All calves born from 2023 onwards must be bred from a sire with a ‘minimum genetic merit’ in order to qualify for the Advantage Beef Programme’s 20c/kg Sustainability Bonus, recently launched by ABP Food Group.
Lessons learned from the calf trade this year will have many dairy farmers rethinking their breeding strategy in an effort to improve the quality (and saleability) of their surplus calves destined for beef production.
Calves bred using bulls with low-beef values were a much tougher sell in the calf ring this year, while better-bred beef calves managed to secure more buyer interest and in turn, a better price.
Dairy farmers are being reminded that it is critical to start selecting better-bred bulls for use on their dairy cows during this year’s breeding season.
In line with this, calf buyers are increasingly being encouraged to “link in” with who they are buying their calves from to ensure good bulls are being used that will produce calves with better beef potential.
Most artificial insemenation (AI) companies offer dairy farmers a variety of beef-bulls that are easy calving, short gestation and also have good beef traits.
Since 2014, the ABP Demo Farm in Co. Carlow has been examining the impact of genetics on calf performance.
Research has shown that within the Aberdeen Angus breed, there is up to €200/animal extra in carcass value between best and worst Angus AI sires.
All beef-bred calves from both dairy-bred and suckler-bred dams are eligible for the Advantage Beef Programme, however calves must have no more than 12.5% Jersey genetics.
To be eligible for the Advantage Beef Programme, dairy-beef calves born from 2023 onwards must be sired by a bull with a minimum value of €35 on the beef sub-index of the Dairy Beef Index (DBI). For suckler farmers, the progeny of any four or five-star stock bull or AI bull will be eligible.
The sub-index value is “a minimum standard” for calves to be eligible.
Farmers who are selecting a beef bull for their dairy cows this year should look at the beef value traits of that bull on the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation’s (ICBF’s) Dairy Beef Index.
The bull being used should have a positive figure for carcass weight and the carcass weight figure should be above the respective breed’s average.
For example, Aberdeen Angus has a breed average carcass weight of 6.6kg, so dairy farmers should look at selecting an Angus bull above the breed average and also with a high confirmation score.
Farmers who are buying calves in the future for calf-rearing operations will be advised to pay increased attention to the sire of the calf’s DBI, value of beef and conformation figures.
As many farmers will know, a bull’s stars or indexes can change. Once the bull’s value of beef was €35 or greater at any point in the year that the cow was inseminated, that animal will be suitable for the scheme.
The same principle applies to suckler farmers selecting bulls from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) star ratings.
The sire details of the bull used must be recorded. If the sire is not recorded, the progeny will not be eligible for the Advantage Beef Programme unless they are genotyped.
Why is the DBI important?
Research conducted at the ABP Demo Farm has shown a direct link between the sire’s value of beef in the DBI and the live weight gain of the bull’s progeny on the demo farm.
Looking to the future, it will be vital that the dairy and beef industries work together to ensure the dairy herd can produce milk but also produce calves that will be economically and environmentally sustainable to rear for beef.
Balance in both industries will be of utmost importance over the coming years.