Two beef farmers from Co. Sligo who are both supplying cattle to ABP Food Group and involved in the processors’ sustainability initiative have given an update on how the first four months of the year has been on their farms.
Willie Kelly is a suckler farmer based in Skreen Co. Sligo and Pat Carthy is a part-time suckler and beef farmer located near Tubbercurry in Co. Sligo.
Both farmers are part of the ABP Food Group’s Monitor Farms. These monitor farms aim to showcase on typical family farm settings, and what can be done to improve all aspects of farm sustainability in a way that works for both the farmer and the environment.
ABP’s Philip Farrell visited the two farms and heard how challenging the spring has been.
Farmer Willie Kelly from Co. Sligo:
- Herd consists of mainly Limousin/Charolais suckler cows;
- Lambing Suffolk-cross ewes;
- Bringing all calves through to beef (U-16 month bulls);
- Mostly autumn/early spring calving system.
As of Thursday April 18, all cows remain housed on Willie Kelly’s farm, with calves having access to a creep area.
In previous years, Willy would have had all cows and calves turned out to grass by early April, with a surplus of silage left over.
Cows are now approaching seven months housed, and fodder is becoming scarce. Willy has approximately one week’s silage left in the pit and is finding it next to impossible to source straw.
In previous years, Willy would have mixed a feed of silage and straw through the diet feeder to reduce silage consumption, however, this year he has not been feeding any straw due to scarcity.
Willie has approximately 40 yearling cattle currently at grass, between bulls and heifers.
These are spread out in smaller groups across some of the larger paddocks to avoid poaching.
There is approximately 30-40% of the farm grazed, and with the pressure of very little fodder, Willy hopes to turn out cows and calves in the coming week in the hope of rising temperatures and reduction in rainfall forecast.
Autumn-born bulls will go to grass for the summer and will be housed in September for finishing at under-16-months.
The farm managed to take full advantage of a dry spell in mid-February and spread all the silage ground with slurry at 2000g/ac using his own tanker.
He also managed to spread the same land with 24:2.5:10 at a rate of 150kg/acre (3 bags/ac) during the last week of March, which was similar to previous years.
Willy hopes to take a first cut of high-quality silage in Mid-May and will also make a second cut on the same land.
With weather conditions becoming more of a problem each year and housing lengths becoming longer, he decided it was time to invest in a second silage pit to make surplus feed. He has decided to cut at least an extra 10-15ac of second-cut silage this year.
Otherwise, Willy is continuing to work with his ABP liaison team to optimise soil fertility by taking soil samples, feed analysis, and animal health plans to achieve the best from his farm during these tough conditions.
Farmer Pat Carthy from Co. Sligo:
- Part-time suckler-beef Farmer;
- Herd consists of Charolais/Belgian Blue cows;
- Bringing males to U16/U24 month bull beef;
- Autumn/spring calving;
- Going into dairy calf to beef system.
Pat currently has 40 yearling cattle out grazing over larger paddock areas in smaller groups to avoid poaching. These are receiving 2kg of concentrates/head/day and are being moved regularly.
The land requires 2,000g of cattle slurry/ac to meet soil nutrient targets, but the ground conditions this spring rendered slurry spreading unworkable so far this year.
Pat has managed to spread a small amount of protected urea to kick start grass growth but expects silage cutting dates will be slightly later this year.
Pat plans to have slurry applied at 2,000g/ac and apply fertiliser as soon as conditions improve with the aim of cutting silage in early to mid-June and a second cut later in the year.
Pat has decided to change his farming system from sucklers to a calf-to-beef system, which he hopes will reduce the workload and suit his work lifestyle more appropriately.
This year, he plans to cut the same amount of silage, grow the same amount of grass but increase stock numbers.
Pat sources his calves through the Advantage Beef Programme farm liaison team and gets his calves contract reared.