The THRIVE dairy calf to beef programme was set up in spring 2019 with the purchase of 102 dairy calf to beef calves for rearing on a contract-rearing demonstration farm in Cashel, Co Tipperary. The purpose of the project is to highlight the important role genetics has to play in running profitable dairy calf to beef systems. The project also aims to bridge the knowledge gap that exists on beef farms around calf rearing and managing dairy beef calves.
Tag 1608. A Hereford steer born on 21 February 2018. He weighed 578kg at slaughter and gained 0.91kg/day since birth. He graded a O=4- with a 317kg carcase at 55% kill out. Carcase value was €1132.76.
Tag 1608.
There a number of issues regarding the use of some bulls on the dairy herd at the moment.
One is carcase weight. In the quest to achieve minimum calving difficulty and short gestation, carcase weight has been forgotten about and this is a key driver of profitability in a dairy calf to beef system. This project aims to highlight these issues and hopefully change the mindset on the genetics that is currently being used.
Tag 1860. A Limousin steer born on 12 March 2018 and weighed 550kg at slaughter. He gained 0.89kg/day since birth and had a 296 kg carcase grading a O+ 2+. Carcase value was €1027.12.
Tag 1860.
The calves were purchased from a number of different farms and moved farm to farm to the unit in Tipperary. A further 142 calves were purchased in 2019. All calves purchased as part of the project are by easy-calving, short-gestation Hereford, Aberdeen Angus, Limousin and Belgian Blue bulls.
Farm update
All finishing animals have now been housed on the farm. They are on good-quality ad-lib silage and 5kg of ration/head/day. Ration is costing €280/t. A number of animals showed up with a score of 5 on the AHI health check report that came back with the last factory docket. We are currently investigating this to see if further dosing is required with the remaining animals on the farm. 
Tag 2836. A KZP-sired steer born on 1 March 2018. This steer weighed 538kg at slaughter and gained 0.86kg/day since birth. He had a 304kg carcase grading an R- 3+ at a 56% kill out. Carcase value was €1146.08.
Tag 2836.
No Belgian Blue steers have been slaughtered to date and the 12 BB steers weighed 580kg on 25 October but are a month at least away from slaughter. All heifers have now been slaughtered. The problem with these animals being fed in the shed is that their carcase gain won’t cover feed costs.
Tag 8892. A JZJ sired heifer born on 25 March 2018. This heifer weighed 484kg at slaughter with a 246kg carcase killing out at 51%. She gained 0.8 kg/day since birth and carcase value was €904.54
Tag 8892.
However, the steers that are left need to be finished to a desired level to hit minimum specifications to achieve bonus payments. This year’s weanlings continue to graze at grass, have been vaccinated and dosed for parasites and are being fed 1kg/ration/head/day. Weanlings will be housed in the next three weeks.
Slaughter progress
After the initial heifers were slaughtered in early October, slaughtering has continued, with 75 out of the 102 heifers and steers slaughtered so far. Table 1 outlines the details of the cattle slaughtered.
The Herefords have performed very well, with the best growth rates and carcase value when initial comparisons are made. Belgian Blues have also performed very well and have achieved the best grades so far. However the higher calf price will make margins extremely tight for these animals. Killout is ranging from 51% for the Aberdeen Angus steers to 55% for the Belgian Blue heifers.
Hereford heifers have the highest liveweight gain as a group at 0.94kg/day since birth. Aberdeen Angus heifers have the lowest carcase weight at 260kg but are being killed over a month earlier compared to the Belgian Blues. It’s important to note that animal numbers are small and there are still animals (27 steers and heifers) left to be slaughtered from a number of different categories. A full analysis including individual costings will be completed once all animals have been slaughtered.
The THRIVE dairy calf to beef programme was set up in spring 2019 with the purchase of 102 dairy calf to beef calves for rearing on a contract-rearing demonstration farm in Cashel, Co Tipperary. The purpose of the project is to highlight the important role genetics has to play in running profitable dairy calf to beef systems. The project also aims to bridge the knowledge gap that exists on beef farms around calf rearing and managing dairy beef calves.
Tag 1608. A Hereford steer born on 21 February 2018. He weighed 578kg at slaughter and gained 0.91kg/day since birth. He graded a O=4- with a 317kg carcase at 55% kill out. Carcase value was €1132.76.
Tag 1608.
There a number of issues regarding the use of some bulls on the dairy herd at the moment.
One is carcase weight. In the quest to achieve minimum calving difficulty and short gestation, carcase weight has been forgotten about and this is a key driver of profitability in a dairy calf to beef system. This project aims to highlight these issues and hopefully change the mindset on the genetics that is currently being used.
Tag 1860. A Limousin steer born on 12 March 2018 and weighed 550kg at slaughter. He gained 0.89kg/day since birth and had a 296 kg carcase grading a O+ 2+. Carcase value was €1027.12.
Tag 1860.
The calves were purchased from a number of different farms and moved farm to farm to the unit in Tipperary. A further 142 calves were purchased in 2019. All calves purchased as part of the project are by easy-calving, short-gestation Hereford, Aberdeen Angus, Limousin and Belgian Blue bulls.
Farm update
All finishing animals have now been housed on the farm. They are on good-quality ad-lib silage and 5kg of ration/head/day. Ration is costing €280/t. A number of animals showed up with a score of 5 on the AHI health check report that came back with the last factory docket. We are currently investigating this to see if further dosing is required with the remaining animals on the farm.
Tag 2836. A KZP-sired steer born on 1 March 2018. This steer weighed 538kg at slaughter and gained 0.86kg/day since birth. He had a 304kg carcase grading an R- 3+ at a 56% kill out. Carcase value was €1146.08.
Tag 2836.
No Belgian Blue steers have been slaughtered to date and the 12 BB steers weighed 580kg on 25 October but are a month at least away from slaughter. All heifers have now been slaughtered. The problem with these animals being fed in the shed is that their carcase gain won’t cover feed costs.
Tag 8892. A JZJ sired heifer born on 25 March 2018. This heifer weighed 484kg at slaughter with a 246kg carcase killing out at 51%. She gained 0.8 kg/day since birth and carcase value was €904.54
Tag 8892.
However, the steers that are left need to be finished to a desired level to hit minimum specifications to achieve bonus payments. This year’s weanlings continue to graze at grass, have been vaccinated and dosed for parasites and are being fed 1kg/ration/head/day. Weanlings will be housed in the next three weeks.
Slaughter progress
After the initial heifers were slaughtered in early October, slaughtering has continued, with 75 out of the 102 heifers and steers slaughtered so far. Table 1 outlines the details of the cattle slaughtered.
The Herefords have performed very well, with the best growth rates and carcase value when initial comparisons are made. Belgian Blues have also performed very well and have achieved the best grades so far. However the higher calf price will make margins extremely tight for these animals. Killout is ranging from 51% for the Aberdeen Angus steers to 55% for the Belgian Blue heifers.
Hereford heifers have the highest liveweight gain as a group at 0.94kg/day since birth. Aberdeen Angus heifers have the lowest carcase weight at 260kg but are being killed over a month earlier compared to the Belgian Blues. It’s important to note that animal numbers are small and there are still animals (27 steers and heifers) left to be slaughtered from a number of different categories. A full analysis including individual costings will be completed once all animals have been slaughtered.
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