How a calf scheme is helping farmers achieve beef specification

Beef farmers need to focus on reducing the average age of slaughter from 26.5 months to 12-15 months and improve the quality and consistency of meat, attendees at this year’s Beef Expo at North West Auctions, Kendal, were told.

Efficiency on many beef units is low with the genetic potential of cattle not being realised, said Dunbia’s research and development manager, Ryan Law.

Almost half of beef farms (49%) are failing to meet market specification and even when they are, there’s still variation due to the wide range of:

• Breeds (25+)
• Ages (12-36 months)
• Weights (260kg-400kg)
• Conformation and fat class
• Low efficiency of production
• Health and disease

See also: How beef finishers have improved health and cattle weight gain

As a result, the product as sold in supermarkets is varied, with a range of eating quality. “If a consumer has a bad eating experience it takes them three months before they will buy another bit of beef again,”  said Dr Law.

With more than half of beef (57%) coming from the dairy herd – a figure expected to rise to 70% by 2030 – Dunbia is looking to create a more resilient and efficient supply chain. It not only wants to link the farmer to the processor and retailer, but build a system, starting with dairy beef, that produces consistent meat quality, efficiently and at market specification.

In 2015, it set up an integrated beef programme with beef from the dairy herd, which has been designed to create a consistent product as efficiently as possible. The scheme focuses on:  

• Promoting dry feed intake at a young age – by feeding low levels of milk
• Maintaining high immune status
• Lowering the pathogen burden – by using high-pressure air systems
• Lowering levels of disease by lowering levels of stress
• High growth rate
• Slaughter < 14 months

Dr Law said: “The challenge with beef from the dairy herd is the attitude of dairy farmers. Black and White bull calves are seen as a by-product.

“Calf mortality and morbidity is a huge issue, with up to 13% mortality in the first month of life.

“With our integrated beef programme, we want to deliver health and nutrition protocols at each stage to maximise the efficiency of production.”

Integrated beef programme

The main backbone of the programme involves rearers (2-14 weeks) grower/finishers (3.5 months-15 months) abattoirs and retailers. Farm key performance indicators are set for each stage of the process with data collection vital (table 1).

Calf rearing

The calf rearing feeding programme is based on promoting immune function and gut health. It involves:

• Low milk intake (11.5kgs milk powder/calf) when calves enter at two to three weeks old
• Early rumen development by offering ad-lib access to feed
• High level of gut health

Dr Law said: “The low milk intake and high concentrate intake limits pathogen growth and inflammation of the gut wall. We are not chasing growth; it’s about promoting good health, which in turn means low antibiotic use. We are trying to put an animal in an environment with as much food and no stress, so it naturally grows quicker.”

Results from a study of 5,000 calves found the Dunbia system to work effectively (table 2). “By feeding more dry feed we are managing to get an extra 600mj of energy into the calf,” he says.

Finishers

In the finishing units’ targets are:

• 600kg liveweight carcass
• less than 14 months old
• fat class 3+4l and an O conformation.

About 80% of the finishing cattle are reared indoors on ad lib concentrate and a forage based TMR (total mixed ration) and the rest receive one season at grass and are then finished indoors. They take about two months longer to finish.

All finishers must use positive pressure air systems in their buildings. Dr Law said: “The stack effect doesn’t work in young cattle or finishers. The best way to remove pathogens is to install a positive pressure air system that forces fresh air on top of the cattle. They distribute air evenly, without creating draughts.”

All finishers must have 4.5m2 of space an animal and have dry bedding topped up daily.

Some 25 farms are signed up to the programme. TIt is hoped it will be rolled out to suckler producers in the future.