CliBeef study tour brings farmers together to explore climate-friendly beef production

The programme included visits to ICBF Tully Test Centre, Teagasc Grange and Kepak Farm, alongside a farmer workshop. The tour provided an opportunity to explore approaches to climate-friendly beef production and exchange experiences with fellow farmers and researchers.

The first day took the group to the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation’s (ICBF) Beef and Dairy Research Centre in Tully, County Kildare, where ICBF staff guided them through three stops and encouraged discussion between farmers and staff.

The centre measures cattle performance, feed efficiency, methane emissions and carcass quality to support breeding decisions. Farmers explored how this research could help improve efficiency on their own farms.

Following the visit, the group travelled to Moyvalley Hotel for an overnight stay.

The following morning, AgriSearch hosted a workshop where farmers shared their experiences of putting mitigation measures into practice on farm.

On the second day, the group visited Teagasc Grange in Dunsany, County Meath. Its beef research programme covers areas including nutrition, breeding and genetics, grassland management, animal health and beef quality, supporting the development of sustainable and profitable production systems.

The tour concluded with a visit to Kepak Farm at Caulstown, Dunboyne, County Meath, which operates a store-to-beef finishing system, managing cattle nutrition, health and growth to meet market requirements.

The farm grows cereals and forage for cattle feed and serves as a research and demonstration farm, with a focus on animal welfare, efficiency and sustainability. The CliBeef group took particular interest in the farm’s new cattle race, which prompted discussion on safe and efficient cattle handling, weighing systems and the importance of monitoring cattle performance.

Reflecting on the tour, County Down farmer and CliBeef participant Sam Chesney said: “We had a fabulous time, with three excellent visits to ICBF Tully, Teagasc Grange and Kepak Farm. I picked up a lot of useful ideas that could help me progress my farm. It’s very nice to see how others do things, but it’s even better to be with a group of people who are thinking along similar lines.

“Reducing carbon and methane emissions is firmly on the agenda, and we’re already on that journey ourselves. I expect CliBeef to help us take that further. By making changes on our own farms, we can hopefully contribute to progress across agriculture and the Northern Ireland beef industry. I’m also well placed to see whether particular measures are practical on farm.”

County Leitrim farmer and CliBeef participant Robbie Lloyd said: “I found the trip excellent. It was great to see and hear about the current research being carried out to develop the beef industry. Some of the greatest value for me came from interacting with the fellow farmers on the trip. My main hope for the project is to exchange ideas and practical solutions with fellow farmers, advisors, and researchers that can be implemented on my own farm. I hope this will help drive the sustainability of the farm, both financially and in terms of our responsibility to produce beef in an environmentally sustainable way.”

Leah Steele, CliBeef Network Manager, said: “The study tour provided a fantastic opportunity for our CliBeef farmers to engage with industry experts, exchange knowledge and see first-hand how research-led practices can be applied on their own farms. A key part of the CliBeef Project is bridging the gap between scientific research and practical farming, and visits like this are invaluable in helping farmers identify realistic, practical changes that can improve farm productivity, efficiency and environmental sustainability.”

The study tour forms part of CliBeef’s work to support a more sustainable and climate-resilient beef sector in Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. Bringing farmers and researchers together creates opportunities to share knowledge, build relationships and consider how research can be applied on farm.

CliBeef is a three-year collaborative project involving the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), AgriSearch, Queen’s University Belfast and Teagasc. Working with 12 farms, six in Northern Ireland and six in the Republic of Ireland, the project focuses on science-based approaches to reducing the carbon footprint of beef production.

The project is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).