7 May 2026

Signpost update: Seeing value in the CBV in Co. Cork

Participant in the Teagasc DairyBeef 500 and Signpost Programmes, Denis Hickey writes on calf purchasing and rearing this spring, and why he’s placing more of a focus on the Commercial Beef Value (CBV) when sourcing calves.

After a slower than usual start to the purchase of calves, I now have all my calves purchased for 2026. Despite the initial challenges of sourcing calves and the significant price rise of calves earlier in the spring, I am delighted that I was able to reach my target of 100 calves purchased.

Currently, we have 101 calves on farm, there are 63 bull and 38 heifer calves. The table below outlines the different breeds and numbers that I bought this spring.

Table 1: Breeds and numbers purchased – spring 2026

Breeds	Angus	Belgian Blue	Hereford	Friesian	Total
Bull	29	2	–	32	63
Heifer	32	2	4	–	38

Calf rearing

The calves’ date of births ranges from 19^th January to the 22^nd March, with an average date of birth of the 16^th February 2026. Most of the calves bought in this year are Aberdeen Angus, but I also bought in 32 Friesian bull calves. Twenty three of the Friesian bull calves came in reared and they currently have access to grass during the day and can come in and out to a shed where they receive two kilograms of concentrates per day whilst also having access to straw and water.

Most of the rest of the calves are still being reared on the blue teat feeders. I have started weaning the stronger calves and these are on a step-down diet and only being fed milk once a day. Their concentrate intake has increased significantly, and I will be happy to remove milk fully when they are eating at least 2kg for a couple of days in a row.

Following the Commercial Beef Value

Each year, I am trying to place more emphasis on buying calves with good commercial beef values (CBV). The CBVs of the 2026 calves are outlined in the table below.

Table 1: Commercial Beef Value of 2026-born calves

	One-star	Two-star	Three-star	Four-star	Five-star	Total
Dairy x Beef	4	13	21	20	11	69
Dairy x Dairy	1	12	6	11	2	32

We have found over the last few years that the CBV is a good indicator of how the animals will perform during their lifetime. You will always have an odd animal that will make a mockery of the values. But on the law of averages, the average five-star animals will be well ahead of the average one-star animals in terms of slaughter weight and age.

Looking at my group of calves for 2026, the Friesian bull calves (Dairy X Dairy) are averaging 3.5 star, with the Dairy X Beef heifers averaging 4 star and Dairy X Beef bull calves averaging 4.25 star. It will be interesting in two years’ time to analyse these animals to see if the higher star animals perform better with the same management.

Weighing performance

The yearling cattle are out grazing in two separate groups. There are 48 steers in one group and 45 heifers in the other. These animals were weighted on the 20^th of April and the heifers are currently averaging 380kg with the steers averaging 410kg. There is quite a range in weights with 144kg of a difference between the heaviest and lightest heifer and a 136kg difference in the steer group.

This range of weights in groups of cattle on farms across the country is a common trend. Much of it can be attributed to purely a difference in age of the animals but also some of it can be due to the difference in genetic potential of the animal to grow and perform. In a smaller number of cases, it could be simply down to an individual animal getting sick and requiring treatment when they were younger.

The above first appeared in the Farming Examiner as part of a Signpost Programme update.

Farming just outside Middleton, Co. Cork, Denis Hickey is a participant in the Teagasc DairyBeef 500 Programme, working closely with advisor Gordon Peppard.