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Clare Marts, in association with a number of AI companies, is in the final stages of finalising a new suckler scheme that aims to increase the level of terminal breeding in the area.
It’s envisaged that a form of subsidisation will be in place to promote the purchase of five-star terminal beef breed bulls and the use of AI five-star terminal sires also.
Speaking at Wednesday night’s suckler beef information meeting organised by Clare Marts and Teagasc, and held in Ennis Mart, manager Martin McNamara told farmers that the move is being taken to underpin the quality of cattle being produced in the area and at the same time capitalise on growing demand for continental cattle with good terminal breeding.
Martin said: "We have seen a big jump in demand for good-quality continental cattle in 2017. Some of this is coming from farmers in the southern half of the country finding it harder to source good quality cattle given continued expansion in dairying.
Continental cattle
There has also been a switch back to continental cattle from a significant number of feeders who in recent years progressed down a route of finishing dairy-cross animals.
In many cases, this change in cattle type is driven by breed bonuses but feeders are finding that it is becoming harder to tick the boxes on carcase weight and conformation.
"These feeders are returning to continental breeding to improve performance during the high-cost finishing phase”.
Martin added that the move is not being taken to compete with the recent focus on maternal breeding, rather it is being taken to complement breeding programmes on suckler farms.
“The county of Clare and south Galway has a strong tradition of breeding top quality continental cattle."
Suckler farmers
Suckler farmers have made changes to get their herds compliant with the Beef Data and Genomics Programme and there is now an opportunity on many of these farms to increase the level of terminal breeding and produce top-quality weanlings, stores or finishing cattle.
"Demand for good-quality cattle is only going to grow with a dilution of quality in the national herd and we want to ensure farmers are best positioned to capitalise on this”.
Martin says that discussions are ongoing with AI companies but hopes to have something more concrete on how the scheme will operate in the coming weeks.
The scheme will be targeted at customers of Clare Marts and terms and conditions will apply.
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