The top 5% of suckler herds in the country are achieving a calves per cow per year figure of 1.06.

In contrast, the bottom 5% of herds are only achieving 0.56 calves per cow per year.

That’s a massive difference of 0.5 calves per cow per year.

When applied to a 50-cow herd, this equates to a staggering 25 extra calves.

The huge variation between top- and bottom-performing herds is repeated in the calving interval figure

This startling figure was highlighted in the 2019 beef calving statistics report, released recently by the ICBF.

The report details the calving performance of all suckler herds subscribed to the HerdPlus service.

The huge variation between top- and bottom-performing herds is repeated in the calving interval figure too.

The top 5% of herds achieved a calving interval of 358 days in contrast to the disappointing 474-day interval recorded by the bottom 5% of herds.

Year-on-year comparison

When comparing the current figures with 2018, the overall performance could be described as stable.

The average calves per cow per year figure held firm at 0.85, likely driven by a 0.8% decrease in calf mortality before 28 days of age.

The most disappointing statistic is average calving interval, which slipped from 396 days in 2018 to 401 days in 2019.

The national dairy herd has experienced a similar increase, going from 387 days in 2018 to 390 in 2019.

Weather events

The exceptional weather events of 2018, including wet and cold conditions, which lasted into May, followed closely by a prolonged and severe drought that led to fodder shortages on many farms, are being blamed as the main culprits for a dint in animal performance on some farms.

The percentage of cows culled has also dropped by 1% from its high of 19% in 2018.

Table 1 details the 2019 key performance indicators (KPIs), along with the historical data for the last 10 years.