Martin and Marie Keating farm 20ha in Doon, Westport, Co Mayo. For the past seven years the farm has been operating a dairy calf to beef system.

The system sees predominantly Angus heifers purchased and brought through to beef at around 19 months of age.

This year, the family decided to increase the capacity of the calf-rearing shed by adding an additional bay onto their two-bay dry-floor calf shed.

This was done to allow them the space to rear more calves at the one time. As well as the shed extension, the farm has installed an automatic calf feeder this year.

Read the full story in this week’s Irish Farmers Journal.