Justin's updates

Update 4: 23/07/2009

Update 3: 22/07/2009

Hi there guys / girls. Just finished another Farmers Journal. Wednesday is a real busy day for the Journal team as we must have articles be completed before 3pm to ensure you have your paper on Thursday morning. Unfortunately it’s not good news on the beef price front this week with prices hitting a two year low at 297c/kg.

I have a very interesting article in this week on my recent trip to Scotland - I visited a 4,000 acre farm that was running a herd of 600 suckler cows. Steers and heifers were being finished at 18 months.
 It is great to see a good level of activity on the website at this early stage of the competition and from looking at the pics of your stock there are quite a few of you going for that €1,000 weanling.

The live trade to Italy is holding up well and those good BB and CH calves are currently selling from €2.50 to €3.00/kg. Make sure to have them on meals at least four weeks before weaning to ensure you get you Suckler cow money. You need to send the post weaning form in within seven days of meal feeding so remind Mum or Dad. 

 Well I better go and start work on next week’s paper. I’m heading out to West Clare on Friday to visit a suckler farm selling autumn born weanlings for €1200 to €1300. His best calf made €1900. Will take a few pics and post them up on my return. 

 Keep up the good work and look forward to reading your blogs. 

 Justin

Update 2: 20/07/09

It doesn’t seem like a year ago since we first launched, what proved to be a hugely successful, Irish Farmers Journal Heifer Competition. I can clearly recall sitting down to go through the 500 plus entries. Each entry clearly showed the passion that young people have for farming and in particularly good quality livestock.

I often get asked at meetings around the country as to the biggest threat facing the future of livestock production in Ireland. Farmers are often surprised at my response. It is not poor cattle prices or cheap beef imports. It is the “grey haired brigade” – e.g. the age profile of farmers involved in the sector.

You as a young farmer are the future. Unless we as an industry can foster and develop your passion for farming then there is no future.  If we don’t have young farmers with the necessary technical, business and stockmanship skills to take over the family farms then the breeding and genetic improvement that is currently ongoing in the Irish beef herd will be a waste of time.

No matter what career path you choose it is essential that you acquire the necessary skills to ensure you do a top quality job. If you decide on a career in farming, either full time or part time, then now is the time to start and develop your skills. My advice to you would be to get out and about as much as possible. Attend farm walks, open days and keep up to speed with good technical advice. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and certainly don’t be afraid to ask questions. As a young farmer the industry is depending on you for new ideas.  

There is no doubt that we will see a huge number of entries to this years competition. I look forward to following the progress through the blogs and the postal entries.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the breed societies that kindly donate a heifer. The fact that we have a total of eight heifers up for grabs shows just how committed the respective societies are to encouraging young people into farming.

Well it is over to you now- time to get working on your entries. Make sure to come and see the heifers for yourself at Tullamore show. Who knows perhaps you could be in the running come the Ploughing in September.

Good luck to everyone!!!!

Update 1: 16/07/09 - Competition goes live