Michael Coughlan is farming a suckler – beef enterprise in partnership with his father in Union Hall, Co. Cork. They also run a contracting business. He is calving approximately 60 sucklers, split 50/50 between August to September and December to February. All the bull progeny are finished under 16 months of age. On average this year, the young bulls graded U= 2+ with a carcass weight of 400kg at 15.5 months. The heifers are either finished in a 20 – 22 month system or retained as replacements within the herd. On average this year, the finished heifers graded U- 3= with a carcass weight of 353kg just under 21 months of age. The herd is an active participant in SCEP, NGP and Gene Ireland. The herd is also involved in the ABP Advantage Programme, with all cattle being killed in ABP Bandon.
The suckler herd is made up of mostly Charolais cross cows with some Limousin and Saler cross cows present also. The average Replacement Index of the cows in the herd is €110 which compares to the national average of €100. Michael’s cows are definitely a more terminal type of cow with an average carcass weight figure of 24kg (national average is 11kg) and this is clear to see when you look at how their progeny are performing in the factory. Cows are bred 50/50 between 5 star Terminal Index Charolais stock bulls and AI.
Charolais would be the main breed of sire used on the farm. Apart from the two resident stock bulls, high Terminal Index bulls such as CH7503 (Cloonradoon Ricky), CH4159 (Knockmoyle Loki) and CH6490 (Orbi) have been used. Michael would like to increase the milk within his cows. Currently, they have an average milk figure of 0.5kg (national average is 4.22kg). To do this, the farm is now using a small amount of Limousin and Saler AI during the breeding season in the hope he will breed replacement females. Michael has been involved with Beef Gene Ireland since 2016. A lot of the AI bulls he is still using today are graduates of previous Gene Ireland Spring and Autumn panels, highlighting the need for the programme.
One of Michael’s CHX cows tag 458, ticks a lot of boxes and is an ideal suckler cow. She is sired by Gene Ireland graduate sire Cloverfield Excellent (CXY). She was born in January 2014 and first calved at 35 months. She has a Replacement Index of €152 with a carcass weight figure of 30.7kg and a milk figure of 8.1kg. She has had an average calving interval of 367 days and calved again on the 17th January 2026 with a CH4159 heifer. Michael plans to retain this heifer as a replacement breeding heifer. To date, the progeny from cow tag ending 458 have performed extremely well. On average, they have had an Average Daily Gain (ADG) at weaning of 1.33kg. As you can see from the screenshot taken from Michael’s suckler cow report, any cattle finished have performed extremely well and three daughters have been retained as cows, and they are being equally successful.
See the Gene Ireland Sire Directory Spring 2026 to check out the bulls that are currently available for the 2026 Beef Gene Ireland Programme.
For more information or to order your Gene Ireland straws, please call ICBF on 023 8820452.