Teagasc announces establishment of suckler beef demonstration farm

TEAGASC has announced the setting up of a new suckler beef demonstration research farm at its centre in Grange, Co Meath.

It is a “stand-alone” 120 cow spring-calving suckler unit, and is being established to demonstrate the most innovative technologies in beef production to improve productivity and profit levels on Irish farms.

The main aim of the new initiative is to transfer knowledge out onto a greater number of beef farms. Teagasc director Professor Gerry Boyle said transferring knowledge to farmers and other stakeholders is one of the highest priorities for the organisation.

All units have been challenged to come up with new and more innovative ways to transfer technology onto farms. New initiatives launched in Grange are good examples of Teagasc responding to the changing needs of Irish farmers. As part of its change programme, Teagasc has established an animal production and grassland research programme. This brings together its activities from a number of centres across a range of ruminant enterprises to lever the knowledge-base within the organisation. Dr Mark McGee, project leader, said the aim is to establish a profitable suckler herd, finishing beef animals, which will demonstrate how the results of research can be put into practice.

“The unit will demonstrate how to use grassland and animal production technologies in efficient and profitable beef systems,” he said.

It will be used as a benchmark for suckler beef production and will be an important part of the new drive in Teagasc to improve the transfer of technology out onto farms from research.

A new dedicated website, www.agresearch.teagasc.ie/grange, for the Grange Beef Research Centre has also been launched.

Dr Edward O Riordan, head of the centre, said it will provide weekly updates online from the new suckler demonstration research farm and from other ongoing research projects.

He said the website will aid the information flow to beef producers, especially the information on the various research farms within Grange, which will be valuable to farmers and agriculturalists.