Many farmers do not plan to buy dairy bred calves this spring, according to the results of an ad-hoc 24 hour survey conducted by Agriland this week.
Feedback from farmers who participated in the survey suggest there is a strong degree of frustration that “older, heavier calves are not securing a price that reflects the time and effort invested in them”.
One survey participant said: “Dairy farmers are not being rewarded for holding calves longer.
“A swing of €20 per calf isn’t going to encourage any dairy farmer to change their cow type or breeding policy”.
The results of the survey, also highlight the underlying sentiment that many farmers do not believe “every calf born on an Irish farm has value” while others also strongly feel that the “value of calves is being talked down”.
The survey which took place over a 24 hour period attracted more than 1,000 participants.
Many farmers also indicated in the survey that calves less than three weeks old should not be permitted to leave a dairy farm and that there should be a minimum age restriction introduced in relation to calf sales.
One survey respondent said: “Dairy farmers just want to breed for milk, that’s about it, they don’t give a hoot about anything else”.
There was also a strong sentiment expressed by many farmers in the survey that “a strong well fed calf is what’s best for industry”.
“Calves must get colostrum,” said one, while another added “dairy farmers must present calves for sale with enough milk in them regardless of the breed”.
Dairy bred calves
A core point of view expressed by many farmers in the survey was that “dairy farmers are accountable for the dairy bred calf”.
One farmer said: “Dairy farmers should be forced to take more responsibility for young calves that are a by product of their industry.
“Shifting some of the burden of rearing costs onto the dairy farmer would strengthen the dairy calf to beef model”.
Another stated: “All farmers should keep there own calves until they are fully off milk on there farm and eating meal before moved to be sold at a mart or to be sold to another farm.
“This would encourage older farmers to buy calves as most wouldn’t have the time or be able to feed milk to calves”.
Many farmers believe the government is not doing enough to support the industry to keep calves on farms longer.
“Those who rear calves should be rewarded because that is what the industry needs – there should be vat refunds on auto feeders, plus better grants would mean that we could get a very good system in place quickly,” one said.
The results from the latest Agriland survey also highlight that while there is strong industry support for phasing out calf slaughtering many farmers also believe that “it is in the best interest of animal welfare that a calf with no value should be euthanised”.
Some farmers firmly believe that it “should be acceptable to slaughter unproductive calves”.
While other farmers only see calf slaughter as an “option for restricted herds or in force majeure circumstances.
Some survey participants indicated that if “calf slaughter is done humanely are calves are treated right before slaughter then it might be a better option than leaving them on a farm that doesn’t want them.
However the majority of participants who took part in the latest Agriland survey believe calf welfare should be top of the agenda for farmers and the industry.
Many survey participants also highlighted the need for dairy farmers “to use good quality beef bull or sexed semen”.
One participant said: “Dairy farmers need to use sexed Friesian for replacements and then use continental bull on rest of cows and the Limousin breed will tick all boxes for the dairy to beef scheme.”
While another added: “It is the dairy farmer’s responsibility to do the basic things right from the start and it will improve this whole situation.”