HOLSTEINBULLCALVESCANBEEFUPAPROFIT
HOLSTEINBULLCALVESCANBEEFUPAPROFIT
The future for Holstein
breeding, the value of bull
calves and cow health and
fertility, were key issues
at the recent British Cattle
Breeders Club conference
held in Staffs.
Jessica Buss reports
REARING pure Holstein bred dairy bulls for beef can be worthwhile, according to one breeder for whom shooting them went against the grain.
Tom Barratt, and his family, farm 98ha (240 acres). Their 100-cow Holstein herd is based in Bucks with the second unit in Warks. Mr Barratt told the British Cattle Breeders Club conference that breeding beef animals has never been part of his dairy herd policy.
"It is breeding cows that makes milking Holsteins such an interesting and pleasurable job. I have always been of the view and have openly said that you breed dairy cows to produce milk and leave the producing of beef to beef breeders.
"I have not once thought, when putting a straw of semen into a cow, what the resulting calf would be like to fatten in a beef yard."
Breeding decisions have focussed on getting the conformation to produce a calf that will progress into a powerful long living cow, producing a high milk yield. Currently the Barratts Rettbar herd averages 8000 litres.
"But in the past 12 months I have realised that there is a bit of dual purpose in the Holstein breed after all.
"After the abolishment of the calf-processing scheme we, like many, were having all our dairy bull calves slaughtered and given to the kennels. I didnt have many calves killed before I realised this was against all of our principles and that there must be a market for them."
It seemed wrong to spend nine months caring for a cow, sitting up half the night to pull the newborn from the cow and keeping it alive, just to have it shot, he added.
"I had also been speaking to somebody in a large beef processing plant who was saying that a large % of beef going into pies and burgers was coming from French barren cows. And he hoped this could slowly be replaced by British meat. This has become more significant in the past few months with French beef finally being seen for what it really is.
"So based on this evidence, we decided we should play our part in filling some of those meat pies. Very hesitantly, knowing that I was breeding pure Holsteins, we decided to keep our bull calves and feed them on an intensive bull-beef system, leaving them entire."
Mr Barratt was keen to keep the rearing system simple, once the time consuming birth to weaning stage was completed. "We decided to feed them on a compound blend and barley straw, instead of rolling barley."
He is amazed by how these Holstein bulls have fattened, showing great width and fleshiness. The first six bulls reached 500kg in about 12 months which is commendable for any breed, he added.
"With all costs taken into account, we feel that there is quite a margin to be had, providing all subsidies are claimed. This is producing a similar return to that we were receiving for Holstein bull calves pre BSE."
Tom Barratt hasnt bred his Holsteins for beef production, but his purebred bulls are making
a margin.
HOLSTEIN BULLS
• Rearing kept simple.
• Margin possible.
• Must claim subsidies.