January

Calving was top priority for most of January. The Stanley's in Tipperary and Martin O'Hare were quick off the mark on this one.

February

The first signs of spring began to appear in February. Calves were already being turned out over in Sligo with Glen McDermott, while Robert Abbott was out of the traps early with the plate meter.

March

Calves were beginning to drop with late calving spring herds such as Wesley Browne. Notice they were out to grass at barely a day old. Dairy calves were also begining to filter onto some farms, like the Breens in Wexford.

April

The BETTER farm spring walks took place in April, with Glen McDermott and Gareth McCormack playing host. Calves were still indoors with Brian Doran stemming from the after effects of the Beast from the east.

May

Things kicked back into life in May. Harry Lalor hosted a discussion group in Laois while grass growth and calf growth began to kick on for Tom Bolger in Carlow.

June

The dry spell started in June and provided perfect conditions for Philip Keville in Leitrim. As we walked through the field with the Breens in Wexford in late June, nobody knew just how long that dry spell was actually going to last.

July

Stock were looking in top order with Brian Doran in Wicklow, but drought was at its peak at that stage with silage bales going left, right and centre. He and Nigel O'Kane in Galway hosted this years BETTER farm open days.

August

The drought forced creep feeders to be introduced in many places, as seen here with Ricky Milligan in Kildare. Shane Gleeson, like all the farmers in the programme, bloodtested a portion of his herd for the IBR pilot scheme.

September

Martin O'Hare in Louth hosted the final Autumn walk of the year. Tom Bolger, John McSweeney and Sean Hayes hosted the other three. In Mayo, Tommy Holmes was busy buying bulls for his winter finishing system.

October

The participants of the BETTER farm programme in Northern Ireland took a trip down south for a visit to Brian Doran. In Tipperary, weaning was almost complete during a visit in mid-October.

November

The Flahertys in Kerry were in the middle of some much-needed ventilation and shed extension work - aimed to minimise a repeat of spring health problem in 2018. The BETTER farm group also travelled to Scotlland for three days, taking in a feedlot-type farm and the Agri-Scot show.

December

Wesley Browne had commenced some much needed drainage works in early December while cows were quite content with Robert Abbott in Longford before the busy spring rolls around once again.

The Irish Farmers Journal would like to thank all the BETTER Farm programme participants for their participation and openness, during what can only be described as a challenging 2018, and we would like to wish them, and their families, every sucess for the coming year.

For a look at the BETTER farm beef challenge 2018 highlights, see this weeks Irish Farmers Journal in print and online.