Big Income Benefit From Beef Technology
1 November, 2002
Beef farmers using the latest technology and adopting best financial management strategies are making double the national average beef income, according to a senior Teagasc specialist.
Bernard Smyth, Chief Beef Adviser with Teagasc, told a meeting of beef farmers in Navan that the income of farmers participating in the intensive Teagasc beef advisory programme averaged €517/hectare (€207/acre) last year. This compares with an average of €266/hectare (€106/acre) on all beef farmers.
"The top performing farmers involved in the Teagasc programme achieved an income of €742/hectare or almost €300/acre. This highlights the potential which exists to increase income from beef farming", said Bernard Smyth.
The key features in achieving higher incomes are breeding, performance and cost control. Farmers who are on the highest income level have lower fixed costs and are producing very high levels of beef from well-managed grass.
"There is a difference of at least 100 kg in beef liveweight gain per hectare between farmers who made an income of €750/hectare in 2001 compared to those who made €500/hectare. The top performers also produced higher quality beef. They also had fixed costs of up to €250 hectare lower than their €500 hectare counterparts," said Bernard Smyth.
"The Teagasc income target in beef farming is €600 per hectare. For farmers involved in a beef suckling system this involves retaining 90% of all premia as profit. For those involved in producing beef from weanlings or stores, between 60% and 70% of all premia would need to be retained as profit", he said.
The Navan beef meeting is one of eight being run jointly by Teagasc and Bord Bia. Further meetings will take place next week at Kanturk (Monday, 4th), Nass (Tuesday, 5th), Thurles (Wednesday, 6th) and Letterkenny (Thursday, 7th).
