1. Producing for a Changing Market Ulster Grassland Association Presentation by Michael Doran

2. What am I Trying to produce?

3. How do you like yours?

4. Overview

5. Farm Details • 335 acres farmed • 208 owned; 27 leased; 100 rented • 217 acres grass • 83 acres winter wheat • 8 acres spring barley • 5 acres oats • 5 acres kale • Maize silage

6. Beef enterprise • 40~50 Autumn Calvers • 75 spring calvers • 3 Bulls, • 375 day calving interval • Bulls finished @ 17-22 months • Heifers finished @ 18 to 21 months • Cull Cows slaughtered ASAP once identified

8. Grassland management • Measure grass every Sunday morning • Average farm cover 22ndjan ~863kgsDm/ha Turnout 2006 25th March to 20thapril Turnout 2011 28th Feb to 10thApril Turnout 2012 1st Feb ???

9. 250 day grazing season! • Is it possible?

10. When does the grazing season start? • 1stOctober start closing paddocks • Aim to be all closed by 10thDecember • 75% closed by 31stOctober • Target closed period 100days

11. kale

12. Key grass management tools • Reseeding • Clover • Paddocks • Teagasc grass programme • Determination • Weighing platform

13. Breeding • Member of ICBF herdplus • Helps identify key performance • Calving interval • Calves/cow/year • No of months calving • No of live calves/cow/year

18. Breeding Policy • Half bred Lim heifers • Cross to Simmental bull • Target ¾ bred Simmental cow • Lim bull on heifers • Char bull on main herd • Target bull carcases 420 kgs • Target heifer carcases 340 kgs

21. CAP post 2013 • Commission proposals • Move to flat by 2019 • Reference year in 2014 • Shift from link to production • Greening • IMPACT = 50% cut in SFP

22. Consequences of newCap proposals • Direct hit on Suckler Cows • Impact on land rental market • Move away from link with production • How green is green?

23. Impact on my farm • 3 options • Stay doing what we always did • Reduce number of Sucklers, increase dairy beef • Continue to drive output

24. How will we feed the world • World population- 7 bn in oct 2011 • Extra 1 bn people by 2025 • Extra 2bn people by 2050 • 1 bn extra in asia • 1bn extra in africa • Can they feed themselves?

26. Ireland’s Role • Increased demand for food • No alternative supply base in EU • Green grass based production systems • Sustainable production • Excellent infrastructure • Research • Advisory • Land

27. Irelands key resourceWater??? Impact of drought in some countries Impact of floods in some countries Growing urbanisation of world BordBia sustainability audits of QA Farms

28. Is the era of cheap food over

30. Summary • We are the best! • Food is always wanted • Grass is Irelands gold • Prices will be more volatile • BUT will continue trends • Farmers have key role in food chain • EU a food exporter again

32. Where now at home? • Plan ahead despite CAP reform. • Improve live weight gains • Cut out poorer performing cows • Utilise ICBF reports • Increase cow numbers? • €1000 Gross Margin /ha • Discussion Group Programme • Continue development

35. Thank you