Michael & Niall Biggins May/June 2025 Update
Breeding
Michael and Niall have been reviewing their calving performance for 2025 through the report on ICBF. 67 females calved in total this year which included 12 heifers. The calving season began on 1st February and finished on 7th May, lasting 13 weeks in total.
The calving interval for the herd was very good at 371 days, which is close to the target of 365 days. Mortality was 4.5% up until 28 days, which is on par with the target of <5%. This resulted in 0.94 calves per cow per year.
Michael and Niall bought in some in calf heifers and in total 5 out of 12 of them calved at 22 to 26 months of age (42%). The spring 6 week calving rate was good at 63%. Overall Michael and Niall were happy with the calving season and the weather made it much more enjoyable this spring.
Figure 1: ICBF beef calving report for 2025
This year’s breeding season started on 4th April when the first maiden heifer was AI’d. The 11 heifers were kept around the yard and observed for heats 2-3 times per day. They were then AI’d 12 hours after a standing heat was recorded.
42 cows were placed on a 10 day synchornisation programme as mentioned in the previous farm update. These were artificially inseminated on 3rd May to fixed time AI (i.e. 56 hours after the progesterone device removal). They were specifically selected based on their milk, fertility, carcass weight and docility for breeding with maternal bulls such as Erebos (LM6172), Grenache (LM4351) and Omega (CH6493) with the aim of producing replacement heifers next year. Any cows that repeated were AI’d for a second time. The remaining cows have been running with the Charolais stock bull since 2nd May.
Figure 2: Charolais stock bull pictured with one of the cows
Michael and Niall decided to hire in a second Charolais bull to mop up repeats from the AI programme and he arrived to the farm on 13th June. He will stay until 6th July at a cost of €85 per week. Michael has genotyped him so that the calves will qualify for the SCEP scheme. He is strong on carcass weight and carcass conformation, but poor on milk so Michael and Niall so not plan to keep replacements from him.
From the ICBF beef calving report Michael and Niall are focused on reducing their calving spread this year and synchronised a further 9 cows that were not seen cycling and that were late calving. 8 of these were due to be AI’d on 7th June and the last calved cow will be due to be AI’d in early July. They will then be let run with the Charolais stock bull and breeding will end in mid-July.
The herd will be scanned in August.
Nutrition
Michael and Niall have made 270 bales from their first cut grass silage and 2 cuts of red clover silage (25 bales in the first cut and 20 bales in the second cut) this year. There are 100 bales left over from 2024 which means they have 170 bales left to make for this coming winter, as 540 bales will be needed in total.
Figure 3: Red clover crop pictured on 4th June 2025 before its second cut
The creep feeder has been put out with the weanlings since the end of May. While it takes them a few weeks to get used to it, the majority are now entering and picking at ration. Michael and Niall sell the calves as weanlings in autumn and with the lively trade they are planning to add as much weight to them as possible before sale. They will be weighed in July and the bull and heifer calves will be separated with their cows.
Figure 4: Creep feeder in paddock with cows and calves
Performance
15 of the Charolais heifers were sold as yearlings on 30th April. They averaged 370 kg and made €5.14/kg.
Figure 5: Charolais heifers that were sold