With year one of the BETTER farm beef programme’s third phase now complete, our first farm walk is on the cards for this Thursday.

Cavan farmer Garreth Mcormack will be the host for this first event.

Garreth farms 34 heavy clay hectares on the outskirts of Bailieborough.

The former dairy farm is set up well for grazing, with paddocks, roadways and drinkers. In 2017, Garreth had the earliest turnout of all BETTER farmers. However, as has been the case for many, spring 2018 has been a different story.

On the walk

Learn how Garreth has adapted to overcome the difficult conditions of this spring.

Important messages up for discussion will include:

• Keeping energy in suckler cows in times of grass scarcity.

• Strategies for grazing off silage ground to ensure quality is mazimised.

• Managing grazing animals in wet conditions.

• Fertilising silage ground.

• Steps to quality silage making.

• Improving soil fertility

Garreth has the highest-indexed (maternal) suckler herd in the BETTER farm beef programme at €120. Limousin and Saler predominate, with some Charolais sires used on top of these during breeding. Both AI and stock bulls are used on the farm and topics on the day will include:

• Balancing AI and a full-time job.

• Heat detection methods.

• Stock bull selection and maintenance.

• AI sire selection.

• Weaning efficiency measure.

• Compacting calving.

• Synchronising cows and heifers

The event is open to everyone and is Knowledge Transfer-approved.

The farm walk will begin at 3pm and Garreth’s Eircode is A82 A5R3

  • Next Tuesday 10 April, Glen McDermott who farms at Castlebaldwin in Sligo will host another BETTER beef farm walk at 4pm. Eircode F52 DY24

    • Read more

    Photos and videos: top BETTER farm herd driving on

    Balancing a full-time job and AI breeding in Cavan

    Watch and listen: Cavan BETTER farmer on early grazing and bull selection