The Sustainable Breeding Summit produced by Agriland Media Group in conjunction with Progressive Genetics and Munster Bovine is set to bring you three webinars on all things breeding for 2022.

The Sustainable Breeding Summit will be taking place over three evenings next week, Tuesday, April 5; Wednesday, April 6; and Thursday, April 7.

The summit will include a panel discussion each evening along with a number of short interviews with farmers and experts in their fields.

Episode one

In episode one of the Sustainable Breeding Summit, sustainability and business development manager with Munster Bovine, Martin Kavanagh, will be in discussion with a panel including:

  • Seamus Hughes Co. Wexford, dairy farmer and Progressive Genetics breeding advisor;
  • Robert Hovenden, dairy farmer from Rathdowney, Co Laois;
  • Michael Ryan, dairy farmer from Cashel, Co. Tipperary;
  • George Ramsbottom, dairy specialist with Teagasc;
  • Eoin McCarthy, dairy farmer from Kilorglin, Co. Kerry.

The panel discussion takes place on the farm of James Hanly, with the focus in episode one on how economic breeding index (EBI) has delivered on Irish dairy farms.

There will be an interview with each member of the panel followed by a panel discussion.

You will see George Beattie from George Goes Dairy Farming meet cousins James and Trevor Hanly on James’ Co. Tipperary dairy farm.

George speaks to James about his 300-cow dairy farm, which is averaging 500kg milk solids, at 4.1% fat and 3.4% protein and how he has gotten to this level.

Trevor a breeding advisor with Progressive Genetics outlines how EBI has been used on the farm to achieve this figures and much more.

Grass tetany

Episode two

In episode two of the Sustainable Breeding Summit, Martin Kavanagh joins a panel including:

  • Ben Slee, artifical insemination (AI) technician with Munster Bovine;
  • Denis Howard, veterinary surgeon with Munster Bovine;
  • James Hanly, dairy farmer from Co. Tipperary;
  • Trevor Hanly, breeding advisor with Progressive Genetics;
  • George Beattie, Co. Wicklow dairy farmer and presenter of George Goes Dairy Farming.

Episode two also takes place on the farm of James Hanly, with the focus of this episode on breeding and fertility management on Irish dairy farms.

Similar to episode one, there will be a number of interviews followed by a panel discussion.

George Beattie speaks with AI technicians Ben Slee from Munster Bovine and Fergal Cuddy from Progressive Genetics about the breeding season that lies ahead.

John Heslin and Rose Goulding speak about dairy calf to beef, while Martin Kavanagh and Denis Howard talk about field fertility.

dairy heifers

Episode three

In episode three of the Sustainable Breeding Summit, Co. Westmeath man and suckler farmer John Heslin joins a panel including:

  • Hubert Nicholson, suckler farmer from Co. Meath;
  • John McDaniel, breeding advisor with Progressive Genetics;
  • Ciaran Lenehan, suckler farmer from Co. Meath;
  • Rose Goulding, beef programme manager with the National Cattle Breeding Centre (NCBC).

Episode three has a change of venue and focus. The focus of episode three is on suckler breeding and takes place on the farm of Hubert Nicholson, a suckler farm near Slane Co. Meath.

Once again, it will be a simple format with a number of interviews followed by the panel discussion.

John McDaniel speaks to Hubert Nicholson about his farm, the system operated and breeding policy.

Ronan Mulligan from Progressive Genetics speaks with Rose Goulding, the beef programme manager with the National Cattle Breeding Centre (NCBC).

Ronan will speak to Rose about the selection of beef sires in NCBC, how schemes have changed the breeding focus on farms, and more.

Rose Goulding speaks to Ciaran Lenehan about how he manages the breeding season, she also speaks with Robert McGuinness, a suckler farmer and AI technician with Progressive Genetics.

Sustainable Beef Summit

Not to be missed

The Sustainable Breeding Summit is not to be missed, each episode will be streamed on the evenings of Tuesday, April 5, Wednesday, April 6 and Thursday, April 7 at 7:00p.m.

So grab a cup of tea put your feet up and listen to the panel of experts and farmers talk all things breeding over the three evenings.