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Over the three phases of the programme, the farms operating bull beef systems have generally been the most profitable year-on-year.
In 2019, the farms running bull beef systems had an average gross margin of £899/ha, compared to £783/ha for the farms operating steer beef systems.
A key factor for the higher GM/ha was higher stocking rates of 2.22 CE/ha (cow equivalents), compared to 1.71 CE/ha for steers systems.
Not having to graze spring-born male calves for a second summer facilitated more cows to be carried on bull beef systems.
Higher risk
However, while output and GM/ha were higher, bull beef systems are highly specialised and incur greater input costs.
There is no place for average levels of cattle management when intensively finishing bulls. Animals must be thriving at all time to cover feed costs.
The steer systems are also well run, efficient businesses. Steer finishing is preferred on farms that have more land to carry animals for a second summer. There is also a limit to cow numbers that can be efficiently managed by one labour unit.
Priority management
Where farmers are considering finishing spring-born male calves as bulls next spring, the decision needs to be made within the next few weeks.
These animals need priority management, early weaning and to be placed on a growing diet as soon as possible. Bulls should also have a minimum housing weight so they reach a suitable finishing weight next June.
Outlined are 10 management steps commonly followed on the programme farms that operate bull beef systems.
1 Early housing and weaning
Bull calves destined for slaughter next spring are the first animals to be housed on the programme farms.
Once settled in the shed, calves can be gradually weaned by restricting suckling and offering high-quality silage and a growing ration to drive liveweight gain.
Grass quality is extremely variable in October, and with milk production in cows tailing off, calf performance will slow unless animals can be supplemented with higher levels of concentrate.
At this point, bull calves are better off indoors and eating a consistent diet to maintain performance.
2 Target housing weight
On the programme farms, spring-born bulls have a target liveweight of at least 300kg at housing time.
If housed by mid-October with a target slaughter date in June, bull calves have to gain 360kg to 400kg over a 240 day period, which works out at approximately 1.66kg/day.
Bulls with a lighter housing weight are unlikely to reach an adequate slaughter weight until July/August, which significantly increases concentrate feed costs.
3 Housing space
When housing bulls, ensure they have plenty of lying space and ideally, group animals based on their final liveweight.
This will prevent bulls becoming overcrowded as they grow, thereby having to remove and regroup animals mid-winter.
Bulls do not react well when regrouped and will become overly aggressive as they establish a hierarchy.
Take a pen of eight bulls weighing 400kg on 1 November with an average gain of 1.6kg/day. Every week, the group is gaining 90kg of liveweight, which is the equivalent of adding one animal to the group every five to six weeks.
Bulls should also be able to access concentrates at the feed barrier at the same time, to prevent bullying and dominant animals eating more than their share.
4 Internal parasites
Bulls should have been wormed and vaccinated for respiratory diseases by now. Once housed, bulls should be treated with a flukicide that targets the parasite at an early immature stage.
The flukicide can have a combined product that also targets worms and lice.
5 Clipping bulls
Bulls should be clipped to reduce the risk of respiratory problems in housing pens. Clipping will stop animals overheating and keep them cleaner.
6 Growing phase
Bulls should be fed a growing ration (16% protein) from housing until March, at which point they should move on to a high energy, low protein ration.
Start bulls off on 3kg at housing in October, then increase to 4kg/day during November and 5kg/day by December. Bulls can be maintained on 5kg to 6kg/day during January and February.
7 High-quality silage
Throughout the programme, high-quality silage has been used to support high levels of liveweight gain and limit the requirement for concentrates.
Silage should be at least 70% D-Value or higher. Bales made from surplus grass and first-cut silage tend to be targeted to bulls on the programme farms.
Where high-quality silage has been used correctly, some of the programme farms have limited bulls to a maximum of 8kg/day during the final 100 day finishing period.
8 Regular weighing
Bulls should be weighed at regular intervals, either monthly, or every six weeks. Regular weighing will quickly show if there are any issues present, such as overcrowding in pens, lice and cattle health.
9 Water
Bulls on a high-concentrate diet will have a high requirement for drinking water. As a rule of thumb, bulls will drink 5l-6l of water for every 1kg of concentrate fed.
Drinking troughs should be kept clean at all times. Soiled water will reduce the amount that bulls drink, which in turn reduces feed intake and liveweight gain.
10 Finishing phase
Once bulls reach 550kg to 580kg liveweight, they should be moved on to a high energy and starch ration, consisting primarily of barley and maize. Protein levels should be reduced to 12% to 13%.
High energy and lower protein will encourage bulls to lay down fat, rather than lean muscle, during the final 90 to 100 days prior to slaughter.
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