Recent results from the Tully test centre in Kildare town have demonstrated an average difference of €110 in the finishing period between five-star commercial bulls and one-star bulls, based on their terminal index.

The difference between individual bulls of the same breed was as high as €200.

The main reason for the €110 difference is due to the five-star terminal bulls slaughtering on average 15 days younger, having a heavier carcase weight of 14kg due to higher kill-out of 2% and lower feed intake of 0.4kg/day, when compared with the one-star animals (see Table 1).

The five-star animals also had a higher total meat yield percentage. All bulls used in the analysis were from suckler cows.

The main aim of the progeny-testing model at Tully is to increase the accuracy of genetic evaluations for AI sires of interest. This is carried out by collecting information on 20 commercial progeny from each AI sire identified.

Progeny are selected from AI sires tested through the Gene Ireland maternal programme. However, some progeny of proven AI sires are also selected to allow ICBF to validate their sires’ indices.

The selection process is carried out by using the ICBF database to locate Gene Ireland AI-sired progeny across Ireland. Age and gender also form part of the selection process.

Once the progeny are identified, farmers are contacted. The animals are then weighed on-farm and collected by the ICBF. The price paid is based on the average for five-star terminal animals of similar age and weight paid in the marts that week. There have been 1,984 commercial animals slaughtered from Tully since the move away from testing pedigree bulls three years ago. The commercial animals slaughtered consisted of 1,301 bulls, 555 steers and 128 heifers.

Measurements obtained

When the animals are purchased they have an acclimatisation period of 30 days, followed by a performance test period of 90 days. The health programme includes vaccinating for IBR, BVD, RSV, PI3, Blackleg and other clostridia diseases.

The diet for the bulls is ad-lib concentrates with 3kg of hay freshweight. Steers and heifers are offered 10kg of concentrates and 3kg hay freshweight per head, per day.

Throughout the 90-day finishing period, a number of key traits are recorded. All animals are genotyped using a customised chip to verify parentage.

Key data recorded includes average daily gain, feed conversion efficiency, muscle, skeletal and functionality traits, scanned measurements for muscle and fat depth, along with intramuscular fat.

Health and disease data is also recorded, such as lameness, genetic defects, pneumonia and other illnesses. Scrotal circumference measurement is obtained on bulls.

Bulls are slaughtered between 15 and 18 months, with the vast majority being slaughtered under 16 months of age. Steers and heifers are slaughtered between 22 and 18 months, respectively.

Measurements at the factory

When the animals are slaughtered, a number of meat quality phenotypes are recorded. These include carcase weight, carcase fat and carcase conformation. The carcase is then cut into 19 primal yields and each cut is weighed. Muscle pH is recorded hourly and ultimate. Meat eating quality traits are also recorded. These include colour of the loin, visual marbling of the loin, composition analysis, intramuscular fat %, protein %, moisture %, cook loss, shear force, and sensory analysis.

A €200 difference within breed

Table 2 compares two individual bulls (refer to pictures of bull one and bull two) based on their finishing period at Tully and slaughter data. There was a difference of 3.7kg of dry matter consumed per head, per day between the two bulls.

In value terms, bull two consumed €85 less feed than bull one over a 100-day finishing period, despite being sired by the same breed and finished in the same pen under similar environmental conditions. As shown in Table 2, bull two was from a five-star feed intake sire (AHZ) and bull one (YHB) was from a one-star feed intake sire.

Therefore, the sires indices reflect the performance of respective progeny. Despite bull two eating less feed, its carcase was 28kg heavier at slaughter, leaving a difference of €112 between the bulls. Both bulls were of similar age.

Grading and high-value cuts

Following these bulls through to slaughter, bull two also performed best at grading E=3-, in comparison with bull one which graded U+4=. Based on carcase dissection, we can see that bull two had the largest striploin, which was 1.42kg heavier than bull one.

Overall, bull two left the highest margin of profit due to being the most efficient animal over the finishing period and the overall slaughter value of the animal in compariso nwith bull one.

In conclusion, the total difference from finishing (€85) to slaughter (€112) equates to nearly €200 between both animals.

Tully is delivering on its core objectives. To increase the profitability of the national suckler herd by providing key data on hard-to-measure traits linked to profit, such as feed intake and meat quality. It is also validating the €uro-Star indices, while demonstrating the value of better genetics to the beef industry.