By Teagasc Green Acres programme advisor James Fitzgerald
Farming just outside Moate, Co. Westmeath, Irvine Allen has been a participant in the Teagasc Green Acres Calf to Beef Programme since the spring of 2019.
In following the plan drawn up for his farm, he is now rearing 110-120 Holstein Friesian bull calves each spring and will carry these through to slaughter from 21-30 months-of-age.
Prior to enrolling in the Teagasc Green Acres Programme, Irvine was rearing a mixture of autumn and spring-born Holstein Friesian bull calves and early-maturing bull and heifer calves, bringing them through to finish from 24 to 30 months-of-age.
A legacy of that system means that the last of Irvine’s early-maturing heifers and bullocks are being finished at the moment, and later this year he will begin finishing the first of the spring of 2020 born Holstein Friesian steers, as part of his new farm plan.