Edward Mc Grane farms part time at Ballinacarrick, Ballintra, Co. Donegal. His farm comprises 80 acres approx, split into four parcels. Land quality is mixed with some free draining limestone land and some hills with damper heavier soil. It is a traditional family run farm with everyone lending a hand.
Edward keeps a suckler to forward store/ beef herd of approx. 60 cattle in total. As a long time member of the MED AI Cattle Improvement Scheme, he uses AI exclusively, and specialises mainly in Charolais and Belgian Blue breeds for beef breeding cows and Limousin or Simmental for replacement breeding. He is always looking for cows with maternal trait potential, to add to the overall quality of his herd. Edward states that he lost six breeding cows to bovine TB in 2011 and is very mindful of what a problem an outbreak can be. He affirms with a sense of relief that his herd is totally clear this year.
For convenience Edward uses a teaser bull fitted with a chin marker. He stresses the importance of using the proper viscose marking paint, as thin paint is prone to leaking from the harness and running out quickly. Edward aims to calve his cows in the November to February period so that the majority of cows will be bred again before the cattle are put out to grass. He states that he is happy with the overall quality of AI calves and was very satisfied with the prices his calves attained at the MED Autumn Sale in 2011.
He takes one cut of silage in early June, and has a silage pit which he supplements sometimes with some round bales, as he tries not to open the silage pit before all the herd is brought in for the winter.
Edward finds that paddocks are not suitable because of the natural division of his farm, and the associated problems when moving stock, so he just uses a rotation system.
He completed reseeding 6 acres two weeks ago and the fresh grass is now showing. He reseeded another 5 acres in 2010 and aims to improve pasture as part of a grassland management plan in stages on a biennial basis.
Edward was a member also of the MED Gate to Plate Scheme, and says he made many farm improvements, including additional water supplies, and the installation of a calving camera was a great help during the winter calving period.
Reseeded field - seeded on 27th of july
2011 bulls strip grazing on reseeded pasture
Quality AI bred stock