Limerick farmer reshapes beef enterprise after practical training

A five-day Teagasc course helped Liam Doherty develop the skills to move from suckler cows to dairy calf-to-beef production on his farm in Ballyallinan, Rathkeale, Co. Limerick.

Writing about the transition, DairyBeef 500 adviser Fergal Maguire said the training gave Doherty practical experience as he adapted to a different system.

Until 2020, Doherty farmed 37 hectares and calved more than 50 suckler cows in autumn while also working off-farm. He used Limousin-type cows with Belgian Blue and Limousin artificial insemination sires, selling export-type weanlings at eight to nine months old.

“Even though prices were low at the time I was making a good income from them over the years,” he recalled.

A number of difficult calvings and near-misses prompted him to reduce the suckler herd and begin contract rearing 25 dairy heifers. He found the dairy-bred animals easier to manage and decided to make a full transition to rearing dairy-beef calves.

He joined the first Advanced Teagasc Dairy Calf to Beef Course in December 2022 to build his knowledge and confidence. Although he had experience with dairy heifers, they had arrived fully reared, so feeding calves milk replacer was new to him.

Doherty said the course was practical and interactive: “You learned something new every day, but seeing the theory in action on the farms really brought it to life.”

One lesson was the importance of high-quality silage in helping cattle reach target weights without relying as heavily on costly concentrates. He also valued the final module on finishing cattle, which helped him understand when animals were ready to begin a finishing diet and when they were properly finished.

In spring 2025, he bought 50 dairy-beef calves while continuing to contract rear 25 dairy heifers. When weighed on 31 August 2025, the calves averaged 221kg, with the heaviest reaching 300kg, ahead of target.

The DairyBeef 500 team designed the advanced course to help both new entrants and existing producers develop their calf-to-beef skills. It runs over five full days and covers five fundamentals intended to help participants plan and operate a system on their own farms.

The programme includes visits to regional DairyBeef 500 demonstration farms, the Teagasc Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre at Grange, Co. Meath, and the Tipperary Dairy Calf to Beef Demonstration Farm. Participants also tour a local factory on the final day. Lectures are delivered by specialists from Teagasc, MSD, Volac and other industry speakers.

Further information and registration of interest are available through the Teagasc website.