A beef farmer generated €956/ha gross margin in a bull system during a difficult 2014.

Since getting profit monitors carried out on his farming enterprises over a number of years, Kevin Farrell from Co. Longford was left in no doubt that his dairy calf to beef system was the most profitable. Dairy calf to beef was consistently the most profitable ahead of sheep and suckler cows.

In 2013, Farrell made the decision to wind down his suckler enterprise and concentrate on his calf rearing and sheep enterprises. He is now running 150 dairy bred calves and 300 ewes.

Farrell said for him and his farm calf rearing system had a number of benefits:

• Far less poaching of land in wet weather due to lighter grazing animals.

• Less silage requirements meaning reduced costs.

• Stock are moving through the system quicker with different aged groups being marketed throughout the year increasing cash flow.

• Less labour, Kevin had more time for family and hobbies because he no longer had to calve cows.

Farrell's main tips to farmers sourcing calves for rearing is to buy the “hungry fella” rather than calves “blown up on milk.” He says calves pampered on milk are no good to him because they are more than likely not eating enough roughage.

The majority of weight gain from grazed grass is Farrell’s main aim to keep costs down. Calves are given access to fresh grass daily using a strip wire and sheep clean out what is left when the calves get through a paddock. This helps to reduce worm burdens in calves and not forcing calves to clean out covers ensures high levels of production.