Over 400 farmers attended the IGA beef walk at the Breffni herd in Co Cavan on Thursday evening where herd owner Sebena Moynagh showcased the key performance indicators of the pedigree enterprise which focuses heavily on producing kilos of beef from grass supported by a milky, fertile cow type, with the terminal breed putting many top end commercial suckler farms to shame with its efficiency.
Sebena took over the farm at the age of 23 after her father took the early retirement scheme, with the herd having been slowly and steadily improved regarding infrastructure (both grazing and housing) and herd genetics.
In 2013 the herd was depopulated, with Sebena choosing to restock with 32 heifers from the one herd. Since then, the herd size has gradually increased to the 90-strong herd today, with no further plans to increase in size.
Milk, fertility, functionality and soft fleshing animals that can perform off grass are some of the key traits that Sebena seeks in both breeding cows and selected AI bulls.
One hundred per cent AI is used on the herd, with a 70:30 split between autumn and spring calving, while an impressive 60% of the autumn herd are calved down in six weeks.
No stock bull is retained on farm since depopulation, while Sebena carries out the AI herself, with 1.5 straws used on average on the herd (135 straws for 90 cows).
Current calving interval for the herd is 370 days, while calves per cow per year stands at 1.02 owing to several sets of twins born.
Grass and grass silage are the main drivers of production on the farm. Stocked at 2.37 lu/ha (167kg N/ha), 10.5t DM/ha is grown annually, with 147kg N/ha applied.
Approximately 10% of the farm is reseeded on an annual basis, with clover incorporated in to the reseed.
Not only does Sebena run the farm on a day-to-day basis, nearly all contract work is carried out by herself, with silage harvested via wagon and slurry spread using LESS equipment.
A total of 57 paddocks run across the farm, with further subdivision with temporary fences also possible.
The grazing infrastructure is akin to a top dairy herd, with all paddocks serviced by hardcore roads and concrete drinking troughs.
Cows are batched in to groups of 17 cows: calf pairs and rotationally grazed.
The high level of management on the grazing front has allowed Sebena to mow out nearly all paddocks on farm to date this year, keeping swards clean and allowing high end fodder to be harvested.
Silage ground is grazed in early spring when weather allows, with first cut harvested in early May, yielding 73 DMD silage, while second and third cut are pitted in the same clamp yielding 69.4 DMD silage.
There is no room for inferior fodder on farm, with autumn-calved cows, breeding bulls and youngstock requiring quality silage due to the low usage of concentrates.
A total of 24.5 tonnes of concentrates is used, primarily for the breeding bulls, meaning grass and grass silage accounts for 96% of all the feed used on farm, an impressive stat for a pedigree herd.
When carrying out reseeding on the farm, Sebena utilises high Pasture Profit Index grass mixes combined with white clover. Wholecrop has been used as part of the rotation, with this silage being targeted at autumn calved cows when housed.
Soil fertility is excellent; 78% of the farm is optimum for Ph, P and K, with K being the biggest offended regarding soil deficiencies.
Autumn-born bulls have begun to be weaned and will move on to 3kg/head/day concentrates in the run up to being sold at 14-15 months old.
These bulls have been on a grass and milk-only diet since turnout in spring, with spring-born calves having received no concentrates to date. Autumn-born calves receive 1kg/head/day over the winter months.
Sebena is part of the Whole Herd Performance Recording Programme, with the increased capture of data allowing her to make more informed decisions on-farm, while the Stock Bull Finder has led to sales of bulls off farm as well.
Recent weights for autumn-born weanlings show bull calves tipping the scale at 411kg with an ADG (Average Daily Gain) of 1.2kg, while autumn-born heifers are currently weighing 378kg with an ADG of 1.2kg. Feeding levels do not exceed 3kg/head, with Sebena looking to produce fit bulls that can go straight to work. No animals are sold at pedigree sales, with repeat custom and word of mouth allowing 30 bulls to be sold annually from the yard.
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