The importance of sire information when selecting the calves to enter a calf-to-beef system is something that more and more beef farmers are becoming aware of.
Any farmer who has reared dairy-bred calves will have noticed that the variation in calf performance as a result of their genetics can be significant.
When buying calves, farmers should look for information on the calf’s dam and the terminal traits of the calf’s sire. This information will give beef farmers a better indication of the animal’s beef potential.
ABP’s agri-sustainability manager and team member of the processor’s recently launched Advantage Beef Programme, Stephen Connolly, has explained that not all artificial insemination (AI) bulls are equal and that the terminal traits of the bull used will have an impact on a calf’s ability to gain weight.
In this example, calves from two different bulls of the same breed were used as a comparison where one of the sires had a higher terminal value than the other.
ABP Demo Farm’s research has shown that the group of calves bred off the higher terminal value bull had an average liveweight of 300kg, while the progeny of the lower terminal value bull had an average weight of 262kg, when weighed in late-December 2021.
While there was no significant difference in the animals as calves, when they are compared as yearlings, the variation in weights is significant.
In the same way dairy farmers buy replacement heifers based on economic breeding index (EBI), calf-to-beef farmers buying calves can ask about the terminal figures of the sire used and the cow type.
Research conducted on the farm has shown that up to €200 extra in carcass value can be delivered from buying calves with better genetic merit.
ABP Demo Farm yearling weight statistics
The monthly weighing of cattle on the ABP Demo Farm took place on December 29, 2021. The cattle were on average, nine months old.
The average weight of the 2021-born calves was 291kg and the target weight for the 2021-born progeny going to grass as yearlings is 350kg.
On the ABP Demo Farm, cattle are not selected for slaughter at a set weight, they are selected as they reach a fat score of 3.
To keep weight recordings consistent, cattle are weighed on the farm just after feeding.
The farm invested in weighing scales and electronic identification (EID) tags for the cattle, which simplifies the process of recording weights and average daily weight gain.
The weight recording also gives interesting data when analysed by the cattle’s farm of origin.
Heifers on the farm are finished at 19 months of age at an average carcass weight of 285kg and steers are finished at 21 months of age at a carcass weight of 325kg.
The calves bought from the best performing farm weighed over 300kg, while the calves bought from the lowest-performing farm had an average weight of 275kg when weighed in December.
The spread of performance on the farm is also significant, with the lightest animal on the farm weighing 185kg and the best animal weighing 420kg at the December weighing.
Cattle will be grouped accordingly before they go to grass and it is hoped the yearlings will be out in paddocks grazing before the end of the month.
Farmers who are seeking calves with better genetic merit can contact any member of the Advantage Beef Programme to find out more.