TOP STORIES
Northern Ireland
Weighing up the pros and cons of meeting BCRS age limits
Kieran Mailey
The slaughter age limits set out under the Beef Carbon Reduction Scheme have seen more cattle being finished that are underfleshed. Kieran Mailey reports.
Weighing up the pros and cons of meeting BCRS age limits
 
 
LATEST HEADLINES
NEWS
Second suspected outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Germany
Amy Forde
Second suspected outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Germany
Foot-and-mouth disease symptoms were found in a number of animals during a clinical examination on Wednesday in the Barnim district in Germany.
Protina tops the spring beans list
Siobhán Walsh
Protina tops the spring beans list
Protina looks to be an impressive variety on the recommended list this year with the highest yield and a high protein content.
Rachel Gallagher
Hereford Bluefaced Leicester sale tops at 2,000gns
James Hanly
Kerry Dairy Ireland lifts December milk price
James Hanly
Dairygold to pay year-end bonus for milk and grain
Roscommon farmer praises quality of Triple AAA Golden Maverick SPONSORED
Roscommon farmer praises quality of Triple AAA Golden Maverick
Aidan McDonnell, based near Roscommon town, explains how using Triple AAA Golden Maverick has resulted in ‘minimal sickness’ among his herd.
MART REPORTS
Sheep mart prices: contrasting fortunes for cull and in-lamb ewes
Darren Carty
Sheep mart prices: contrasting fortunes for cull and in-lamb ewes
The market for cull ewes has been booming in the last week to 10 days, but, in contrast, in-lamb ewes are meeting a relatively subdued trade, with fewer farmers with an appetite to lamb ewes.
Camera at the Mart: Suffolk-cross ewe lambs hit €4.84/kg in Brockagh
Rachel Gallagher
Camera at the Mart: Suffolk-cross ewe lambs hit €4.84/kg in Brockagh
Rachel Gallagher reports from Brockagh Cloghan Mart for its first sheep sale of 2025.
Camera at the Mart: heifers and cows on fire in Roscrea
Darren Carty
Camera at the Mart: heifers and cows on fire in Roscrea
Heifers weighing over 600kg recorded a fine average of €3.76/kg on Saturday, while an entry of over 320 cows averaged just shy of €3/kg on Monday.
PODCASTS
VIDEO HUB
BEEF
Disease outbreaks a challenge for meat industry in 2025 - O'Toole
Adam Woods
Disease outbreaks a challenge for meat industry in 2025 - O'Toole
Negative tests rule out second outbreak of foot-and-mouth in Germany
Amy Forde
Negative tests rule out second outbreak of foot-and-mouth in Germany
Second suspected outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Germany
Amy Forde
Second suspected outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Germany
Beef prices rocket to record levels
Adam Woods
Beef prices rocket to record levels
FARM PROGRAMMES
DAIRY
Negative tests rule out second outbreak of foot-and-mouth in Germany
Amy Forde
Negative tests rule out second outbreak of foot-and-mouth in Germany
German authorities will examine more farms this Friday and test animals for foot-and-mouth disease.
Carbery maintains milk price for December
Rachel Donovan
Carbery maintains milk price for December
A Carbery spokesperson said that dairy markets are stable at the start of 2025.
Amy Forde
Second suspected outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Germany
e-Learning
James Hanly
Dairygold to pay year-end bonus for milk and grain
Land purchase considerations: key factors for farmers SPONSORED
Land purchase considerations: key factors for farmers
The nature of farming like any business, is that farmers are continually investing in their farms, land, infrastructure, buildings, stock and machinery to improve on-farm efficiencies or productivity
SHEEP
Teagasc lowland sheep conference dates announced
Rachel Donovan
Teagasc lowland sheep conference dates announced
Negative tests rule out second outbreak of foot-and-mouth in Germany
Amy Forde
Negative tests rule out second outbreak of foot-and-mouth in Germany
Second suspected outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Germany
Amy Forde
Second suspected outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Germany
Hereford Bluefaced Leicester sale tops at 2,000gns
Rachel Gallagher
Hereford Bluefaced Leicester sale tops at 2,000gns
KNOWLEDGE HUB
ANIMAL HEALTH
Pneumonia risk in store cattle rising with mild weather
Kieran Mailey
Pneumonia risk in store cattle rising with mild weather
As milder weather is likely to increase the risk of pneumonia in housed cattle, keep a close eye on animals in the coming days.
Rearing dairy beef calves in Castlefinn
Adam Woods
Rearing dairy beef calves in Castlefinn
Adam Woods reports from the first Animal Health Ireland Calf Care event which took place in Donegal last week.
PEDIGREE
Hereford Bluefaced Leicester sale tops at 2,000gns
Rachel Gallagher
Hereford Bluefaced Leicester sale tops at 2,000gns
Rachel Gallagher reports on the recent Bluefaced Leicester sale held at the Hereford Livestock Centre.
Classy Lassies and Blue Belles start the Bluefaced Leicester sales of 2025
Rachel Gallagher
Classy Lassies and Blue Belles start the Bluefaced Leicester sales of 2025
Rachel Gallagher reports from Borderway Mart in Carlisle where – for the first time ever on the same day– both the Classy Lassies and Blue Belles sales took place, and both to much success.
Getting through the first SBLAS audit SPONSORED
Getting through the first SBLAS audit
Damien Murray, Origin Green Producer Liaison & Standard Co-Coordinator gives a step by step guide for new suckler members of SBLAS facing their first audit.
Roscommon farmer praises quality of Triple AAA Golden MaverickSPONSORED
Roscommon farmer praises quality of Triple AAA Golden Maverick
Aidan McDonnell, based near Roscommon town, explains how using Triple AAA Golden Maverick has resulted in ‘minimal sickness’ among his herd.
CalfCare ’25 roadshow to promote calf health and good calf rearing practicesSPONSORED
CalfCare ’25 roadshow to promote calf health and good calf rearing practices
Seventeen farms nationwide will host CalfCare ’25, a collaborative roadshow by Animal Health Ireland (AHI) and Teagasc’s DairyBeef 500 campaign, promoting calf health and good calf-rearing practices.
Healthy hens, longer lay with MSDSPONSORED
Healthy hens, longer lay with MSD
With around eight million laying hens in the whole of Ireland, egg production is a growing sector
For daily news, mart prices and ePaper access from 6am on Thursday, subscribe for just €1 SUBSCRIBE
AGRIBUSINESS
FBD Hotels and Resorts acquires landmark Dublin property
Lorcan Roche Kelly
FBD Hotels and Resorts acquires landmark Dublin property
Grand Hotel in Malahide had been on the market since mid-2024
Arrabawn-Tipperary merger is delayed until early February
Lorcan Roche Kelly
Arrabawn-Tipperary merger is delayed until early February
Formation of new co-op now not likely until early February.
No numbers provided regarding Dairygold termination notices
Declan O’Brien
No numbers provided regarding Dairygold termination notices
Dissatisfaction with changes to the co-op's loyalty reward scheme are at the heart of the dispute.
Dairygold says bank debt ‘at a very manageable level’
Caitríona Morrissey
Dairygold says bank debt ‘at a very manageable level’
The co-op was responding to concerns aired by farmers at a meeting in Mitchelstown on Monday night.
TILLAGE
Protina tops the spring beans list
Siobhán Walsh
Protina tops the spring beans list
Grain Trends: maize stocks helping prices
Siobhán Walsh
Grain Trends: maize stocks helping prices
Fertiliser raffles at meetings
The Dealer
Fertiliser raffles at meetings
'We cannot let this report gather dust' - IGGG on Food Vision
Siobhán Walsh
Tillage Management: varieties and moving slurry
Protina tops the spring beans list SPONSORED
Sustainability progress on Irish farms
Origin Green sustainability and data analytics manager Dr Eleanor Murphy reports on Irish farm emissions.
MACHINERY
LAMMA 2025 - Knight shows new nozzle tech with chemical injection
Peter Thomas Keaveney
LAMMA 2025 - Knight shows new nozzle tech with chemical injection
Knight Farm Machinery unveiled a new in-house developed system that allows sprayers equipped with boom recirculation to incorporate chemical injection.
John Deere showcases latest autonomy on 9RX
Gary Abbott
John Deere showcases latest autonomy on 9RX
At the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show 2025 in Las Vegas, John Deere revealed a number of autonomous machines, further building on the autonomous 8R410 which was first showcased at the 2022 show.
Peter Thomas Keaveney
JCB’s hydrogen engine gets green light for commercial use
Gary Abbott
Bobman cubicle bedder saves 13 hours a week on Meath dairy farm
Peter Thomas Keaveney
Alpego – the rising Italian manufacturer who quadrupled turnover in last decade
New quad bike regulations - are you ready? SPONSORED
New quad bike regulations - are you ready?
Quad bikes are designed to cope with a wide variety of terrain types and so are a fantastic aid for farm work - by Ciaran Roche, FBD risk manager.
PROPERTY
Pair of renovation projects offer value
Tommy Moyles
Pair of renovation projects offer value
Quinn Property have a pair of renovation project properties on the market in counties Carlow and Wexford, writes Tommy Moyles.
Antique contents of iconic Slane period home set for online auction
Tommy Moyles
Antique contents of iconic Slane period home set for online auction
The contents of historic Clonkeehan Stud, The Square, Slane, Co Meath will be auctioned off at the end of January, writes Tommy Moyles.
Kilkenny farm is set for auction in March
Tommy Moyles
Kilkenny farm is set for auction in March
A compact holding in north Kilkenny with a functional yard and good grassland heads for public auction later this spring, writes Tommy Moyles.
BUILDINGS
Roofing open tanks: a viable option?
Martin Merrick
Roofing open tanks: a viable option?
Martin Merrick discusses the costs and options with roofing over a tank already in-situ.
CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT
Thurles student wins sustainable farming award at BT Young Scientist
James Hanly
Thurles student wins sustainable farming award at BT Young Scientist
Luke Blackwell won the award for his project ‘A novel approach to regenerative agriculture through the use of Comfrey as a sustainable soil enhancer’.
Tenders sought for Kildare wetlands restoration
James Hanly
Tenders sought for Kildare wetlands restoration
The team is tasked with creating a restoration plan for a calcareous fen and associated habitats at Pollardstown Fen SAC with the aim of implementing measures an monitoring.
RENEWABLES
Galway firm acquires UK-based Marches Biogas
Stephen Robb
Galway firm acquires UK-based Marches Biogas
Marches Biogas has built over 30 AD plants in the UK, ranging from 50kWe to large-scale facilities processing feedstocks including energy crops, farm slurries, food and industrial wastes.
Wind and solar farms save €840m in electricity bills since 2000 – new report
Stephen Robb
Wind and solar farms save €840m in electricity bills since 2000 – new report
Building wind and solar farms have saved Irish electricity customers €840m since 2000, according to a new report from Wind Energy Ireland.
FORESTRY
Hometree announces new head of woodlands and land partnerships
James Hanly
Hometree announces new head of woodlands and land partnerships
Marina Conway will lead the conservation charity’s efforts to restore ancient and long-established woodlands along Ireland's west coast, working closely with landowners, communities and policymakers.
€24.2m payments paid to forest owners
James Hanly
€24.2m payments paid to forest owners
The tax-free payments were issued to over 7,000 forest owners who applied for their payments through the Department’s Online Services website.
NORTHERN IRELAND
News in-brief from Northern Ireland
David Wright
News in-brief from Northern Ireland
Weekly news in-brief from across the farming industry in Northern Ireland.
Sustainability is a ‘massive opportunity’ for NI farms
Peter McCann
Sustainability is a ‘massive opportunity’ for NI farms
Ian Marshall from Queen's University Belfast spoke at the Oxford Farming Conference last week.
IRISH COUNTRY LIVING
Life
Sowing the seeds of innovation
Students explored innovative solutions for agricultural problems at the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, writes Rosalind Skillen.
Sowing the seeds of innovation
Comment
Editorial: ‘If you’re caring for children at home, think about your pension'
Life
BT Young Scientist & Technology: Bright minds and brilliant discoveries
Property
Antique contents of iconic Slane period home set for online auction
Property
Kilkenny farm is set for auction in March
CAO Special: don’t miss out on additional supports
Sarah McIntosh
CAO Special: don’t miss out on additional supports
The HEAR and DARE scheme is in place to break down barriers to third-level education. It is important students get their application in, writes Sarah McIntosh.
'Lovely things happen when families make an effort to come together'
Katherine O'Leary
'Lovely things happen when families make an effort to come together'
A family get-together proves memorable in the local pub while farmers welcome the thaw after a week of hardship, writes Katherine O'Leary.
Holdings with big interest
Tommy Moyles
Holdings with big interest
Policy and a love of the land are among the factors that play a role in smaller holdings of land receiving more interest than larger farms according to one auctioneer, reports Tommy Moyles.
Top Westmeath farm has €450,000 price tag
Tommy Moyles
Top Westmeath farm has €450,000 price tag
The presence of a derelict cottage with good road access is an added bonus in the sale of 64ac, writes Tommy Moyles.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Watch: this past week in pictures as slurry spreading window opens
Photo Desk
Watch: this past week in pictures as slurry spreading window opens
In pictures: the week Ireland and its livestock got covered in snow
Photo Desk
In pictures: the week Ireland and its livestock got covered in snow
Watch: 2024 news year in cartoons
Photo Desk
Watch: 2024 news year in cartoons
Watch: some of our readers' pictures in 2024
Photo Desk
Watch: some of our readers' pictures in 2024
VIEWPOINTS
Editorial: Looking into 2025 – TB change needed
Jack Kennedy
Jack Kennedy
Dempsey at Large: Oxford Farming Conference report
Matt Dempsey
Matt Dempsey
Home Farm: crops fair well in cold spell
Matt Dempsey
Matt Dempsey
Colm McCarthy: Government has become an insurer of last resort
Colm McCarthy
Colm McCarthy
MOST READ
Exclusive: JCB appoints completely new agri dealer network in Ireland
 
Exclusive: JCB appoints completely new agri dealer network in Ireland
Beef prices rocket to record levels
 
Beef prices rocket to record levels
High EBI females hotly sought after at Kealy dairy dispersal
 
High EBI females hotly sought after at Kealy dairy dispersal
Bobman cubicle bedder saves 13 hours a week on Meath dairy farm
 
Bobman cubicle bedder saves 13 hours a week on Meath dairy farm
Pair of dairy farms available for lease
 
Pair of dairy farms available for lease
Dairygold meeting 'wasn't balanced' - CEO
 
Dairygold meeting 'wasn't balanced' - CEO
Land leasing should be seen as an ‘opportunity’
 
Land leasing should be seen as an ‘opportunity’
Real anger, but few solutions in Cork
 
Real anger, but few solutions in Cork
Second suspected outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Germany
 
Second suspected outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Germany
No numbers provided regarding Dairygold termination notices
 
No numbers provided regarding Dairygold termination notices