Farming alongside his father Seamus, Paraic runs 270 ewes and replacements, plus around 20 suckler cows, with all stock finished on the farm’s 84 acres. This year, strong grass growth and careful planning have allowed Paraic to take 17 acres of surplus grass from the grazing block as round bales.
The McNeills operate a three-day paddock grazing system and have been measuring grass for several years. Since 2023 they have been part of the GrassCheck and ZeroNsile programme, recording growth weekly to guide decisions. Paraic explained that his main focus is on the “grass wedge” — balancing grass supply with livestock demand — rather than simply chasing total growth figures.
“A few years ago I ran out of silage and I vowed that would never happen again,” Paraic said. “It took a couple of years to get the confidence to remove grass at the right time, but it’s been worth it.”
To the end of July 2025, the farm has grown an average of 6.5t dry matter per hectare — well ahead of last year, when growth was impacted by a late spring. Paraic typically aims to graze paddocks at 2,800–3,000kg DM/ha and graze down to 1,600–1,700kg DM/ha, using weaned ewes later in the season to tidy up any remaining grass.
The focus on maintaining high-quality grass in the diet is paying off. Lambs in 2025 have averaged a daily liveweight gain of 0.345kg in their first 60 days and 0.28kg over 120 days, leading to an average weight of 36.5kg at 120 days. Average slaughter age in 2024 was 208 days, a strong result for a tightly stocked farm.
John Morrow from AgriSearch praised the performance: “If you can achieve around 200 days to slaughter at this stocking rate, that is an exceptional result.”
The walk attracted a strong turnout and with lively discussions on grassland management and Red clover establishment. It was a clear demonstration of how both AgriSearch projects approach can help maximise both performance and profitability.
A copy of the handout from the event can be downloaded here.