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Watch: this week in photos, as farmers sow, graze and showcase spring farming
Photo Desk
Our top farming photos from the past week include sowing in Tipperary, grazing prep in Laois, a spring farm walk in Mayo and more scenes from farms across Ireland.
Watch: this week in photos, as farmers sow, graze and showcase spring farming
 
 
LATEST HEADLINES
NEWS
Weekend weather: dry, sunny with a moderate breeze
James Hanly
Weekend weather: dry, sunny with a moderate breeze
Met Éireann has announced that the weekend will have fine and settled weather, with highest temperatures of 19°C.
Department carrying out foot-and-mouth simulation exercises
Anne O'Donoghue
Department carrying out foot-and-mouth simulation exercises
The Minister for Agriculture also said those travelling from foot-and-mouth disease-affected regions should not enter a farm for 14 days after arriving in Ireland.
James Hanly
Agri jobs: assistants needed at 260-cow dairy farm
Jack Kennedy
Farm Tech Talk: sheep welfare scheme and Trump tariffs
Darren Carty
Department issues orange high-risk fire warning
Twenty20 Beef Club enhancing profitable and sustainable beef farming SPONSORED
Twenty20 Beef Club enhancing profitable and sustainable beef farming
Balancing a dairy and beef enterprise is all about sustainability, efficiency and profitability for Laois farmer Patrick Phelan.
MART REPORTS
Martbids Database: grass buyers drive the mart trade
Adam Woods
Martbids Database: grass buyers drive the mart trade
Adam Woods has the latest on this week’s mart trade, including what’s happening in the country’s marts.
Camera at the Mart: 'these prices are the new norm' - manager
Tommy Moyles
Camera at the Mart: 'these prices are the new norm' - manager
Castleisland Mart rounded out a busier than usual March and one which saw average calf prices reach levels not seen before. Mart manager Neilus McAuliffe believes this is the new normal.
Camera at the Mart: over €3/kg going rate for cull cows in Bandon
Tommy Moyles
Camera at the Mart: over €3/kg going rate for cull cows in Bandon
Demand for beef has seen the price of dry dairy cows hit heights not seen before lately. This and rising weekly prices have been the story of the trade in Bandon Mart this spring.
PODCASTS
VIDEO HUB
BEEF
US tariffs could be a disruptor to global beef trade
Phelim O'Neill
US tariffs could be a disruptor to global beef trade
Dairy birth registrations finishing season in a stronger manner
Darren Carty
Dairy birth registrations finishing season in a stronger manner
The Grass Week: growth kicks into gear for second round
Martin Merrick
The Grass Week: growth kicks into gear for second round
Kepak appoints new chief financial officer
James Hanly
Kepak appoints new chief financial officer
FARM PROGRAMMES
DAIRY
Dairy birth registrations finishing season in a stronger manner
Darren Carty
Dairy birth registrations finishing season in a stronger manner
A trend of later calving is evident in last week’s birth registrations running over 18% higher than the corresponding week in 2024.
Agri jobs: assistants needed at 260-cow dairy farm
James Hanly
Agri jobs: assistants needed at 260-cow dairy farm
There are employers seeking farm assistants in the dairy and pig sector across Munster and Leinster.
Martin Merrick
The Grass Week: growth kicks into gear for second round
e-Learning
James Hanly
€8m biosecurity advisory service for animal health launched
Land purchase considerations: key factors for farmers SPONSORED
Land purchase considerations: key factors for farmers
The nature of farming like any business, is that farmers are continually investing in their farms, land, infrastructure, buildings, stock and machinery to improve on-farm efficiencies or productivity
SHEEP
Lowest sheep kill in over a decade
Darren Carty
Lowest sheep kill in over a decade
Supports needed after Connemara farmers lose sheep to floods - Senator
James Hanly
Supports needed after Connemara farmers lose sheep to floods - Senator
New selection process for actions in sheep welfare scheme
Darren Carty
New selection process for actions in sheep welfare scheme
Kepak appoints new chief financial officer
James Hanly
Kepak appoints new chief financial officer
KNOWLEDGE HUB
ANIMAL HEALTH
Father and son fined €4,000 for possession of fraudulent horse passports
Contributor
Father and son fined €4,000 for possession of fraudulent horse passports
The solicitor said the firm slaughtered approximately 20,000 horses for export before losing its licence last year. David Raleigh reports.
€8m biosecurity advisory service for animal health launched
James Hanly
€8m biosecurity advisory service for animal health launched
Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon announced €8.2m in funding for the service on Friday which will aim to support farmers to assess and implement biosecurity measures in their farms.
PEDIGREE
Thirteenth Emerald Expo dairy show launched
Adam Woods
Thirteenth Emerald Expo dairy show launched
Adam Woods has the details of the 13th Emerald Expo taking place on Saturday 26 April.
Carrick braced for massive sale of pedigree cattle
Nevan McKiernan
Carrick braced for massive sale of pedigree cattle
Nevan McKiernan looks ahead at a number of pedigree cattle sales taking place over the weekend.
Getting through the first SBLAS audit SPONSORED
Getting through the first SBLAS audit
Damien Murray, Origin Green Producer Liaison & Standard Co-Coordinator gives a step by step guide for new suckler members of SBLAS facing their first audit.
Twenty20 Beef Club enhancing profitable and sustainable beef farmingSPONSORED
Twenty20 Beef Club enhancing profitable and sustainable beef farming
Balancing a dairy and beef enterprise is all about sustainability, efficiency and profitability for Laois farmer Patrick Phelan.
New for 2025: Syngenta enters grassland market with CASPER ® SPONSORED
New for 2025: Syngenta enters grassland market with CASPER ®
Syngenta Ireland recently launched CASPER®, a new broadleaved weed herbicide for newly sown and established grassland.
Technology For Profit: a focus on Genetics in GalwaySPONSORED
Technology For Profit: a focus on Genetics in Galway
Conor O’Brien, along with his parents Mary and Vincent, milks 144 high-EBI Holstein cows in Loughrea, Co Galway.
For daily news, mart prices and ePaper access from 6am on Thursday, subscribe for just €1 SUBSCRIBE
AGRIBUSINESS
US tariffs could be a disruptor to global beef trade
Phelim O'Neill
US tariffs could be a disruptor to global beef trade
While US tariffs will have minimal direct impact on Irish beef because so little goes to the US, there could be indirect consequences.
China strikes back against Trump tariffs
Lorcan Roche Kelly
China strikes back against Trump tariffs
The Asian nation announced it has suspended chicken imports from two US suppliers.
Trump tariffs are what Brexit could have been
Phelim O'Neill
Trump tariffs are what Brexit could have been
Tariff announcement by President Trump no worse than expected, but the impact will still be damaging for Irish exports.
Trump tariffs: Dairygold and Tirlán urge cautious response
Caitríona Morrissey
Trump tariffs: Dairygold and Tirlán urge cautious response
Michael Harte of Dairygold and John Murphy of Tirlán have called for a cool assessment of the US tariff threat before any action is taken.
TILLAGE
New fungicide hits the market for wheat
Siobhán Walsh
New fungicide hits the market for wheat
Tillage Podcast: spring has sprung in the northwest
Siobhán Walsh
Tillage Podcast: spring has sprung in the northwest
Grain Trends: drop in markets as tariffs await
Siobhán Walsh
Grain Trends: drop in markets as tariffs await
Tillage Management: nitrogen, winter cereals and break crops
Pat O'Toole
Potato planting surges ahead of maize and beet
New fungicide hits the market for wheat SPONSORED
Sustainability progress on Irish farms
Origin Green sustainability and data analytics manager Dr Eleanor Murphy reports on Irish farm emissions.
MACHINERY
Meath Farm Machinery draws Deere 6M demo days to a close
Gary Abbott
Meath Farm Machinery draws Deere 6M demo days to a close
As John Deere’s new 6M tractors start arriving in Ireland, Meath Farm Machinery hosted a trio of open days showcasing the new 105hp to 275hp range, the last of which took place in Cavan.
Grammer to give old tractor seats a new lease of life
Peter Thomas Keaveney
Grammer to give old tractor seats a new lease of life
Grammer has launched a new spare parts service and extensive range of genuine spare parts, making it possible to rectify initial signs of wear on machine seats.
Peter Thomas Keaveney
Diesel prices are steady, but world oil markets are nervous
Gary Abbott
New 6M draws a crowd at Deere Dealer days
Peter Thomas Keaveney
Are silage compactors the next big thing in making quality forage?
New quad bike regulations - are you ready? SPONSORED
New quad bike regulations - are you ready?
Quad bikes are designed to cope with a wide variety of terrain types and so are a fantastic aid for farm work - by Ciaran Roche, FBD risk manager.
PROPERTY
Auction results: choice land parcels exceed expectations
Paul Mooney
Auction results: choice land parcels exceed expectations
Landowners preparing to sell farms will be encouraged by the strong auction results seen in recent days.
Tillage and grass farm near M8 motorway
Paul Mooney
Tillage and grass farm near M8 motorway
The c42.5ac holding will be offered at auction this month in a number of lots.
Small holding with views over Lough Corrib
Paul Mooney
Small holding with views over Lough Corrib
The land is in permanent pasture and has been maintined in good condition.
BUILDINGS
Ensuring sufficient water supplies this grazing season
Martin Merrick
Ensuring sufficient water supplies this grazing season
Several factors feed in to the sizing of water troughs and a clean, fresh water supply is essential for all stock types.
CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT
Minister insists GAEC 2 rules are not a land designation
Amy Forde
Minister insists GAEC 2 rules are not a land designation
Minister Heydon said that if a farmer believes that a land parcel has been incorrectly included in the standard, they can appeal that decision to the Department of Agriculture.
West Clare farmer rewets peatland with county council
James Hanly
West Clare farmer rewets peatland with county council
In the project, a blanket bog - home to two rare and protected birds, the merlin and hen harrier - is being rewetted to provide a wildlife sanctuary for rare habitats and species of concern.
RENEWABLES
Minister vows to engage with farmers on renewables
Stephen Robb
Minister vows to engage with farmers on renewables
Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy Darragh O'Brien said he will be meeting with stakeholders, including the IFA, to explore the opportunities for farmers in renewables.
Semi-state eyes up the Kildare gas site
The Dealer
Semi-state eyes up the Kildare gas site
I hear that country’s semi-state gas utility is among a pool of developers eyeing up the country’s only green gas injection point in Cush, Kildare.
FORESTRY
Strict import controls needed for used forestry machinery – IFA
James Hanly
Strict import controls needed for used forestry machinery – IFA
The association hopes that these controls will ensure all imported used forestry machinery goes through strict biosecurity measures to stop the spread of harmful diseases.
Coillte and IFI publish agreement on nature restoration and climate action
James Hanly
Coillte and IFI publish agreement on nature restoration and climate action
The agreement will work to deliver conservation projects aimed at protecting, enhancing and restoring important ecosystems across Coillte’s forestry estate and Ireland’s inland waterways.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Harmony holds high note in PLI rankings
Peter McCann
Harmony holds high note in PLI rankings
The top four young Holstein sires in UK are all sired by Denovo 2776 Leeds.
Northern View: no let-up in buoyant beef trade
David Wright
Northern View: no let-up in buoyant beef trade
Base quotes for prime U-3 grading cattle are up again this week at NI factories.
IRISH COUNTRY LIVING
Comment
Editorial: ‘shout out to the parents who don’t get it right all the time'
I want to be the mother who follows the advice from the likes of Lucy Wolfe and all those other sleep experts but hey, life happens.
Editorial: ‘shout out to the parents who don’t get it right all the time'
Comment
‘Sometimes a story can transcend and embrace our humanity in a special way’
Careers
What does the future for jobs in the dairy industry?
Property
Auction results: choice land parcels exceed expectations
Property
Good interest in Ballina land holding
Quality land in Clonaslee for auction
Paul Mooney
Quality land in Clonaslee for auction
The ground will attract plenty of interest as it’s good quality and in a good location.
Small holding with views over Lough Corrib
Paul Mooney
Small holding with views over Lough Corrib
The land is in permanent pasture and has been maintined in good condition.
Tillage and grass farm near M8 motorway
Paul Mooney
Tillage and grass farm near M8 motorway
The c42.5ac holding will be offered at auction this month in a number of lots.
Seven lots for seven buyers at Four Mile House farm
Paul Mooney
Seven lots for seven buyers at Four Mile House farm
Many pockets are catered for as guide prices for this farm range from €5,900/ac to €12,000/ac.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Watch: this week in photos, as farmers sow, graze and showcase spring farming
Photo Desk
Watch: this week in photos, as farmers sow, graze and showcase spring farming
Watch: this week in photos as spring lambs, record sales and farming life unfold
Photo Desk
Watch: this week in photos as spring lambs, record sales and farming life unfold
Watch: this week in photos as farmers plough, sow and learn across Ireland
Photo Desk
Watch: this week in photos as farmers plough, sow and learn across Ireland
Watch: this week in pictures as newborn lambs and farm work unfold
Photo Desk
Watch: this week in pictures as newborn lambs and farm work unfold
VIEWPOINTS
Editorial: easy answer to Trump tariffs - make farming great again
Jack Kennedy
Jack Kennedy
A visit to China’s largest mart
Contributor
Contributor
Editorial: TB stalemate
Jack Kennedy
Jack Kennedy
Home Farm: spring tillage work continues
Matt Dempsey
Matt Dempsey
MOST READ
Farmland ownership to be examined
 
Farmland ownership to be examined
Family farm would be ‘negatively impacted’ by Slane bypass proposal
 
Family farm would be ‘negatively impacted’ by Slane bypass proposal
US tariffs could be a disruptor to global beef trade
 
US tariffs could be a disruptor to global beef trade
Watch: Kilkenny's Josephine O’Neill elected new Macra president
 
Watch: Kilkenny's Josephine O’Neill elected new Macra president
Small but mighty in suckler heartland
 
Small but mighty in suckler heartland
Man previously guilty of cattle theft assaulted sister in row over land
 
Man previously guilty of cattle theft assaulted sister in row over land
Opinion: if we have to have the row, have it now
 
Opinion: if we have to have the row, have it now
Dairy birth registrations finishing season in a stronger manner
 
Dairy birth registrations finishing season in a stronger manner
Tullamore Farm video: lambing progressing after tricky lead-in
 
Tullamore Farm video: lambing progressing after tricky lead-in
New fungicide hits the market for wheat
 
New fungicide hits the market for wheat