Aurivo and ABP have launched a new dairy beef programme that aims to improve the quality of beef calves coming from the dairy herd today (Monday, February 26).
The new programme also aims to provide a service to link dairy and beef farmers in the purchase of suitable beef calves from the dairy herd.
The programme will see participating Aurivo dairy farmers receive “tailored advice” on beef bull selection ahead of this year’s breeding season.
Advice provided will deliver offspring of “higher beef merit” while still delivering on key attributes such as calving ease and gestation length for dairy farmers, the companies said.
Dairy beef programme
The launch of the dairy beef programme by Aurivo and ABP follows a successful pilot programme which started in 2022.
The ABP Advantage Beef Programme team will link dairy farmers and beef farmers together so that there is a “guaranteed market” for beef calves for participating dairy farmers.
Meanwhile, beef farmers will be able to “reap the benefit” of higher genetic beef calves of high health status, the companies said.
Herds within the National Genotyping Programme will be “prioritised” to capitalise on the access to robust genetic information validated by genomics and sire verification.
The dairy beef programme aims to increase the quality and marketability of dairy beef calves available in spring 2025 through the use of high genetic merit beef bulls.
Dairy farmers that join this programme will have two options:
- Sell the calves from thee weeks old to Advantage Beef Programme farmers that they will be linked with by an ABP liaison;
- Bring these calves through to slaughter as part of the Advantage Beef Programme where farmers will get a 20c/kg sustainability bonus plus their breed bonus and QA bonus on all qualifying animals.
Aurivo farm profitability and sustainability manager, Declan Marren said the programme builds on previous years of collaboration between Aurivo and ABP on dairy beef production.
There are “mutual benefits” for dairy and beef farmers, including secured markets for calves and a calf with “greater potential” to go on and perform for beef farmers, Marren added.
“Collaboration between the dairy and beef industry is critical to creating a win-win scenario for both the dairy farmer and the beef farmer.
“Animal breeding is a key factor to aid the economic and environmental sustainability of our dairy beef system,” ABP agri-sustainability manager, Stephen Connolly said.
Farmers can sign up to the programme by contacting Kieran Connor at ABP or for more information contact Aurivo farm profitability and sustainability specialist, Justin Commins.