ABP Monitor Farms: Progress Report from Sligo's Suckler and Dairy-Beef Farm

The ABP Food Group's Advantage Beef Programme continues to make strides at one of its Monitor Farms located in Sligo. As summer progresses, Sean Cassidy, the farm liaison officer, reported a significant improvement in grass growth, spurred by a recent spell of hot weather. Earlier this week, the farm successfully completed its first cut of bale silage, with efforts focused on achieving high dry matter digestibility.

Pat Carthy, who manages the farm, confirmed that the suckler herd has calved and is now grazing. Despite minor issues with scours, the calving season was generally successful. The farm utilizes a Charolais stock bull for breeding purposes throughout the summer.

The farm's approach to cattle management includes both suckler-bred and dairy-beef yearlings. The suckler-bred bull calves from 2025 were castrated last autumn and are being raised as steers. Meanwhile, the dairy-beef yearlings have surpassed their weight targets, weighing an average of 415kg at turnout. These cattle had been receiving concentrate feed over winter, which was phased out by January.

This year’s dairy-beef calves have recently arrived from a dairy farmer in County Cavan, facilitated by the Advantage Beef Programme. Carthy has a long-standing arrangement with this supplier, allowing him to influence sire selection to meet his farm's needs.

In addition to livestock management, Carthy has taken steps to enhance farm biodiversity by planting 1,800 whitethorn plants to create a new hedgerow. This initiative aims to provide shelter and support habitat biodiversity. The hedgerow will be protected with double fencing during its development.

Furthermore, Carthy has joined the CliBeef project, an EU-funded initiative designed to assist beef farmers in Northern Ireland and border regions in reducing greenhouse gas emissions through practical, sustainable solutions.