Students graduate from Teagasc dairy calf to beef courses

One course was run for interested students in the south east of the country with a second one taking place for students in the south west. The main purpose of the courses was to equip students with the knowledge, skills and competence to effectively plan, establish and operate a successful dairy calf to beef enterprise. Both courses were run by members of the Teagasc DairyBeef 500 team.

Over the five days of the course, students got the opportunity to visit DairyBeef 500 demonstration farms in their region, along with visiting the dairy calf to beef unit in the Teagasc Animal and Grassland, Research and Innovation Centre in Grange Co Meath. The participants also visited the newly established Ballyvadin demonstration farm in Co Tipperary and the Dawn Meats factory in Grannagh, Co Waterford.

As well as visiting farms, the course covered different topics over the five days including choosing the right calf to beef system for each individual’s farm, calf rearing, required infrastructure, grassland management, winter nutrition and assessing finished animals.

The last days of the courses were held in late August with 37 students having graduated from both courses.

There will be more regional calf to beef courses starting again shortly.

If you are interested in completing a dairy calf to beef course in the future please register using the following link https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/beef/dairy-calf-to-beef/dairy-calf-to-beef-course/ or contact Fergal Maguire on 085 1585993 for more information.