Green Acres Calf To Beef Programme: AgriLand Media hosts 'The Calf Show'

Next week, as part of the Green Acres Calf To Beef Programme with Teagasc, AgriLand will host a series of programmes presented by AgriLand beef specialist Michael Carey.

Over the course of four evenings next week, starting on Monday, February 22, Michael will discuss a range of topics with stakeholder representatives such as Teagasc, Volac, Munster Bovine and farmers.

AgriLand beef specialist Michael Carey

The first episode will get underway at 7:30pm next Monday, with a discussion about preparing your farm for the arrival of calves and the factors to consider when choosing calves.

AgriLand will take a look at the housing facilities that need to be provided for calves this spring in order to maintain good health and performance and what farmers need to think of when it comes to the price of calves.

Panellists for the programme include Doreen Corridan from Munster Bovine, Seán Cummins from Teagasc and Peter O’Hanrahan – a farmer in the Teagasc Green Acres programme.

Calf feeding

The second programme in the series will be broadcast on Tuesday, February 23, at 7:30pm, and will focus on calf feeding and hygiene.

During the discussion, AgriLand will take a look at the levels of milk replacer that calves need to be getting this spring. Alongside this, we take a look at maintaining good hygiene and biosecurity levels on farms.

Tuesday’s panel will include Rebecca O’Sullivan from Volac, James Fitzgerald from Teagasc and Irvine Allen, a Teagasc Green Acres participant.

Herd Health and vaccination

In programme three, next Wednesday (February 24) at 7:30pm, AgriLand will focus the discussion on the health of your herd and the vaccination plan.

There will be a panel discussion with Suzanne Naughton from MSD and James Fitzgerald from Teagasc on how vaccination programmes can be implemented on farms this spring, along with the experience of implementing a herd health plan with Teagasc Green Acres participant Martin Connolly.

Weaning calves

The final in ‘The Calf Show’ series will take place next Thursday, February 25, at 7:30pm, where the discussion will focus on preparing calves for weaning and turnout.

Michael Carey will be joined in the discussion about preparing to wean calves off milk and getting them ready for turnout to grass by Alan Dillon and Sean Cummins from Teagasc, Dermot Meehan from Drummonds and Pat Collins – a Teagasc Green Acres Calf To Beef participant.

The idea of the Teagasc Green Acres Calf To Beef Programme is to share information from participating farms with beef producers across the country to help farmers improve the performance of their business.