Silage quality
on 12 Jan 2022
How to take an accurate silage sample
Taking an accurate sample when testing silage is very important. Here’s a quick guide on sampling silage.
Kieran Mailey on 12 Jan 2022
Silage sampling – do you know what you are feeding your ewes?
The programme farmers have all had their silage sampled, helping to make best use of concentrates in the runup to lambing.
Declan Marren on 12 Jan 2022
Can I cut meal feeding to dairy-beef stock returning to grass in spring?
With rising feed costs, some farmers are looking at reducing meal feeding to stock that will go back to grass in early spring.
Declan Marren on 27 Dec 2021
Thrive: five aspects of your dairy-beef system to review
It is a good time to reflect on what went well in 2021 and what could be improved for the season ahead. Here are some of the main topics that dairy beef farmers should focus on.
Adam Woods on 24 Dec 2021
Beef jobs: top 10 Christmas hit list
Adam Woods takes a look at some jobs that could be completed on drystock farms over the Christmas festive period.
Declan Marren on 04 Dec 2021
Thrive weekly roundup: €5,000 higher feed bill and winter health webinar
This week's dairy-beef programme update looks at the cost of having poorer than normal silage quality and there is a chance to watch back this week's animal health webinar.
Declan Marren on 01 Dec 2021
Winter nutrition webinar – your questions answered
The Irish Farmers Journal beef team answers viewers’ queries from Thursday night’s nutrition webinar.
Darren Carty on 01 Dec 2021
Sheep Management: silage quality, ewe condition and Sheep Welfare Scheme
This week's notes discuss the importance of getting silage tested and also clears up confusion about payment rates under the Sheep Welfare Scheme.
Adam Woods on 01 Dec 2021
Beef Management: autumn bulls, first-calver nutrition and winter webinar
Adam Woods takes a look at keeping under-16-month bulls on target, monitoring first-calver condition and the upcoming winter webinar on animal health.
Darren Carty on 01 Dec 2021
Achieving £5,000 extra output in a 200-ewe flock
At last week’s webinar CAFRE sheep and beef specialist Brian Hanthorn outlined how producing 0.2 lambs extra per ewe has the potential to greatly enhance a farm’s bottom line.
Declan Marren on 19 Nov 2021
Tullamore Farm: managing cow body condition score this winter
Now that all the cows are housed, farm manager Shaun Diver has separated out cows according to body condition score and will feed accordingly to correct condition score ahead of calving.
Adam Woods on 17 Nov 2021
Getting ready for winter 2021 (if it comes)
Adam Woods previews this week’s winter ready focus and takes a look at what farmers can do to prepare for winter.
Adam Woods on 17 Nov 2021
Testing silage never more important
Adam Woods takes a look at testing silage in 2021 and why it was never more important.
Kieran Mailey on 13 Nov 2021
Beef management: five tips for managing the silage pit
A well-managed silage pit will reduce the amount of heating and waste fodder accumulating over winter.
Aidan Brennan on 08 Nov 2021
Dairy management: housing cows for the winter
Even though the weather for the last week has been good, farmers are running out of land to graze, writes Aidan Brennan.
Aidan Brennan on 03 Nov 2021
Preparing for winter on dairy farms
Aidan Brennan outlines the importance of managing cows for body condition score and discusses some of the practicalities around selective dry cow therapy.
Aidan Brennan on 03 Nov 2021
Dairy Management: grazing, drying off and feeding
Aidan Brennan has some advice for farmers wondering how long more they can keep cows at grass.
Kieran Mailey on 23 Oct 2021
Five tips for managing autumn cows through the breeding season
As breeding is about to start for most autumn-calving suckler herds, follow the outlined tips to manage cows.
Kieran Mailey on 06 Oct 2021
Is a silage-only diet for store cattle an option this winter?
With rising feed costs, is there potential to offer store cattle a silage-only diet?
Declan Marren on 06 Oct 2021
Time to think about winter nutrition
With weather conditions deteriorating over the last week, thoughts turn to housing cattle in some areas of the country and winter diet formulation.