Beef Guide - Grow more grass

Whichever part of the beef production chain you are involved in, the key to profitability is the effective management of good quality grass and clover swards.

Dry matter intake (DMI) requirement of animals is generally around 2-3% of bodyweight, depending on the stage of production and grazing quality and from around 180kg a calf's rumen is fully developed to receive all its nutrition from forage.

A successful grazing system very much depends on keeping good quality grass in front of the animals. Indicators of good feed quality include little or no seed heads, high clover content (greater than 30%), high proportion of leaf and low stem content, and low levels of dead matter at the base of the sward.

For finishing animals, a 500kg steer aiming for 1kg DLWG would need more than 750kg additional concentrate over a five month finishing period if he was fed 60D silage instead of 70D silage.

Beef farmers looking to grow more grass in 2018 can get their hands on our free guide to grassland management.

Crammed full of useful advice, the Barenbrug Beef Guide 2018 is now available to download free or order a printed copy to be posted out.

Developed by the agricultural team, the guide contains practical hints and tips to help beef farmers manage their grassland more efficiently to maximise yields and profitability.  

It looks at the science of good grass and includes facts and figures about animal and plant physiology. It features information on good grazing management including when to graze grass and how to perfect pasture pressure. There are also sections on looking after leys long-term, and successful soil management and seed selection. 

The Beef Guide is the third document in a series of information booklets that the business is producing to help UK farmers. It follows on from the 2017 guides to Brassicas and Forage Crops, and a separate Dairy Guide. 

David Linton, Regional Sales Manager for Barenbrug UK in Northern Ireland, said: “Regardless of breed, all UK beef farmers have one thing in common; the need to provide their animals with top quality grass to eat. 

"Costing far less than manufactured animal feed, well-managed grassland can supply almost all of the energy and protein requirements of a beef herd – but deciding what type of grass to grow and how best to manage it can be difficult.

"Winter is the perfect time to take stock and plan how you are going to manage your grass in the year ahead. With so many forage grass options now available, our guide is designed to help farmers make the right choices as they work to achieve their grassland goals.”