Ryan McDowell, Gleno, Co Antrim
System
Ryan’s suckler cow enterprise is certainly one to watch. The suckler herd was established in 2013 with Hereford and Aberdeen Angus-cross heifer calves purchased from a spring-calving grass-based dairy farm.
The first of these heifers calved down in 2015. With additional heifers calves purchased annually, the herd has built to 99 cows and heifers calving in spring 2018.
Prior to 2018, all cows and replacement heifers have been served to Angus and Hereford stock bulls with some use of AI.
Cow efficiency is excellent, with these smaller maternal cows achieving a 200-day weaning percentage of 59%.
Performance and targets
To generate a gross margin of £729/ha with land area increasing annually and herd output still below optimum is an excellent achievement.
However, steers averaged 291kg carcase weight at 19 months of age and the system is heavily reliant on traditional breed scheme bonuses.
To drive output and simplify the system, Ryan is moving to selling in-calf heifers from the first-cross dairy cows. This worked well in autumn 2017.
Stock bulls have been replaced with high-EBV sires to deliver increased growth rates. However, to reduce the reliance on premium schemes, more continental breeding will also be used in 2018 through AI.
Barry Carty, Garrison, Co Fermanagh
Similar to many farms in west Fermanagh, land type is limiting stocking rate. Direct comparison with the systems on the other programme farms is unrealistic and unsustainable on this farm.
But there is still potential to improve herd performance. Most of the land base is best suited to grazing dry cows, with areas that have been drained and reseeded kept for silage to increase grass utilisation.
By tightening the calving pattern, Barry will focus on running 40 autumn-calving cows (September/October) and 20 spring-calving cows (January/February) to meet the farm’s target of crossing the £300/ha mark.
With off-farm employment, the system has to be kept simple and realistic. Trying to AI large numbers of cows at grass is not practical due to heavily fragmented land parcels.
Instead, calving and breeding is now geared to having all cows back in-calf before turnout. Rather than retaining heifers as replacements, all cows will be bred to the proven easy-calving Charolais sire (Fiston).
Any repeats will be covered with a new Charolais stock bull. Replacement heifers will be purchased in-calf from another programme farm, keeping the system simple.
With the improved cattle quality, a bull beef system would seem the logical next step. But distance from abattoirs and meal merchants, coupled with strong demand for weanlings, means the herd will continue to produce high-quality store cattle.
Mark Lewis, Portadown, Co Armagh
Mark has a clear focus on operating an under-16 month bull-beef system using continental breeds. This system has the potential to deliver higher margins.
But with high levels of inputs required, it can quickly become unprofitable if not managed efficiently. Critical to this is ensuring the farm can carry higher stocking rates at grass.
Cows must also be capable of weaning heavy calves to reduce the length of time to slaughter. Herd sires must have high growth potential.
Mark’s herd is currently winter-, spring- and autumn-calving. As the herd moves to a 12-week spring-calving period, this will mean bulls can be easily grouped to make efficient use of concentrates during the indoor finishing period.
Cow type is also an issue, with the majority of cows predominately Limousin-bred.
Simmental and Angus sires have recently been introduced to improve hybrid vigour.
Gross margin was down in 2017 as Mark changed from a steer to a bull-beef system in 2016, leaving two years’ progeny sold in one.
In addition, two-thirds of 2016-born calves were heifers which reduced bull beef output in 2017.
If stocking rate increases to 2.40 CE/ha and cow type changes, a GM/ha of £1,000 is achievable at current beef prices.
Alastair McNeilly, Muckamore, Co Antrim
Herd output is high, with the current steer-beef system delivering a GM/ha of £905 in 2017. But similar to the other farms, there is still scope to improve on this by addressing some inefficiencies in the system.
Performance at grass has been disappointing, leading to an increased indoor finishing period. Steers averaged 347kg carcase weight at 21 months in 2017. The best programme farms are achieving similar weights at 19 months.
Grassland management and addressing mineral deficiencies are a priority for 2018. Calving has also been too spread out, again prolonging the finishing period.
In the past, maiden heifers have been purchased at similar prices to beef heifers sold for slaughter. The financial benefits from homebred replacements, along with reduced disease risks, means the replacement policy has changed to keeping heifers for breeding.
A two-breed cross of Limousin and Angus is in place, with the option to use further continental breeding added through AI (most likely Simmental).
The target is to wean 85 calves annually on 59ha. If this can be achieved, the farm should be able to pass the £1,000 GM/ha target.
Jonathan Blair, Ballykelly, Co Down
Herd output and GM are affected by the low stocking rate. Additional land has been rented out for silage production in 2018 until stock numbers are increased.
Land is capable of carrying double the existing stocking rate. TB and BVD had depleted herd numbers in the years prior to joining the programme.
There were 40 live calves produced from the herd in 2017, but with additional replacements purchased, numbers will hopefully increase to at least 65 calves in 2018.
Newly constructed cattle accommodation in 2017 will reduce the cost of bedding in 2018 and also provide a supply of slurry, helping to reduce the dependency on compound fertilisers.
Jonathan is going down the direction of Stabiliser breeding, which he hopes will produce an efficient herd of uniform cows.
But, as with any breed, accessing the best genetics available is essential for it to be successful. The GM/ha of £205 is not sustainable on this farm.
If a steer system is to be implemented, Jonathan needs at least 85 calves on the ground annually to get to the £1,000/ha mark.
If the herd becomes predominantly Stabiliser, which is best suited to bull beef production, cow numbers need to increase to around 100 on the 63ha of grassland to achieve the same margin.
Read more
Gross margins increase 23% in 2017 on NI BETTER farms
BETTER Farm Beef Challenge NI articles
Ryan McDowell, Gleno, Co Antrim
System
Ryan’s suckler cow enterprise is certainly one to watch. The suckler herd was established in 2013 with Hereford and Aberdeen Angus-cross heifer calves purchased from a spring-calving grass-based dairy farm.
The first of these heifers calved down in 2015. With additional heifers calves purchased annually, the herd has built to 99 cows and heifers calving in spring 2018.
Prior to 2018, all cows and replacement heifers have been served to Angus and Hereford stock bulls with some use of AI.
Cow efficiency is excellent, with these smaller maternal cows achieving a 200-day weaning percentage of 59%.
Performance and targets
To generate a gross margin of £729/ha with land area increasing annually and herd output still below optimum is an excellent achievement.
However, steers averaged 291kg carcase weight at 19 months of age and the system is heavily reliant on traditional breed scheme bonuses.
To drive output and simplify the system, Ryan is moving to selling in-calf heifers from the first-cross dairy cows. This worked well in autumn 2017.
Stock bulls have been replaced with high-EBV sires to deliver increased growth rates. However, to reduce the reliance on premium schemes, more continental breeding will also be used in 2018 through AI.
Barry Carty, Garrison, Co Fermanagh
Similar to many farms in west Fermanagh, land type is limiting stocking rate. Direct comparison with the systems on the other programme farms is unrealistic and unsustainable on this farm.
But there is still potential to improve herd performance. Most of the land base is best suited to grazing dry cows, with areas that have been drained and reseeded kept for silage to increase grass utilisation.
By tightening the calving pattern, Barry will focus on running 40 autumn-calving cows (September/October) and 20 spring-calving cows (January/February) to meet the farm’s target of crossing the £300/ha mark.
With off-farm employment, the system has to be kept simple and realistic. Trying to AI large numbers of cows at grass is not practical due to heavily fragmented land parcels.
Instead, calving and breeding is now geared to having all cows back in-calf before turnout. Rather than retaining heifers as replacements, all cows will be bred to the proven easy-calving Charolais sire (Fiston).
Any repeats will be covered with a new Charolais stock bull. Replacement heifers will be purchased in-calf from another programme farm, keeping the system simple.
With the improved cattle quality, a bull beef system would seem the logical next step. But distance from abattoirs and meal merchants, coupled with strong demand for weanlings, means the herd will continue to produce high-quality store cattle.
Mark Lewis, Portadown, Co Armagh
Mark has a clear focus on operating an under-16 month bull-beef system using continental breeds. This system has the potential to deliver higher margins.
But with high levels of inputs required, it can quickly become unprofitable if not managed efficiently. Critical to this is ensuring the farm can carry higher stocking rates at grass.
Cows must also be capable of weaning heavy calves to reduce the length of time to slaughter. Herd sires must have high growth potential.
Mark’s herd is currently winter-, spring- and autumn-calving. As the herd moves to a 12-week spring-calving period, this will mean bulls can be easily grouped to make efficient use of concentrates during the indoor finishing period.
Cow type is also an issue, with the majority of cows predominately Limousin-bred.
Simmental and Angus sires have recently been introduced to improve hybrid vigour.
Gross margin was down in 2017 as Mark changed from a steer to a bull-beef system in 2016, leaving two years’ progeny sold in one.
In addition, two-thirds of 2016-born calves were heifers which reduced bull beef output in 2017.
If stocking rate increases to 2.40 CE/ha and cow type changes, a GM/ha of £1,000 is achievable at current beef prices.
Alastair McNeilly, Muckamore, Co Antrim
Herd output is high, with the current steer-beef system delivering a GM/ha of £905 in 2017. But similar to the other farms, there is still scope to improve on this by addressing some inefficiencies in the system.
Performance at grass has been disappointing, leading to an increased indoor finishing period. Steers averaged 347kg carcase weight at 21 months in 2017. The best programme farms are achieving similar weights at 19 months.
Grassland management and addressing mineral deficiencies are a priority for 2018. Calving has also been too spread out, again prolonging the finishing period.
In the past, maiden heifers have been purchased at similar prices to beef heifers sold for slaughter. The financial benefits from homebred replacements, along with reduced disease risks, means the replacement policy has changed to keeping heifers for breeding.
A two-breed cross of Limousin and Angus is in place, with the option to use further continental breeding added through AI (most likely Simmental).
The target is to wean 85 calves annually on 59ha. If this can be achieved, the farm should be able to pass the £1,000 GM/ha target.
Jonathan Blair, Ballykelly, Co Down
Herd output and GM are affected by the low stocking rate. Additional land has been rented out for silage production in 2018 until stock numbers are increased.
Land is capable of carrying double the existing stocking rate. TB and BVD had depleted herd numbers in the years prior to joining the programme.
There were 40 live calves produced from the herd in 2017, but with additional replacements purchased, numbers will hopefully increase to at least 65 calves in 2018.
Newly constructed cattle accommodation in 2017 will reduce the cost of bedding in 2018 and also provide a supply of slurry, helping to reduce the dependency on compound fertilisers.
Jonathan is going down the direction of Stabiliser breeding, which he hopes will produce an efficient herd of uniform cows.
But, as with any breed, accessing the best genetics available is essential for it to be successful. The GM/ha of £205 is not sustainable on this farm.
If a steer system is to be implemented, Jonathan needs at least 85 calves on the ground annually to get to the £1,000/ha mark.
If the herd becomes predominantly Stabiliser, which is best suited to bull beef production, cow numbers need to increase to around 100 on the 63ha of grassland to achieve the same margin.
Read more
Gross margins increase 23% in 2017 on NI BETTER farms
BETTER Farm Beef Challenge NI articles
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