Episode #359
The changes delivering better performance on James Skehan’s farm
Future Beef farmer, James Skehan, from county Clare is on this week’s Beef Edge to discuss his spring-calving suckler-to-beef enterprise while also working off-farm. Over the past number of years he has made significant changes to improve the profitability, efficiency and sustainability of his business, like many suckler farmers, James has adapted his system to make better use of the resources available on his farm. He has moved from selling weanlings to finishing cattle, invested in grazing infrastructure to maximise grass utilisation, focused on improving soil fertility, and placed a strong emphasis on breeding a compact, efficient spring-calving herd. These changes have helped him reduce labour demands while maintaining high levels of animal performance. As a participant in the Teagasc Future Beef Programme, James has been benchmarking his performance and implementing practical changes that are delivering real improvements on the ground. In this episode, he shares the lessons he's learned, discusses how he balances farming with an off-farm career, explains his approach to grassland management, breeding and herd health, and outlines how he prepares calves for weaning. James is also preparing to host the Teagasc National Future Beef Farm Walk on Friday, 4th September at 6 pm, where visitors will have the opportunity to see his farming system first-hand and hear about the management practices that are helping drive performance and profitability. Further details at: https://teagasc.ie/event/futurebeef-farm-walk-james-skehan For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com
