Replacement heifers

Beef cattle numbers up but kill unlikely to jump

The increase is being underpinned by higher numbers of beef cattle aged 12 to 36 months on farms, along with over 26,000 more suckler cows in the national herd.

GRAIN TREATMENT OPTIONS 8 November 2026

Beef cattle numbers up but kill unlikely to jump

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Excitement builds ahead of annual Tullamore Farm in-calf heifer sale

Excitement builds ahead of annual Tullamore Farm in-calf heifer sale

MANAGEMENT 21 October 2026

Cattle herd up 175,000 head on 1 July 2026

Cattle herd up 175,000 head on 1 July 2026

NEWS 26 August 2026

First production sale from Blarney Castle’s Turret Farm

First production sale from Blarney Castle’s Turret Farm

First production sale from Blarney Castle’s Turret Farm

NEWS 14 August 2026

Drought forces farmers into winter mode

Drought forces farmers into winter mode

Drought forces farmers into winter mode

NEWS 12 August 2026

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Watch: beef has a bright future in Wicklow

Watch: beef has a bright future in Wicklow

The Pringle family’s suckler-to-beef production system is one of the best in the country and in 2025 generated a net margin of €1,457/ha.

NEWS 3 June 2026

In-calf heifer sales and beef price deliver margin on Tullamore Farm

In-calf heifer sales and beef price deliver margin on Tullamore Farm

The farm made an operating profit of over €30,000 including scheme payments and after land rent and labour were deducted

TULLAMORE FARM 27 May 2026

Five things to know about the new TB testing rules

Five things to know about the new TB testing rules

The Department of Agriculture answers whether you can sell cows after derestriction, the changes for controlled finishing units and explains the new definitions.

NEWS 23 April 2026

Farmer Writes: exodus from the shed

Farmer Writes: exodus from the shed

Anything that isn’t calving in the next couple of weeks is being let loose as last winter was long enough on both man and beast.

FARMER WRITES 22 April 2026

Demand for sexed semen ‘on par with last year’

Demand for sexed semen ‘on par with last year’

“One of the main reasons is the decent price for dairy-beef calves this year and also the drop in milk price,” according to Seamus Hughes from Progressive Genetics.

NEWS 11 April 2026

National cattle herd almost 78,000 head higher on 1 February

National cattle herd almost 78,000 head higher on 1 February

There is hugely contrasting figures, with over 115,000 more beef cattle on farms, while dairy heifers are running over 49,000 head lower and dairy males over 16,000 head lower.

NEWS 29 March 2026

Why are 20% of heifers not making it to calving?

Why are 20% of heifers not making it to calving?

The number of replacement heifers not making it to calving was one of the key discussion points at the recent Positive Farmers Conference, writes Daire Cregg.

MANAGEMENT 21 January 2026

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Too much, too little – can science help farms with Ireland’s changing weather?

As Ireland celebrates Science Week from 8 to 15 November, coordinated by Research Ireland, the theme 'Water: from molecule to ocean' looks at how climate change alters the water systems we rely upon.

Too much, too little – can science help farms with Ireland’s changing weather?

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