Teagasc’s Grange Derrypatrick Herd generated a gross margin of €1,054/ha in 2016.

This was a reduction of €132/ha on 2015 levels and was due to a combination of a lower 2016 beef price and a stock inventory change.

The latter is being driven primarily by a reduction in the number of suckler cows present at the end of 2016.

The herd had 18 cows barren from a total of 72 cows put forward for breeding.

Scans were carried out pre-breeding and twice during the season, and just four cows were not pregnant at any stage.

Management was unchanged from the previous two years, when excellent breeding performance of 97% and 94%, respectively, was achieved.

Furthermore, performance in breeding replacements was positive, with 97% – or 32 out of 33 – scanned in calf.

The lower pregnancy rate of 75% is believed to be related to a disease outbreak during the period June to September, with cows that were previously scanned in-calf suffering embryo or foetal loss.

BVD and leptospirosis are the two diseases that are thought could be responsible, but tests and clinical signs have failed to confirm either.

The herd is looking forward to 2017, and the first year of a new system.

Sires

High maternal and terminal sires are being used, and the performance of progeny will be monitored to see if significant differences exist between terminal and maternal breeding in a beef context.

The farm is also entering the first year of a clover trial, where half the farm will be under sown with clover to see if the positive impact of clover swards in dairy herds in Moorepark is replicated in beef systems.

A full analysis of 2016 physical and financial performance and further information on lower disease-related breeding performance will be detailed on next week’s beef pages.

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