In an era of such volatility, farmers are always looking for methods to cuts costs and boost profits, but could a switch in breed type help?

One farmer in Co. Tipperary swapped out his typical British Friesians for Fleckviehs, and now it is working out to be one of his most profitable decisions yet.

John and Chloe Caplice made the switch to Fleckviehs eight years ago, and have not looked back since.

The couple are milking 143 cows and producing 6,000L at 4.21% butterfat and 3.83% protein.

John said the solids 'should be a lot higher', but they are currently in a rebuilding phase after getting 'destroyed' with bovine tuberculosis (bTB).

Austrian Fleckvieh herd

87% of the Austrian dairy herd is Fleckvieh, with the results speaking for themselves.

In 2021, the average Fleckvieh herd delivered 7,834kg of milk at 4.16% fat and 3.44% protein, bringing totals kgs of milk solids up to 595.

And with 2,400 young bulls genomic tested annually, that figure is sure to have improved five years down the line.

If we look at some of the sires coming into Ireland in 2026 with Celtic Sires, their dams were delivering over 11,000kg of milk and more than 1,100kg milk solids.

More than just milk

The milk levels may be extremely attractive in pedigree Fleckvieh herds, but the breed is so much more than just that.

Fleckviehs are a much beefier animal compared to the typical black and whites we see in most pastures.

That means beefier calves too, with John stating calvers were being born at 60-65kg and selling for €600 plus at three weeks-of-age.

That is a lifesaver in poor milk price years, and a profitability booster in good milk price years.

Considering it takes nearly two full lactations to pay off the cost of heifer rearing, farmers want cows in the herd for as long as possible.

Yet the average lactation length in Ireland is only 3.3, meaning cows are not making much profit for farmers.

However, Fleckviehs are known and bred for their longevity, making more profit per cow for farmers.

FLECKSCORE

FLECKSCORE is the Austrians breeding index for the breed, similar to the Economic Breeding Index (EBI) here in Ireland.

The comprehensive system focuses on longevity; persistence; milking speed; fertility; calving ease; frame; udder shape; and much more.

Austrian experts recently attended an open day hosted by Fleckvieh Ireland and Celtic sires to demonstrate how FLECKSCORE works.

It was highlighted that FLECKSCORE works more off the physical traits of the cow herself rather than figures, although all Fleckviehs are backed by years of data.

For more information, contact Fleckvieh Ireland by email at [email protected] or call: 057 93 24577.