6 steps to assessing your suckler herd performance

Suckler producers looking to assess and monitor their herd’s performance are being encouraged to use six key performance indicators (KPIs).

Mary Vickers, senior beef and sheep scientist at Eblex, says producers should calculate these for their latest herd production year – from one breeding to another – rather than a calendar year.

See also: How to maximise profits from suckler cows

“KPIs can then be reviewed against suitable targets for the individual herd, benchmarked [compared] with similar herds and the reasons for differences considered; this will help identify any areas where improvement is possible, to focus on in 2015,” she says.

The six KPIs are:

1. Calves born alive for every 100 cows and heifers put to the bull. This is the number of calves born alive ÷ (number of cows put to the bull + number of heifers put to the bull) x 100
2. Calves weaned for every 100 cows and heifers put to the bull. This is the number of calves weaned ÷ (number of cows put to the bull + number of heifers put to the bull) x 100
3. Calving period: first to last calf (weeks). This is the date of last calving date of first calving ÷ 7
4. Percentage of cows and heifers calving in first three weeks. This is the number of cows and heifers calved in first three weeks ÷ (number of cows put to the bull + number of heifers put to the bull) x 100
5. Percentage of cows with a calving interval below 370 days. This is the number of cows with calving interval below 370 days ÷ number of cows put to the bull x 100 (do not include heifers)
6. 200-day calf weight for every cow and heifer put to the bull (kg). This is the average 200 days weight x (number of calves weaned ÷ number of cows put to the bull) + number of heifers put to the bull.