Laois family to host calf-care roadshow
Rearing healthy calves is among the major issues which will be addressed during the CalfCare '25 event which will be held on the McEvoy farm at Rosenallis on 17 January
A LAOIS farm family is set to welcome dairy farmers and dairy calf-to-beef farmers to their holding at Clonaheen House in Rosenallis.
Farmers John, Patricia and Rory McEvoy will host CalfCare ’25, the Animal Health Ireland (AHI) and Teagasc DairyBeef 500 roadshow promoting calf health and the potential of beef production from the dairy herd on Friday 17 January, with proceedings due to start at 11am.
With the support of Volac Milk Replacer Ireland Ltd (Feed For Growth) along with the region’s co-ops and meat processors, CalfCare ’25 will champion best practice husbandry and management practices and how to deliver best calf performance.
Describing the busy month ahead as “an informative introduction to the farming year”, the DairyBeef 500 programme co-ordinator Alan Dillon said he hopes that attending farmers “will use these events to refresh their calf-rearing skillsets”.
Assistant CellCheck programme manager with AHI Michelle McGrath said: “For many farmers, it may have been a while since they last cared for calves. By attending these events, farmers can refresh their knowledge on the best practices for calf feeding, managing common health issues and optimising calf growth. It also provides an opportunity for farmers to ask questions that are relevant to their own farms.” The calf-care roadshow will address a range of pressing issues which farmers face during a critical time of their working year, including understanding dairy and beef indices to produce quality calves. Achieving optimal rumen development. Discussing the best means of utilising pain relief during the calving season and the prevention of pneumonia in calves.
Teagasc Head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer Department Joe Patton said that the coming together of the DairyBeef 500 and AHI teams to deliver the CalfCare events emphasised the importance of the calf-rearing process to both farming systems.
He said: “It is essential that dairy farmers do all they can to produce calves that have enhanced profitability potential by suitably looking after them up to the point of transfer from the farm, thus ensuring the success of the dairy beef farmer’s operation,”.
“Given the success of last January’s CalfCare events, which marked the first time that DairyBeef 500 and AHI had worked together like this, we are delighted to continue this relationship to highlight how both sectors, working together, complement each other.”
