ABP Demo Farm: How are calves and cattle thriving?
However, he added that the farm was starting to feel the pinch on grass covers.
Maher said; "Cattle have been performing very well this summer and thrive has been good."
The total average weight of the spring 2024-born cattle as of the start of July is 430kg. The steers had an average weight of 448kg and the heifers had an average weight of 406kg.
Commenting on the weights, Maher said: "Cattle are about two weeks ahead on thrive compared to last year."
Clover has been performing strongly in paddocks this year
At the start of the month, 50 heifers were sent to the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) Tully Progeny Test Centre in Co. Kildare, where data on their feed and water intake and methane emissions are measured.
These 50 heifers averaged 420kg on July 9.
According to Maher: "It won't be long until the heifers on the ABP Demo Farm will be housed for finishing.
"We are aiming for them to be averaging 450kg in mid-August, ahead of finishing."
All 400 calves are at grass on the farm. Averaging 155kg as of July 15, they are consuming 1.5kg of concentrates at grass, and also have access to feeding straw as a source of roughage.
Monitoring calves for signs of summer scour is a priority. The farm manager has said while thankfully there has been no cases yet, this time of year is when issues can often occur.
The delayed turnout strategy for the calves post-weaning is being credited for the reduced incidents of summer scour on the farm.
All calves received a white wormer dose, and dung samples will be monitored to identify if another dose is needed.
Sean said: "The wet, humid weather we are seeing now is prime weather for an explosion in worm egg numbers.
"There are not many paddocks with lush covers, so avoiding them for the calves has not been an issue."
Grass growth rates had been well down at 35kg/DM/day but the rain last week rain is expected to bring a big burst in growth.
There is 10ac on the farm burned off for reseeding, which will be disked and sown at the beginning of August.
"This was one of the lowest-performing paddocks for grass grown year-on-year, which is why we have decided to reseed it," Maher explained.
Field burned off for reseeding
The two GreenFeed bins that are out measuring methane with the cattle at grass are just about finished, and will soon be going with the calves.
The first of the store lambs will be arriving on the farm shortly.
Maher said: "Trying to build a bank of grass for them has been a struggle lately".
The first 100 steers from the ABP Demo Farm will head to Tully for finishing in September for performance recording - which takes place every year.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Irish Examiner
2 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
July cooler than 2023 record but 'catastrophic' effects of climate change still evident, experts warn
Last month was the third warmest July ever recorded, as experts said the recent streak of global temperature records being broken was 'over, for now'. However, the Copernicus Climate Change Service said climate change has certainly not eased despite the lack of records being broken, as July 2025 was just 0.27C cooler than the July 2023 record. It comes after data from Met Éireann said July was the warmest month of 2025 so far and the hottest July since 2021. 'We continued to witness the effects of a warming world in events such as extreme heat and catastrophic floods in July,' said Copernicus director Carlo Buontempo. 'Unless we rapidly stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, we should expect not only new temperature records but also a worsening of these impacts — and we must prepare for that.' Last month was 1.25C above the estimated pre-industrial level average temperature globally. This was just the fourth month in the last 25 with a global temperature less than 1.5C above the pre-industrial level, which experts say is a crucial tipping point for the devastating effects of climate change. Copernicus said rainfall was above average in many areas of Europe throughout June, including most of central Europe, northern France, the east of the UK and the south of Ireland. On the other hand, it was drier than average in other areas such as Greece, the Balkans, the coasts of the Black Sea and southern France. 'Many regions experienced wildfires,' it said. Record-high sea surface temperatures were meanwhile recorded in the North Atlantic to the east of France, along with parts of the North Sea. July in Ireland was marked by an Azores high building across the country, according to Met Éireann. 'This culminated in a hot spell, where temperatures surpassed 27C on each day between Thursday 10 and Sunday 13,' it said. The highest temperature of the year so far was recorded on July 12 in Mount Dillon in Roscommon, where the mercury reached 31.1C. Temperatures became so warm in Cork that a road at Lower Goggins Hill, between Ballinhassig and Crossbarry, melted in early July. 'Continuing the recent warmer-than-normal monthly trend, this is the fifth consecutive month with temperatures in the respective top nine averages on record in 126 years of records,' Met Éireann said. 'Of the top 10 warmest Julys, five have occurred since 2001 — 2013, 2006, 2021, 2025, 2018.'

The Journal
4 hours ago
- The Journal
A wildfire is burning in California even larger than the mega fires that scorched LA in January
RISING TEMPERATURES ARE posing new challenges for firefighters who have made incremental progress against a massive wildfire in central California which has become the biggest blaze in the state so far this year. More than 870 remote homes and other structures at the northern edge of Los Padres National Forest are threatened by the Gifford Fire, which grew overnight after burning out of control for days. The fire has scorched at least 339 square kilometres of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, with only 9% of it contained. It has scorched more land than the extensives fires that caused chaos in Los Angeles and San Diego in January, when around 230 square kilometres of land was burned. Around 200,000 people had to evacuate during those fires, with 30 people killed and 18,000 homes and structures destroyed. Crews are working in steep, inaccessible terrain to fight the latest wildfire. Temperatures were around 35 degrees Celsius today and are anticipated to rise to above 38 degrees tomorrow, said Captain Scott Safechuck with Santa Barbara County Fire Department. 'We have hot weather, and we have low relative humidity,' he said. 'So we expect extreme fire behaviour.' He said that winds are fortunately expected to remain relatively calm. However, wildfire risk will be elevated through the weekend across much of inland California as the heatwave intensifies. Advertisement Smoke from the Gifford Fire fills the sky over Los Padres National Forest PA PA The southern part of the state has seen very little rain, drying out vegetation and making it 'ripe to burn', the National Weather Service for Los Angeles warned in a statement. Temperatures around 38 degrees are forecast for the Sacramento Valley. More than 2,200 personnel are battling the Gifford Fire, which grew out of at least four smaller fires that erupted on Friday along State Route 166, forcing closures in both directions east of Santa Maria, a city of about 110,000 people. The causes of the fires are under investigation. Flames are racing through a vast, mostly unpopulated region that includes forests, ranches, large canyon properties and agricultural parcels growing wine grapes and strawberries. The weather service warned of health risks from spreading smoke that could affect much of south-west California. Officials reported four injuries, including a firefighter who was treated for dehydration. Over the weekend, a motorist was treated in hospital for burn injuries after getting out of his vehicle and being overrun by flames, and two contract employees assisting firefighters were hurt when their all-terrain vehicle overturned. Additional reporting by Lauren Boland


Irish Daily Mirror
7 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Ireland weather expert sets record straight on Tropical Storm Dexter
Storm Floris has been and gone but eyes are now focused upon Tropical Storm Dexter out over the Atlantic Ocean. Concern has risen after ICON, a German weather model, suggests that Storm Dexter, which formed in the Atlantic at the weekend, could grow stronger, more severe and edge closer towards Ireland than some other models are currently predicting. AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva explained the origins of Storm Dexter. "Dexter, along with developing easterly breezes around high pressure near the Northeast states, will create locally rough surf and periodic strong rip currents along the Atlantic coast beaches this week from Florida to Massachusetts. Rough surf and choppy seas will also occur around Bermuda." The experts at AccuWeather went on warn that there was possibility that Storm Dexter could track towards Ireland. "It is possible that Dexter may approach the northern part of the British Isles or Iceland this weekend as a tropical rainstorm with locally gusty winds and rough seas," they said. Meanwhile, Irish weather expert, Alan O'Reilly from Carlow Weather on X attempted to set the record where Storm Dexter and Ireland were concerned. In a post to his near 150,000 followers, Alan said there was a "small chance" Storm Dexter could significantly affect Ireland. "For those asking about Tropical Storm Dexter, he is likely to blow himself out in the Atlantic before getting close to Ireland. Small chance that remnants of him could bring us some showers early next week." It comes as authorities issued an array weather warnings as temperatures rise in popular Irish holiday destinations in Spain. Overview: Mixed conditions with near or slightly above average temperatures. Thursday night will be mainly dry with clear spells and just well scattered showers in the west and northwest. Lowest temperatures of 8 to 13 degrees with light to moderate southwest winds, fresher near western and northwestern coastal parts. Friday will bring a mix of cloud and sunny spells with some showers developing for the afternoon. Towards the end of the day, cloud will increase in the northwest. Highest temperatures of 16 to 20 degrees with moderate to fresh southwest to west winds. On Friday night, rain will develop in the northwest and will spread down over Connacht and Ulster overnight. It will be drier further south. Lowest temperatures of 11 to 15 degrees with moderate to fresh southwest winds. Saturday will be mostly cloudy as rai and drizzle extend to much of the southern half of the country. Rain and drizzle will become light and patchy in the evening. Drier weather with some sunshine will develop in Ulster. Highest temperatures of 16 to 21 degrees with light to moderate west to southwest winds. Sunday will be warm, humid and mainly dry with some sunny intervals in the east and south. It will be cloudier to the west and north with perhaps a little drizzle near coasts. Highest temperatures of 19 to 23 degrees with light to moderate southerly winds. Further Outlook: It looks like the early days of next week will bring some rain or showers at times. But there will be decent dry periods also. It will be warm with temperatures in the low 20s in many areas. For more of the latest breaking news from the Irish Mirror check out our homepage by clicking here