Two local Teagasc Suckler Breeding Farm walks

Two local farm walks are scheduled as part of the series of Teagasc Suckler Breeding Farm Walks.

The walks are part of 16 being organised by Teagasc and the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation across the country over the coming weeks.

With the new Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) launched this week by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) these farm walks will be focusing on the main requirements suckler farmers will be expected to meet to maximise their payments, and the key breeding technologies that will help to achieve them.

A walk will take place on the farm of John Keena, Ferbane (Eircode R42 YW29) on Thursday, April 13, at 11am. The following week, the focus shifts to Keenagh, and the farm of Padraig Gerety, Derrylough (Eircode N39 D295) with a walk organised for Wednesday, April 19, at 6.30pm.

All of the farm walks are taking place on commercial suckler farms that are already achieving a very high breeding performance from their herds. A number of them are Signpost Demonstration Farms who are participating in the Teagasc FutureBeef programme.

Teagasc beef specialists and advisors, along with ICBF technical staff, will be available to discuss with farmers the most suitable options for breeding future replacement heifers for their herds.

With an increasing interest among suckler farmers in using more AI in their herds there will also be a focus at these walks on synchronisation options for cows and heifers, as well as information on how sexed semen may be of benefit to suckler herds. Farmers will have the opportunity to discuss beef bulls available through AI in 2023, along with the new sensor technologies to aid heat detection that are now on the market with the staff from various companies.