Beetles to become weapon in war against docks on farm

An Irish beef processor has recruited battalions of beetles to tackle the war on dock leaves at its demonstration farm.

The beetles are bred by Mayo-based couple Louis and Siobhan Ward and the initiative is part of an ABP approach that is aimed at promoting on-farm environmentally sustainable and regenerative farming practices.

ABP’s demonstration farm at Clonegal is a centre of excellence when it comes to industry leading environmental research. Trials carried out at the farm have already shown the potential to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of beef production by reducing the age of slaughter through better genetics and better feed efficiency.

The Wards, who run their own farm stocked with pedigree Angus cattle, this year set up a special company, Green Submarine, to supply Irish farmers with their secret weapon in the war on docks - Gastrophysa viridula - known as the green dock beetle.

ABP agri sustainability manager, Stephen Connolly, explained how dock weeds can reduce yields from beef and dairy pastures and silage meadows by up to 40% in extreme cases.

Docks, he added, are a considerable problem for Irish farmers, forcing many to utilise expensive specialised commercial weed killers to destroy the docks.

“We are constantly looking for green sustainable solutions to farming problems, and we think we have found a potential solution to the problem of dock weeds in Louis and Siobhan’s dock beetles.

“The beetles are a key part of incorporating regenerative agricultural practices on the ABP demo farm, providing a natural, simple, sustainable, nature-based solution to dock weeds, eliminating the headaches while at the same time potentially improving biodiversity on-farm through reduced herbicides applications,” he added.

Siobhan Ward, an agricultural consultant, explained: “We noticed something eating docks in one of our fields, and some research showed it was dock beetles. We gradually introduced the beetles to the rest of the farm, and we no longer need to spray for docks.”