The research project focuses on the performance of dairy-beef cattle on different sward types and has been running in conjunction with ABP Food Group and UCD since 2019.

The study consists of three farms, each comprising of 8ha and each supporting 20 livestock units.

The cattle used in the trial are all Hereford-cross steers (bullocks) with 20 finishers and 20 calves on each farm.

Each of the three farms have a different type of pasture and different levels of chemical fertiliser are applied.

The three sward types and treatments are as follows:

PRG at 210kg N/Ha/year;
PRG/white clover (WC) at 90kg N/ha/year;
Multi-species sward (MSS) (PRG, Timothy, WC, red clover (RC), chicory, and plantain) at 90kg N/ha/yr.

Once an animal enters the study, it is allocated to one of the three forage types and then receives that forage - either grazed or as silage - for the duration of their life.

All groups receive 1.25kg concentrate supplementation during the first winter, with this stopping six weeks before turnout.

They are then finished on a forage concentrate diet.

The 2025 calf weights are summarised (in kg) below: 

The three groups of older steers were housed for finishing on October 2.

Their average weights were as follows:

PRG group: 536kg;
PRG/WC group: 521kg;
MSS group: 552kg.

The UCD professor explained to Agriland that the PRG sward trial group had the lowest average daily live weight gain during the grazing season at 1.03kg/head/day.

The PRG/WC and the MSS group both had an ADG of 1.07kg/head/day.

The most recent weight-recording data was on October 31, where the following group average weights were recorded:

PRG: 584kg;
PRG/WC: 566kg;
MSS: 595kg.

Prof. Boland said: "The finishing cattle are on a 60:40 diet currently.

"Based on projections, the MSS group will be the first group to be slaughtered next week (November 24)."