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FARMING - BEEF & SHEEP

A collection of the latest news, views and analysis from the farming desk on the topic of Beef and Sheep.

<p>Cattle on a farm in Paulínia, Brazil. Picture: Rachel Martin</p>

farming

When 5,000 cattle is small: the global beef divide facing Irish farmers

South American producers scale up for global demand as Irish farmers confront rising competition and shifting EU trade rules

<p>ICMSA says the majority of farmers are unaware of the training farmers must complete to operate telescopic telehandlers. File picture</p>

farming

HSA Code of Practice on telescopic telehandlers 'over the top', ICMSA says

<p>Rising oil prices have had a significant impact in Ireland, with sharp increases in the cost of green diesel, road diesel and home heating oil, alongside growing pressure on fertiliser prices.</p>

farming

Farmers urged to act now as fuel costs surge

Sheep, Scottish Blackface, Swaledale rams in Springtime. Two fine rams with magnificent curly horns, facing front in green mead

farming

National Sheep Welfare Scheme worth €22m now open

Cows

farming

Beef finishers suffering a substantial drop on expected returns

Freisian daisy cows

farming

Irish dairy: Redefining itself as a global nutrition industry

Brian Reidy

Hazell Mullins, Vet on the Moove

Kieran Coughlan, Farm Finance

Paula Hynes, Hoofing It

Combine Harvester in Barley Field during Harvest

Agricultural land under cereals rose by almost 5% in 12 months

According to the latest CSO report, the area assigned under 'cereals' grew by almost 5%, while grassland designated land fell by 0.4% when comparing 2025 to 2024 figures

Tue, 31 Mar, 2026

Minister issues important update on Bovine TB Action Plan

Minister issues important update on Bovine TB Action Plan

Minister for agriculture, Martin Heydon has announced the that the Bovine TB Action Plan will come into effect on April 13

Mon, 30 Mar, 2026

Countryside council joins IFA to launch ‘No Dogs Allowed’ campaign

Countryside council joins IFA to launch ‘No Dogs Allowed’ campaign

The IFA and Comhairle na Tuaithe have launched the 2026 'No Dogs Allowed' campaign saying government and local authorities haven't done enough to quell dog worrying

Mon, 30 Mar, 2026

Farmland in Ireland

Department opens Sheep Improvement Scheme to new entrants

When both the SIS and the National Sheep Welfare Scheme, which has an allocation of €22 million in 2026, are combined, they collectively offer financial support of up to €25 per ewe

Wed, 25 Mar, 2026

CBV delivers better results no matter the animal type, says Irish Cattle Breeding Federation

CBV delivers better results no matter the animal type, says Irish Cattle Breeding Federation

Analysis of data collected from finishing animals has found performance gaps between top-ranking and bottom-ranking CBV calves were not evident at the time of calf purchase

Wed, 25 Mar, 2026

Farmers say fuel price cuts not enough as green diesel costs surge across Ireland

Farmers say fuel price cuts not enough as green diesel costs surge across Ireland

Farm organisations warn rising diesel and carbon tax costs threaten food production despite Government’s temporary fuel relief measures

Wed, 25 Mar, 2026

White Clover (Trifolium repens)

Teagasc to host Clover 2026 webinar

Teagasc will host a white clover webinar on March 25 where farmers can hear from lead researchers and get updates on the Clover150 programme and PastureBase updates

Tue, 24 Mar, 2026

closed mouth of a cow with flies

Bluetongue vaccination to be included in welfare schemes

The Department of Agriculture has announced bluetongue virus vaccination will be included among actions in the national sheep and beef welfare schemes for 2026

Tue, 24 Mar, 2026

An aerial view of the rural landscape around Dublin Airport , Ireland, showing a patchwork of green fields divided by hedgerows

Department announces in-person clinics to help farmers with BISS and related schemes

Clinics will take place from 10am to 4.30pm to provide one-to-one support to help farmers with their online applications ahead of the May 15 closing date

Tue, 24 Mar, 2026

Nitrogen Fertilizer

Fertiliser shortages expected on Irish farms amid Middle East conflict

Grass and forage expert Dr Patrick Cashman on expected fertiliser shortages and the knock-on effects of price hikes on farming margins and the rural community

Tue, 24 Mar, 2026

Silage being prepared in a round bale wrapper

Brian Reidy: Planning for high-quality silage

Cutting better-quality silage earlier will always result in improved animal performance, with less dependence on purchased concentrates, which will undoubtedly be critical next winter, writes ruminant nutritionist Brian Reidy

Mon, 23 Mar, 2026

Farm vehicles and tractors crossing danger and warning sign

Vehicle incidents caused 73 farm deaths in the past decade

From 2016 to 2025, there have been 73 vehicle-related deaths on farms, and it remains the leading cause of death in work-related fatalities in agriculture

Mon, 23 Mar, 2026

Argentina beef sector eyes growth boost from EU-Mercosur deal and rising global demand

Argentina beef sector eyes growth boost from EU-Mercosur deal and rising global demand

Trade deals and rising demand offer opportunity, but efficiency, disease control and production shifts remain key challenges for growth

Sat, 21 Mar, 2026

Tractor miniature with coins on fertile soil land

EU study highlights the need for protected incomes for farmers

A joint report between economists from Teagasc and Wageningen called for the EU Parliament to implement better target supports to protect farmer incomes and sector resilience.

Fri, 20 Mar, 2026

Teagasc launches Blackwater Catchment Action Plan

Teagasc launches Blackwater Catchment Action Plan

The Blackwater is one of eight priority catchments, along with the Boyne, Slaney, Barrow, Nore, Suir, Lee, and Bandon-Ilen rivers where they are working towards water quality improvements

Wed, 18 Mar, 2026

Farm feeding the young Fleckvieh bulls

Brian Reidy: Optimising profit from winter-fed stock

Maximise beef profits: navigate fluctuating mart and factory prices, optimise finishing diets, and make smart decisions on when to sell your cattle, writes ruminant nutritionist Brian Reidy

Wed, 18 Mar, 2026

Cattle feeding indoors in winter

Factory price cuts deepen finisher losses in 2026 Irish beef market

Factory quotes for steers, heifers and cows have all been reduced by a further 10 c/kg for the fourth consecutive week of falling prices, with the processors laying the blame on weaker markets for Irish beef

Wed, 18 Mar, 2026

Fuel prices

Macra raises concerns about impact of rising energy costs on young farmers

Macra na Feirme calls for the Government to step in and alleviate the pinch young people of rural Ireland are experiencing, with higher energy and fuel costs

Tue, 17 Mar, 2026

Beef HealthCheck celebrates 10 years

Beef HealthCheck celebrates 10 years

The Animal Health Ireland Beef HealthCheck programme has assessed over 7.7 million animals in the last decade

Tue, 17 Mar, 2026

Precious produce

Milk experienced over 27% drop in output price in 12 months, CSO says

The latest Central Statistics Office (CSO) report also shows fertiliser input prices rising by 11.6%

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026

Department announces updated values in BVD support programme

Department announces updated values in BVD support programme

Despite the department's increase in financial supports for BVD-positive calves in 2025 the ICMSA have said it is not in line with the value of calves born in 2025

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026

'Utter confusion' among farmers on new bovine TB rules, say ICMSA

'Utter confusion' among farmers on new bovine TB rules, say ICMSA

The ICMSA have called for more communication to clear confusion of bTB rules and the department have said a communication campaign will begin March 30 on the matter

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026

landscape of ireland seen from the sky, wild nature

Munster land prices soften in 2025 compared to rest of the country

Munster land prices dropped by 6.2%, the only region in the country to experience a dip in land values

Wed, 11 Mar, 2026

Cattle Market

Finishers getting badly crushed by shrinking margins

Some suppliers in the north-west of the country are reporting 5-10c/kg more in deals after hard selling, but the rest of the country its more or less a 'take it or leave it' on the quoted base

Wed, 11 Mar, 2026

At the Market

Cattle prices drive 29% increase in agricultural operating surplus

Milk also saw a 10% increase in milk value, with the CSO citing the higher volumes, an increase of 7%, as the main driver

Tue, 10 Mar, 2026

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