Continental cattle breeds are commonplace in the Irish beef sector and provide the backbone of our suckler industry. Limousin and Charolais are presently the most popular beef breeds used in Ireland. A lot of the breeds used in Ireland are of French origin. But unlike Ireland where these breeds are used predominantly for cross-breeding, in France, commercial herds still practice pure breeding.

Last week, the crème of French cattle breeding are exhibited at the Sommet de l’Élevage show.

Part of the event was a series of farm tours for international visitors to view French beef production at first hand. One of the farms visited was a pedigree Salers herd owned by Didier and Christine Champeix.

Farm details

The farm carries 180 pure-bred Salers cows calving down from October to January. Cows calve outdoors during October and November, with the later calving cows brought in at the point of calving.

Cows are bred by a mix of artificial insemination (20%) and natural service (80%). Sire and replacements are selected purely on maternal and docility traits. Replacements calve down at three years of age.

The 320ha farm is located close to Clermont near the Alpine region of France. The farm is at 650m (2,132 feet) above sea level with 80ha of grazing land running at a much higher altitude. Of the farm area, 320ha was in grassland which is of poor quality.

Fertilizer is not used on grazing land and reseeding is not carried out. Home grown feed is produced on 25ha with crops such as triticale and sugar beet grown. Concentrates are fed to the cows after calving and to the finishing cattle.

Marketing

The farm was set up in 1998 with 25 dairy cows and 70 pure-bred Salers. In 2008, the dairy herd was dispersed and the Salers herd increased to 120 cows. In 2013, the herd has expanded to the 180 cows and instead of slaughtering cattle through the local abattoir, cattle are now marketed through a farm shop.

Unlike Ireland, there is still a strong tradition in France of purchasing meat that is locally produced and sold through a dedicated butcher, or farm shop. Since its opening at the start of the year, the farm shop is currently selling 15 cattle per month as a combination of fresh meat and boxed beef. New premises are being built on farm to handle the level of custom which has exceeded expectation.

Beef price for the conventional market is currently around the €3.90/kg for an R grade animal. Carcase weights range from 400kg to 450kg for bulls slaughtered at 20 to 22 months of age. The value added in terms of selling their own beef is worth an additional €1.40/kg to the Champeix family.

While bulls are the preferred choice of finishing, Christine Champeix remarked that the biggest demand is for cow beef or older bulls as people want mature beef for its flavour. Young bulls have no market place at all in their business.

Cow management

Cows and calves are housed for a period of 100 days during December to February. They are then returned to rough grazing close to the farmyard due to housing pressure. A new 2,500m2 shed has been built this year to provide adequate housing after the recent herd expansion. Cows go to summer grazing in April and remain there until November.

Cows are treated for BVD, fluke and worms. Pre-calving minerals are fed from weaning until the cows calve down. After calving the cows are fed silage outdoors plus 3kg of triticale. A bolus is given to provide minerals before cows go back to pasture.

Cattle management

Calves are weaned in mid-October at an average age of 10 months. They are then housed while the cows remain outdoors. Calves are treated for liver fluke and worms and they are also treated with Rispoval 4 to prevent pneumonia.

Weaning weights are around 400kg liveweight giving a daily gain from birth of 1.2 to 1.3kg/day. From then on the animal remains indoors until slaughter. They are fed concentrates plus hay at a rate of 4kg building up to ad lib. The daily ration for the finishing period consists of 2kg of triticale, 4kg hay, 20kg of sugar beet and 1kg of soya.

A common trend across a number of farms visited in France is that they do not value the crops that are home grown, therefore there was no concept of feed costs on the farms. As the bulls are bred by maternal sires, they do not possess high growth rates during the indoor period.

In addition, feeding for almost a year indoors means the cattle eventually tail off in food conversion ratio. In general, bulls grow at 1.3kg/day during the housing period, while heifers grow at 0.9kg/day.

Cattle value

When cattle are weaned they are housed for slaughter. But if brought forward to a livestock mart, or sold off farm, the equivalent 400kg animal would sell for approximately €700/head (€1.75/kg). In comparison, a Charolais calf at the same age and weight would be worth around €1,100 (€2.75/kg). Selling the cow with a calf at foot will generate between €1,100 to €1,500, depending on cow and calf quality.

Farm Facts

320ha (25ha cereals & 295ha grassland. 80ha is high altitude mountain grazing).

Altitude – 650m (2,132 feet) above sea level.

Rainfall – 750mm/year

180 Salers cows. Top quality progeny sold for breeding with remainder slaughtered.

Key Points

Herd has increased from 120 cows in 2008 to 180 cows in 2013.

Cattle now marketed through their own farm shop.

Carcase value has increased by €1.40/kg when selling through farm shop compared with conventional trade.

Weaning weights of 400kg by 10 months of age.

Daily gains of 1.3kg/day for intensively fed bulls.