Beef - Dempsey Farm, Ireland
Executive Summary
Key areas of good practice:
Management
- All cattle are reared under the requirements of The Beef Quality Assurance Scheme, a code of practice covering issues such as stockmanship, welfare, nutrition, use of veterinary medicines, animal traceability and environmental controls.
- The farm is a member of the Rural Environmental Protection Scheme (REPS), which encourages simple and effective environmental management.
- The farm is a participant of the Suckler Cow Welfare scheme to improve the welfare of stock.
Inputs and Operations
- A reed bed has been established on the farm to clean run-off water.
- Rubber slat covers in the winter housing improve welfare conditions.
- Straw bedded calving pens and calf creep areas are provided during the winter housing.
- Soil testing is conducted to improve fertiliser use and efficiency, and clover is grown to reduce nitrogen applications.
- Good handling facilities reduce the incidence of worker and animal injury.
- One hectare of habitat and one hectare of Linnet have been planted, providing winter feeding and foraging zones to the wild bird populations.
Management
Inputs and Operations