You are all very welcome to this major Teagasc National Beef Open Day for 2016. At the Teagasc Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation centre in Grange, we have brought together our advisers, specialists and researchers along with the main stakeholders involved in the beef sector to address the issues and challenges facing beef farmers and the industry in the years ahead.

The cattle and beef sector is hugely important, not just to the agricultural sector, but to the entire economy. It accounts for 30% of gross agricultural output, valued at €2.1bn in 2013. Annual beef output is 518,000 tonnes, with 90% exported, valued at €1.8bn. So it’s an important contributor to the economic activity in Ireland.

BEEF 2016 event provides a great opportunity to see the latest in animal breeding and grassland research and examine the economics and profitability of the different production systems

Last year, there were 6.9m cattle in Ireland, of which 1.1m were suckler cows. Over 90,000 farms have a cattle enterprise.

Notwithstanding the economic importance of the sector, it faces a number of significant challenges, namely poor profitability at farm level. Ireland’s competitive advantage in beef production is based on the efficient production and utilisation of pasture. This will require beef and cattle farmers to adopt the latest technologies in relation to grassland management, beef genetics and animal management. The application of these technologies will facilitate and maximise profitability of beef systems at farm level.

BEEF 2016 event provides a great opportunity to see the latest in animal breeding and grassland research and examine the economics and profitability of the different production systems.

Sustainable beef farming

There is also an opportunity to get the latest updates on the Maternal Index, Derrypatrick and Newford herds; while the lessons learned and the technologies adopted by the farmer participants in the Teagasc/Irish Farmers Journal BETTER Farm Beef Programme will be spelled out for all to see.

A special forum at the end of the Open Day will focus on “Young Farmers in Beef”. This will include a panel discussion with five young beef farmers on how they are planning to develop sustainable family beef farming businesses into the future. This will allow you as farmers to have your say and to comment on, and contribute to, the discussion on the information presented.

I would like to thank all my Teagasc colleagues who have worked hard to ensure that this BEEF 2016 Open day is a success. I would also like to thank all the other organisations who partnered with us to participate in this event. I would like to acknowledge the support of FBD Trust for BEEF 2016. I hope you have an enjoyable and educational day and that this comprehensive booklet will provide you with the technical knowledge that you need to take home and apply to your own cattle business.

Read more

To read the full Beef 2016 Focus supplement click here.