Teagasc Presentation

(Beef Round Table)

Tuesday, 3rd June 2014

Professor Gerry Boyle Director, Teagasc

Pearse KellyHead of Drystock Knowledge Transfer, Teagasc

Beef Production in Ireland

• Irish beef, renowned worldwide for its quality, is produced to the

highest standards of food safety.

• Ireland is the largest net exporter of beef in Europe and the

fourth largest net exporter of beef in the world.

• The most dominant enterprise on the majority of Irish farms:

90,000 with cattle enterprise; 60,000 suckler with average herd

size of 17 cows

• Global demand for protein increasing

Teagasc National Farm Survey 2013 Estimates

Challenges in beef production

• Low profitability at farm level• Poor technical performance; needs significant technical

innovation:• Suckler cow type needs significant genetic improvement• Significant increase in productivity at farm level: better

grassland management• Re-appraisal of beef production system (steers v young

bull; age at finishing; calving pattern)

Without producer technical innovation the outlook for beef profitability is poor.

Teagasc Communication with Beef Industry

Two Main Avenues:-

•Teagasc Beef Stakeholder Group• Meets 3 times per year• Discusses future research and KT requirements

•Teagasc-ICBF Beef Technical Working Group• Recently established• Meets quarterly• Working on areas of common interest

Teagasc BEEF 2014 – 18th June Grange

Key messages on innovation to improve Profitability

•Maximising grazed grass in the animals diet•Having a clear breeding strategy

• New Replacement Index key• Aiming for 365 day calving interval, calf per cow per year, calving

heifers at 24 months of age• Information drive similar to the Dairy EBI campaign

•Profitability of current beef systems• Suckler steer, heifer and bull systems• Dairy Calf to beef systems incl. early maturing breeds

Profitability versus Risk

Profitability per hectare with beef systems is important

But

Varying risks associated with different systems

•Market Risk – Producers need to talk to processors•Weather Risk – Can affect grassland mgt. & silage quality•Management Risk – Some systems more demanding•Facilities Required – Higher costs associated with some

Recent developments in Teagasc beef programme

• Establishment of the New Maternal Index herd• Introduction of the Beef Genomics Scheme (significant Teagasc

involvement)• Development of BTAP & Teagasc/IFJ BETTER Beef programme• New Joint programmes with industry (Dawn, ABP,

Supervalue/Kepak)• New Suckler demo farm being planned• Research review has identified several important areas where

new projects are needed• Beef 2014 is the major Teagasc event of 2014

Thank You