Clover grazing leaves higher profits from dairy-beef heifer systems
Research results from Teagasc Johnstown Castle have pointed to the benefits of grazing dairy-beef heifers on swards containing clover and multispecies swards.
Despite the lower carcass weight of heifers compared to steers, grass-based, dairy-beef heifer systems have the potential for very high carcass output/ha, due to increased numbers of animals finished at younger ages from pasture, which eliminates or reduces the need for an indoor finishing period.
Carcass output, the level of inputs required and profitability can be optimised by grazing highly productive and high nutritive value pastures.
Clover and herb-rich swards have many benefits including: increased sward nutritive value; animal performance; herbage dry matter (DM) production; and biological nitrogen fixation. With chemical fertiliser nitrogen representing one of the most expensive inputs in a grass-based system, reducing reliance on this is vital to improve the viability of dairy calf-to-beef systems.
Grass-clover and multispecies swards (MSS) can produce similar DM yields to a perennial ryegrass-only (PRG) sward, despite receiving reduced chemical nitrogen fertiliser. This means that nitrogen fertiliser input requirements are reduced, representing a significant cost saving, and furthermore improving profitability for farmers.
Teagasc Johnstown Castle research
Recent research at Teagasc Johnstown Castle has shown that overall lifetime growth performance of early-maturing breed, dairy-beef heifers consuming PRG plus red and white clover swards (CLOVER) and MSS (grass + clover + herbs (chicory and plantain)) was similar, but greater than PRG swards (Table 1). This resulted in a greater number of heifers being finished at pasture for the CLOVER and MSS treatments compared to the PRG treatment (86 vs. 75 vs. 68%, respectively).
The indoor-finishing concentrate requirement was therefore, lower for the CLOVER (25kg) and MSS (34kg) treatments compared to PRG (62kg). This represents a significant saving in costs associated with feed and housing, consequently increasing profitability.
Results for the 2021-born and 2022-born calves showed that daily live weight gain over the first grazing season was greatest for MSS, whereas daily live weight gain as yearlings during the second grazing season was greatest for CLOVER (Table 1).
Table 1: Effect of pasture type - perennial ryegrass-only swards (PRG), PRG plus red and white clover swards (CLOVER) and multispecies swards (MSS) - on daily live weight gain (kg) of 2021-born and 2022-born dairy-beef heifers
| PRG | CLOVER | MSS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First grazing season | 0.61 | 0.62 | 0.79 |
| First winter | 0.65 | 0.65 | 0.68 |
| Second grazing season | 0.81 | 0.92 | 0.87 |
| Lifetime | 0.74 | 0.78 | 0.79 |
When dairy calf-to-beef heifers were drafted at a target fat score of 3=, CLOVER animals achieved the greatest net margin compared to the other two sward types (Table 2). This was due to a greater carcass weight, a lower chemical nitrogen application rate, and a greater proportion of these animals being finished at pasture during the second grazing season, which reduced overall costs. Incorporating clover or clover + herbs meant that half the rate of chemical nitrogen fertiliser was applied and the same herbage production was achieved, resulting is significant cost savings.
Despite having a light carcass weight, dairy-beef heifer systems have opportunity for high carcass output and are profitable, and this can be further improved by including clover or clover + herbs into pastures. The inclusion of clover or clover + herbs can generate an additional €100 to €150 net margin/ha, through improved animal performance and lower input costs, offering farmers an opportunity to improve efficiency, while also striving to meet sectorial climate targets.
Table 2: The effect of pasture type - perennial ryegrass-only swards (PRG), PRG plus red and white clover swards (CLOVER) and multispecies swards (MSS) - on animal, financial and environmental performance of dairy-beef heifers finished in 2022 and 2023
| PRG | CLOVER | MSS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carcass | |||
| Percentage drafted from pasture | 68 | 86 | 75 |
| Age (months) | 19.6 | 19.2 | 19.2 |
| Finished weight (kg) | 482 | 492 | 490 |
| Carcass weight (kg) | 243 | 250 | 249 |
| Carcass conformation score | O= | O= | O= |
| Carcass fat score | 3= | 3=/3+ | 3=/3+ |
| System | |||
| Stocking rate (LU/ha) | 2.65 | 2.37 | 2.48 |
| Animals finished on 40ha | 139 | 127 | 131 |
| Organic N (kg/ha) | 220 | 191 | 201 |
| Lifetime concentrate (kg DM/head) | 400 | 370 | 380 |
| Carcass output (kg/ha) | 849 | 791 | 813 |
| Farm level financial performance (40ha farm) (€,000) | |||
| Gross output | 141 | 133 | 135 |
| Variable cost | 72 | 61 | 64 |
| Gross margin | 69 | 71 | 71 |
| Fixed costs | 31 | 28 | 29 |
| Net margin | 38 | 44 | 42 |
| Net margin (€/ha) | 950 | 1,097 | 1,050 |
| Net margin (€/head) | 273 | 347 | 320 |
| Environmental | |||
| GHG emissions (kg CO2e/kg carcass) | 12.37 | 12.88 | 12.91 |
Base price of €4.56/kg on the QPS grid; €0.20/kg QA payment and €0.20/kg breed bonus. Finishing
concentrate price €400/t. Protected urea price €550/t. *Net margin excludes land & labour charge and
assumes a calf purchase price of €150 per head for early-maturing breed heifer calves.
The above article was adapted for use on Teagasc Daily from the paper titled: Dairy-beef systems for profitable production' which was prepared by Nicky Byrne, Jamie O'Driscoll, Paul Crosson, Alan Dillon and Ellen Fitzpatrick and published in the Beef2024 Open Day book. Access the full publication from the Beef2024 open day here.