Teagasc Launches New National Farm Survey Dairy Beef Factsheet
Teagasc has published a range of farm enterprise factsheets for the year 2023. For the first time, the release includes a new Dairy Beef Factsheet, providing insights into the financial and technical performance of dairy beef enterprises on cattle farms across Ireland.
The data behind the Factsheet come from farms participating in the Teagasc National Farm Survey (NFS). The factsheet is an important step in the ten-point action plan to support dairy calf to beef systems in Ireland, which has been developed in support of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) 2030 Food Vision strategy.
The dairy beef system is an increasingly significant component of Irish agriculture. This system is based on farmers purchasing young calves from the dairy herd, which are then raised to maturity, either to be sold for slaughter, or for finishing on another farm. The growing importance of this system is driven by the increase in the number of calves from the dairy herd, and a simultaneous decline in the number of calves from the beef herd.
Commenting on the launch of the Dairy Beef Factsheet, Teagasc economist, Dr Jason Loughrey said; “The Teagasc NFS Dairy Beef Factsheet provides details on the output value, direct costs, and fixed costs associated with dairy beef enterprises in Ireland.
"By including both the gross and net margins, the factsheet provides a clear picture of the economic performance of this enterprise.”
System performance
To provide a more detailed understanding of the dairy beef system's performance, the analysis contains a classification of farms into three groups based on their gross margins: top, middle, and bottom performers. This segmentation allows for a comparative view of financial and technical outcomes across the farms operating this system.
The factsheet shows that in 2023, the average enterprise achieved a gross margin of €884 per hectare and an average net margin of €162 per hectare. In 2023, the top one-third performing enterprises achieved a gross margin of €1,496 and a net margin of €458 per hectare.
Likely future developments in the dairy beef system in Ireland suggests scope for improved performance. The increasing use of sexed semen in the dairy sector is expected to improve the beef merit of calves coming from the dairy herd. Tools such as the Commercial Beef Value (CBV) and the Dairy Beef Index (DBI) will support better breeding decisions. Additionally, the uncertain future of live calf exports from Ireland to continental Europe underscores the need for a robust domestic dairy beef system, with improvements in the quality of calves supporting this development.
An essential tool
The Dairy Beef Factsheet serves as a timely resource for farmers, policymakers, and stakeholders as they navigate these evolving challenges and opportunities. Welcoming the publication of the Teagasc NFS Dairy Beef Factsheet, Teagasc Director, Professor Frank O’Mara said: “The Teagasc NFS Dairy Beef Factsheet is an essential tool for understanding and optimising the dairy beef production system, ensuring its sustainable growth and profitability in the future.”
Factsheets, based on NFS data, for Dairy, Sheep, Cereals and Cattle systems are also included in the release and serve as an important economic and technical performance indicator for the sector.
The Teagasc Enterprise Factsheets for 2023 can be viewed here
Also read: Dairy Calf to Beef International Conference