This article is from page 20 of the 2011-08-09 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 20 JPG
LARGE crowds are expected in Sixmilebridge tomorrow for a Better Farm event run by Teagasc.
The O’Reilly family farm at Rathmore will be the focus of attention for the estimated 1,000 beef farmers expected to visit Sixmilebridge.
Tours of the 96-hectare farm, which consists of land at Kilmurry and Drumullan, will take place at 2pm and 6pm.
The event, which has been organised as part of Teagasc’s Better Farm beef programme, will focus on different areas of farming including grassland management, breeding performance, animal health and farm planning.
At the beginning of the Teagasc/ Farmers Journal Programme in 2008, Pat O’Reilly and his mother Mary had 103 suckler cows split into two calving periods with 75 cows calving in the spring and 28 in the autumn.
Shane McHugh, Better Farm advisor with Teagasc explained, “As is the case on many farms, there was no distinct start or end to either spring or autumn calving and in effect they were calving cows for 11 months of the year.” He continued, “With good limestone ground, the farm offered great potential to drive more production from grass. Pat started to measure grass weekly in the spring of 2009 and quickly realised what needed to be done. Extra money was spent on fertiliser addressing any P&K imbalances.
“The grass measuring showed up paddocks that were not performing and, in 2010, eight hectares were reseeded and a further eight hectares is targeted for 2011.”
Shane explained, “The other major development is that this year, in the outside farm in Kilmurry, the farm has been paddocked to give more control and flexibility in manag ing grass.” Shane added, “The extra output achieved in 2010, coupled with controlling of variables, has increased gross margin by 59 per cent over the 2008 figure and it now stands at € 668/HA. In real terms, gross margin has improved by € 248/ ha since 2008 which on a whole farm basis leaves the O’Reilly’s with an extra € 23,800 which can go to towards fixed costs and ultimately net profit. With such a high level of output on the farm, the improved beef price this year should leave the farm well positioned to further increase gross margin in 2011.”
Visitors will get an opportunity to discuss the issues with the management team and Pat himself.