Pasture for Life dairy bred beef

[Dan Powell]

Does anyone think it would be possible to rear dairy bred calves and finish on pasture alone (NO concentrates even in the rearing phase). I'm thinking angus or hereford as the sire so should get to decent weights by 20 months with good grazing management and silage making, but not sure how the rearing side would go.

Milk powder and haylage from day one and continue with milk replacer possibly mixed into a TMR rather than as liquid feed until 3 months old?

How much more expensive would it be to rear that calf without concentrates?

 

[Pasty]

Does anyone think it would be possible to rear dairy bred calves and finish on pasture alone (NO concentrates even in the rearing phase). I'm thinking angus or hereford as the sire so should get to decent weights by 20 months with good grazing management and silage making, but not sure how the rearing side would go.

Milk powder and haylage from day one and continue with milk replacer possibly mixed into a TMR rather than as liquid feed until 3 months old?

How much more expensive would it be to rear that calf without concentrates?

Good luck. I haven't seen it done and people locally have said they just want the conc and won't fatten otherwise but I'm not sure they were the best people to ask. There are probably people out there doing it so I would suggest finding them and asking how.

 

[multi power]

Possible, but not a hope at 20 months, 30/36 no problem

 

[Dan Powell]

Possible, but not a hope at 20 months, 30/36 no problem

Why so long? I have Angus x Holstein here that have reached 600 kg by 18 months on grazing alone. Are you saying they won't "finish"?

 

[Chasingmytail]

I am not dairy I only have 1 jersey however we are member of the PFLA for beef suckler AA x. There are people on a email forum that could help answer you and there is an off shoot of this called dairy pasture fed who successfully accomplish their aims. We only feed hay and lucerne and in organic conversion.

I am unable to answer the question on your breeding as ours are AA x shorthorn. But its the quality of the grazing - mob grazing that we follow.

I have a calf at foot which is a AA x jersey but at the mo no weigh bars she is 3 months and it would be a good exercise to keep a record of growth.

Its worth looking into the milk farms that are pasture fed http://www.pastureforlife.org/farmers/ and contact them direct. While there are opinions on here better getting the facts from people that do it.

 

[multi power]

Why so long? I have Angus x Holstein here that have reached 600 kg by 18 months on grazing alone. Are you saying they won't "finish"?

How far off finished are they St 600 kg, ? Sounds like you are doing a VERY good job on them

 

[Dan Powell]

How far off finished are they St 600 kg, ? Sounds like you are doing a VERY good job on them

Those animals would be the exception not the rule - average was more like 520 kg across steers and heifers, but we didn't do that good a job and can see where this could be improved through managing grazing quality.

They definitely need a bit more finish on them but not a huge amount. TBH I don't really know how much finish you would get without starch at the end as I always use barley or maize to finish. I'd be interested in finding out.

 

[Dan Powell]

I am not dairy I only have 1 jersey however we are member of the PFLA for beef suckler AA x. There are people on a email forum that could help answer you and there is an off shoot of this called dairy pasture fed who successfully accomplish their aims. We only feed hay and lucerne and in organic conversion.

I am unable to answer the question on your breeding as ours are AA x shorthorn. But its the quality of the grazing - mob grazing that we follow.

I have a calf at foot which is a AA x jersey but at the mo no weigh bars she is 3 months and it would be a good exercise to keep a record of growth.

Its worth looking into the milk farms that are pasture fed http://www.pastureforlife.org/farmers/ and contact them direct. While there are opinions on here better getting the facts from people that do it.

I am a member, but currently only from a research point of view as it was only £50 to join and I agree with the ethos. Need to get stuck in on that forum - haven't looked into it much yet.

 

[onesiedale]

It should work OK. Spring born calves would be best, make sure they are out of a grazing herd of cows then the genetic tendancy to graze grass will help. They'll finish at around 26-30 months old on the best quality grass.
Your grass management will be crucial.

 

[Headless chicken]

It may be possible but why?? As I understand it your intending on not utilising the most efficient time of a calfs life

 

[Dan Powell]

It may be possible but why?? As I understand it your intending on not utilising the most efficient time of a calfs life

To qualify as pasture fed for life and possibly obtain a premium through marketing. All hypothetical. I don't disagree with what you are saying and it's not what we do at the moment.

 

[multi power]

To qualify as pasture fed for life and possibly obtain a premium through marketing. All hypothetical. I don't disagree with what you are saying and it's not what we do at the moment.

How much of a premium? And why? In order to get good eating quality i think grain is a must

 

[Newby]

To qualify as pasture fed for life

Is there such a thing already?

 

[Dan Powell]

How much of a premium? And why? In order to get good eating quality i think grain is a must

I have no idea but it's a big trend in the USA right now so may become a thing here. Plus it is in theory more ethical to feed grain to people and grass to cows. (That's a can of worms that doesn't need opening right now...)

In terms of eating quality I would agree if you're talking a tender pan fried steak but grass fed meat is supposed to be more flavoursome when cooked correctly.

 

[onesiedale]

It should work OK. Spring born calves would be best, make sure they are out of a grazing herd of cows then the genetic tendancy to graze grass will help. They'll finish at around 26-30 months old on the best quality grass

 

[More to life]

I have no idea but it's a big trend in the USA right now so may become a thing here. Plus it is in theory more ethical to feed grain to people and grass to cows. (That's a can of worms that doesn't need opening right now...)

In terms of eating quality I would agree if you're talking a tender pan fried steak but grass fed meat is supposed to be more flavoursome when cooked correctly.

If you can turn a profit then go for it but it sounds totally bonkers to me. Would it not work better with a spring born suckler calf

 

[Dan Powell]

Is there such a thing already?

There is a certification body but any premiums are down to individual farmers marketing their meat/ milk in the right way. My gut feeling is that there will be premiums available in the future and I'm examining whether it is worth the effort. With sucklers it would be easy to do but I'm not sure I want to go back to sucklers at this point in time. I find dairy bred beef a lot more straightforward personally.

 

[Dan Powell]

If you can turn a profit then go for it but it sounds totally bonkers to me. Would it not work better with a spring born suckler calf

Maybe I am bonkers. Or maybe I know something you don't!

 

[More to life]

Maybe I am bonkers. Or maybe I know something you don't!

Maybe you do but how does it command a premium that organic beef does not supply

 

[multi power]

Autumn born calves would be better would they not, by spring they will be ready to eat a lot of grass