Meal feeding finishing cattle on Thrive demo farm in autumn. Cattle came into the shed each day to be fed to minimise poaching.
ADVERTISEMENT
In this third and final Thrive slaughter performance quiz, we focus on a batch of heifers that were drafted off grass in mid-September, having received 3kg/day concentrate for just over five weeks at pasture.
Overall in 2021, the heifers averaged a carcase weight of 269kg at just over 19 months old.
ADVERTISEMENT
Winter management
Now that all the 2020-born stock have been slaughtered, the focus turns to the 2021-born stock.
The target with this group is to achieve an average daily gain of between 0.75kg and 0.80kg/day over the winter period. This is higher than a standard winter for weanlings.
However, when targeting a slaughter age of between 18 and 20 months, we need cattle to be growing slightly quicker during the first winter period.
Keep up to date with the Thrive dairy calf-to-beef programme with online updates every Wednesday and Saturday evening on www.farmersjournal.ie.
This content is available to digital subscribers and loyalty code users only. Sign in to your account, use the code or subscribe to get unlimited access.
The reader loyalty code gives you full access to the site from when you enter it until the following Wednesday at 9pm. Find your unique code on the back page of Irish Country Living every week.
CODE ACCEPTED
You have full access to the site until next Wednesday at 9pm.
CODE NOT VALID
Please try again or contact support.
In this third and final Thrive slaughter performance quiz, we focus on a batch of heifers that were drafted off grass in mid-September, having received 3kg/day concentrate for just over five weeks at pasture.
Overall in 2021, the heifers averaged a carcase weight of 269kg at just over 19 months old.
Winter management
Now that all the 2020-born stock have been slaughtered, the focus turns to the 2021-born stock.
The target with this group is to achieve an average daily gain of between 0.75kg and 0.80kg/day over the winter period. This is higher than a standard winter for weanlings.
However, when targeting a slaughter age of between 18 and 20 months, we need cattle to be growing slightly quicker during the first winter period.
Keep up to date with the Thrive dairy calf-to-beef programme with online updates every Wednesday and Saturday evening on www.farmersjournal.ie.
If you would like to speak to a member of our team, please call us on 01-4199525.
Link sent to your email address
We have sent an email to your address. Please click on the link in this email to reset your password. If you can't find it in your inbox, please check your spam folder. If you can't find the email, please call us on 01-4199525.
ENTER YOUR LOYALTY CODE:
The reader loyalty code gives you full access to the site from when you enter it until the following Wednesday at 9pm. Find your unique code on the back page of Irish Country Living every week.
SHARING OPTIONS