The Beef Edge

Over the last decade the Irish agriculture and food sector has grown, developed and modernised. Teagasc recently launched the Teagasc Enterprise Roadmaps and on this week’s Beef Edge podcast, Teagasc Head of Drystock, Pearse Kelly, and Beef Enterprise Leader, Dr. Paul Crosson at Teagasc Grange, discuss current performance, market outlook, sustainability priorities and future targets for Irish beef.
 
Beef farming is one of the larger sectors in Irish agriculture and accounts for one third of overall agricultural output due partially to a strong period of increased prices. Approximately 80% of Irish farms carry some beef animals with 55% of Irish farms considered to be specialist beef producers. 
 
In recent years there has been an increase in the volume of beef produced from animals born in the dairy herd (now approximately 60% of the total) in comparison to progeny from the suckler herd and we have seen a decrease in the number of suckler cows over the same period. Suckler cows account for approximately a third of the total cows (beef and dairy) in Ireland.
 
Beef farm input costs have remained stable, while output values have risen due to a strong export market. As a result, farm income from production is expected to grow. However, the sector remains highly dependent on income support measures to maintain profitability. 
 
Teagasc will continue integrating research and knowledge transfer efforts to enhance the economic sustainability of the Irish beef sector. Our focus remains on lowering production costs, improving performance and sustainable output, and accelerating genetic progress at the farm level
 
New and emerging technologies may provide opportunities to optimise farm operations, improve animal performance, and support more sustainable and profitable beef production. Teagasc will evaluate the potential impact of these new technologies on Irish beef farmers and demonstrate their benefits by collaborating with our network of demonstration farmers who are actively implementing them on their farms.
 
Further details at:
Teagasc Road Map Series 2030 – Overview of Irish Agriculture and Food - Teagasc | Agriculture and Food Development Authority
 
 
For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge
 
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Mark Plunkett from the Teagasc Signpost Programme joins Catherine Egan on this week’s episode of the Beef Edge podcast to discuss soil fertility and planning for the year ahead. 
 
Mark outlines how only 13% of the soil on drystock farms is optimum for pH, P and K. While there has been a big rise in recent years with the amount of lime being applied, in 2026 another 500,000 tonnes are still needed. 
 
Mark explains the benefits of lime on climate and production and says that farmers should use soil test results to prioritise where fertiliser money is spent through updating the nutrient management plan.  
 
Mark also discusses the application of nitrogen and slurry this spring to maximise efficient use and he says it is important to target slurry to silage ground.
 
Further details on the Signpost Programme are at:
https://teagasc.ie/environment/climate-change-air-quality/signpost-programme/
 
For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge
 
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Grass10 Advisor, Nikki Kennedy, and Grass10 Manager, John Maher, are on this week’s Beef Edge with an update on the current situation around the country and planning for the spring ahead. 
 
John gives a review of 2025 which was a great year for most farmers in relation to grass.
 
January was significantly wetter than average, especially in eastern and southern counties, contributing to saturated ground and flooding risk. 
 
Nikki outlines the importance of walking the farm and picking the right slurry for the right ground and highlights the importance of correcting P and K.
 
They both outline managing grass and getting started grazing in the first rotation and how to rectify any damage
 
There are also a number of beef spring grass workshops taking place around the country in the coming weeks focusing on the practical aspect of grazing this spring with live demos focused on fertiliser, slurry and infrastructure. 
 
Further details at:
https://teagasc.ie/crops/grassland/grassland-events/#Springgrass
 
For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge
 
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

For this final part of the ‘Dairy Calf to Beef’ series on the Beef Edge, Liam Gannon from Volac discusses feeding the calf up to weaning and the key dos and don’ts around feeding milk replacer. 
 
Liam explains the ingredients one should focus on when selecting a milk replacer and the key benefits of feeding a high-quality milk replacer in terms of nutrition and calf performance cannot be underestimated. If you are happy with the replacer your feeding that is key.
 
Liam highlights a recommended feeding program for spring-born calves in terms of volume, frequency and dilution rates up to weaning.
 
He also outlines the common digestive issues when feeding milk replacer, and how farmers can prevent them.
 
It’s worth noting that consistency has come up throughout this podcast series in relation to feeding milk replacer for calf health, hygiene, timing and mixing.
 
To conclude Liam discusses the importance of the current dilution rate and advises farmers to take into account the cold weather temperatures and impact that can have and to account for this when feeding replacer.
 
For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge
 
 Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

For the third part of our ‘Dairy Calf to Beef’ series, vet Tommy Heffernan discusses the key areas to ensure a healthy calf and developing a sustainable profitable dairy beef system. 
 
Tommy says that pneumonia, scour and coccidiosis are some of the main issues with calves. The damp, cold spring weather impacts calf health and increases risks. 
 
Tommy outlines ways to rescue pneumonia and scour outbreaks in calves, plus he highlights the best procedure for calf arrival on farm that he has seen working well in terms of electrolytes, housing etc.
 
Tommy also explains that prevention planning with a vet plays a huge role in advance of purchasing calves this spring.
 
For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge
 
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com