Teagasc research presented at BEEF2026 shows that young bull production from Irish suckler systems delivers the highest profit and the lowest carbon footprint compared to other calf-to-beef systems. The study found that the annual cost of keeping a suckler cow-calf pair is EUR 995 excluding land and labour. Key factors improving net margin include earlier age at first calving, better herbage utilisation, and clover incorporation. For greenhouse gas intensity, age at first calving, calving rate, and clover incorporation had the biggest effects. The research also noted that Ireland currently relies on international coefficients to estimate enteric methane from its suckler herd, which accounts for 65% of emissions in these systems. A project called RumenVentory is now measuring actual enteric methane across all classes of suckler animals to build country-specific data. This matters for carbon accounting and for any future policy or market mechanisms tied to livestock emissions.
