Given that we have no yearling stock, we have decided to go down this route on Tullamore Farm too. However, there are lots of potential pitfalls in calf-to-beef systems.

Many of these are associated with the rearing phase and Ger O’Dwyer, Tullamore Farm manager and experienced calf-rearer will talk us through his rearing protocol.

What is best practice on the day of arrival? How do the best operators mix their milk powder and what tools are out there to help? What concentrates should you feed calves on milk? Is your shed suitable for calf rearing? When is it ok to wean?

We will have a number of calves from Tullamore Farm on show - both animals that are on or ahead of target and some that are falling behind also. The option for these poorer calves is sure to be a hot topic.

Post-weaning

We will look at the topical issues and questions post-weaning too.

Keep feeding meals at grass in year one or not? What is the target weight gain in year one? When to go with a dose in year one? What sort of weights should I be housing calves at in the winter and what do I feed in the shed?

Joe Burke of Bord Bia will be there on the day to discuss the finishing of these cattle and beyond.

He will run the rule over some forward dairy-cross bullocks and talk about strategies for the final weeks pre-slaughter and the breed-based bonuses that are available.

Cattle demonstrations locked and loaded for this year's Ploughing

Cattle conversations at the Ploughing: two-year-old calving

Cattle conversations at the Ploughing: mastering dairy beef

With the extra labour around additional suckler cows and relatively lower cost of getting numbers on the ground, many beef farmers are turning to dairy calves as a means of increasing output.