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I farm: “In Co Leitrim, on 60ac, 45ac owned and 15ac leased with my wife Brigid and our two-year-old daughter Aoibhinn. I am a suckler farmer and have begun contract-rearing.”
Current stock: “On farm currently I am contract-rearing 45 heifers and I have 10 sucklers.”
Heifers: “All heifers on the farm are from a dairy herd, predominantly Hereford and Angus crosses. Heifers, once reared, will be sent to the Newford herd in Athenry, Co Galway, which is being run by Teagasc and Dawn Meats.”
Contract rearing: “Heifers normally come on to the farm around 12 weeks of age and are reared to approximately 20 months of age. The second batch of Newford heifers came in June at 12 weeks old, and will be reared until November 2020.”
Current mart prices: “Luckily, I am in the position that mart prices don’t affect me hugely, as I only have a handful of sucklers. Even with the beef sector in turmoil, mart trade is relatively good and quality will always sell.”
Why contract-rearing? “I decided to diversify into contract-rearing because I saw the different opportunities available to allow me to create a higher return than my suckler enterprise.”
Future plans: “My future plans are uncertain as of yet and, because I work off farm, dairying is not suitable. I would like to continue and increase the contract-rearing enterprise and expand the farm.”
Discussion group: “I am a member of two discussion groups. One is a Knowledge Transfer group and the other is a contract-rearing group, both of which are run by Teagasc. I find them both very beneficial. I am always learning and it’s great to hold discussions with like-minded people.”
Mercosur deal: “Obviously it’s not positive for the beef or poultry sector. However, it is positive for some sectors within agriculture. The pros and cons of the deal need to be weighed up, and Brexit could leave us in an even worse scenario.”
Quotable quote: “The most dangerous place you can be in is your comfort zone. It is better to push your limits than be complacent, especially within agriculture.”
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