmers. First in the series to discuss his system is Niall O’Meara, a suckler farmer from Co. Galway who operates an autumn calving suckling to weanling system. Niall is achieving all the key targets from birth to weaning and he explains just how he does it. Bull weanlings are sold at 12 months of age at a target weight of 500kgs while replacement heifers calve at 24 months with ...
Sep 23, 2020•14 min•Ep. 35
Iarlaith Collins, Manager of Newford Demonstration Herd joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast with an update on the farm. With 89% of the herd proving in calf the focus on the farm at the moment is weaning. Weight gain of the bull weanlings is 1.39kg/head/day from birth to weaning. Extending the grazing season in very important to reduce costs and the winter period on the farm. Teagasc and Dawn Meats, supported by McDonald's and The Irish Farmers Journal have established a standa...
Sep 16, 2020•15 min•Ep. 34
John Maher, Manager Grass10 Campaign, joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast with an update on grassland management tips to deal with current weather conditions. Managing grass in the coming weeks will play an import role in extending the grazing season and John highlights that each additional day at pasture is worth €2/LU. While there is huge variation across the country, John also discussed a number of issues that have been seen on farms at the moment. With the deadline to apply...
Sep 09, 2020•15 min•Ep. 33
Noel Meehan, Manager of the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advice Programme (ASSAP) joins Catherine Egan on this week’s episode of the Beef Edge to discuss the progress of the programme and what you can do to help improve water quality. Farming plays an important role in the Irish economy and landscape and approximately two-thirds of the Irish land area is in agricultural use. The quality of the water in our rivers, lakes and groundwater needs to improve and farming practices play a key...
Sep 02, 2020•22 min•Ep. 32
The importance of pregnancy scanning cows is the topic on this week’s Beef Edge podcast and Catherine Egan is joined by Teagasc Researcher Professor David Kenny and Teagasc Advisor Sinead Devaney. David highlights the many benefits of scanning of cows as well as the importance of the correct timing of scanning to identify date of calving next spring, twins and possibly the sex of the embryo. Sinead then advises on the key points to be aware of this year when culling empty cows if you participate...
Aug 26, 2020•21 min•Ep. 31
Aidan Murray, Teagasc Beef Specialist, joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge to discuss the Beef Finishers Payment scheme (BFP) which is an Exchequer-funded scheme of €50 million to provide income support for farmers with beef finishing enterprises, who have been impacted by the economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic has opened for applications. The Beef Finishers Payment scheme is open from August 19th and Aidan discusses how you can apply. An estimated 42,000 farmers will be eligibl...
Aug 19, 2020•13 min•Ep. 30
Chris Daly from ICBF joins Catherine Egan on this week’s Beef Edge podcast to discuss all you need to know about BDGP. Chris outlined that there are over 22,500 farmers in BDGP I and the key upcoming date of the 31st October 2020 is very important to ensure that you must have 50% of the reference number of animals, genotyped 4 or 5 star on the Replacement Index. They must be at least 16 months of age, so born before the 30th June 2019. For BDGP II herds, on the 31st of October 2020 you must have...
Aug 12, 2020•15 min•Ep. 29
