The Beef-Quest project, led by Teagasc Grange in collaboration with the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) and University College Dublin (UCD), is driving efforts to improve the sustainability and profitability of Irish beef farming.

The initiative is dedicated to reducing the average finishing age of prime beef cattle from the current 26 months to 22-23 months by 2030, a key strategy for achieving Ireland’s ambitious goal of a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture.

Currently, the national average finishing age of cattle in Ireland is significantly higher, by six to nine months, compared to the best-performing grass-based research and commercial farms.

MORE NEWS | Willie Hamilton judging McMillan's Suffolk sheep at Bute show

MORE NEWS | Atome reports $2.8m loss, green projects move forward

This delay in finishing age not only increases the GHG emissions per animal but also raises the overall costs associated with rearing cattle, in turn impacting farm profitability. The Beef-Quest project recognises the need to bridge this gap by identifying and addressing the factors that prevent Irish beef farms from reaching optimal liveweight targets throughout an animal’s lifetime.

Beef-Quest is a comprehensive, collaborative effort that looks to investigate the influence of nutrition, health, and on-farm environmental factors on the growth performance and finishing age of beef cattle.

By utilising existing industry data and generating new insights through a large-scale on-farm study, the project aims to map the lifetime liveweight gain performance of the national beef herd. Over 200 beef farmers will be invited to participate in this study, offering them a unique opportunity to contribute to and benefit from innovative research.

Dr Paul Smith, a research officer at the Teagasc Clime Centre and the project lead for Beef-Quest, stated: “Through the capture of on-farm data, we hope to identify the pitfalls and develop strategies to achieve a younger age of finish for beef cattle nationally.”

Farmers participating in the Beef-Quest project will gain access to a range of valuable resources and services. These include free liveweight recording at critical stages of cattle growth, forage analysis, and comprehensive reports comparing their farm's performance with other participants in the program.

Regular liveweight recording is crucial for accurately monitoring cattle growth and ensuring that animals are on track to reach their finishing targets earlier.

Reducing the finishing age of beef cattle is not only vital for reducing GHG emissions but also offers significant economic benefits by lowering the overall costs of cattle rearing. While Irish beef farmers have made progress over the past 15 years, Dr Smith noted that there is still a considerable journey ahead to meet the 2030 target.

The Beef-Quest project represents a significant step forward in understanding and improving the lifetime performance of beef cattle on Irish farms, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable and profitable beef sector in Ireland.