The Irish Framers Journal will showcase the newly established mixed grazing beef and sheep demonstration farm at the Tullamore national livestock show this year. This demonstration ring will include live displays of cows and calves on the stand, as well as talks from Irish Farmers Journal specialists.

Cow and calf liveweights will be displayed and will include indices for both cows and calves.

These indices will be discussed as to how they have been calculated and important points to look out for when breeding replacements.

All of the Irish Farmers Journal livestock team will be on hand to discuss various aspects of Tullamore farm and progress to date.

During the day, presentations will be held on different areas of the farm and its development so far. Farm manager Ger O’Dwyer will also be available to discuss the farm’s management and how labour is being managed on the farm.

Finance and projections area

The farm plan and financial projections for the farm will be discussed in this area.

The farm has been leased on a long-term basis for 15 years and the current plan is to stock the farm with 120 suckler cows and 150 ewes.

Male progeny from the suckler herd will be finished as under-16-month bulls, while female progeny will be sold as replacement heifers at 13 to 15 months of age annually.

The farm has ambitious performance targets, including a stocking rate of 2.7LU/ha, a gross output figure of €3,016/ha and a gross margin figure of €1,816/ha.

Making a profit will be a huge challenge, as the farm will have no Single Farm Payment due, will be paying full labour and land rent and will have to pay interest on the loan required to establish the farm. Labour usage will be a major focus point and from 1 January 2017, Ger O’Dwyer’s time will be recorded and all other time spent by contractors and casual labour will be recorded to determine the labour input required for this type of operation.

Breeding and genetics area

Getting breeding management and genetics choice correct is of critical importance to the success of Tullamore Farm.

Cows and in-calf heifers were sourced from seven different herds to minimise disease risk. The focus was to source a functional cow that would calve easily, have good fertility, milk production and be docile.

Eighty percent of the herd are Limousin X Friesian, with the remainder bred from the suckler herd.

The current replacement index of the herd is €115. All cows have been bred to high-replacement index bulls with good terminal traits.

A mixture of AI and stock bulls have been used for the 2017 breeding season. Cows and calves will be on display in this area, with replacement indices and animal performance data on display. Calving and breeding performance will be presented on the day and a discussion will take place around cow type and breeding management on the farm.

Grassland management area

The farm has undergone huge changes since the beginning of the lease on 1 January.

The capital expenditure has been focused on areas which will streamline labour use while stock are grazing and also areas which will maximise grass growth and utilisation. Fencing has been a mixture of single-strand electric, double-strand electric and sheep wire with one strand of electric.

A TAMS application has been submitted for further sheep fencing on the home farm for boundaries and also splitting paddocks to facilitate mixed grazing next spring.

Eighty percent of the farm will have been reseeded by the end of 2017. Grass varieties used and soil fertility status will be explained along with up-to-date grass data for the 2017 grass growing year.

Achieving a long growing season and achieving maximum liveweight gain from grass is a major focus for the farm and the grassland management plan will be profiled on the day. The farm map and paddock layout will be on display.

The sheep system area

Research has demonstrated that mixed grazing of cattle and sheep provides significant benefits, with a potential lift in animal performance of up to 10% and scope to increase the farm’s stocking rate by up to 7% without significantly affecting input requirements. Stocking rate will be 11 or 12 ewes/ha, lambing mid- to end March and April using hill-cross maternal type ewes. Litter size will be aimed at 1.9 to 2 lambs/ha weaning 1.7 to 1.75 lambs per ewe joined.

All replacements will be purchased and extra labour will be brought around lambing time.

A live display of hoggets will be in this area and the Irish Farmers Journal sheep specialists will be on hand to discuss ewe type and the sheep system planned for Tullamore farm.