Table 4 summarises four years of trial work from phase one of the Derrypatrick herd at Teagasc Grange, where four suckler cow types were evaluated. Charolais and Limousin sires were used in the study and progeny were slaughtered as 18-month bulls or 20-month heifers. Reproductive efficiency was similar across all cow types but the Lim X Ho cows produced the heaviest weanlings and had the highest weaning efficiency. In addition, despite their genetics, the progeny from these cows (Lim x Ho) produced the heaviest carcases ten months later – calves from more terminal cows did not “catch up”. This shows the importance of milk in a suckler herd.
The trial outlined in Tables 5 and 6 compared colostrum yield, quality and effectiveness in beef and dairy-cross suckler cows. Immunoglobulins (IgG) are antibodies and ZST measures the efficiency of IgG transfer between cow and calf – bigger figures are better for both. The dairy-cross cows performed best for all of the important variables.
Greenhouse gas emissions and energy requirements
The figures for greenhouse gas emissions below are for total emissions and include the production, processing and transportation of feeds to farms.
Lessons from the research:
References
McGee, Mark, Michael J Drennan, and Patrick J Caffrey. "Effect of suckler cow genotype on cow serum immunoglobulin (Ig) levels, colostrum yield, composition and Ig concentration and subsequent immune status of their progeny." (2005)
Crosson, P, L Shalloo, D O’Brien, GJ Lanigan, PA Foley, TM Boland, and DA Kenny. "A review of whole farm systems models of greenhouse gas emissions from beef and dairy cattle production systems." (2011)
McWeeney, L, Minogue, D, Crossan, P, Prendiville, R, and P French. “Update on the Derrypatrick Herd (Comparison of continental bred suckler cow breed types)” (2014)