An international conference on dairy calf-to-beef systems is to hear of the latest developments in addressing challenges on the dairy-beef sector when it takes place in Wexford town on 16 and 17 October.

The conference will discuss updates from large-scale demonstration farms, new advances in dairy-beef production systems and recent technologies to be rolled out in the sector internationally.

Animal health, calf welfare regulations and nutrition in dairy-beef systems all feature on the agenda.

The conference is hosted by Teagasc and attendees will have the opportunity to visit the authority’s dairy-beef research herd at Johnstown Castle, as well as ABP’s demonstration farm.

The British Society of Animal Science (BSAS) and ABP are also supporting the event, with dairy-beef experts from Ireland, the UK, New Zealand, Belgium, Denmark and Spain among the speaker lineup.

Comparisons

Teagasc’s director professor Frank O'Mara stated that the conference will hear comparisons between intensive concentrate-based systems and those based off grass, the impact of new beef genetics tailored for use on the dairy herd and vertical integration of the dairy-beef sector’s supply chain.

“This innovative event has the opportunity to provide insights into the economic and environmental sustainability of beef production in Ireland and across the world,” said managing director of ABP Ireland and Poland Kevin Cahill.

“As a beef processor, evidence-based research is an integral part of our operation. In 2014, we developed the dairy-beef breeding programme in collaboration with Teagasc and the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation and in 2015, we established the ABP trial farm, providing industry-leading research to inform our Advantage Beef programme, which supports Irish farming families.”

To register, click here.