On the programme farms with steer finishing systems, the aim has been to get steers finished by 20 to 22 months of age, depending on breed type. Steers are less efficient at converting feed to lean muscle compared with bulls and will generally respond to an intensive feeding period of 60 to 90 days.
Intensively feeding steers for a longer period is uneconomic, as weight gains will tail off and the value of liveweight gain is insufficient to cover the daily feed costs.
Therefore, to generate a profit on a steer system, it is important to regularly monitor liveweight gains to ensure weight gain is covering feed costs.
Finishing animals at an earlier age does not impact negatively on carcase weights, as highlighted from slaughter data on Alastair McNeilly’s farm.
Steers were slaughtered at 19 to 20 months and delivered similar carcase weights to previous years, when cattle were more typically slaughtered at 23 to 24 months of age.
Improved herd management and targeted feeding enable cattle to be finished at an earlier age, leading to significant cost savings on farm.
Farmer focus: Alastair McNeilly, Antrim
Our finishing cattle have performed well this winter and 21 steers have now been slaughtered, with another eight animals left to sell.
This is a significant improvement on the previous year, when just four steers were slaughtered by mid-January and 29 animals were still being fed for slaughter.
Of the 21 animals slaughtered so far this winter, 10 were killed before Christmas and 11 killed in January
Changes to the way cattle are managed on farm since joining the programme are now bearing fruit and having a positive effect in getting more cattle slaughtered earlier compared with previous years.
Of the 21 animals slaughtered so far this winter, 10 were killed before Christmas and 11 killed in January.
The average carcase weight for the group is 355kg, with animals typically 20 months of age when slaughtered.
Management
Although the bullocks had an early turnout last March, they were rehoused again before going back to grass at the end of April. The animals were well grazed and I housed 17 of the heaviest animals for intensive finishing in mid-September, with the remainder housed in early October.
Early housing gave the animals a performance boost and helped to finish them at a younger age. In the past, these animals grazed into late autumn and fed for slaughter by February and March.
Steers were finished on a maximum of 6kg/day of a high-energy finishing ration and first-cut silage on an ad-lib basis.
Silage was analysed and had a dry matter of 33% with 11.1 ME (energy), 16.1% protein and a D-value of 69%.
Of the eight animals still on farm, five are Limousin-cross animals and three are Angus bred. Angus steers will be ready to kill at the end of January. The Limousin animals should be ready to kill early next month.
Keeping focused on dry cow management
With most of the finishing cattle now sold, I have more time to focus on other cattle on farm, which is a positive as calving starts in mid-March.
I purchased another four in-calf Limousin cows at a herd dispersal sale two weeks ago
There are 85 homebred cows to calve this spring, of which 25 are in-calf heifers. They have been served to Angus and Limousin stock bulls, with a selection of cows served to a Shorthorn bull through AI.
In addition to this, I purchased another four in-calf Limousin cows at a herd dispersal sale two weeks ago.
These cows will easily fit in with my own animals and come vaccinated for diseases such as BVD and lepto.
Feed management
Cows are in great condition, which has allowed me to restrict silage intakes this winter. This has been a significant saving in fodder and daily feeding costs.
Silage will now be gradually built up to ad-lib levels by calving time. I have started feeding pre-calving minerals to cows this week by dusting them over silage.
While mature cows are in ideal condition, the in-calf heifers were split into two groups for management purposes this winter.
Heifers were reviewed two weeks ago and I was happier that they were of suitable size for calving, so they were placed on a silage-only diet and regrouped as one batch
I felt that some heifers were lighter than I would have liked, so these animals received ad-lib silage and a small level of concentrates to increase size.
I took action early to address their size, so that the higher feed level would not increase the size of the unborn calf, thereby leading to calving issues.
Heifers were reviewed two weeks ago and I was happier that they were of suitable size for calving, so they were placed on a silage-only diet and regrouped as one batch.
My first calved heifers are also on ad-lib silage, as I feel this group will benefit from the additional feeding and perform better after calving.
New shed
I am currently finishing off a new shed which has been constructed for calving. Once completed, I will have an additional eight calving pens to cope with spring calving.
Prior to this year, there were only two calving pens on farm, which was not sufficient for the size of the herd.
Male calves castrated
The 2018 spring-born male calves have now been castrated and, thankfully, the process has not resulted in any issues.
There are 50 weanling steers and they are being fed 2.5kg/day of a 16% protein growing ration and first-cut silage.
Along with the male weanlings, there are 27 spring-born heifer calves eating 2kg/day of the growing ration and ad-lib silage.
Calves are due to be weighed later this month, but they appear to be thriving.
Once weighed, I will make a decision on what level of concentrate to keep supplementing silage with.
In previous years, I would have cut out meal around five to six weeks before turnout.
However, l continued to feed concentrates right up to turnout, albeit at a reduced level.
Cattle performed much better at grass as a result and maintained higher levels of performance throughout the year.
Weekly round-up
Pre-calving minerals are now being fed to in-calf animals ahead of spring calving.Cows are now being gradually built up on to ad-lib silage by two weeks prior to calving.Benchmarking herd performance in 2018 is ongoing. Read more
Customs arrangement would work for farmers
Environment at the centre of calf health
On the programme farms with steer finishing systems, the aim has been to get steers finished by 20 to 22 months of age, depending on breed type. Steers are less efficient at converting feed to lean muscle compared with bulls and will generally respond to an intensive feeding period of 60 to 90 days.
Intensively feeding steers for a longer period is uneconomic, as weight gains will tail off and the value of liveweight gain is insufficient to cover the daily feed costs.
Therefore, to generate a profit on a steer system, it is important to regularly monitor liveweight gains to ensure weight gain is covering feed costs.
Finishing animals at an earlier age does not impact negatively on carcase weights, as highlighted from slaughter data on Alastair McNeilly’s farm.
Steers were slaughtered at 19 to 20 months and delivered similar carcase weights to previous years, when cattle were more typically slaughtered at 23 to 24 months of age.
Improved herd management and targeted feeding enable cattle to be finished at an earlier age, leading to significant cost savings on farm.
Farmer focus: Alastair McNeilly, Antrim
Our finishing cattle have performed well this winter and 21 steers have now been slaughtered, with another eight animals left to sell.
This is a significant improvement on the previous year, when just four steers were slaughtered by mid-January and 29 animals were still being fed for slaughter.
Of the 21 animals slaughtered so far this winter, 10 were killed before Christmas and 11 killed in January
Changes to the way cattle are managed on farm since joining the programme are now bearing fruit and having a positive effect in getting more cattle slaughtered earlier compared with previous years.
Of the 21 animals slaughtered so far this winter, 10 were killed before Christmas and 11 killed in January.
The average carcase weight for the group is 355kg, with animals typically 20 months of age when slaughtered.
Management
Although the bullocks had an early turnout last March, they were rehoused again before going back to grass at the end of April. The animals were well grazed and I housed 17 of the heaviest animals for intensive finishing in mid-September, with the remainder housed in early October.
Early housing gave the animals a performance boost and helped to finish them at a younger age. In the past, these animals grazed into late autumn and fed for slaughter by February and March.
Steers were finished on a maximum of 6kg/day of a high-energy finishing ration and first-cut silage on an ad-lib basis.
Silage was analysed and had a dry matter of 33% with 11.1 ME (energy), 16.1% protein and a D-value of 69%.
Of the eight animals still on farm, five are Limousin-cross animals and three are Angus bred. Angus steers will be ready to kill at the end of January. The Limousin animals should be ready to kill early next month.
Keeping focused on dry cow management
With most of the finishing cattle now sold, I have more time to focus on other cattle on farm, which is a positive as calving starts in mid-March.
I purchased another four in-calf Limousin cows at a herd dispersal sale two weeks ago
There are 85 homebred cows to calve this spring, of which 25 are in-calf heifers. They have been served to Angus and Limousin stock bulls, with a selection of cows served to a Shorthorn bull through AI.
In addition to this, I purchased another four in-calf Limousin cows at a herd dispersal sale two weeks ago.
These cows will easily fit in with my own animals and come vaccinated for diseases such as BVD and lepto.
Feed management
Cows are in great condition, which has allowed me to restrict silage intakes this winter. This has been a significant saving in fodder and daily feeding costs.
Silage will now be gradually built up to ad-lib levels by calving time. I have started feeding pre-calving minerals to cows this week by dusting them over silage.
While mature cows are in ideal condition, the in-calf heifers were split into two groups for management purposes this winter.
Heifers were reviewed two weeks ago and I was happier that they were of suitable size for calving, so they were placed on a silage-only diet and regrouped as one batch
I felt that some heifers were lighter than I would have liked, so these animals received ad-lib silage and a small level of concentrates to increase size.
I took action early to address their size, so that the higher feed level would not increase the size of the unborn calf, thereby leading to calving issues.
Heifers were reviewed two weeks ago and I was happier that they were of suitable size for calving, so they were placed on a silage-only diet and regrouped as one batch.
My first calved heifers are also on ad-lib silage, as I feel this group will benefit from the additional feeding and perform better after calving.
New shed
I am currently finishing off a new shed which has been constructed for calving. Once completed, I will have an additional eight calving pens to cope with spring calving.
Prior to this year, there were only two calving pens on farm, which was not sufficient for the size of the herd.
Male calves castrated
The 2018 spring-born male calves have now been castrated and, thankfully, the process has not resulted in any issues.
There are 50 weanling steers and they are being fed 2.5kg/day of a 16% protein growing ration and first-cut silage.
Along with the male weanlings, there are 27 spring-born heifer calves eating 2kg/day of the growing ration and ad-lib silage.
Calves are due to be weighed later this month, but they appear to be thriving.
Once weighed, I will make a decision on what level of concentrate to keep supplementing silage with.
In previous years, I would have cut out meal around five to six weeks before turnout.
However, l continued to feed concentrates right up to turnout, albeit at a reduced level.
Cattle performed much better at grass as a result and maintained higher levels of performance throughout the year.
Weekly round-up
Pre-calving minerals are now being fed to in-calf animals ahead of spring calving.Cows are now being gradually built up on to ad-lib silage by two weeks prior to calving.Benchmarking herd performance in 2018 is ongoing. Read more
Customs arrangement would work for farmers
Environment at the centre of calf health
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