FOCUS ON BEEF Issue 3 Beef Outlook
Despite the better prospects for exports, with production and imports increasing, available supplies on the UK market will again be higher and the year is likely to again be challenging for producers. The year so far has become notable for the focus on specification, whether it be movement, weight, conformation or age. While some finishers may be able to realign their systems quickly, for the majority this will take some time. This issue could well have a knock on impact across the whole sector. Not only will the store trade be influenced by finishers’ decisions but the breeding intentions for suckler producers could come under examination. Beef and veal consumption
2015
2016
2017
Forecast
Forecast
Production
834
908
935
Imports
404
398
380
(Fresh/frozen)
(286)
(295)
(291)
(Processed)
(118)
(103)
(89)
105
137
74
1,168
1,141
Exports Total Consumption
1,134
Source: AHDB Market Intelligence
Managing forage quality
Forage quality is going to be a key discussion point for 2016. There are plentiful stocks of grass silage (clamp and big bale). The main forage focus areas for beef farmers will be energy and protein, as these are key nutrients for growing and finishing. There are big differences between the top and bottom 25%. Understanding forage quality will allow more targeted use of concentrates. 2016 may also see greater use of grazing but beware of grass variability and consistent DLWG. Clamp Grass Silage
2015
2016
Bottom 25%
Top 25%
Dry Matter (%)
31.7
32.7
32.8
33.3
Energy (MJ/kg DM)
10.8
11.0
10.0
11.8
Protein (%DM)
13.3
13.4
12.2
14.4
NDF - fibre (%DM)
53.8
47.6
55.1
Cereals In this issue Beef feed efficiency ForFarmers beef feeds Alternative beef feeds
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40.4 Source: ForFarmers
Plentiful supplies of cereals coupled with lower year on year prices means many farms will consider home mixing cereals. This will help to reduce feed costs but it is important to ensure rations are well balanced. Rations will require additional protein, vitamins, minerals and trace elements to meet the requirements of beef animals.
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Beef feed efficiency Beef farmers face a number of challenges that will affect profitability; high input costs, silage quality and availability and animal performance. Improving feed efficiency is one way to offset high input costs and increase profitability. Feed to Meat (F2M) is ForFarmers measure of beef feed efficiency.
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Liveweight Gain (kg) Dry Matter Intake (kg)
Feed to Meat (F2M) basically means converting more of the feed you buy into the meat that you sell. The more meat you produce per kilo of feed utilised, the more profitable your enterprise is likely to be.
The Benefits of improving Feed Efficiency
Factors Affecting Feed Efficiency Diet digestibility
• Reduced cost of production - improved feed utilisation - younger animals
Nutrient supply
• Reduced days to slaughter - 307 days industry average • Improved daily liveweight gain - 1.12kg industry average
Forage quality
Rumen health
• Increased margin - 0.01 F2M increase = +15-20p/head/day Age
Breed
Selecting the correct feed for your beef rearing, growing or finishing system is very important. This will help maximise animal performance. Supplying the correct nutrients at specific stages will ensure that cattle achieve target weights without becoming too fat.
Correctly target feed to cattle need
Rearer
Grower
Maximise growth High F2M potential Good health
Steady growth Grow frame Limit fat cover
High protein High energy
Mid protein Low starch
Finisher
Cereal
Silage
Grazing
High energy (starch) Low Protein
High energy (starch) Low Protein
High energy (starch) Low Protein
Improve rumen health
Improve forage digestibility
Limit excess protein
ForFarmers beef feeds
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ForFarmers has a full product range that will take beef cattle from birth to slaughter. ForFarmers beef feeds are designed to improve F2M: 1. Maximising growth rates when animals are young
3. Improve rumen health
2. Increasing DLWG and shortening the finishing period
4. Utilising innovative feeds and feed additives
Prime Beef Compound Range Super Rearer
Super Grower
Prime Beef Grower + Levucell
Prime Grade + Levucell
Super Grade + Levucell
Top Grade
Primemix 34 + Levucell
Suckler Cow Rolls
Target Use
Rearing
Growing
Growing
Ad-lib Finishing
Forage Finishing
Forage finishing
Cereal Balancer
Suckler Cow
Crude Protein (%)
18.0
16.0
16.0
14.0
14.0
13.0
34.0
15.0
Starch
Low
Low
Low
High
High
High
Low
Mid
BlendMix Beef Blends BlendMix Super Rearer
BlendMix Growergain
BlendMix Supergrade
BlendMix Primegrade + Levucell
BlendMix 34 + Levucell
Target Use
Rearing
Growing
Semi-intensive (forage finisher)
Intensive Finishing
Cereal Balancer
Crude Protein (%)
18.0
16.0
14.0
14.0
34.0
Starch
Low
Low
High
High
Low
Levucell TITAN improves beef performance
Improving rumen health in beef cattle Levucell TITAN is a rumen specific live yeast. This feed additive is unique to ForFarmers beef feeds and has a number of features which benefit growing and finishing cattle: 1) maintains constant rumen pH 2) increases protein utilisation 3) scavenges Oxygen in the rumen 4) provides vitamins and amino acids. • Growing - accelerated rumen development - improved feed utilisation • Housing and diet transition - less nutritional stress • Finishing - reduced risk of acidosis - improved rumen health
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Improved DLWG – up to 178g/day (12%) Reduced FCR – up to -12% Improved carcass grading Improved carcass yield (KO%)
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4
Alternative beef feeds As well as a comprehensive beef compound feed range, ForFarmers can also supply a variety of beef blends from any of our national blend manufacturing sites. In addition to this, we can also supply a number of different dry moist and liquid feeds, to complement all beef feeding systems. Different feeds are available in England, Scotland and Wales. These will supply varying levels of energy and protein.
Brewers Grains
Bread
Sedagold Syrup
SelcoPlus
Biscuit Mix
The alternative beef feeds; blends, straights and moist co-products can all help to improve feed efficiency and are beneficial for: 1. Producers utilising TMR and home grown feeds 2. Producers with forage quality problems 3. Producers with low forage stocks
Moist co-products provide feed solution
CASE STUDY
SelcoPlus is a highly palatable, moist feed supplied by ForFarmers Dry, Moist & Liquid Feeds business (DML). Made of co-products from the food and distilling industries, it is being successfully used by ForFarmers’ dairy and beef customers in the North and Midlands. AmyPlus is the equivalent product available to customers in the South. SelcoPlus mixes well with silage and straw, making it an ideal source of complementary nutrition as part of a PMR or TMR ration. Thanks to its high energy, protein and dry matter content, SelcoPlus can also be fed to livestock at a lower rate when compared to other traditional moist co-products, such as brewer’s grains.
Moist feed SelcoPlus helps reduce beef finishing times Andy Knighton is the farm manager at Butterley Park Farm, where he runs a large beef finishing unit with the help of his son, Luke, and farm worker Aaron, on behalf of H W Martin Farms. The farm incorporate more than 1,300 head of beef cattle and 2,500 acres of arable and forage crops. “We bring in stores at a range of ages, and aim to move cattle on when they reach 360-370kg deadweight,” explained Andy. Eighteen months ago, Andy was feeding a mixture of homegrown cereals, protein pellets and potato waste to his cattle, but started to notice declining
weight gains. Cattle were struggling to achieve weight gains of 7kg a week and some were not achieving their deadweight target until 34 months. “Even though we Andy Knighton had the mixer running constantly and fed throughout the day, we weren’t seeing the weight gains we wanted,” explained Andy. “The cattle just wouldn’t take up the feed that was offered to them and we were having problems with scouring”.
On the advice of the farm’s nutritional consultant and ForFarmers agent, Nigel Whittle, potato waste was removed from the diet mix, with SelcoPlus used as a substitute. As a result, feed intakes increased dramatically. “Our cattle seem to absolutely love it,”stated Andy. “The palatability and consistency of the feed mix is so much better than before, and our animals are now eating much more and finishing quicker.” Since using SelcoPlus Andy has reported weight gains in excess of 10kg a week, with some cattle moving on at just 22 months.
For more information on products and services from ForFarmers contact your local merchant or ForFarmers Account Manager. 08457 22 88 53 info.uk@forfarmers.eu www.forfarmers.co.uk
FOB16