Autumn dairy-beef steer systems

Carrying autumn-born, dairy-beef male calves to slaughter at 23-24 months is a viable production system when maximising carcass output from grazed grass is desired. When optimum performance is achieved, the need for winter finishing is eliminated.

Calf availability

~7.5% of all dairy calvings occur between August and December inclusive each year.
50,000-55,000 dairy-beef male calves are available for beef production each autumn – mainly Holstein Friesian and early-maturing (Angus and Hereford) types.
>50% of all autumn dairy calvings occur in October and November
Purchase price tends to be higher than spring-born animals due to the lower availability of calves.
Difficult to source large numbers of autumn-born calves directly off farm.

System of production

Marketing occurs off grass at the end of the second grazing season; winter finishing is avoided.
Carcass weights of 300kg for early-maturing (23 months) and 320kg (24 months) for Holstein Friesian steers are
Suits earlier born autumn calves; December-born calves may require a period of indoor finishing.
Lifetime concentrate input of 40t and 0.55t respectively, for early-maturing and Holstein Friesian steers.
Grazed grass, silage and concentrates account for 69%, 23% and 8% of the early-maturing steer’s overall diet.
Grazed grass, silage and concentrates account for 67%, 22% and 11% of the Holstein Friesian steer’s overall
Lifetime daily gains of 0.76kg for early-maturing steers and 0.79kg/day for Holstein Friesian steers are required.

Calf rearing (first winter on farm)

Calves purchased in mid-October and weaned at eight weeks (85-90kg).
Inputs up to turnout include 25kg of milk replacer and 150kg of concentrates.
Calves are transitioned to a concentrate (ad-lib) and silage diet post weaning.
At three months, concentrates are gradually scaled backed to 1.5kg/head/day up to turnout.
Daily liveweight gains of 7kg are required during the rearing period.
A daily gain of 75kg is targeted from weaning to turnout.

First grazing season

Total concentrate supplementation for the first grazing season is 110kg.
5kg/head/day of concentrate is offered to calves for the first six weeks post-turnout.
1kg/head/day is provided in the final six weeks prior to housing.
Weight gain targets over the first grazing season are 0.8-0.85kg/day.
Yearlings should weigh 340kg at housing in early November.

Second winter

To maximise grass availability to finishing animals, yearlings are housed earlier in the autumn.
Daily winter weight gains of 0.6kg are required.
Concentrate supplementation levels will vary with silage quality; ~1kg/head/day required with 72 DMD (dry matter digestibility) silage.
Typical concentrate supplementation levels over the second winter are 140kg/head.
Animals must achieve a live weight of 425kg by late March.

Second season at grass

From turnout to mid-August, a daily weight gain of 0.85-0.9kg is required.
Animals must weight a minimum of 560kg in mid- August before finishing begins.
Early-maturing types can be finished off grass without concentrate supplementation, gaining 0.7kg/head/day over the final four weeks on farm.
Holstein Friesian steers will require concentrate supplementation to achieve the desired levels of carcass fat (150kg/head over the final two months).
Daily gains of 05kg are required for Holstein Friesian steers during this period.

Weight gain targets

Achieving the desired weight gain targets throughout the production cycle is critical to avoid the need to house animals for a short finishing period after the second grazing season. If the targets, as summarised in table 1, are not achieved, additional costs will be associated with housing animals prior to slaughter or the carcass weight performance may decline.

Table 1: Live weight gain targets for autumn-born steers

Early maturing				Holstein Friesian
	Age (weeks)	Weight (kg)	Gain (kg/day)	Weight (kg)	Gain (kg/day)	Event
Mid October	–	45	–	45	–	Calf rearing
Mid December	8	85	0.7	85	0.7	Weaned calves
Late March	23	165	0.75	165	0.75	Turnout first summer
Early November	54	340	0.8	340	0.8	House second winter
Late March	74	425	0.6	425	0.6	Turnout second summer
Mid-August	96	560	0.85	560	0.85	Start of finishing period
Mid October	104	580	0.7	620	1.05	Slaughter
Carcass weight (kg)		300		320

Economics

Table 2 provides a cost breakdown for autumn-born early-maturing and Holstein Friesian steers from acquiring the calf at three weeks of age in mid-October through to slaughter. These figures, when combined with the farm’s fixed costs, achievable beef price and calf purchase price, can be used to complete system budgets.

Table 2: Economics of autumn early-maturing and Holstein Friesian steer systems

	Early maturing	Holstein Friesian
	Variable costs
First winter (calf rearing to turnout)	€157	€157
First season at pasture	€148	€148
Second winter	€152	€152
Second season at pasture	€204	€242
Total variable costs / head	€661	€699