1. Beef Farming in Ireland
ACC Agricultural Training Course
Beef Farming in Ireland
Pat Moylan, Teagasc B & T Dairy Adviser, Kilkenny.
Teagasc - Kildalton College

2. Current structure & outlook for beef
Our largest farming enterprise
We are over 6 times self sufficient
Heavily reliant on export markets
Especially the UK

3. Current structure
Beef industry is based on killing cattle from 2 sources
Dairy farms
Suckler farms

4. Current structure 8 out of 10 cattle killed leave Ireland
Each export market has different needs
Breeds are important

5. Current structure
- Breeds
Beef cow breeds in Ireland
29 %
24%

6. Current structure
- Breeds
Sire breeds used on beef cows
32 %
38%

7. Current structure
- Breeds
Sire breeds used on dairy cows
28 %
42 % 8%

8. Current structure - Distribution Larger herds
Higher density
Large number of small herds
Low density

9. Current structure - Beef Output 6.5 million cattle in Ireland
 2 million calves born per year
2009
Amount %
Total Beef Available
548,000 tonnes
1.6 million head
100
Irish Production
514,000 tonnes
1.5 million head 94
Imports
34,000 tonnes
100,000 head 6
Consumption
87,000 tonnes
250,000 head 16
Exports
461,000 tonnes
1.35 million head 84

10. Current structure - Beef Output Who processes beef?
Who does the processing?
Local Abattoirs 5%
5 Others
14%
24%
5-7% each
20%
Export Plants 95%
12%

11. Current structure - Beef Output What do factories process?
Irish people eat 80-90kg of meat p.a.
Young Bulls
8% 120,000
Bulls
2% 30,000
Sheepmeat 4%
Other meats 2%
Beef/Veal
25%
Cows
22%
320,000
Steers
42%
620,000
Poultry
33%
Export Plants 96%
Heifers 26%
390,000
Pig meat 36%

12. Current structure - Markets UK grocery market Irish grocery market 4%8%
20% 7%
31%
26% 5%
7½%
11%
25%
23%
16%
17%

13. Current structure - Factory Pricing Meat Export Plants
Prices based on the EU Beef Classification Scheme
Carcase Weight
Sex – A B C D E
Conformation E U+ U U- R+ R R- O+ O O- P 1 2- 2 2+ 24 18 12 6 30 36 3 4- 4 4+ 42 5 48 54
Fat Score

14. ACC Agricultural Training Course
Current structure
- Factory Pricing
Factory Bullocks – under 30 months
R Grade cattle
Cent/kg (Deadweight inc VAT
The avergae price in 2008 was 317c/kg
The average price in 2009 was 287c/kg
A 365kg carcase would then be worth €1157 in 2008
A 365kg carcase would then be worth €1047 in 2008
Teagasc - Kildalton College

15. Current structure - Beef Exports 2009 461,000 T €1.4bn
UK 53% €660 m 47%
EU 47% €735 m 53%
France 10%
Italy 9%
Holland 9%
Scandinavia 9%
3rd country markets 0.4%

16. Current structure - Live Exports 2009 286,000 cattle €157m
EU – 196,000 68%
Italy 56,000
Spain 49,000
Holland 69,000
UK – 90,000 32%

17. Beef Consumption - Million tonnes
Outlook for Beef
World demand for beef is increasing
Ireland’s capacity to exploit this is limited
Beef Consumption - Million tonnes

18. Outlook for Beef Relative strength of £ vs €
Consumers favour lower value cuts
mince accounts for >50% of retail beef sales in UK
Competition faced by Irish beef in key markets
3rd country imports
Live exports out of Ireland
“Global Warming”

19. Systems of beef production
The type of system operated depends on…
farm size
soil type
labour
facilities
off farm income

20. Systems of beef production
Production System (starting with calves)
Age at sale
Calf to weanling
7 – 8 months
Calf to yearling
1 year
Calf to store
1.5 to 2 years
Calf to 2 year old beef
2 years
Calf / weanling / store to 30 month old beef
2.5 years
Calf or weanling to bull beef
15 to 20 months
Heifer beef production

21. Systems of beef production
Suckling systems
Calving
Spring or Autumn
Selling
Weanlings/Yearlings/Finished
Positives
“Low” input system
Negatives
Carrying cost of cow  €250/yr
Splitting profit if selling before finished

22. Systems of beef production
Finishing systems
Buying
Forward stores for winter finish
Plainer stores for a grass finish
Selling
Jan-Mar out of sheds
Jun-Oct off grass
Positives
Less “work” than sucklers
Negatives
Large amount of finance required and a very volatile market environment

23. Systems of beef production
Niche systems
Bull Beef
Most efficient
Veal
Once-calved heifers
Organic

24. Key Production Indicators
Production per Cow
“A calf per cow per year”
Fertility of both cow and bull
Calving spread (compact calving season)
Calf mortality

25. Key Production Indicators
Performance per head
Liveweight per head
Liveweight gain at grass
Number of days at grass
Grassland Management
Liveweight gain indoors
Grass Silage quality – DMD%
Level of meal feeding and duration of finishing
Animal health

26. Key Production Indicators
Stocking rate
Livestock units per hectare
or kgs Liveweight per hectare
Depends on:
Land type, grassland mgt, Housing, Labour availability
If you had an average of 30 suckler cows, 28 calves for 9 months of the year, 1 bull and 5 in calf heifers on 24 ha:
30 x 1LU = 30
28 x 0.3LU X 0.75 = 6.3
1 x 1LU = 1
5 x 0.6LU = 3
Total = 40.3 LU
Stocking rate = 1.68 LU

27. Key Production Indicators
What does a Teagasc advisor take from a farmer’s eProfit Monitor results?
Output of beef liveweight per livestock unit
In kilograms
Stocking rate
In Livestock Units per hectare
Variable Costs per kg
Target is less than 75c per kg
Best ePM farmers are at 77-82c per kg
3. Output of beef liveweight per hectare combination of 1 & 2

28. Costs & returns for cattle farmers
Teagasc Profit Monitor 2009
258 suckler farmers
Complete Cost control planner/Input sheet
Local beef advisory input
Average suckler farmer making less from “farming” in recent year

29. Costs & returns for cattle farmers
Teagasc Profit Monitor 2009
Average Suckler
Top 10% Suckler
Average Non-breeding
Stocking rate & farm size
1.73 LU/ha on 57 ha
2.07 LU/ha on 67 ha
1.53 on 52
Number of cows 47 67
Output in kgs LWT / ha
521 kg
760 kg
570 kg
Gross Output / ha
€ 849
€1349
€937
Variable costs / ha
€ 536
€ 591
€ 633
Fixed Costs / ha
€ 485
€ 573
€ 493
Net Profit excl Premia / ha
€ - 172
€ 186
€ - 189
Total Premia / ha
€ 643
€ 725
€ 720

30. Costs & returns for cattle farmers
eProfit Monitor 2009 – Suckler farms Variable Costs
breakdown on a 55 ha farm
Other
Purchased Feed
Purchased Feed
€9200
Vet & AI
Fertiliser
€6500
Contractor
€5300
Contractor
Fertiliser
Vet and AI
€4400
Other
€4100
Total
€29500

31. Costs & returns for cattle farmers
eProfit Monitor 2009 – Non-breeding farms Var. Costs
Other
breakdown on a 55 ha farm
Vet
Purchased Feed
€17100
Purchased Feed
Fertiliser
€ 5900
Contractor
Contractor
€ 5600
Vet and AI
€ 2500
Fertiliser
Other
€ 3700
Total
€34800

32. Costs & returns for cattle farmers
eProfit Monitor 2009 – Suckler farms Fixed Costs
breakdown on a 55 ha farm
Other
Depreciation
Depreciation
€6100
Interest
Motor, Labour, etc
€6200
Repairs
Motor, Labour, Insurance,
Machinery
Leases
Mach. Running
€3800
Land Rental
Land Rental
€2700
Machinery Running
Other
€7900
Total
€26700