James Kenneally runs a 100ha beef and tillage farm just outside Cloyne, Co Cork. He joined the BETTER farm beef programme in 2013. The beef farm extends to 36ha and, in 2015, achieved a gross margin of €1,080/ha.

This is the third straight year that the farm has exceeded the €1,000/ha target.

When you see James’s attention to detail and level of herd management, it quickly becomes evident why the farm is consistently achieving these results.

370-day calving interval

In 2015, James calved down 53 cows in spring. The herd calving interval is 370 days, just five days shy of the target 365 days, compared with the national average of 407 days. At a cost of €2.20/cow for every day over a 365-day calving interval, this provides James with a annual saving of €81/cow, or €4,314 over his 53-cow herd.

Secondly, heifers calve down at 24 months of age on the farm. The average age for heifers calving down is 31 months in the national suckler herd. At a cost of €1.65 for every day over 24 months of age before calving, James is saving €351/heifer compared with the average farm.

On a 53-cow herd, there should be 10 to 11 heifers entering the system each year. This comes to a saving in the region of €3,686 per annum on James’s farm compared with the average farm.

Close to one calf per cow each year

Efficient management is in place throughout the farm system. James has a weaning percentage of 0.98 calves/cow/year. When compared with the national average figure of 0.82 calves/cow/year, it gives James an extra eight calves weaned each year from his 53 cow-herd. If valued at €2.50/kg and an average liveweight of 320kg, this provides an extra €6,400 worth of stock at weaning.

Adding up the savings across these three parameters alone is giving James an extra €14,800 per annum compared with the average beef farm in Ireland.

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Admiring the workings of a suckler farm that is primed to produce