By Teagasc Green Acres programme advisor James Fitzgerald
Farming just outside Claremorris, Co. Mayo, Jarlath and Austin Ruane operate a calf-to-beef system rearing spring-born calves, bringing them through to slaughter at 21-30 months-of-age. This system runs alongside a flock of 55 mid-season lambing ewes.
This is their second year of rearing 60 Angus, Holstein Friesian and Limousine spring born calves on an automatic feeder, a change from the more traditional milk feeding methods used in years previous.
Starting at source
The way in which the Ruane’s source their calves has changed since their enrolment in the Teagasc Green Acres Calf to Beef Programme. In past years, Jersey cross calves were sourced directly from dairy farms as well as Angus and Hereford calves sourced from the south of the country, through marts and dealers.
May 13, 2021 10:00 am
As part of the virtual farm walk being hosted on the farm of Jarlath and Austin Ruane, who are participants of the Teagasc Green Acres Calf to Beef programme, local Teagasc advisor Amy Collins based in Claremorris, Co. Mayo speaks about the Ruanes’ mixed beef and sheep grazing system.
She also reviews some of the main advantages which farmers stand to benefit from by operating this system of grazing.
Aiding cashflow
One of the first advantages which Amy discusses is that by farming both sheep and cattle, it means the Ruanes are
selling animals at different times during the year, which can aid cashflow.
May 13, 2021 1:00 pm
In the next section of the virtual farm walk hosted on the farm of Jarlath and Austin Ruane, who are participants of the Teagasc Green Acres Calf to Beef programme, Seán Cummins and Austin Callaghan from Teagasc review the importance of making high-quality silage on calf-to-beef farms.
Seán, who is an advisor in the Teagasc Green Acres Calf to Beef programme, speaks about the benefits and improvements being seen in animal performance during the winter months, due to improved silage quality being made on Green Acres farms.
Local Teagasc advisor, Austin Callaghan goes through the plan to follow to make quality first-cut silage.
May 13, 2021 4:00 pm
In the fourth section of this calf-to-beef virtual farm walk today (Thursday, May 13) on the farm of Teagasc Green Acres Calf to Beef programme participants Austin and Jarlath Ruane,
Agriland speaks with Teagasc researcher Nicky Byrne about calf rearing and weight performance targets.
We also speak with Alan Dillion who is the manager of the Teagasc Green Acres Calf to Beef programme, about the production costs and the net margins which can be achieved in calf-to-beef systems.
Calf rearing upon arrival
Nicky Byrne provides a run-through of the calf rearing practices that should be carried out on calf-to-beef farms to ensure that maximum performance of the young calf can be achieved.