The economics of keeping a suckler herd was a hot topic for the hundreds of farmers gathered to learn how one Limerick farmer managed to double his gross margin while reducing land base by a quarter over four years, writes Martin Ryan
Donie Ahern speaking at the Teagasc Suckler Farm in Herbertstown, Co Limerick
It was an issue that caught the attention of those attending the Teagasc Better Farm walk, near Herbertstown, Co Limerick, as the host farmer Donie Ahern told how the farm that carries a suckler herd of 85 cows, mainly crossbred Limousins from the dairy herd, had been struggling.
Mr Ahern, who previously procured cattle for factories around Munster, told how he increased the gross margin per hectare from €474 in 2011 to an achievable target of €1,208 in 2015 on the ‘model farm’, which got its name as one of the early Foras Taluntais farms, a predecessor to Teagasc.
The stocking level has gone from 1.69 livestock units per hectare (LU/ha) to 2.43LU/ha. Meanwhile, the land base reduced from 82ha to 63ha with a saving of €10,000p/ac on rented land, gross output increased from €1,347/ha to €2,417/ha, while the variable costs have been reduced from 64pc of output to 50pc.
However, the farmer feels he should consider whether he would “be better off not keeping the sucklers” after he sat down to analyse the return from the progeny of his own herd against the bought-in stock on the farm.
Yearling bulls are being purchased in January or February for €800-900/hd and finished off at double the money by autumn on a mainly grass diet, with minimal meal feeding to finish off.
“I honestly don’t know how suckler farmers selling weanlings can survive if they are getting €800 to keep a cow and a calf for a year,” says Mr Ahern, arguing that it does not pay relative to finishing cattle.
Mr Ahern, who is married to Maria and runs the operation with his son Paudie, qualifies the statement by adding that he does not have any special deal with the factory, but KK Club membership, with Kepak, is worth a small premium.
He reckons that the cattle coming in at €800-€900/hd and eating solely grass until August 1 deliver the margins as it costs around €80-€90/hd to put on 200kg liveweight for six to seven months. Liveweight gain on grass is consistent at 1.6kg/day, which shortens the finishing period on meal.
Grass Management
“All the gain is got before they enter the shed. The system is driven by plenty of quality grass,” he adds, with the finished bulls selling at around €1,800.
He said the secret to it has been getting more out of their grass management and reducing the meal bill.
He has cut back heavily on the amount of ration fed from €740/ha in 2012 to €519/ha last year, but mention of concentrate quality comes with a strong health warning.
“A lot of farmers would want to look at the quality of the ration they are getting. If the ration is right and silage is good it should work,” he says.
To increase output he is now purchasing an extra 50 yearling bulls, eight yearling heifers, and a few extra calves each January to February to be finished along with the farm progeny.
The number of finished animals being sold off the farm has increased from 85 to 160 last year and the target is for slightly more in 2015, with replacement heifers contract reared.
Mr Ahern said the analysis of the farm operation under the Teagasc beef monitor was one of the “best decisions” he ever undertook, with local Teagasc advisors, Pat Blackwell and Derek O’Donoghue, and Better Farm advisor, Alan Dillon.
(Source – Irish Independent – Indo Farming – 22/07/2015)
Sucklers Must Be Milkers Too
Numerous suckler cow studies in Teagasc Grange over the years have demonstrated the importance of milk yields when it comes to maximising weaning weights.
The extra weight a suckler calf puts on when it is suckling on the cow stays with it throughout its life.
A suckler cow that does not have reasonably good milk yields has no place on a suckler farm and, more importantly, should not be providing any replacement heifers for the herd.
If milk yield is one of the more important drivers of weight gain, then it must be measured so that:
* poor yielding cows can be culled and replaced;
* high yielding cows can be identified to keep replacements from;
* and the accuracy of the breeding indexes for your cows and heifers can be increased.
Weighing calves while they are still suckling is the best way to estimate the amount of milk their mothers are providing to them.
Ideally, this should be done when they are between 150 and 250 days of age, as their weight at this stage is less influenced by the amount of grass they are eating themselves, and the younger they are, the less meals (if any) they will be eating.
The ICBF provides a weighing service for all farmers, and they will also record the weights on their database so that they can be used to assess the breeding value of the cows. If you are using your own weighing scales, make sure to enter the weights online through HerdPlus.
The more weights that are recorded, the more accurate the star ratings of your cows will be.
(Source – Irish Examiner – 16/07/2015)