More than 200 farmers attended a dedicated Knowledge Transfer (KT) event for beef advisory groups yesterday (Tuesday, May 20).

The event in Co. Meath was hosted by Teagasc in partnership with Irish food company, Kepak.

Those in attendance heard about the latest insights and innovations, along with hands-on demonstrations focused on building more efficient and sustainable beef production systems.

There were expert-led talks at Teagasc animal and grassland research and innovation centre, Grange, County Meath.

The group then visited Kepak Farm – a beef and tillage enterprise in Clonee where attendees saw how practical changes on-farm can deliver measurable improvements in performance, sustainability, and profitability.

The rotating sessions covered a range of topics including animal health, nutrition, breeding, carbon efficiency, and slurry use.

The Kepak store-to-beef system finishes 5,000 cattle annually.

Mick O’Dowd, head of agri-business at Kepak, said that the company has a long track record of “collaborating with industry stakeholders for the betterment of the overall industry".

“Kepak Farm in particular has been a shining light in that regard and yesterday we were proud to work with Teagasc in providing practical information that we hope the 200 farmers in attendance found beneficial.

"Kepak will continue to work together with farmers to move our sector forward," he said.

Brian Tormey, chief executive of Kepak Meat Division Ireland, added that these events "bring real world insight to the fore".

"That’s what today was about, helping farmers make better decisions on the ground. We're pleased to work closely with Teagasc to support progress in efficiency, sustainability, and profitability right across the sector," he said.

Pearse Kelly, head of the Teagasc Drystock Knowledge Transfer department, said that “farmers in beef discussion groups are to the fore in adopting the latest and newest technologies to improve their farm business".

"The event highlights the current and future research being undertaken in Teagasc Grange and being adopted on farms like the Kepak farm," he said.

Teagasc director, Prof. Frank O’ Mara said that the authority's "advisory programme is underpinned by a strong research programme".

He said this "addresses the future needs of the suckler beef and dairy beef enterprises to ensure they remain competitive and profitable, while also providing the science to assist farmers address the challenges of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving water quality and enhancing biodiversity on farms".