Vast Potential for Dairy Bull Beef Improvement
18/02/05

English dairy bull beef producers could improve their profitability substantially under the reformed CAP by growing more of their animals faster, to finish at earlier ages and heavier weights, according to the most extensive national study of beef carcase performance ever undertaken.

The English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX) study involved detailed analysis of nearly 100,000 passport and carcase records from animals slaughtered by leading beef processor, ABP in its three English plants in the 10 months to September 2004.

It showed nearly 25% of the 6000-plus Holstein Friesian bulls involved were slaughtered at over 16 months of age (490 days) - an age after which EBLEX has identified that the meat starts to become tougher. This compares with the 400 days or less regularly achieved in cereal beef trial work and by specialist bull beef producers.

Average carcase weights varied widely at any given slaughter age, with large proportions weighing under 250kg and over 300kg at every age. This shows a vast range of daily gains and reveals considerable potential for improving the performance of many bulls.

What is more, average weights only increased very slightly with age - from around 270kg at 400 days to 285kg at 500 days - suggesting any increase in returns from longer rearing periods is most unlikely to cover the extra feeding, labour and housing costs incurred.

Even with the relatively high slaughter age profile, around a third of the dairy bulls in the study produced carcases weighing less than the 260-280kg minimum set by the modern market. With pricing regimes imposing penalties of up to 10p/kg for underweight bull carcases, the difference in returns between 250kg and 300kg carcases of the same quality at today's prices can easily be £100/head.

More detailed analysis of the data reveals that the carcases under 250kg also classified markedly less well than those weighing over 300kg. Indeed, 59% of them fell into fat class 2 while 86% of 300kg-plus carcases were in fat classes 3 and 4L. At the same time, fully 50% of the underweight fat class 2 carcases fell into the heavy penalty P class for conformation. This compared with 6% and 4% of the heavier animals in fat classes 3 and 4L respectively.

Together with the differences in carcase weight but excluding any underweight penalties, the poorer quality of these lighter carcases would reduce returns by at least another £100/head.

Earning the most from your stock while avoiding unnecessary losses is vital in this new Single Payment Scheme (SPS) era. EBLEX recommends Holstein Friesian bulls should be managed to gain at least 1.2 kg/day over their lifetimes, allowing the vast majority to be slaughtered by 450 days of age at fat class 3 comfortably above the buyer's minimum weight. This approach will not only help maximise the returns to dairy bull beef producers but also help deliver a product with more consistent eating quality to consumers.