It has been a busy few weeks on Tullamore Farm and preparations have been in full flow.

At this stage, the plans are coming together well and the finishing touches are now being completed.

The Tullamore Farm Beef & Sheep open day takes place on Wednesday 24 July at Brackagh, Screggan, Tullamore, Co Offaly, R35 AT81.

Gates open from 11am to 6pm. Admission and parking are free.

This is a DAFM Knowledge Transfer-approved event and is supported by FBD Insurance.

Farm performance, breeding, grassland management, soil fertility and animal health will all be covered on the day.

Live demos on sheep handling units and sheep dipping will also take place, while workshops on cattle finishing, sheep foot-bathing, health and safety, animal handling and future of the CAP will be held in the yard area.

Grass

On the grass front, things have picked up slightly, but more rain is required.

The average farm cover is still lower than we would like at 621kg DM/ha.

Growth is also sluggish at 47kg DM/ha/day, but it is better than it was.

There is sufficient fertiliser in the ground now, so hopefully the broken weather over the next few days should drive the growth rate further.

Our saving grace has been the re-introduction of the silage ground into the grazing rotation. By increasing the land base for grazing, our daily demand has gone down to 30kg DM/ha. It was 55kg DM/ha/day this time last month.

As a result, our day’s ahead figure has increased to 21. Farm manager Shaun Diver does not plan on taking out a third-cut but if covers build, some surplus paddocks may become available. To help build covers, suckler cows are being made work a bit hard to clean out ground, but critically, suckler calves are being allowed graze ahead under the fence.

Stock on Tullamore Farm ahead of the Beef & Sheep open day. / Phillip Doyle

Cattle

During the week, all calves were treated with a fenbendazol-based product.

Coughing had been noticed in both groups during the week before.

While they were in, calves also received a mineral bolus and were weighed as part of BEEP.

Suckler cows were also weighed and received a pour-on while they were going through the crush.

The flies have been very active for the last two weeks, particularly around a few cows with sore teats.

All weighing results will be detailed at next Wednesday’s open day.

Stock on Tullamore Farm ahead of the Beef & Sheep open day. / Phillip Doyle

Sheep

No lambs were drafted for slaughter this week.

The carcase weights of the last batch were a small bit behind what we would have liked, so the drafting weight will be increased by 1kg.

Another load should be fit before next weekend.

Thankfully, the flies are not bothering the lambs thanks to the pour-on. There have been no cases of maggots to date.

Read more

Watch: live dipping demo to take place at Tullamore Farm open day

Action-packed day planned as Tullamore Farm opens its gates to the public

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