achievements and learnings of the farm ’ s first full year of operations . The 56 hectare farm was established by Dawn Meats in 2015 with support from McDonald ’ s , The Irish Agriculture & Food Development Authority and The Irish Farmers Journal to

demonstrate best practice in sustainable suckler beef production .

The Newford Farm has ambitious targets to improve profitability of the herd of 100 cattle over a 5 year plan .

The farm ’ s breeding policy is successfully producing calves which gain weight rapidly and will deliver carcass sizes that meet customer and market requirements .

The cow type at Newford differs from the norm , comprising mainly first-cross Aberdeen Angus cows , bred from the dairy herd for their excellent milk yield potential off grass , thereby minimizing the need for use of bought in concentrates . This year ’ s crop of 90 calves is on track to reach 50 % of their mother ’ s weight within 6 months , with performance helped by the recent improved weather and a surge in grass growth at the farm .

The Open Day offered guided walking tours of the farm every half hour from 2pm to 7pm giving visitors the chance to see the production system in action and learn how it dealt with the impact of a difficult Spring . Key areas for discussion included cow type , grassland management , herd health , breeding approach and planning & data gathering .

Isla Roebuck , Operations Director , Dawn Meats ( UK ) said : “ The idea to establish the

Newford Herd was all about sharing best practice and developing practical examples to improve the profitability and sustainability of beef farming . We are delighted with today ’ s high turnout . The number of visitors proves that farmers have a real appetite to learn more about adapting their farm systems to produce the lighter type of animals which meet modern customer requirements .”

Farm Manager Matthew Murphy said :

“ The Newford system is all about driving efficiency and reducing reliance on factors farmers cannot control , like the price of bought-in feed . Everyone visiting the farm today has been impressed by how well the calves are looking and their rapid weight gain . We are encouraging farmers to focus on the profitability and efficiency of their farm system rather than showcasing what might be a very good looking animal , but one that isn ’ t what the market is looking for and cannot be reproduced consistently . What farmers may lose in carcass size they will more than make up for through the lower cost of production .”

For more information and regular updates on progress at the farm please visit at www . newfordsucklerbeef . ie