Optimisation of Cattle Housing Systems for Beef Farmers

End of Project ReportThe provision of animal accommodation and feed storage is essential for the efficient management of a beef herd. Housing should provide living conditions that are conducive to good animal health and efficient production while optimising labour efficiency and minimising the potential for negative impacts to the environment. This report compares the merits of a number of systems

Conservation characteristics of baled grass silages differing in duration of wilting, bale density and number of layers of plastic stretch-film

peer-reviewedThe effects of duration of wilting, bale density and number of layers of plastic stretchfilm used to wrap bales on the conservation characteristics of baled grass silage was investigated. Grass from the primary growth of a Lolium perenne dominant sward was wilted for 24, 48 or 72 h. For each duration of wilting, 54 cylindrical bales (1.2 m nominal diameter) were made with the baler at a high or low density setting for alternate bales. Bales were wrapped with 2, 4 or 6 layers of plastic stretch-film and stored outdoors for 295 days. Two layers of plastic stretch-film resulted in inferior preservation, lower digestibility and extensive mould growth and deteriorated silage. Substantial improvement occurred to each of these characteristics from applying four layers of stretch-film (P<0.05), while six layers of stretch-film brought little further improvement. When four or six layers of stretch-film were used, extensive wilting restricted fermentation and improved the standard of preservation with the apparently difficult-to-preserve herbage used in this experiment. However, under the anaerobic conditions provided by four or six layers of stretch-film neither progressive wilting nor bale density had a major effect on digestibility, or the extent of surface mould growth or deteriorated silage. It can be concluded that a minimum of four layers of conventional black plastic stretch-film were required to achieve suitably anaerobic conditions, and that the additional benefits from six layers were small. Once anaerobic conditions were achieved, extensive wilting improved the conservation characteristics of baled grass silage made from a difficult-to-preserve crop, whereas bale density had little impact

Evaluation of mix specification and PFA as a cement replacer in concretes used in silage storage structures.

End of Project ReportsAt present, concrete for silage storage structures is specified by the Irish Farm Development Service (DAFF, 1992) in terms of a characteristic 28 day crushing strength of 40 N/mm2 and a minimum cement content of 350 kg/m3. In addition, the maximum aggregate size used must not exceed 20 mm and the slump of the unplasticised concrete must not exceed 75 mm. There is no stipulation on the maximum water to cement ratio to be used. This specification represents a high strength concrete for agricultural use and has been upgraded to this level in an attempt to improve the material’s resistance to corrosion by silage effluent. A cement content of 350 kg/m3 is regarded as a relatively high cement content and may promote thermal cracking in the structures (Blackledge, 1990). This would result in a concrete which would be more susceptible to attack by corrosive effluent. A system of carrying out accelerated durability tests on concrete specimens under controlled conditions has been developed by Teagasc and University College Dublin (O’Donnell, C., 1993). Trials carried out by O’Donnell, indicated that cement content had little influence on the durability of concretes exposed to silage effluent for the ranges of mixes examined, but the use of excess water resulted in marked increases in deterioration. The present study aims to further examine the effect of (i) cement content and (ii) the use of PFA as a cement replacer

Factors Affecting the Cleanliness of Cattle Housed in Buildings wiith Concrete Slatted Floors.

End of Project ReportFrom a series of experiments at Grange Research Centre, cattle were cleanest at housing in the autumn, however, within 3 to 4 weeks of housing on concrete slats and fed with a diet of grass silage, cattle were dirtiest, with the majority of the cattle in category 4 or 5. Cattle tended to be cleaner in the late March, early April period as they shed their winter hair coat. Cattle fed concentrates plus straw were significantly cleaner at slaughter compared to similar cattle offered grass silage plus concentrates. Cattle housed indoor on slats during the summer were cleaner than cattle on similar diet and accommodation during the winter. High dry matter silage produced cleaner cattle than did low dry matter silages. Back and tail clipping of cattle at the commencement of the winter finishing period did not have any positive effect on cleanliness score or liveweight gain when the cattle were accommodated in well ventilated slatted floor houses. A survey of 19 farms specialising in finishing cattle failed to show any correlation between stocking density, solid floor area or level of concentrate feeding on the cleanliness of finishing cattle. A survey of 36 finishing units, designated as producers of "clean" or "dirty" cattle at slaughter, found that units with clean cattle had houses which were in general well ventilated, had A-type roofs with an open ridge outlet and in general the grass silage offered was a higher dry matter. In contrast, finishing units with dirty cattle tended to be poorly ventilated and the grass silage offered had a lower dry matter. Overall in the survey cattle cleanliness score was not affected by stocking density (2.0m 2 3.8m 2) or the proportion of solid floor area in the pen. Cattle accommodated on gang slats were dirtier than those accommodated on single slats

Baled Silage - Development Of Reliable Baled Silage Systems

End of Project ReportBaled silage is now made on two-thirds of all farms in Ireland, and accounts for one third of all silage made. It is particularly prevalent as the primary silage-making system on both beef farms and smaller-sized farms. However, it is also widespread as a second silage-making system on many other farms. The series of experiments contained in this report were conducted as part of a collaborative EU Structural Funds supported research project jointly carried out between the Teagasc research centres at Grange and Oak Park. Some of the research was also conducted in collaboration with the Botany Dept. at University College Dublin.European Union Structural Funds (EAGGF

Optimal use of animal slurries for input reduction and protection of the environment in sustainable agricultural systems.

End of Project ReportThis work was funded by the EU Air Programme (AIR-CT 94-1276) 1st October 1994 - 30th September 1997The objectives of manure management in sustainable agricultural systems are to optimise nutrient recovery by the crop and to reduce nutrient losses to the environment. However, farmers still have many practical problems in adopting and applying the research developed for improving manure management strategies. This project identified and addressed three of these problems. These concerned the provision of decision support in relation to environmental risk assessment and application decision strategies; determining the nutrient value of slurry and the development of manure application technology.European Structural Funding (EAGGF

Effect of an agri-environmental measure on nitrate leaching from a beef farming system in Ireland

peer-reviewedAgricultural nitrogen (N) management remains a key environmental challenge. Improving N management is a matter of urgency to reduce the serious ecological consequences of the reactive N. Nitrate (NO3−–N) leaching was measured under suckler beef production systems stocked at two intensities: (1) intensive, 210 kg organic N ha−1 with two cut silage harvests; and (2) rural environmental protection scheme (REPS), 170 kg organic N ha−1 with one cut silage harvest. Three replicate plots of each treatment were instrumented with ceramic cups (8 per plot), randomly placed within each plot at a depth of 1 m to collect soil solution for NO3−–N at 50 kPa suction to collecting vessels one week prior to sampling. Samples were taken on a total of 53 sampling dates over 3 winter drainage periods (2002/03, 2003/04 and 2004/05). Over the course of the experiment the mean annual soil solution NO3−–N concentration exceeded the MAC twice out of 15 means (5 treatments over 3 years). The REPS grazing and silage sub treatments had significantly lower mean annual soil solution total oxidized N (TON) concentrations than the respective intensive treatments in years 2 and 3. Annual total NO3−–N losses over the three years in intensive and REPS systems ranged from 55 to 71 and 15 to 20 kg N ha−1, respectively. Mean N surpluses in intensive and REPS systems were 210 and 95 kg ha−1, respectively with the corresponding mean N inputs of 272 and 124 kg N ha−1. The reduction in N inputs under the REPS system results in lower N leaching losses and contributed to a significant reduction in pressures on water quality

Improved Technologies For Baled Silage.

End of Project ReportThis present report summaries the findings of the more recent research on baled silage.The contents of this report are presented under the following headings:1. Characteristics of baled silage on Irish farms - a survey 2. Mechanisation in the field 3. Forage and plastic 4. Schzophyllum commune 5. Preventing wildlife damage 6. Growth by cattl

Teagasc submission made in response to the Discussion document for the preparation of a National Policy Statement on the Bioeconomy

Teagasc SubmissionThis document is Teagasc’s response to the “Discussion Document for the Preparation of a National Policy Statement on the Bioeconomy” issued by the Department of the Taoiseach’s Economic Division in July 2017. It recognises the potential significance of the bioeconomy to Ireland, offers some policy and strategic insights from other countries, and identifies Teagasc’s role in supporting the development of the bioeconomy in Ireland

Optimisation of Cattle Housing Systems for Beef Farmers

End of Project ReportThe provision of animal accommodation and feed storage is essential for the efficient management of a beef herd. Housing should provide living conditions that are conducive to good animal health and efficient production while optimising labour efficiency and minimising the potential for negative impacts to the environment. This report compares the merits of a number of systems