The calf rearing phase is the most resource intensive within dairy beef production systems. Nicky Byrne, Teagasc Calf-to-Beef Researcher explains that it is essential that we select calves with a high genetic potential for beef production, that offer high weight for age at time of purchase and that are healthy coming from herds that are implementing an optimum vaccination and colostrum management protocol.

When calves are purchased in on farm they should receive electrolytes for their first feed and 24 hours after arrival and when they're settled into their new surroundings, calves should receive their initial vaccination to boost their immunity against bovine respiratory disease.

The objective of the calf rearing phase is to maintain a healthy calf while striking a balance between animal performance, as well as production costs. Over the calf rearing phase, every calf should be achieving 0.7 kilo/day over the artificial calf rearing period. Typically in dairy beef systems calves are purchased on farm at 3 weeks of age and at this time point they should weigh between 50-55 kilos.

Calves artificially reared in addition to their milk diet should be offered ad-lib concentrates as well as a high quality roughage source, in many cases that is straw, as well as fresh water on a daily basis. The intake of solid feed in a calves diet is necessary to support a successful transition phase. The transition phase represents the period when a calf moves from pre-ruminant to ruminant with the rumen taking over the main responsibility of feed digestion. The level of concentrate that the calf consumes will largely dictate the success of this period. The milk feeding strategy employed will largely dictate the level of concentrate intake.

A successful transition phase minimises stress caused during the weaning process and will allow calves to fully benefit from grazed grass throughout the first grazing season. Calves should be weaned when they meet a range of selection criteria. They should be greater than 10 weeks of age, weighing greater than 85-90 kilos liveweight and they should be consuming in excess of 1 kilo of concentrate for more than 3 consecutive days.

In terms of purchasing calves when we look across the Green Acres farms, purchase prices have increased in 2021. Alan Dillon, Teagasc Green Acres Calf to Beef Programme Manager outlines how the cost of holstein friesian calves have increased around €11 per head, where as early maturing breeds, like angus and hereford have increased around €50 per head. When we look at what farmers are going to buy, there has to be a cross off between value and quality. While quality is always important it always comes at a price.

The cost of production typically across a dairy calf to beef system would equate to around €1,000 between fixed and variable costs for a 2 year old steer production system. While higher stocking rates in excess of 2 livestock units per Ha combined with good levels of efficiency will lead to higher levels of profitability on all these Green Acres farms, in excess of probably €400/€500 per Ha net, what has to be taken into account also is effect on the environment and the level of carbon emissions that come from carrying higher stocking rates on these farms.

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