Sustainability built in

Beef Shorthorn: the suckler with sustainability in her nature

Across the UK and Europe, farmers are coming under increasing pressure to minimise the environmental impacts of production, says Ashley Hassin of Birnie Consultancy.

“Presently, the main focus is on the reduction of carbon emissions, but in reality, sustainable production requires attention to areas such as air quality, run-off, water pollution, biodiversity and habitat creation (among others). This pressure is emerging from both commercial sources and government,” he explains.

“Government has committed to longterm environmental targets and future farm support will be focused on the delivery of environmental goods.

“Major retailers are experiencing pressure from shareholders and customers to reduce the impact of their activities, including farming, processing, packaging and transport of the product. Under many analyses, farming activities account for up to 70% of total impact and, as a result, improvements at farm level are highly sought after,” says Mr Hassin. It is conceivable that, in the near future, access to key markets will require the demonstration of good environmental performance, with those falling short facing an economic penalty, he adds.

“It is really important to note, however, that truly sustainable production must include economic and social sustainability in addition to the environmental.

“With a growing world population, there is a moral obligation for UK farmers to continue to produce food, but there is also a moral obligation to reduce the impact of that production.

“On this basis, many farmers are examining their on-farm practices to understand how they can best meet this emerging demand, while reducing their environmental footprint and increasing biodiversity. Although there are significant challenges around achieving this, there are many practices which can be implemented which carry both economic and environmental benefits and it is on these that activity should initially be focused.

“Among the mitigation options to be explored is the use of a breed that makes the most efficient use of the available land without becoming over-reliant on expensive bought-in feeds. The Beef Shorthorn fits the bill perfectly,” believes Mr Hassin.

Beef Shorthorn is a native breed that breeders have worked hard to modernise, introducing new genetics and carefully selecting within the breed, without losing the beneficial characteristics of the breed. Effective selection strategies are on-going with the help of Breedplan which operates the Beef Shorthorn Society’s performance recording system.

“Shorthorn females have excellent foraging ability, with hardiness not found in many Continental breeds, giving them the ability to winter outdoors, reducing housing costs and the ammonia emissions associated with the housing of cattle. Their quiet, easy-to-handle nature and maternal instincts makes them perfect for suckler producers who are finding a market for the brand in high street butchers and farm shops as well as being eligible for Morrisons’ Shorthorn Beef scheme. “Increasingly environmentally conscious consumers now want to know that their beef is grown naturally on grass. There is a growing market across the world for grass and forage-fed beef. As a breed, Beef Shorthorns are well suited to this type of production and will, in most circumstances, outperform Continental breeds on high forage diets,” says Mr Hassin.

“It is worth noting that the use of grazed grass is associated with high levels of carbon sequestration which substantially improves the carbon balance of beef production. Unfortunately, at present, carbon sequestration is not recognised under most carbon models, but this is likely to be rectified in the short to medium term.

“Adding further to the benefits associated with the Beef Shorthorn breed, predictions around beef production and consumption suggest that demand will outstrip supply, increasing the cost of beef and reducing the amount each individual eats.

“This higher cost of beef will be associated with increasing consumer demand for higher eating quality – otherwise consumers will simply choose to purchase other proteins. The Beef Shorthorn breed is known to produce high-quality beef with good tenderness, marbling and excellent taste – meeting consumer demand around environmental credibility with a taste that leaves them wanting more!”

The Beef Shorthorn breed is undergoing a massive resurgence, with a 30% increase in pedigree registrations since 2012, and is documented by DEFRA as the fastest-growing native breed.

The breed’s sustainability credentials are strong, with its ability to produce prime beef from forage, without high concentrate inputs a key consideration for farmers.