Based just outside of Borrisokane in Co. Tipperary, the Moran Family Farm is involved in ABP Food Group’s Advantage Beef Programme and is one of the eight ABP Monitor Farms involved in the initiative, which offers all participants a 20c/kg sustainability bonus on beef cattle for meeting the scheme’s eligibility criteria.
Breeding season on the Moran Family Farm’s suckler herd wrapped up after 12 weeks when bulls were taken out from the cows. Bulls were swapped twice throughout the 12 weeks in order to ensure maximum conception rates.
Cows were scanned at the end of July and the target was for a conception rate above 85%.
50% of cows held in the first three weeks, 20% held in the second three weeks 10% of cows held in the third three weeks of breeding and the remainder were not showing but Eoin said that bulls were not away long enough for these to show in calf.
Eoin was concerned that cold weather conditions affected cyclicity in the cows and conception rates would be lower than expected.
Eoin cut and baled second-cut silage earlier in July and was happy with the yield averaging 12 bales to the acre.
The grass was mowed down and left to wilt for a day and then tedded once to dry it out further.
This 12ac bloc received 65 units of nitrogen (N), along with 32 units of potassium (K) and 2,500gal of slurry to the acre.
Once the silage was taken, 2,500gal of slurry/ac was spread back onto the paddocks and regrowth has been steady since.
Eoin’s maize and fodder beet are performing well. The maize and fodder beet will be harvested and chopped together and ensiled in a pit in the yard. Winter barley was harvested last weekend.
This has been stored in the shed and Eoin estimates yields were approximately 4t/ac. This will be treated with an alkaline product and used for winter feed.
The winter barley yielded 13 bales/ac of straw which will also be useful for winter.
Eoin is planning on taking dung samples from his yearling heifers and the results will then be used to ensure the correct anthelmintic can be used to treat internal parasites.
In the video below, Advantage Beef Programme farm liaison officer Gavin Healy outlines best practice when taking a dung sample:
10 young bulls went to the factory for slaughter in early July. The bulls were under 16-months-of-age and had an average grade of U=3+.
The average carcass weight was approximately 360kg and Eoin was happy with their performance.
Fore more updates on the Advantage Beef Programme, click here and for ABP Monitor Farm updates, click here.