Beef producers were urged to consider adopting a simple stratified system to enable them to develop sustainable and profitable herds, by SAC's beef specialist, Gavin Hill.

Speaking to more than 400 visitors at an open day hosted by the McNee family at Woodend, Armadale, West Lothian and staged by the Charolais, Luing and Simmental breed societies, he said; "Farmers must examine their farm's strengths and adopt the most suited regime. Simplicity will be the key."

At Woodend a 2,400 acre LFA unit, the McNees, Robert and Andrew, and their father, Roy and uncle, Jim run a 430 cow suckler herd comprising 100 Luings bred pure, 100 Luing-Sims put to the Simmental and the remaining Sim-Luing cows to the Charolais. The Luing cows run on the high ground and have formed the basis of the herd for 40 years. "These cows were adopted because they suited the environment with their hardiness, foraging ability and are easy to manage. They are a true cow breed and are bred to provide the core replacements in the herd," said Mr Hill.

Each year a number of Luing cows are crossed with he Simmental to produce Sim-Luing replacements. "The Simmental brings milk, hybrid vigour and as a dual purpose breed the males can be finished well and to optimum specification. These Sim-Luing cows are then put to the Charolais to provide cattle that are in demand in giving maximum kilos when sold as stores or finished.

"This stratified system is clear in that the hill area breeds provide a supply of maternal cows that go down the hill to be crossed to a dual-purpose breed, to produce a cow that will complement the Charolais on lower ground," he explained.

"Woodend has the advantage of running 430 cows, a volume than enables the McNees to carry out all these operations and in turn retain a closed herd. However the majority Scottish sucker herds do not enjoy such economies of scale," he said.

"In many herds, farmers buy in maternal bulls to breed replacements, while the rest of the herd is put to terminal sires to produce cattle for the store market or finishing. However that system can create difficulties because they do not have enough numbers to achieve the different goals and the management can prove to be complicated," said Mr Hill. "Therefore beef producers should address their farm's strengths, stick to what they do, and do it well.

"On many of the high hill farms, where breeding regimes are frequently orientated to more maternal traditional breeds, these farmers may find their market in producing replacement heifers for sale. These geographical areas are certainly second to none in terms of health and this is a distinct asset.

"Furthermore, producing a product that has a premium provides an alternative as many of these hill and upland farms may be rearing store cattle when values in the backend could be more volatile. Targeting a premium from the heifer rather than male has to be considered. In addition, ways and opportunities to encourage cattle to be kept in these areas need to be continued."

Mr Hill said farms located lower down the valley would then have the opportunity to buy these replacements, rather than using part of the herd to breed their own, leaving them to focus on one goal - producing meat.

"These areas are far more suited to producing cattle from terminal sires and destined for the finishing market. They may also have a lower cost feed structure enabling them to make it profitable to finish these cattle in the modern era with no direct support."

He added, as long as 40 years ago, Denis Cadzow who established the Luing breed on the Island of Luing stated: "Why not breed our own stock on the cheaper lands of the west for feeding in the east where they have the winter food which is cheaper to grow."