Continuing right into the spring, drafting and selecting animals for market will soon commence on DairyBeef 500 farms around the country. Here, the DairyBeef 500 team share some key tips on drafting:

When selecting dairy beef animals, farmers need to ensure that cattle have an adequate covering of carcass fat. This will ensure animal value is maximised at the time of finish. Market specifications require animals between 2+ and 4= for carcass fat score.

Drafting animals too early, which do not have an adequate cover of fat, can result in a price reduction as animals will not meet market specifications. Penalties will be applied on the quality pricing system grid as well as additional breed and quality assurance bonuses on certain breeds. Likewise, drafting animals too late when animals are too fat can result in similar.

Nationally, a relatively high percentage of animals are being finished at excessively high fat scores, representing additional feed days, and associated economic and environmental costs.

Once cattle reach the desired fat score of a 3+, the carcass weight potential of the animal is maximised. Pushing animals into higher levels of a fat cover reduces their efficiency significantly in terms of average daily gain.

Where to assess dairy beef animals

When it comes to assessing the fatness of steers and heifers under calf to beef production systems, the primary areas we focus on are the shoulders, loin, rib and tail head.

For bull beef producers, fat cover can be slightly more difficult to determine. The areas mentioned above are important areas to monitor for fat cover but other areas that give a good indication of fat cover in bulls is the cod or the area above the scrotum, and the brisket, the area between the front legs of the animal. Once fat starts to be laid down in these areas, generally bulls are ready for slaughter.

DairyBeef 500 Advisor, Tommy Cox provides more guidance on drafting in the below video:

The above article was adapted for use on Teagasc Daily from a paper first published in the DairyBeef 500 Open Day book from Charlie Smyth’s farm. Click here for more insights on Charlie Smyth’s DairyBeef 500 Open Day (PDF).