The £2 a day difference that some beef finishers are having to spend

Some beef finishers are spending £2 a day more than some others on liveweight gain, according to feeding systems supplier Keenan.
By The Newsroom
Published 8th Nov 2010, 13:54 BST
Updated 8th Nov 2010, 13:55 BST

Its analysis of figures from customers shows the most efficient producers getting 180 kgs of growth for every tonne of dry matter fed, and a profit of 1.63 per animal per day, compared to a 57 kgs gain at the other end of the performance table, translating into a 38p daily loss on each animal.

A Keenan adviser, Seth Wareing, offers the following advice ...

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"Forage must be budgeted out across the winter. Manage silage well to avoid wastage. When it comes to grain, ensure it is appropriately treated to reduce the chances of it passing unused through the rumen. When whole grains are present in manure, there is a problem.

"Weighing cattle regularly will help you understand when they are performing well. Once weight gain starts to tail off, it is time to start thinking about selling. When it costs the same to gain a kilo as that kilo is worth, then sell."

Keenan says its computerised feed-mixing system, PACE, gets the best out of rations and enables farmers to predict what weight gain they will get for their input, according to age, gender, breed and feed. Talk to Max Ford on 07860 830211.

CW 6/11/10