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The Teagasc/Irish Farmers Journal BETTER Farm beef challenge team spent three days in the Piedmont region of Italy last week.
The trip was organised in conjunction with the LIFE Beef Carbon project and featured tours to four Italian beef farms - two of which were finishing units.
BETTER Farm: Gugini feedlot in Piedmont, Italy.
The Gugini farm and feedlot, located just outside the town of Rocconigi, puts 500 head of cattle through its gates each year.
The sole breeds purchased are Limousin and Blonde d’Aquitaine, all bought from France.
Animals are held in the feedlot for six to eight months.
Target liveweight at slaughter is 750kg and there is no age limit.
The Giordano farm in Fossano puts 1,400 to 1,500 head of cattle through its gates each year – all bulls.
Bulls are held for 200 to 220 days. They must be kept for at least six months to qualify for a €60/head subsidy.
Cattle are required by the processor to achieve a 66% kill-out.
For the full story, watch the video below and see this week’s Irish Farmers Journal.
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