As I have a completely commercial-based suckler herd, I have no allegiance to any particular breed.
It was subsequently pointed out in many articles in this week's edition of the paper, that there is a major problem with the accuracy and completeness of data recording on pedigree beef farms. I have no doubt that the same problem exists on commercial farms.
We have all heard of the calf left lying in the rushes for a month before registering the date of birth with the Department of Agriculture.
I don't care how good your bull is – he didn't manage to serve 90% of the cows to calve on New Year’s Day.
What may seem like an innocent bit of manipulation of a calf's birthday has many consequences for the data performance of the calf, the dam, the sire and the calf’s siblings. Gestation length is wrong, cow calving interval is wrong, calf's daily liveweight gain is wrong. Cow fertility, age weaned, sold and slaughtered – all wrong.
While statistics was not my favourite subject at college, one thing I do remember is "rubbish in, rubbish out." Basically the more rubbish you record the more rubbish you get out in statistical reports, results and analysis. This is worthless to anybody trying to analyse the data.
Accurate recordings
I can honestly say that I am recording all data regarding animal performance as accurately as I can. If a cow calves at 11.45pm on the 30th, that's the date that is registered. I am seeing the results of this through various reports from the ICBF and my own records of animal performance.
Fertility, calving interval, age at first calving, calving ease, calf size, liveweight gain and age at slaughter are all factors leading to reports that I can rely on to evaluate the herd or an individual animal’s performance within the herd.
How many times this September and October will we see weanlings sold through the ring and all born on 1 January? I don't care how good your bull is – he didn't manage to serve 90% of the cows to calve on New Year’s Day. Or weanlings entered into a show and sale for 2016-born weanlings only, where quite clearly the animal was born in 2015, or the Angus with a Belgian Blue behind. I could go on…
So the next time somebody tells you about their one-star animal that should be a five-star, ask the question, "How accurately do you record your data?"
For the benefit of our own farm and the entire suckler herd, accurate data recording is a must for all commercial and pedigree beef farmers.
Read more
Useless pedigree bulls cost farmers millions
Exposing the cost of turning a blind eye to an obvious problem
10% of beef bulls fail to produce any progeny
As I have a completely commercial-based suckler herd, I have no allegiance to any particular breed.
It was subsequently pointed out in many articles in this week's edition of the paper, that there is a major problem with the accuracy and completeness of data recording on pedigree beef farms. I have no doubt that the same problem exists on commercial farms.
We have all heard of the calf left lying in the rushes for a month before registering the date of birth with the Department of Agriculture.
I don't care how good your bull is – he didn't manage to serve 90% of the cows to calve on New Year’s Day.
What may seem like an innocent bit of manipulation of a calf's birthday has many consequences for the data performance of the calf, the dam, the sire and the calf’s siblings. Gestation length is wrong, cow calving interval is wrong, calf's daily liveweight gain is wrong. Cow fertility, age weaned, sold and slaughtered – all wrong.
While statistics was not my favourite subject at college, one thing I do remember is "rubbish in, rubbish out." Basically the more rubbish you record the more rubbish you get out in statistical reports, results and analysis. This is worthless to anybody trying to analyse the data.
Accurate recordings
I can honestly say that I am recording all data regarding animal performance as accurately as I can. If a cow calves at 11.45pm on the 30th, that's the date that is registered. I am seeing the results of this through various reports from the ICBF and my own records of animal performance.
Fertility, calving interval, age at first calving, calving ease, calf size, liveweight gain and age at slaughter are all factors leading to reports that I can rely on to evaluate the herd or an individual animal’s performance within the herd.
How many times this September and October will we see weanlings sold through the ring and all born on 1 January? I don't care how good your bull is – he didn't manage to serve 90% of the cows to calve on New Year’s Day. Or weanlings entered into a show and sale for 2016-born weanlings only, where quite clearly the animal was born in 2015, or the Angus with a Belgian Blue behind. I could go on…
So the next time somebody tells you about their one-star animal that should be a five-star, ask the question, "How accurately do you record your data?"
For the benefit of our own farm and the entire suckler herd, accurate data recording is a must for all commercial and pedigree beef farmers.
Read more
Useless pedigree bulls cost farmers millions
Exposing the cost of turning a blind eye to an obvious problem
10% of beef bulls fail to produce any progeny
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