The ability to measure animal performance in beef is much more difficult than in dairying.

We are slowly going down through the performance of the dairy beef steers.

After more than a full season, we are getting a clear picture of group performance. With one particular batch, the average daily gain over a 15-18 month period is about 0.66, two-thirds of a kg/day, or just short of a pound-and-a-half.

Getting to the same slaughter weight can vary from 22-29 months, as well as a large difference in conformation and price per kg

This takes in a full grazing season, a full winter and a short period of intensive feeding indoors before slaughter. Though within that is a huge variation in terms of age at slaughter and number of days spent on the place. Getting to the same slaughter weight can vary from 22-29 months, as well as a large difference in conformation and price per kg.

A gap in knowledge I will come back to when we have more analysis done on the relative profitability of various types of animals

As they are all treated the same once they are bought in, it seems fairly clear that the bulk of the variation is due to either genetics or the way individual cattle are treated before I buy them. I have no information on either at the time of purchase. A gap in knowledge I will come back to when we have more analysis done on the relative profitability of various types of animals.

We are slowly bringing the rest of the cattle in as paddocks and fields are grazed out. I expect to have everything in by December 1 at the latest. We will then grade them by weight and age, and decide who should be finished out of the shed and who should be aimed for spring grass.

At this stage, we have mentally shut most of the tillage fields’ gates. Despite my unease last week, the oats have emerged fine with no sign of any real damage. This year, I have three varieties of wheat – two for feed and one for seed. At this stage, there is no sign of any great difference between them, but it is early days yet.

Normally, I wouldn’t expect these so early, but it has been a good autumn for growth

I was surprised during the week to see volunteer beans coming up in the seed wheat sown after them. Normally, I wouldn’t expect these so early, but it has been a good autumn for growth and certainly we have sown earlier than normal. I would also have expected a large infestation of slugs, but so far, we have only put out pellets on the oilseed rape. That is one of the few jobs we may have to do over the next few weeks.