19 November 2023
Happening at Ballyvadin
Chloe Millar, Teagasc Officer, and Jack Spillane, Farm Manager, update us on the happenings on the Tipperary Dairy Calf to Beef Demonstration Farm in Ballyvadin, this includes an update on animal performance.
As the grazing season comes to an end we look back on a very successful first year on the Tipperary beef farm. This spring, 325 calves were brought to the farm over an eight week period, at an average age and weight of 18 days and 45 kg, respectively. Mortality has remained low throughout the rearing and grazing season (0.92%). Calves were weaned at 72 days of age and averaged 80 kg at weaning. The last of the calves were turned out to grass on the June 2nd and have gained 0.62 kg/day to date. All weanlings were re-introduced to 1 kg of meal on October 5th and increased to 1.5 kg/head/day due to poor weather conditions. Weanlings are weighed every 4 weeks and currently (3rd Nov) the 2023 born steers are averaging 211 kg and the weanling heifers are averaging 197 kg.
On 25th October, 78 of the lightest weanlings were housed on straw bedding and the remaining 241 weanlings are still grazing. Grass growth has plummeted across the country and it is no different in Ballyvadin where growth has dropped to 14 kg/DM/ha. The average farm cover is 700 kg/DM/ha. Demand is low at the moment (10 kg DM/ha) and weanlings are content grazing. The average farm cover will determine their housing date when grass cover drops below 600 kgDM/ha to ensure adequate grass for early turnout next spring.
Up to 31st October the farm has grown 12 t DM/ha, including 5t DM of silage. Chemical N spread on the farm was kept low at 88 kg N/ha due to high sward clover content.
2022 born livestock
In late July, all of the 2022 born animals were drafted and selected based on their potential to reach finishing in early December. There were a total of 235 animals, out of these, 85 steers and 92 heifers were selected and introduced to 3kg of meal at grass. The remaining 38 steers and 20 heifers were left to graze and destined for slaughter in early February. Heavy rain and poor ground conditions resulted in all 177 finishing cattle being housed by the 29th September.
Once housed they received silage and meal. The farm made over 800 bales of surplus grass and 46 ha of pit silage this year. Baled silage quality ranges from 72 – 76% DMD with protein ranging from 12 – 14%.
The finishing cattle are currently on the high quality bales and 4 kg of high energy 13% crude protein beef nut consisting of rolled barley, maize, soya bean hulls and wheat distillers.
Finishing cattle are handled every fortnight and drafted for slaughter based on fat cover. First draft of finished cattle went to Dawn Meats on the 12th October. To date, 42 heifers have been slaughtered averaging 245 kg carcass killing out at an average of 50% and 14 steers averaging 275 kg carcass also averaging 50% kill out. The remaining steers are averaging 544 kg live weight and the heifers are averaging 476 kg.