By Teagasc’s Seán Cummins and James Fitzgerald
It’s been a challenging spring in terms of grassland management for many of the farmers enrolled in the Teagasc Green Acres Calf to Beef Programme.
Growth is just beginning to surpass demand on many farms, but others – especially those working off high and exposed sites – are struggling to keep grass ahead of stock.
On account of harsh and colder weather conditions, combined with a lack of moisture in some locations, the arrival of magic day is approximately two weeks behind on many of the farms enrolled in the programme.
To balance the shortfall in grass growth, many of the farmers who started grazing early and have lower than desired grass covers for the beginning of the second rotation, had to reintroduce silage back into animals’ diets in a bid to extend the rotation.
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By Teagasc Green Acres Calf to Beef Programme advisor Seán Cummins
With the development of antimicrobial resistance, there’s an increased focus on the way in which antibiotics are being used in both human and animal health.
Peter and Thomas O’Hanrahan, participants in the Teagasc Green Acres Calf-to-Beef Programme, have recorded a significant reduction in the quantity of antibiotics being used on their farm on the outskirts of Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny.
Expressed on a milligram per kilogram of liveweight output basis, the O’Hanrahans used 6.4mg/kg of liveweight output in 2020, down from 57.5mg/kg of liveweight output in 2018 – a reduction of 89%.
March 7, 2021, 6:10 am
By Teagasc Green Acres Calf to Beef Programme advisor Seán Cummins
In calf-to-beef systems, the margins for ensuring any levels of profitability are based on maximising animal performance efficiency and minimising unnecessary financial costs.
An analysis of the slaughter performance of animals produced on the Teagasc Green Acres farms was compiled earlier this year, which examined the physical (carcass weight, grade and fat scores) and financial performance (€/kg) of animals slaughtered over the course of 2020.
Calf purchase price vs carcass value
To delve further into this data and to understand the relationship between the calf purchase price and carcass value, the 2018 calf purchase values have been compiled and presented as a percentage of the total carcass value in table 1 (below).