Ten weanling producers beginning phase three

How last year’s BETTER farm weanling producers compare with the industry leaders:

Robert Abbott, Edgeworthstown, Co Longford

Robert runs both sheep and cattle enterprises on a farm that includes both dry and heavy soils. He keeps 35 suckler cows and sells all progeny in spring as weanlings/yearlings. He also buys in around 15 weanling bulls and heifers and sells them as stores. He calves 25 cows in spring and 10 cows in autumn. Robert works in the local marts. He is married to Jenny and they have two children.

James and John Flaherty, Castleisland, Co Kerry

James Flaherty recently took over management of his home drystock farm, which he has been converting to suckling for approximately five years. There is 18ha of owned ground and some rented outfarm one mile away. Soil type is heavy while the rented ground is high and facing south. James works full-time off-farm.

Gerard and John Grieve, Lifford, Co Donegal

The Grieve family farm is run as a partnership and includes a sheep enterprise. Gerald Jr also helps out in the running of the farm. The suckler herd of 48 cows comprises mostly first-cross cows from the dairy herd, with some continental crossbred cows. These are bred to a Charolais bull. At present all progeny are sold as weanlings. A flock of 120 Texel cross ewes are bred to Texel, Suffolk and Charolais sires.

Shane Gleeson, Cappamore, Co Limerick

Shane is farming part-time on mixed-quality land in Cappamore, Co Limerick. He carries 50 suckler cows with an even split between autumn- and spring-calving. Progeny are sold as weanlings, with replacements sourced from marts as maiden heifers. Two stock bulls are used, with Limousin sires preferred. The farm is split between free-draining land and extremely heavy low-lying gley soil.

Philip Keville, Aughamore, Co Leitrim

Philip is a 33-year-old part-time suckler farmer from Aughamore in south Leitrim. He currently has 15 spring-calving suckler cows and sells weanlings at six months of age. The farm is heavy by nature, which is typical of the area. Philip plans to increase the stocking rate on the farm and make better use of the land available to him by investing in drainage and reseeding. He has adequate animal housing to facilitate expansion.

Garreth McCormack, Bailieborough, Co Cavan

Garreth McCormack farms 34ha, part-time in Bailieborough, Co Cavan. He took over the family farm in 2013 and his main focus has been on building up stock numbers. The farm is laid out in one block and is currently carrying 36 suckler cows. All bulls are sold at 10 months and the heifers are kept as replacements to increase herd numbers.

Glen McDermott, Castlebaldwin, Co Sligo

Glen Mc Dermott farms 41ha of reasonably dry ground at Castlebaldwin, Co Sligo. He keeps a 40-cow split-calving suckler herd and sells weanlings in the autumn. Glen works off farm and is married to Brenda. They have two children, Dylan, 16 and Ellie, 14.

Michael McDonald, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny

Michael is farming 60ha of land just outside Thomastown, Co Kilkenny. The home farm consists of heavy ground, while the land is much drier on the outfarm. Over the last few years they have moved from a split calving pattern to 100% autumn calving. Cow numbers have also increased and over 70 are expected to calve this autumn. Both AI and stock bulls are used on the farm.

Kieran Noonan, Charleville, Co Cork

Kieran is farming 118 acres in north Cork. Half of the land is dry and the other half is heavy, black soil. He farms alongside his wife Kate and two children, Emma and Jason. Kieran also works part-time as an AI technician. He calves down 50 cows in autumn. Half of these are commercial and the other half are pedigree. Commercial weanlings are sold for export while pedigree bulls are sold at 18 months.

Padraig O’Connor, Knockcroghery, Co Roscommon

Padraig keeps 55 predominantly Aberdeen Angus-cross, spring-calving suckler cows at Knockcroghery, Co Roscommon. Bulls are sold as weanlings and heifers finished to beef. Charolais and Aberdeen Angus bulls are used on the farm. Padraig will focus more on gain from grass to reduce concentrate and silage usage and reduce variable costs on farm. He is married with three children