Teagasc shifts to research extensive suckler farming

The Derrypatrick Herd on display at Teagasc open day. Photo: Seamus Farrelly

Ciaran Moran Twitter Email

June 08 2021 02:30 AM

Teagasc has announced plans to develop a moderate stocking intensity (1.7-2 LUs/ha blueprint for Suckler Beef production.

The new research on more extensive suckler beef production will be a stark contrast to its current research, which links higher stocking rates to farm profitability.

The move was highlighted in Teagasc's Statement of Strategy between 2021 – 2024, which stressed that environmental challenges are the biggest issues facing farmers and the agriculture industry.

The increased emphasis on low-intensity suckler farming research comes despite Teagasc's current flagship suckler demonstration herds (Newford in Athenry and Derrypartick in Grange) operating at stocking rates over 2.5LU/ha.

In response to queries from the Farming Independent, a Teagasc spokesperson said the current systems experiments are mid experiment and have many years to run.

"We would anticipate that subsequent studies will include a comparison of stocking rates; however the details of this are still to be worked out."

Despite the plan to demonstrate a low-intensity profitable blueprint for suckling, the Teagasc still said based on farm data, the evidence is strong that profitability (per ha) in beef production is driven by stocking rates (assuming high levels of animal performance).

"In other words, the farmers that are most profitable operate at a higher stocking rate than less profitable farmers. Of course, farmers often operate at lower stocking rates due to a range of issues such as land type, facility constraints and off farm employments and so, it is important that we also look at the impact on animal performance and overall farm performance of different stocking rates," it said.

ICSA suckler chair Ger O'Brien welcomed the move by Teagasc, saying, "Such a trial is long overdue as maximising output is not a solution in the beef and suckler sectors as the return is too low".

"We know that Teagasc trials on intensive suckler farming were not profitable because the reality is that you need a profitable business to start with to make it more profitable by intensifying.

"That is before you even take into consideration the labour and massive capital expenditure involved in expansion. The returns from beef and suckler farming simply cannot cover those costs," he said.

A dairy-beef demonstration is also to be established as part of Teagasc's new plan, which will form part of an advisory campaign to promote dairy beef production.