A strong turnout at Thomas Carroll’s Co. Laois farm highlighted how CBV-led decisions are translating into real on-farm performance.
Farmers attending an ICBF, Teagasc and Ashbourne Meats farm walk on the farm of Thomas Carroll, Ballybrophy, Co. Laois, last Wednesday were given a clear insight into how genetic selection, practical management and a straightforward finishing system can deliver consistent, high-quality beef.
Photos by Alf Harvey.
Thomas Carroll was one of the inaugural winners of the ICBF Beef Quality Awards in 2025, receiving the Ashbourne Meats Suckler Farmer Finisher award. The farm walk provided an opportunity to see the cattle behind that award and to hear directly from Thomas about the decisions driving performance on his farm.
A system built on simplicity and consistency
Farming full-time on approximately 200 acres outside Ballybrophy, Thomas operates a combined beef and tillage system. Around 45 acres of the farm is dedicated to barley production each year, with the remainder in grass, supporting a suckler herd of approximately 40 spring-calving cows alongside purchased cattle for finishing.
Progeny from the suckler herd are finished on-farm, with Thomas also buying around 50 weanlings annually to complement homebred stock. Visitors to the farm walk saw cattle at various stages of production, with a mix of breeds on display — all performing within a clearly defined system.
Breeding decisions guided by indexes
The suckler herd is predominantly Limousin-cross-Parthenaise, with Parthenaise genetics forming the backbone of the breeding programme in recent years. Mature cows are run with a Parthenaise bull, while heifers are synchronised and AI’d before being bred to a Piedmontese bull.
Throughout the farm walk, Thomas highlighted the importance of Euro-Star indexes and Commercial Beef Value in breeding and replacement decisions, explaining how these tools help identify animals with the potential to deliver both performance and efficiency.
Replacement heifers are selected annually based on a combination of index information and physical suitability, with the remainder finished through the system.
Photos by Alf Harvey.
Buying cattle with scope to perform
In addition to breeding his own cattle, Thomas regularly purchases weanlings through local marts, including Roscrea and Ballinakill. His focus is on continental-type cattle that show growth potential, rather than cattle that appear close to finished at purchase.
Bought-in calves are dosed and vaccinated on arrival, then returned to grass to settle, with a clear health protocol in place. This disciplined approach, combined with careful sourcing, underpins the consistency seen across the finishing cattle on the farm.
Under-20-month bull beef system
The Carroll farm operates an under-20-month bull beef system, supplying Ashbourne Meats. Bulls are turned out to grass for their second summer before returning indoors for a short, intensive finishing period.
Homegrown barley forms the basis of the finishing ration, alongside a barley balancer. Thomas described the feeding programme as simple but effective, with stock management kept consistent across the system.
Strong CBVs reflected in performance
The genetics-first approach evident across the herd has translated into strong CBV performance. In 2024, bulls finished on the farm averaged a CBV of €427, while heifers averaged €411 — figures that clearly impressed farm walk attendees when matched with the cattle visible on the day.
The event reinforced the central message of the Beef Quality Awards: that selecting cattle with strong Commercial Beef Values and managing them within a practical, repeatable system can deliver improvements in finishing performance, efficiency, and profitability.
Photos by Alf Harvey.
Learning from a proven system
Thomas emphasises that achieving consistency starts with the cow herd.
“Getting the cow right is just as important as buying the right bull,” he explained, noting that moderate-sized, functional cows with good milk are key to producing calves that thrive in the system.”
The strong turnout and level of engagement on the day reflected farmers’ interest in seeing CBV in action on commercial farms. The farm walk at Ballybrophy demonstrated how genetics, when backed up by good management, can deliver tangible results on the ground.
ICBF would like to congratulate Thomas Carroll once again on receiving the 2025 Ashbourne Meats Suckler Farmer Finisher award and thank him for opening his farm to host this successful event.
Photo: Alf Harvey.