On the Thrive demonstration farm, we are trying to operate a 19 to 21-month finishing system that sees cattle slaughtered prior to the second winter. This is due to the high housing costs associated with these animals, should they have to spend a second winter period on the farm.

This system also allows us to maximise the number of animals on the farm. If we operated a 24-month system, we would need a lot of housing for these animals during the second winter, reducing the number of weanlings we could keep on the farm.

These type of animals seem to need a higher energy diet to get a sufficient level of finish, in order to hit carcase specifications for fat cover

Last year however, 24 cattle failed to be slaughtered from pasture and had to be rehoused for further finishing. This resulted in a further eight to 10 weekS of feeding in the shed on silage and an average of 6kg/day of meal, which increased the finishing cost of these animals greatly.

To avoid this happening again this year, we started meal feeding at grass slightly earlier, from 1 August. However, looking at the Belgian Blue steers at the moment, they look like they will not finish off grass and 4kg of meal by the end of the grazing season.

Therefore, we have decided to house them in the coming days for finishing. They will be offered top-quality grass silage and we will increase the concentrate input up to 6kg/day over the next week. This will be offered in two feeds, morning and evening, to avoid stomach upsets.

These type of animals seem to need a higher energy diet to get a sufficient level of finish, in order to hit carcase specifications for fat cover. There is the option of increasing meal feeding at gras, but with good-quality grass currently being offered to stock, getting them to eat more than 4kg/day is a struggle.

It is better to house them now, while we do not need the housing space for this year’s calves, and it still means we will have them slaughtered by the end of the year.

The majority of the remaining steers, made up of Angus, Hereford and a few Limousin, should all finish from grass in the coming weeks.