Suckler herd

Focus beef breeding: signs of stability in suckler herd

The number of suckler cows on farms was just 5,000 head lower on 1 February while birth registrations in 2026 are running 14,000 head higher and first-calf heifers are up by 5%

BEEF BREEDING 1 April 2026

Focus beef breeding: signs of stability in suckler herd

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

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

NEWS 29 March 2026

Two winters to get the cattle herd genotyped

Two winters to get the cattle herd genotyped

NORTHERN IRELAND 18 March 2026

Farmer Writes: crush work could get calving underway

Farmer Writes: crush work could get calving underway

Farmer Writes: crush work could get calving underway

FARMER WRITES 18 February 2026

My sucklers are missing the profit gene

My sucklers are missing the profit gene

My sucklers are missing the profit gene

FARMER WRITES 11 February 2026

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UK breeding conference: real concern for future of UK suckler cow

UK breeding conference: real concern for future of UK suckler cow

Adam Woods reports from the annual British Cattle Breeding Conference in the UK.

NEWS 19 November 2025

My Farming Week: David Kirrane, Carrontubber, Tubbercurry, Co Sligo

My Farming Week: David Kirrane, Carrontubber, Tubbercurry, Co Sligo

This week we chat to David Kirrane from Co Sligo, who has seen a huge demand in recent years for polled Salers bulls.

NEWS 19 November 2025

Drop in beef kill leads Kepak to review deboning operations in Clonee

Drop in beef kill leads Kepak to review deboning operations in Clonee

Kepak currently has more beef deboning and cutting capacity than supply can sustain at its Clonee factory, given the drop in the national beef kill, according to the company.

NEWS 19 November 2025

Merging suckler breeding with social farming in Co Clare

Merging suckler breeding with social farming in Co Clare

This week Nevan McKiernan spoke to Michael Callinan, who integrates his social farming initiative with a top-class suckler herd in Co Clare.

BREEDING & HEALTH 19 November 2025

Farmer Writes: it's time for musical chairs in the sheds

Farmer Writes: it's time for musical chairs in the sheds

With all stock home and almost housed, there's a small bit of chopping and changing needed on Tommy Moyles' farm to make the workload more comfortable for the next few weeks.

FARMER WRITES 19 November 2025

My Farming Week: John Smith, Bellew, Balrath, Navan, Co Meath

My Farming Week: John Smith, Bellew, Balrath, Navan, Co Meath

General manager at Finnegan’s Farm, John Smith, is getting geared up for Christmas with harvesting of Brussels sprouts starting to get under way.

NEWS 19 November 2025

National cattle herd down 130,000 head

National cattle herd down 130,000 head

Contraction in the national cattle herd continues with over 28,000 fewer suckler cows on farms, 60,000 fewer dairy replacement heifers and 47,000 less Friesian males compared to October 2024

NEWS 19 November 2025

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Why this Kilkenny farmer switched to a 45m Amazone self-propelled sprayer

James O’Reilly is a tillage farmer based in north Kilkenny, near a village called Ballyragget.

Why this Kilkenny farmer switched to a 45m Amazone self-propelled sprayer

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