First winter crucial in the overall lifetime performance of an animal

The first in a series of live interactive Teagasc Virtual Beef Conference webinars kicks off tonight (Tuesday, December 1) at 8:00pm – with tonight’s focus being on optimising the growth rate of weanling beef cattle during the winter housing period.

Housing is the most expensive period in an animal’s life and the first winter is crucial in the overall lifetime performance of an animal, so farmers cannot afford to get it wrong.

Register today at teagasc.ie/beefcon20 and join online this evening at 8:00pm from any device to get access to a wide range of information and advice on achieving target performance for weanlings during their first winter.

In addition, you can take the opportunity to put your questions to our team of specialists, researchers and guest speakers.

Session one this evening will be chaired by Michael Slattery of Drummonds Ltd, who has many years of experience within the feed industry.

Topics covered tonight will include:

Optimum growth rate for weanling beef cattle during the winter housing period;
Steps farmers can take to improve the performance of beef weanlings over their first winter indoors.

Panellists will include Dr. Mark McGee from Teagasc Grange and Teagasc cattle specialist Martina Harrington.

Optimum growth rate for weanling beef cattle during the winter housing period

In order to reduce feed costs and exploit subsequent compensatory (“catch-up”) growth at pasture during the following grazing season, a live weight gain of 0.5 to 0.6kg per day through the ‘first’ winter is acceptable for weanling steers, heifers and suckler bulls.

Due to compensatory growth, there is little point in over-feeding weanlings during the first winter.

However, cattle growing too slowly (less than 0.5kg per day) during winter are unable to compensate sufficiently at pasture and will not reach target weights later in life.

Dr. Mark McGee will outline what the research work has told us about compensatory growth and will emphasise the importance of offering well preserved, high dry matter digestibility silage (DMD) to weanlings.

Steps farmers can take to improve the performance of beef weanlings over their first winter indoors

Teagasc cattle specialist Martina Harrington will look at the many different factors that can help to improve the performance of weanlings over the winter.

She will be especially looking at the influence of nutrition, environment and health on the growth rates achievable.

She will be paying particular attention to the importance of having the proper environment for weanlings and a well thought-out health plan.

These will include having adequate ventilation, lying space, feed space and water. Controlling parasites and preventing viruses will all be covered.

Session two and three of the Teagasc Virtual Beef Conference will continue tomorrow night and Thursday night focusing on the topics of improving beef health and welfare and exploiting the full potential of Irish grass fed beef.

Find the full schedule at teagasc.ie/beefcon20