The focus of BEEF2026 is to provide a detailed rundown on all the best practice measures and latest research findings that underpin efficient and profitable beef cattle farming.

These will cover the main areas of beef production such as: grassland management; silage production; animal nutrition; calf rearing; beef genetics; suckler cow productivity; finishing systems and animal health.

Information will be presented in a very clear, practical manner, with the focus being on demonstrations, live displays and interactive exhibits.

Teagasc will also analyse the recent changes in beef and input price markets and provide an assessment of what all this means for farm level profitability.

There will also be opportunities to meet the researchers who led the research projects from which these latest findings were obtained.

Beef research

A number of projects have recently been completed on clover-based pastures and the results will be presented in the grassland village.

This research has shown clear advantages in terms of animal production, reduced forage production costs and lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Importantly, the next stage of this research is ongoing with a number of postgraduate students currently assessing how these advantages can be exploited even further.

Watch below: Peter Bennett's research looks at suckler beef systems, in particular with the Derrypatrick Research Herd, comparing grass clover-based swards to grass only and sire breed maturity within an early age of finishing system.

Which category of cattle benefit most from red clover silage feeding and where does ration supplementation fit into these feeding systems?

It is well established that calving at two-years of age brings major savings to suckler systems when compared to three-year old calving.

The key principles behind two-year old calving will be addressed in the suckler village.

Watch below: Sarah Armstrong's research, conducted as part of the RumenVentory project, focuses on evaluating lifetime enteric methane emissions from the suckler beef herd.

Her research focus on evaluating management strategies to reduce enteric methane emissions, including pasture type, silage quality, feed regimes, and animal genetics allowing for more proactive decisions on how the suckler herd can improve breeding and management practices to mitigate methane.

The research programme at Grange is exploring strategies to further aid reducing age at first-calving from the current national average of 32 months.

Researchers from Teagasc Grange will describe what this research entails with strategies revolving around nutritional interventions at key life-time stages and genotype comparisons.

Teagasc is also interested in hearing from suckler farmers about their own experiences and views on age at first-calving.

Watch below: Chloe Higgins' research focuses on reducing the age of beef heifers at first calving and slaughter. The project investigates the impact of improved early-life nutrition between four- and eight-months-of-age, along with the use of early- and late-maturing breed types.

The overall aim is to enhance production efficiency and improve farm profitability.

Dairy-beef now accounts for over 60% of total beef cattle finished in Ireland and the beef merit of progeny from the dairy herd is dictated by breeding decisions made on dairy farms.

Breeding cows for dairy production traits has been shown to have negative consequences on the beef genetic merit of their progeny.

Currently the dairy-beef research programme is investigating the performance of early and late-maturing beef progeny from the dairy herd.

One full production cycle has been completed, and a preliminary economic appraisal will be presented at BEEF2026.

Watch below: Jenny Abbott is a Walsh Scholar specialising in the optimisation of dairy beef production systems, with a specific emphasis on early life nutrition.

Her research evaluates the physiological and financial impacts of strategic supplementation on dairy-bred steers and bulls, aiming to align strong developmental growth with maximum economic efficiency at farm level.

A new research project at Teagasc Grange commenced this spring to assess the impact of dairy cow genetics and sire genetic merit on overall productivity, efficiency and economics for the dairy-beef enterprise.

These calves vary greatly in Commercial Beef Value (CBV), the selection index for farmers to identify the relative profitability potential of beef calves.

Attendees at BEEF2026 will have an opportunity to view these calves and meet the researchers who are leading this research programme.

**Videos of impact of dairy cow genetics**??

The Teagasc beef farming open day, BEEF2026, supported by FBD Insurance, will take place at Teagasc Grange, Dunsany, Co. Meath (Eircode C15 PW93) on Wednesday, July 1.

Please follow road traffic instructions as you approach the venue.