NORTHERN IRELAND SUCKLER BEEF PROGRAMME International Beef Cattle workers Group Wednesday 30 October...

NORTHERN IRELAND SUCKLER BEEF PROGRAMME

International Beef Cattle workers Group

Wednesday 30 October

Kieran Mailey

Irish Farmers Journal

& Francis Breen

Programme adviser, CAFRE

BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND

• Programme launched in March 2011 to run for 3 years

• 8 suckler farms selected from across Northern Ireland plus CAFRE farms

• 3 year plans drawn up for the farms• Programme will focus on• Breeding / fertility• Grassland management• Increasing output

• Following on from Teagasc/IFJ BETTER Farm Programme

BETTER Farm Programme

• Programme established in 2009• 16 farms through-out the country and 2

agricultural colleges• 3 year farm plans developed• Output, grassland management and

breeding and fertility -3 key areas for improvement

• Breeding/fertility has huge effect on management of other areas in plan

BETTER Farm Programme

BETTER Farm Programme

• Phase 1 GM/ha moved from €367/ha to €879/ha.

• 66% of the increase in gross margin achieved in Phase 1 derived from improvements in technical efficiency

• aim to carry this through to Phase 2• Phase 2 launched in July 2012.• 35 farms in total.

PROGRAMME FARMS

Programme TargetsProgramme Targets

NISBPNISBP

GM / haGM / ha £750£750

Calving Index (days)Calving Index (days) 365365

Calving Spread Calving Spread (weeks)(weeks) 1212

Stocking rate (LU/ha)Stocking rate (LU/ha) 22

Calves/cow/yr Calves/cow/yr weanedweaned 0.950.95

Progress to dateProgress to date

2012 2011 2010

Av farm size (Ha adj Grassland / cow herd)

98 99 95

Av Cow herd 110 99 91

Av Stocking rate (LU/ha)

1.97 1.82 1.65

Av GM/ha £674 £534 £402

Av Kg LWT/ha 629 632 567

Variable costsVariable costs

Importance of Fertility

• Improved grassland = more cattle needed• More calves born = increased output• Reduce cost of carrying empty cows• Easier to batch manage groups of stock• Reduce labour demand• More Kg beef from grass

• Which is better:

A cow calving every year or calving every 365days?

280 days

30 days

55 days

Breeding Calendar for Beef Cow

Cow sucking calf – non cycling

Approx. gestation

2-3 cycles to get cow back in calf

Grassland

• Biggest resource• Cheapest feed available• Most abundant feed on farm• Has to be properly managed – lime, P & K• Reseed annually• Cost of grazing - £0.25 to £0.40/day

• £300/t @ 5 bags @ 200 days = £0.37• €50/tonne DM grass (Teagasc)

Simple paddock system

Grassland

• Paddocks system will grow more grass• “In at your shin, go at your toe”• Walk swards weekly• Well managed grass– Energy = 11.5-12.5 Mj ME– Protein = 18% - 24%

Comparison of Grass Growth 2011 v 2012

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Kg

DM

/ha/d

ay

GR2011

GR2012

• 2011 – 24.7ha set stocked– Av grass growth - 49kg DM/ha/day– Seasonal yield - 6.2t DM/ha

• 2012 – 24.7ha rotationally grazed– Av grass growth - 59kg DM/ha/day– Seasonal yield - 7.2t DM/ha