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ABP Monitor Farms: €60/head sustainability bonus for Cork farmer
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The strong beef prices and processor sustainability bonus currently on offer are all being availed of by dairy and beef farmer John Twohig from Bandon in Co. Cork.
The farm is one of the eight ABP Monitor Farms that are finishing cattle in a variety of systems and are based across the country on a range of different land types.
John slaughtered his first eight bullocks in January with an average carcass weight of 305kg.
The grades came back as follows:
- Two R-;
- Three O+;
- Three O=.
There were two Friesian bullocks among that group, and they both graded an O=. All beef-sired calves and male dairy-sired calves on the farm are reared through and finished as beef cattle.
The farm is involved in ABP Food Group’s Advantage Beef Programme and therefore receives a 20c/kg Sustainability Bonus on all eligible cattle slaughtered through the initiative.
The Advantage Sustainability Bonus was worth €487 or just over €60/head for these eight cattle alone.
More of the factory fit bullocks will be slaughtered through the scheme in the coming two weeks.
The remainder of the bullocks have only recently been started on their finishing diet which is later than the stronger batch as they needed more time to grow.
These will start on 2kg of meal and 5kg of beet built up gradually to 6kg of meal for finishing.
The heifers are doing well and are getting 5kg meal, 5kg beet and the remainder of their diet is composed of bale silage. The first of these will be going to the factory in the coming week and will also qualify for the Advantage Sustainability Bonus.
The silage pit has not yet been opened and is of high quality so will make great feeding for freshly-calved cows.
Cull cows are also being fattened at the moment. They were dried off on January 10 and are on a diet of 4kg meal, 6kg beet and the remainder silage. John hopes to have the first of these sent to ABP Bandon in February.
Meal will be reduced for the weanlings soon and if the weather holds up, John hopes to get them to grass in mid-February.
The dairy cows were vaccinated on January 11 for scour. They are on a diet of silage and a pre-calving minerals at the moment.
Slurry will be going out over the coming days but the farm is not currently under pressure for storage. The mild autumn and late housing paid dividends by extending the grazing season and delaying the housing date of the cattle.
The calf sheds are washed, disinfected and ready to go for the 2025 calving season. John has purchased his milk replacer in preparation for the calving season which will kick off on February 1.
The Twohigs herd will have its bovine TB test next week and the farm is required to test every six months due to the area the farm is located in. It is hoped the test will go well.
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February 1, 2025 at 07:13AM