Agricultural News
Elite cow herd needs a home
The search has begun for a new home for the next generation herd of elite cows that Teagasc is starting to assemble....
Calf numbers rise by 16,000
January dairy and beef calf registrations jumped by more than 16,000 (23pc) compared to last year's figures....
Low uptake sparks TAMS revamp callsFears grow that up to €20m of total fund could go unclaimed
The Targeted Agricultural Measures Scheme (TAMS) needs to be urgently revamped to prevent millions of euro in EU funds being left unclaimed, the IFA has warned....
Forestry grants safe
The threatened closures of the Broadleaf Thinning Scheme and Forest Roads Grants Scheme have been reversed by the Department of Agriculture....
Sugar quota row upsets Irish plans
Opposition to the proposed scrapping of sugar quotas is building across Europe, with farmer bodies and some EU member states calling for the current regime to continue....
Create an enduring power of attorney
There's hardly a family in Ireland untouched by Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia. Aside from the trauma of dealing with these diseases, the situation can be made even more stressful in the case of farm families if this situation has not been catered for legally by creating an enduring power of attorney (EPA). In the absence of this, where a farmer is proven to be of unsound mind,...
Future is bright but costs are rising and grain prices falling
Last year was a year of big harvests. For Irish cereal growers, most of their horses romped home. Compared to 2010, which in itself was also a good year for the grower, 2011 acreage was up 7pc, yields were up 13pc and prices were up 7pc. The 2011 scene was similarly excellent for oilseed rape, peas and beans....
ICMSA out to halt metal thieves
The ICMSA is compiling information on the extent of metal theft from farms, a type of crime recently labelled as "epidemic" by the farmer body....
Critics wrong to condemn country sports
The recent appearance of celebrity chef Rachel Allen with gun on arm and dressed for a day's shooting was nice to see, but of course it produced a predictable response from those who think meat should only arrive wrapped in plastic on a supermarket shelf....
Staying ahead of the field
With international buyers lamenting the lack of "proper Irish bred" horses at our sales, there is a real danger that breeders here could lose out on potential customers....
When court takes control
What happens to property if a farmer becomes a ward of court?...
The challenges of a difficult calving
The spring calving is well upon us here in the north east and with it comes the usual difficult cases. We had a cow with twins presented last week with four legs and no head in the birth canal. These can be quite difficult to rectify, especially in small heifers with a very narrow opening....
Farmer pressure averts fall in price
While our Taoiseach thinks that we all went mad, some factory sources are convinced that it's mainly beef farmers buying stores that fits into Enda's description....
Tricky decision on where to go with first slurry
It was amazing to look out of the kitchen window in Christmas week and see that seeds which had fallen to the ground from the bird table were starting to germinate and some had sprouts up to an inch long....
Longer days a welcome relief for doing key tasks
As I feed my cattle these mornings and look out over the unseasonally green countryside, I find it incredible to think that this time last year we were just emerging from a long period of very severe frost....
Price cut attempts fail to materialise
While Standard and Poor's were very definite in stripping France of its AAA rating, there are less decisive attempts being made by a few of the Irish meat processors to strip a few cents off the base quotes for steers and heifers....
Weaning weights have greatest influence on farm profitability
World beef prices are at unprecedented levels and are forecast to remain strong for the foreseeable future, due mainly to short supplies in the main beef-producing regions....
Boost profits by making efficient use of fertilisers
On farm, this year's most significant difference compared to 12 months ago, and 2010 for that matter, is the amount of pasture cover farmers have on the milking block....
Consider scanning cows 14-20 days after calving for breeding season boost
Mild weather, high grass growth rates and a positive outlook for the dairy industry all lead to an upbeat mood among dairy farmers....
New guidelines to ensure that colostrum counts this spring
Getting back into the swing of things after Christmas and New Year often takes a degree of motivation. However, there is nothing more motivating than a freshly born calf -- and for the spring-calving herds, this will soon be a reality....
Prepare a strategy to tackle milk fever in the weeks prior to the cows calving
One of my favourite books is Modern Dairy Farming that originally belonged to my great, great grandfather and was printed in 1911. It highlights milk fever as the most formidable of all conditions that attack dairy stock....
Keep on top of your cows' heat cycling
This is the first year that many dairy farmers have stopped milk production over the Christmas period. Normally, these farmers will milk late calvers and empty cows from the spring breeding programme during the winter period. Some of these cows would normally be bred to calve down next autumn, while others would be bred next spring....
Focus on body condition for 22-month in-calf heifers
A large amount of dairy replacement stock has been housed or shifted onto crops over the past few weeks. Dosing for parasites such as liver fluke, lice, stomach and lung worms has been common practice over recent weeks, especially where milk, blood or dung samples have been analysed and have confirmed a significant parasite burden on the herd....
Keep a close eye on ewe pre-lambing feed needs
Our ewes were scanned two weeks ago and it's fair to say we were disappointed with the results. In the mature ewes, conception rate to first service was 80pc and for the ewe lambs it stood at 60pc....
Quotes up again with tight supply
Hurricane Fly was the talk of the day at Leopardstown on Sunday for having six-and-a-half lengths to spare over Oscars Well in the Irish Champion Hurdle....
Trade holds steady despite some dips
It was a reasonably steady week for the sheep trade at the marts around the country, with a few reporting some improvement while others said that prices may have been a shade easier....
Strong trade drives on prices at all marts
Farmers with heavier type lambs are losing money if they are sending them to the factory and getting paid on a 23.5kg carcass, because trade for those lambs is extremely strong at the marts....
Keep a close eye on hygiene and cleanliness to remain step ahead of infectious diseases
EARLY flocks have plenty of this year's lambs on the ground, so now is the time to run through our disease control and prevention programmes....
In-lamb ewes prove the most in demand
The sheep trade in the marts remains strong. The best demand was probably for ewes scanned in-lamb. The younger types made up to €300. Cull ewes were more than holding their own with a top of €137 being paid. Lambs for slaughter generally made €63-72 over the weight. Stores made up to and over €100/hd. Good ewe lambs sold to €130....
Results prove regular soil sampling is essential
Sustainable intensification could be the future of tillage farming, according to Professor Ian Crute who spoke at the National Tillage Conference in Kilkenny last Wednesday....
Avoid the temptation to plough before soil is dry
The recent good weather has led to a start in field activity, with some ploughing carried out on selected fields. Land has been drying out with good daytime temperatures and wind helping to improve ground conditions....
Get chemical stores in order to avoid wasted supplies
Hopefully your chemical store is now empty and your pesticide records showing all purchases, PCS numbers and applications for 2011 are ready for inspection....
Going green this year? Get bio scheme application form in before January 18
The EARLY days of the new year are a good time to consider alternatives to the usual crops. The Bioenergy Scheme for miscanthus and willow will close for applications on January 18 and there is limited availability of funding for this year....
Rabbits are causing some serious crop damage
It was very close to being rabbit and not turkey for Christmas dinner -- but there is not much meat on a rabbit. However, the rabbits are causing problems. They are really eating one field out of it. I reckon they have done about half an acre of damage so far. One side of the field is completely bare, as the rabbits have eaten all the plants right down to the roots....
Carry out sampling to evaluate quality of your soils
The final round of field inspections has been carried out, marking the end of a successful year on the tillage front. The good spell of weather encouraged some of my growers to keep drilling winter wheat into late November....
Rahara holding with 77ac of good land sells to a local farmer for €725,000
In one of the last auctions of 2011, Roscommon auctioneer John Earley sold a 77ac non-residential holding for €725,000, or close to €9,500/ac....
Meath sale to set the scene for year's prices
One of the first auctions of farmland in the new year takes place on Thursday, February 2, when 49.55ac of land at Enfield, Co Meath, goes under the hammer....
Land prices up by 20pc as farming fortunes improve
Land prices strengthened by almost 20pc over the past year on the back of improved farm incomes and continuing fears over the future of the euro....
Land at the heart of Kilmeaden village
A 19.2ac farm in the village of Kilmeaden Co Waterford with road frontage on to the R680 sold after auction for a figure believed to be in the region of €180,000 or around, €9,400/ac....
Farmhouse on 15ac given €250k guide
Wicklow land often commands premium prices thanks to its proximity to the capital and the potential for combining a rustic home life with an urban career....
Local pays close to €1.5m for Kildare farm
Within 24 hours of the announcement of the Budget details, Kildare auctioneer Paddy Jordan believes that the reduction of stamp duty from 6pc to 2pc helped expedite the sale of a 157ac non-residential farm at Mooretown, just outside Kildare town....