ICSA says Teagasc suckler project in Athenry at odds with farm reality
The ICSA spokesman says suckler farming needs to produce more weanlings for live export, rather than producing Angus-cross beef for the domestic market.
He expressed concern that the herd is being managed to provide beef to meat factories and will be totally irrelevant to the live export trade.“There are concerns that the focus will be on Angus-cross beef and that the system will be suckler to beef,” said Mr Kelleher.
“Many farmers in the west of Ireland are focused on high-grade continental cattle, with a view to producing an export-grade weanling. They do this in many cases on difficult marginal land. The land at the Athenry research centre is top class, dry land and is not typical of west of Ireland suckler farms at all.”
Teagasc and project partner Dawn Meats said the herd will demonstrate the potential of a moderately large suckler beef farm to generate a viable family farm income when operated efficiently. Teagasc will use data from the herd to farmers and discussion groups once established.
