Recently, our Suckler Group met at the farm of Danny Sweeney, Legland, Drumkeen. Danny keeps a 19 cow closed herd with all replacements home bred.  Cow breeds are a mix of Limousin, Charolais and Simmental, all cows are bred to Progressive Genetics AI.  Bulls used are Limousin: CVV, NSQ, NHL and Highlander.  Belgian Blue: FHV, STQ, IDB.  Blonde D’Aquitane: PTE and Parthenaise bull BZB.  Cows are fed silage ad-lib and dry cow minerals with no meal before calving, after calving they receive 2kg of suckler nuts.  Bull calves are fed 10lb/day of high energy beef blend and heifers get 4lb/day of the same meal.  No vaccinations of any sort are used as Danny has a closed herd and rears his own replacements with no stock bought in at all.  Danny dosed his calves twice this year with Ivomec Super, cows are treated with pour-on during the summer and at housing with pour-on and Trodax.  Lick buckets are kept in the field with the cows when at grass to prevent tetany. The group then discussed the new BVD Voluntary National Eradication Programme coming into being next year.  It will be voluntary in 2012 and will be compulsory in 2013.  Calves are tagged with a special tag that takes a sample of tissue from their ear, this is then sent away to a lab for testing.  It is proposed that BVD results will be displayed on mart boards. To view photos from the meeting, click on the link below: http://www.flickr.com/photos/agriculturalconsultant/sets/72157628124940692/