Farmers from across Ireland are expected to visit the Irish Farmers Journal Open Day today at the Thrive Dairy calf to beef demonstration farm in Cashel.
The farm has been operating since 2019 but the pandemic has limited public access until now.
Farm tours will be available every 20 minutes from 10.30am to 1.30pm. There will also be an industry forum at 1.30pm on the “The future of dairy calf to beef in Ireland”.
Everything from sourcing quality calves, calf rearing and health, grassland management to finishing strategies and how to draft stock for slaughter will all be discussed in detail.
Dairy beef is a growing sector within the beef industry in Ireland. In the last decade, the proportion of beef derived from the dairy herd has increased from 47% to almost 60% in 2021.
This increase has come as the dairy herd has expanded from just over one million cows to over 1.6m expected to calve this year.
The aim behind the Thrive project, which is run by the Irish Farmers Journal with the support of the stakeholders ICBF, Bord Bia, Kerry Agri, Aurivo, Dovea Genetics, Munster Bovine and Progressive Genetics, is to highlight the potential for profitable dairy-beef systems through the use of the best available beef genetics, alongside demonstrating best practice on the ground in terms of technical efficiencies.
The farm is located in Carron, Cashel and the eircode is E25 AK44.
