INNOVATIONS IN BEEF BREEDING WALES/ENGLAND 3 rd – 5 th September
CONTENTS Genus ABS Ruthin Freezing Unit Messer’s Faulkner Messer’s Jones Blade Rearing Unit Meadow Quality Collection Centre Morrel College
VISIT 1: GENUS ABS RUTHIN FREEZING CENTRE Leading provider of bovine genetics and reproduction services. Marketing in more than 70 countries globally. Four bull housing sites housing 300 bulls – Ruthin is the main bull stud. 2 Million units of semen are produced per year. The stud houses bulls in three different buildings due to biosecurity risk with two separate collection areas (one for dairy and one for beef).
WILODGE HAMLET – LIMOUSIN SIRE Progeny have had huge successes in the pedigree and commercial shows and sales nationwide. Becoming an internationally known bull. Short Gestation. Semen exported to 37 countries. Genus sold 60k doses of semen annually.
HAYMOUNT WARSMITH – ABERDEEN ANGUS SIRE Genus sold 130k doses of AA semen in UK – used within crossbreeding programmes No slaughter data to date For use on mature cows only
SEMEN COLLECTION Holstein Bull - DeNovo Invictus 1year old since March 2019 Sexed semen producing bull First calves are due in November through the Genus IVF Programme Semen collection twice per week EID system producers a code once semen is collected Teasers have the same health status as the bulls in the stud
EMBRYO PROGRAMME – BRITISH BLUE Fed 10L Energised calf milk replacer per day. High protein low energy milk replacer Fed straw and concentrate diet with milk Once animals mature they receive a TMR mix of lucine hay, grass hay and straw and a concentrate ration (22% CP).
NEWPOLE LANCER Short gestation Calving ease High beef advantage value Potential to add £28 with the new carcass evaluations
VISIT 2:ROB AND JUDITH FAULKNER Calf house capacity to hold 65 calves Faulkner's use BB in their FR herd. Typical calf price: - Heifer > £300 - Bull > £400 Good colostrum management – all calves receive 4L within 6 hours Calves are teat fed – only use oesophageal tube when necessary
Forced ventilation installed to reduce disease incidence Calf coats are used on all calves during the winter Calves are weaned at 8 weeks and moved to group pens
VISIT 3: JONES & SONS – SUCKLER FARM 800 acres across three farms • 500 acres grassland • 200 acres arable • 150 acres maize • 30’000 bird pullet unit 176 cows in the herd at present – vision to expand to 200+ cows. Calves don’t receive any creep until after weaning Using sexed semen on heifers to produce replacement heifers • Using Saler and Limousin genetics
VISIT 3: JONES & SONS – SUCKLER FARM Reproductive management system (RMS) commenced in 2016 RMS Technicians typically inseminate 4.5k cows per year. Cost of RMS + genetics - £41/42 per calf born (not including on farm labour)
VISIT 4: BLADE REARING ABP Blade was established in 2001. Predominantly AA dairy calves in the scheme The correct sires are selected from Genus bulls. These are benchmarked against other bulls used through the blade system. Farm rearing protocols – based on farm assurance Sow feeders used for feeding calves concentrates. Automatic feeders used on farm to feed milk replacer. Calves stay on farm until 12wks and then are transported to the finisher units.
VISIT 5: MEADOW QUALITY LTD Meadow Quality are the largest multi- species livestock company in the UK and are British Farmer owned The FIV group met with the CEO Matt Nightingale Approx. 1000 calves per week are sorted within the collection centre Calves are collected/delivered within a 60 mile perimeter of the centre Currently use a weight for age specification. Calves are also graded at the centre Premium paid if the sire is named on the animals passport
VISIT 6: MORETON MORRELL COLLEGE Genus Momentum programme to collect and evaluate British Blue Progeny from the Dairy cows between Genus ABS and Meadow Quality Ltd. Testing unit has a Growsafe feeding trial and collects data on progeny from rearing to finishing Intakes are measured over a 45day feed period Aim 15-16month slaughter • Heifers – 580-620kg • Steers – 640-660kg
WRAP UP SESSION Potential to add a new business to the current suckler herd • During the summer to use building to rear calves when the suckler herd are at grass. RMS would work well in autumn calving herd when the cows are housed during the winter Large potential to use sexed semen within the suckler herd Positive take home message – the group learnt from each other on the trip
ANY QUESTIONS?
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