Irish tailored beef suppliers hit jackpot
IRISH beef farmers supplying 25,000 beasts a year on contract to processor Kepak are making a premium of 100/head after adopting TPM principles, said Jim Bolger, UK director of feeding specialists Keenan.
Farmers supplied exactly what the customer wanted. The cattle, destined for the Italian market, had to have white fat, pink meat, good conformation and tenderness.
Keenan co-ordinated the link, locating a small group of suitable producers, and helped them to plan production schedules and suitable feeding regimes, often using cheap, home-grown feeds.
That ensured target growth rates were met.
Word soon spread, said Mr Bolger. “There are 250 farmers involved, supplying tailor-made carcasses.
“MLC figures show that the average beef farmer hits the required specification just 37.4% of the time. These Kepak suppliers achieve a hit rate of 97-98%.”