Le of Luing, Oban, Argyll PA34 4TZ
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The Luing Journal – January 2020 Cadzow Brothers, Luing IBR and BVD Accredited ~ Isle of Luing, Oban, Argyll PA34Johnes 4TZ1 since 2012 ~ SIGNET recorded performance data Annual Production Sale – Oban – Saturday 14th November 2020 Euan Ferguson A SAC ELITE HiHealth herd, 01852 314210 / 07881 806537 bred with an emphasis on driving [email protected] consistent quality and performance 31 from a sustainable grass diet. Follow us on Facebook for our latest news and updates. www.luingcattlesociety.co.uk The Luing Journal – January 2020 Investing in Fertility to Implement a Compact Calving Period to Improve Suckler Producers’ Gross Margin Key Messages This, coupled with potential post-Brexit • As indoor calving progresses, • Gradually reducing calving period subsidy reductions, means suckler diseases such as scours build up. to nine weeks will directly improve producers must improve profitability by A shorter calving period reduces gross margins, increasing calf increasing their efficiency. disease build-up, and more calves output and reducing labour costs Average farms calve for 15.3 weeks, being born earlier means fewer calves through easier herd management. but better fertility and management are at risk, increasing calf output and • Achieving a compact calving could shorten this to nine weeks. This reducing veterinary costs. period whilst minimising compact calving period will improve the • Calves born earlier in the calving replacement rate requires gross margin by increasing calf output period will have higher and more enhanced herd management to whilst reducing labour, forage and consistent weaning weights, increase conception rates through veterinary costs. increasing output. Figure 1 shows better nutrition, easier calving, bull a calf born in the sixth three- fertility and disease management. Importance of a Compact Calving week block can be 121kg lighter • A compact calving period therefore Period at weaning than a calf born in the brings multifaceted benefits to first period due to the former being herd performance with resulting A compact calving period of nine weeks 100 days younger. According to improvements in health and substantially improves profitability for Table 1, this calf will be worth £236 fertility also increasing profitability the following reasons: less at weaning. A 24kg increase in through more calves being born • Compact calving around spring weaning weight achieved through a alive, improved calf performance turnout can reduce feed and bedding cow calving one period sooner will and reduced veterinary costs. costs as cows are often turned out increase calf output by £46.80/cow. after calving for ease of supervision. • Cows calving earlier in the period Introduction Cows that calve sooner will be turned are likely to conceive sooner as cattle out sooner, maximising grazing, do not begin oestrus cycling until Average upland suckler producers are which is the cheapest feed source. their uterus has recovered about 40 subjected to low profitability with a gross • Calving supervision is only required days post-calving. Figure 2 shows margin of £26/cow, as shown in Table 1. for 9 – 10 weeks, reducing labour cows calving in the first and second The deadweight beef price has dropped costs. three-week blocks have three more by 45p/kg since October 2018, inevitably • Increased weaning weight and age opportunities to conceive than cows reducing store cattle prices and therefore mean replacement heifers are more calving in the fifth block as their lowering upland suckler herds’ output. likely to be suitable for calving in uterus has recovered before they go earlier periods at two years old. to the bull, hence the industry target of 65% of cows calving within the OUTPUT £/COW first three weeks. The later calving cow is less likely to conceive before Calf sales (195p/kg, 273kg calves, 86 calves reared/100 cows) 457 the bull is removed so will either be Less cow and bull depreciation, bull maintenance and calf purchases 166 empty or extend the calving period. Total output 291 • Table 1 shows a suckler cow incurs £265 of variable costs per year VARIABLE COSTS £/COW and therefore must produce a calf Cow concentrates (£200/t) 26 annually to pay for itself. A nine- week calving period minimises the Calf concentrates (£238/t) 14 number of less fertile and barren Vet and medicines 33 cows on the farm which would have a Straw bedding 56 calving interval above 365 days, thus maximising calf output. Misc (commission, haulage, tags, levies) 25 Total variable costs (before forage) 153 Achieving a Compact Calving Period Gross margin (before forage) 138 Improving conception rates through Forage variable costs 98 herd management is key to achieving a nine-week calving period. Transition Purchased bulk feed 14 from the average 15-week period to TOTAL VARIABLE COSTS (inc forage) 265 nine weeks should be gradual, removing GROSS MARGIN/COW 26 the bull progressively earlier each year. Steadily culling the least fertile cows Table 1: A John Nix gross margin for an averagely performing, upland spring calving from the herd will avoid having too suckler cow per year. Output consists of the value of the weaned calf at 250 days old. many empty cows and replacements. 32 www.luingcattlesociety.co.uk The Luing Journal – January 2020 Investing in Fertility to Implement a Compact Calving Period to Improve Suckler Producers’ Gross Margin A 65% conception rate equates to 96% of cows in calf after nine weeks with the bull, above the industry target of 95%. Improving conception rates after the first service by 1% can be worth £1.28/cow, therefore a 20% improvement would equate to £25.60/cow each year. Improving Conception Rates 1. Body condition Figure 1: The effect of calving date on age and weight at weaning. Assumed weaning at 8 months from start of first 3-week period, 1.15kg DLWG from 45kg birthweight. Figure 1: The effect of calving date on age and weight at weaning. Assumed weaning at 8 months Figure 4: The effect of cow body condition score at calving (―) and turnout (- - -) on the probability from start of 1st 3-week period, 1.15kg DLWG from 45kg birthweight. of calving in the first 42 days of the next calving season. Figure 4: The effect of cow body condition score at calving (–) and turnout (- - -) on the probability of cows calving in the first 42 days of the next calving season. Adequate feeding in the 60 days before and after calving is crucial for the cow to start cycling and get back in calf. Cows need to calve at a body condition score of 2.5 – 3. Figure 4 shows that cows in this range have an 80% chance of calving in the first two three-week calving periods in the subsequent year, keeping future calving periods compact, and maximising the chances of having 65% Figure 2: Number of mating opportunities for cows calving in each 3-week calving of cows calving within the first three Figure 2: Number of mating opportunities for cows calving in each 3-week calving period. H denotes whenperiod. the Hcow denotes is in heat. when the cow is in heat. weeks. This is important for the following reasons: • Thinner cows have lower conception • Increasing cow life by one year can rates and a longer postpartum improve gross margin by £20/cow. anoestrus period, taking longer to • Replacement heifers cost over £1,000 start cycling due to reduced LH to rear or buy, with no return on this production. Each body condition investment until the heifer’s first calf unit below three at calving increases is sold, affecting cash flow. the calving interval by 11.2 days, • Rearing home-bred heifers limits the explaining the lower probability farm’s capacity to rear saleable stock. shown in Figure 4 of thin cows • Purchasing replacements risks calving early in the next year. Calves biosecurity, potentially importing of thin cows are likely to have lower diseases such as BVD. weaning weights, reducing output. • Cows above 3.5 are overfat, carrying Figure 3: Percentage of cows in calf after a 12-week bulling periodFigure at varying 3 illustrates conception that rates. after nine weeks bigger calves, which leads to calving Figure 3: Percentage of cows in calf after with a bull, 15% more cows will be difficulties and uterus damage, a 12-week bulling period at varying pregnant if the herd conception rate explaining the sharp fall in the conception rates. increases from 40% to 60%. conception rate for cows above 3.5. www.luingcattlesociety.co.uk 33 The Luing Journal – January 2020 Separating thin and overfat cows at 3. Calving ease weaning means they can be fed to optimise body condition before calving. Feed costs may not increase as lower PREVIOUS SUBSEQUENT BREEDING rations for overfat cows may compensate CALVING SEASON SUCCESS RATE for higher rations for thin cows. Whilst No assistance 96% increasing calf output by minimising calving difficulties and improving calf Assisted by stockperson 25% performance, optimising body condition Assisted by vet 34% also maximises the chances of the cow conceiving within a nine-week bulling Caesarean 74% period. Table 2: The impact of assisting calving on future breeding success. 2. Disease control: BVD Reducing cases of dystocia (difficult Management: births) will improve conception rates and • Estimated breeding values (EBVs) profitability for the following reasons: for calving ease, gestation length and birthweight can improve calving • As shown in Table 2, stockperson ease. Figure 5 shows a bull excelling assistance can reduce successful in these direct calving ease traits conception in the next breeding although his daughters will be harder season by 71% compared with a to calve. These EBVs are particularly cow calving naturally. Assistance important in selecting easy calving increases the risk of damage to the bulls for heifers who are 9.7 times uterus, leading to uterine infections more likely to suffer dystocia.