Benefits of top sires confirmed

Dairy farmers can produce high-value calves with minimal calving problems using proven beef genetics.

The final report of a five-year study into the use of quality beef genetics in a dairy beef supply chain was released this week, confirming the potential for dairy farmers to produce high-value calves with minimal calving problems using proven beef genetics.

The aim of the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Dairy-Beef Integration Programme was to analyse and demonstrate the benefits and risks involved throughout the supply chain in order to increase the supply of quality calves to the finishing industry.

The AgResearch-led project, led by Dr Vicki Burggraaf, AgResearch Farm Systems scientist, was funded by Beef + Lamb NZ Mid-Northern Farmer Council with in-kind support from LIC and Ezicalve (proven Hereford sires).

The release of the final report provides the detail behind preliminary findings released to the red meat and dairy sectors in early September.

Dr Burggraaf said the beef industry is becoming increasingly reliant on calves sourced from dairy farms, but the sires of these calves have traditionally been of poor or unknown genetic potential for beef production.

"The study demonstrated that using proven sires with high Estimated Breeding Values [EBVs] for calving ease limited calving problems and those with high EBVs for liveweight produced cattle with higher growth rates.

"The use of proven beef sires with high EBVs for calving ease and liveweight over dairy cows has benefits for dairy and beef farmers," Dr Burggraaf said.

The manager of the Dairy Beef Integration Programme, Doug Lineham, said the findings "confirm what we're seeing in the market where dairy farmers are receiving up to three or four times the value of a bobby calf for a quality dairy/beef animal.

"The detail included in the final report provides dairy farmers with renewed confidence that breeding low BW cows to proven beef genetics is the way to go for the future.

"That change to their mating strategy gives them a range of options. They can sell the resulting calves to a rearer, at the yards or grow them on to 100kg if they have surplus land. And even if they opt to put them on the bobby calf truck, the dairy/beef calves will weigh out more than a straight dairy animal."

Doug Lineham said increased use of quality-proven beef sires will benefit:

• Dairy farmers with easy calving, high quality calves worth up to $150 more than bobbies.

• Calf rearers/finishers with faster growing animals which finish earlier and have a high carcass value.

• Meat processors and consumers with an improved supply of quality table beef.

With the dairy mating season getting under way around the country, Doug Lineham is encouraging farmers to read the final report from the Dairy Beef Integration Programme and speak with their advisers about the best option to treble their calf cheque next year.