The theme of the BEEF2022 Open Day, which will take place at Teagasc Grange on Tuesday, July 5, is ‘Supporting Sustainable Beef Farming’.
This encompasses, most importantly, economically viable farming, but it also entails reducing the environmental footprint of our beef farms. Low-cost, grass-based beef production systems provide a robust starting point in terms of sustainable farming, and this is also core to the marketing of Irish beef.
Beef production
BEEF2022 will address the question of identifying the most suitable production system for your beef farm.
Beef production in Ireland is characterised by having an array of different production systems. In addition to a long list of beef system options, there is also a wide range of stocking rates across Irish beef farms.
Which beef system suits a farm or farmer, and the intensity at which it is farmed, will depend on a number of different factors including, economics, land area and type, facilities, labour availability and work-life balance.
Every beef farm will be characterised differently when it comes to each of these factors and this will determine the choice of system and target stocking rate.
Balance
Beef farming, and indeed farming in general, is somewhat different than other occupations since most farms are family-farms so there is an overlap in farming and family pursuits.
Nevertheless, a balance must be struck between these partially competing objectives.
New analysis will be presented at the BEEF2022 Open Day on the economic and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions implications of a range of suckler and dairy-beef production systems, bearing in mind the conditional factors noted above.
The implications of stocking rate and bull beef systems will also be explored as part of this analysis.
Growing concern with climate change has resulted in proposals to further reduce national GHG emissions. The beef sector can contribute to meeting these emission targets by increasing the biological efficiency of production systems, and reducing animal slaughter age.
Achieving high animal performance is critical if animals are to be slaughtered younger. Where key performance targets are not met, this has large negative ramifications for the profitability and environmental footprint of beef production systems.
In this regard, the impact of key performance indicators (KPIs) within the farm gate on the financial performance and GHG emissions of beef production systems will be evaluated at the Teagasc Open Day in Grange, Co. Meath on Tuesday, July 5.
Targets
In terms of animal performance targets, breed/genetics creates the potential, but it is management that primarily allows that potential to be achieved. The optimisation of grass-based beef production systems bringing together aspects relating to animal genetics (e.g. new results from Grange on the commercial beef value (CBV) of cattle), health and nutrition, and grassland management will be presented at BEEF2022.
The information at the open day will be presented primarily by means of live demonstrations including livestock, grassland and forage demonstrations. These will permit farmers to see first-hand and to engage with researchers and advisors in relation to best practice in grassland, slurry management and animal performance.
Finances
The year 2022 has brought about unprecedented levels of input cost increases, the likes of which Irish farmers have not seen before.
On the ‘output side’, beef prices have risen by over €1/kg carcass between January and May 2022, which has given those finishing cattle over the late spring and summer period a much bigger margin than expected.
Assuming an average carcass weight of 350kg, each animal slaughtered would be earning an additional €350 in May and June compared to January 2022, and nearly €600/head extra compared to spring 2020.
The main issue facing Irish beef farmers operating various production systems will be beef prices next autumn and spring. At the Teagasc Open Day next Tuesday, the impact that those prices will have on profit margins, as well as providing strategies to mitigate the impact of rising costs, will be assessed.
So the Teagasc BEEF2022 Open Day on Tuesday, July 5, at the Teagasc Grange, Co. Meath is not to be missed.
For more information, click here.
