Finish up to target and improve your returns at market
Finish up to target and improve your returns at market
Less than half prime cattle meet market specifications, but
better management could increase that figure and boost
profitability of the enterprise. Sue Rider reports
KNOWING when to slaughter cattle to supply what the market requires in terms of weight, fatness, and conformation, is crucial to maximising possible margins from beef production.
Yet still less than 50% of all cattle fall within preferred market specifications, says Neil Pickard, head of livestock development.
Target specifications are 230-360kg carcasses for steers and 220-300kg carcasses for heifers with fat class 3-4L and conformation E, U and R. To produce cattle which meet specifications, its important to match breed to the system.
Most breeds are capable of producing acceptable carcasses in class 4L at under 30 months, he says. But care is needed to ensure early maturing breeds finished at fat class 3-4L are not too light. They will require low planes of nutrition and will generally finish on grass or indoors on high forage diets.
At fat class 3-4L later maturing breeds will be too old unless finished on high planes of nutrition.
"Take heifers to the same weight as steers and there is the danger theyll get too fat – aim to get them as close to 300kg carcass weight without becoming fat."
Mr Pickard suggests producers set target finishing weights and feed cattle accordingly. "Once you have identified the weight, aim to get them there quickly."
Even in well-managed systems, group fed cattle will reach slaughter condition over a period of up to three months, he adds. To ensure cattle are drawn in the correct condition, they will need handling regularly in the run up to sale.
Conformation is gauged by the shape of the round, rump, loin and shoulder – and can be judged by looking at the live animal (see Table 1). Fatness, however, can only be assessed by handling the animal at the ribs, loin and tail head (see Table 2).
Duncan Pullar of ADAS High Mowthorpe suggests asking a buyer for a given outlet to come on to the farm and watching their selection procedure to learn to select cattle for that buyers spec.
Following carcasses through the abattoir and checking classification on the killing sheets can also aid selection.
ADAS researcher Duncan Pullar handles cattle at the ribs, loin and tail head to assess fatness.
Selecting for slaughter
Why not try your hand at selecting cattle for slaughter and assessing the classification of different carcasses on display at the Beef for the Market Event, run in association with FW and held at the NAC, Stoneleigh on Mar 11, 1998.
Table 1: Characteristics of the main EU conformation classes
EU conformation Round Rump Loin and shoulder
class
U+, E Thick and extremely Very wide, level Very wide with mid
rounded. Muscling through mid line. line in a hollow.
reaches well down
to the hock.
-U Quite thick and well Wide, very slight Wide and flat,
rounded. slope from mid perhaps with mid
line. line in slight hollow.
R Distinctively Wide, slight slope Wide and flat.
rounded. from mid line.
0+ Rather narrow, only Narrow but only Narrow but only
slight rounding of slight slope from slight slope
profile. Muscling mid line. from mid line.
ends from well
above the hock.
-0, P+, -P Narrow, angular or Narrow, slopes Narrow, slopes
hollow profile. markedly from markedly from
Muscling ends far mid line. mid line.
above the hock.
Table 2: Characteristics of the main EU fat classes
Ribs Loin Tail head
Method of Press with the hand Grip edge of loin Press with finger handling flat. between thumb and tips.
fingers on the left
side. Do not confuse
firm muscle with
softer fat. Thick
muscles may prevent
bone being felt.
Fat class
1 and 2 Ribs easily seen and No fat felt on outer No development of
felt with light edge of loin. fat between tail
pressure. Little or no root and pin bones
detectable fat.
3 Ribs just visible and Thin cover of fat. Slight fatness
felt easily. Thin layer Bone felt easily in evident.
of fat. cattle of poor
conformation.
4L Ribs not visible but Fat easily detectable. Fat visible around
can be felt with light In cattle of poor tail head
pressure. Thin layer conformation bony
of fat. edge of loin felt with
slight pressure.
4H Smooth shape and Fat cover obvious. Puffy fat visible and
fat felt easily. Ribs Bony edge of loin covers pin bones.
only felt with hardly felt even in
moderate pressure. cattle of poor shape.
5L,5H Obviously overfat. Obviously overfat. Obviously overfat.
Source: Selecting cattle for slaughter, MLC.