The Future Beef Programme

Martina Harrington, Teagasc’s specialist and programme manager, gives an insight into the new suckler beef demonstration farm programme on this week’s Beef Edge podcast. Teagasc’s Future Beef programme comprises of a network of 24 demonstration farms positioned right across Ireland. Each farm is representative of their region in farm size, soil type, system, stock numbers etc. The farm size ranges from 13ha to 122ha, while the herd size ranges from 14-suckler cows right up to 112 cows. The systems range from farms selling weanlings, finishing heifers and steers to producing under 16 month bulls, whilst four are also buying in dairy bred calves. Martina explains that when designing the programme, they wanted an ‘Operation Transformation’ type model, where there would be one farmer as ‘a leader’ for the majority of systems within the beef sector. As part of the Future Beef programme, Martina says that the programme will be supporting farmers to adopt technologies new and old to reduce the level of GHG and Ammonia emission from their farms. Improving water quality and increasing biodiversity on farm are also key aspects of the programme and Future Beef will work closely with the ASSAP programme advisors to inform the participants what can be done on farm to reduce agriculture impact on water quality. Through farm walks, discussion group visits, press articles, regular updates on the website and social media, the Future Beef programme will show these technologies working on 22 commercial farms and 2 non-commercial farms. Alongside Martina will be Gabriel Trayers and Aisling Molloy, plus local, regional unit Teagasc Business & Technology advisors and Teagasc researchers who will all be involved in the programme. For further information: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/beef/demonstration-farms/future-beef-programme/ Find your nearest programme participant here: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/beef/demonstration-farms/future-beef-programme/farmers/ For more episodes and information covered on the Beef Edge, visit the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com.