Watch: new-look BETTER Farm programme kicks off

Since its inception in 2008, the BETTER Farm programme has blazed a trail for suckler and beef farming in Ireland. Farmers across the country owe a debt of gratitude to all of the BETTER farm participants, past and present, who have opened their gates and their books. They have acted and will act as barometers for the potential of beef farming in Ireland.

Phase two

In phase two, the target for the 31 programme farmers was to surpass a gross margin per hectare figure of €1,000, from a 2012 average starting point of €675. In 2015, the group’s average profit monitor showed a gross margin of €1,029/ha. Given that the average BETTER farm consisted of 49ha, this demonstrated a difference in profitability of over €17,000 between years one and four. While beef prices did rise by around 8% during this period, 83% of the increase in margin could be attributed to improvements in technical efficiency within the farm walls.

Bigger and BETTER

Although the principles of BETTER Farm remain for phase three, this time around the team have set bigger targets and will delve deeper into the workings of the participant farms.

The structure of the programme has also been revamped. Christened the BETTER farm Beef Challenge, participant farmers will now be assigned with a number of challenges to overcome. While all 10 are relevant to every beef farm in the country, challenges will be assigned to BETTER farmers based on their 2016 performance and potential to improve. When reporting on the new BETTER farmers, there will be a particular focus on their progress with these challenges, offering the reader an in-depth guide on how to implement these improvements on their own farms.

The 2t grass growth challenge

To get extra performance from existing swards and grow 2t more grass dry matter per hectare over the four-year period. Of course, growing more grass and not utilising it is of little use – stocking rates will increase in conjunction with the increased grass production. This challenge also aims to stretch grazing seasons earlier into the spring and further into the winter and reduce the need for winter feed.

The farm finance challenge

To increase the farm’s return into a positive gross margin each year of the programme and achieve a pre-defined target based on the farm system after four years. Participants will use cashflow planners and be in a position to better manage finances and investments. Each farmer will carry out a five-year business plan and complete a profit monitor in early January of each year.

The breeding challenge

To increase the average replacement index value of the herd by €20 over the programme.

This challenge represents an opportunity to help farms develop as specialist producers of high-health status, high-genetic-merit replacements.

Participants will also aim to achieve a 365-day calving interval, 12-week calving spread (10 weeks for split calving), two-year-old calving of heifers and a minimum calves/cow rate of 0.92 by year four.

The herd health challenge

To establish typical antibiotic usage rates across different enterprises and reduce the usage of antibiotics by implementing a robust herd health plan. This challenge will also develop blueprints that favour the targeted use of vaccines and optimum herd or flock husbandry practices to cut disease risk and reduce input costs by a target of 20%. There will be a focus on planned versus unplanned veterinary expenditure after each year.

The soil fertility challenge:

To drive improvements in soil fertility within the core group of BETTER farm participants and across the country. Farmers in this challenge will aim for 70% of their soils being Index 3 and a pH of 6.1 in year four (peat soils to be 5.7). Soil samples will be taken annually.

The farm green farming challenge

To demonstrate practical ways of incorporating clover into 20% of the farms’ grassland swards and disseminate best-practice advice on how to manage swards in order to ensure high establishment rates and grazing practices to avoid issues such as bloat. We will analyse the nitrogen usage in relation to stocking rate on these farms.

Meet the markets challenge

To ensure that the vast majority of animals meet slaughter specifications by communicating with relevant processors and recording liveweight multiple times during the year. All farms will be quality assured by summer 2017, regardless of production system (weanling seller/finishing etc.).

The farm safety challenge

To complete a farm safety risk assessment on an annual basis and implement two positive farm safety changes each year. Participants will attend safety training days every year during the programme in areas such as livestock handling and machinery safety.

The mixed grazing challenge

To establish a blueprint for operating a mixed grazing system, focusing on areas such as autumn closing to allow for early-spring turnout, low-cost fencing options for mixed grazing in a rotational manner and housing and winter feeding options. We will examine the potential for increasing output in a mixed grazing system as well as labour demands and cashflow benefits.

The farm structures and labour challenge: To show that successful family and non-family partnerships can become established businesses that, with planning and structure, can provide a viable future for young farmers. Participating farmers will also have their working hours scrutinised with the ultimate aim of producing a €/working hour figure for the industry.

Since the summer of 2016, we at the Irish Farmers Journal, along with our BETTER farm programme partners in Teagasc, have visited more than 70 shortlisted farms across the country. On Monday last, the selected 27 farmers came together in Tullamore to meet each other and their new dedicated BETTER farm advisers.

The phase three farms represent a multitude of systems, soil types, farm sizes and age demographics. There were words of motivation from our own editor Justin McCarthy, Teagasc director of research Dr Frank O’Mara, FBD chair Michael Berkery and former BETTER farmers through videos and live discussion.

Adam Woods quizzed former participants David Walsh and Mark Maxwell on what the programme meant for them. Though hesitant at first, David described how it was “the best decision” he ever made, while Mark was adamant that the experience had grown him as a person, leaving him stronger and more confident.

In the coming weeks we will profile all of the new farmers in our print edition and at www.farmersjournal.ie/BETTERfarm.

The Irish Farmers Journal wishes the new farmers every success on their BETTER farm journeys and, along with our partners Teagasc, we will be with them every step of the way.