Level II Agricultural Business Operations - Assessment Booklet

Transcription

1 Level II Agricultural Business Operations - Assessment Booklet Sector Beef Unit Livestock Production Level 2 Unit No Credit 5 Value Name: Student No Tutor: Centre I certify that all the work in this booklet is my own Student signature Tutor Signature Date submitted Assessment Grid (For office use) Learning outcomes 1. Understand the main elements of a livestock production system. 2. Be able to prepare a breeding or replacement plan. 3. Be able to prepare a feeding plan. 4. Understand performance recording and targets. A Criteria 1.1 & , 2.2 & , 3.2 & & 4.2 Assessor Date IV Date 1

2 Assessment Record AC Q Page Tutor initials 1.1 Describe the production cycle of a livestock enterprise. 1.2 Describe in relation to a livestock enterprise: a) animal husbandry procedures b) key outputs and inputs c) market requirements 2.1 Describe with examples the breeding/replacement cycle for an enterprise. 2.2 Assess the suitability of breeding/ replacement stock. 2.3 Set breeding/replacement targets for B4, B5, own enterprise. B6 3.1 Describe the nutritional requirements C1, C4, of selected farm animals. C5 F1 3.2 Compare the nutritional content of C1, C2, available feeds. C3, E3 3.3 Prepare a feeding plan. C4 7 E1, E Identify key performance indicators and targets of own enterprise. 4.2 Assess the performance of own enterprise identifying areas for improvement. Feedback to student B1, B2 5 A1, A2, A3 4 B1 5 B , 10 8, 9, 14 10, 11, 12, 14 B4 6 7, 13 D1, D2 F2, G1 15, 16 Complete To Complete Action points (If req) Assessor Signature Student Signature Date Date 2

3 Assessment Record Resubmission 1 (If req) Student signature Tutor Signature Date resubmitted Feedback to student Action points (If req) Assessor Signature Student Signature Date Date Resubmission 2 (If req) Student signature Tutor Signature Date resubmitted Feedback to student Assessor Signature Student Signature Date Date 3

4 Introduction Spring Calving Suckler to beef system with cows calved in March and April. All progeny are brought through to slaughter. Animal Husbandry A.1. Name 3 animal husbandry procedures that will be carried out on calves in this herd between birth and weaning at 7 months old (eg. ensure navel is disinfected). (AC1.2a) Key Outputs & Inputs A.2. What are the 2 main sales/outputs that will be sold from the above farm? (AC1.2b) Name 2 inputs that are required to ensure good performance on this farm Market Requirements A.3. All finished cattle are marketed through a local processor for a supermarket. What is the desired carcass weight range for this market? (tick correct box) (AC1.2c) 180kg to 280kg 280kg to 400kg 4000kg to 480kg Describe the consequences of carcasses falling outside of the desired weight range

5 Beef Production Breeding & Replacement Production Cycle A spring calving suckler herd calves during the months of February, March and April Calves are over-wintered and sold as stores the following Autumn. B.1. Complete the calendar with the following periods of the production cycle for this herd (AC1.1, 2.1) Cows Weaning Service/Bulling Dry Period Calves Turnout Sale Grazing Month Cows Weaned calves February Winter feeding March Calving April May June July August September October November December January Winter feeding Breeding decisions B.2. Describe two advantages of pregnancy Diagnosis (scanning) six weeks after the bull has been removed from cows (AC1.1)

6 Suitability of replacement stock B.3. Which of these 2 bulls would you pick if you intended breeding replacements for the suckler herd? (AC2.2) BULL A BULL B Bull chosen:... Describe why you decided to pick this bull to breed replacements Give two reasons

7 Breeding & replacement targets B.4. Research has shown that calving replacement heifers at 24 months old is the most efficient. If the average cow weight in your herd was 650kg what weight should your heifers be at service at 15 months old? (AC2.3, 4.1) Circle the correct weight range 250kg to 300kg 380kg 420kg 550kg 600kg B.5. A farmer has an average 25 cow suckler herd. How many replacement heifers need to calve each year into the herd to adequately maintain it? Tick the correct box (AC2.3, 4.1) 2 heifers (8%) 5 heifers (20%) 12 heifers (48%) 20 heifers (80%) Describe one situation where more replacements than normal would be required B.6. Calving interval is a good measure of a suckler herd s fertility level. The average Calving Interval (CI) for NI suckler farms is 415 days What should the target for Calving Interval be on a suckler herd? (AC2.3, 4.1) days days days Describe one benefit that can be gained from having a better Calving Interval

8 Beef Production Winter Feeding Nutritional requirements Cattle at different growth stages require different Crude Protein levels in the feed they are offered. C.1. Match the protein level of concentrate required for the stock classes below to be fed with average silage. An example is completed for you. (AC3.1, 3.2) Calves under 3 months 14% Protein Weanlings (280kg) 16% Protein Finishing cattle (500kg) 18% Protein Explain why calves less than 3 months old are fed a higher protein meal (18%)?

9 Compare nutritional content of available feeds Silage 1 Analysis Silage 2 Analysis C.2. Compare any two measures of nutritional content of the two silages shown in the analyses above. (AC3.2) C.3. Which silage would you feed to growing cattle and why? (AC3.2) Which silage :... Why?

10 Feed levels You are a farmer feeding weanlings (280kg) and finishing cattle (500kg). You have adequate silage and have got this analysed through your local DARD office. The report is as follows A feed report is attached to the silage report C.4. You wish your 280kg weanlings to grow at 0.7kg liveweight per day through the winter. How much meal do they require per day along with this silage to achieve this? (AC3.1, 3.3)...Kg/day C.5. You need the bullocks (500kg) being finished for beef to gain 1kg per day of liveweight. What level of meal feeding is required along with this silage for these cattle? (AC3.1, 3.3)....Kg/day 10

11 Feeding plan A farmer runs a Spring Calving Suckler to Beef system with cows calved in March and April. All progeny are brought through to slaughter. He is assessing his silage stocks for the winter. The animals to be fed are; This table shows how much silage each animal needs per month 25 suckler cows (dry) 20 weanlings (280kg) 20 Store cattle (500kg) C.6. Calculate in the table below the amount of silage required for the numbers above (25 cows, 20 weanlings & 20 stores). All stock are to be housed for 6 months. (AC3.3) Type of stock to be fed Number of animals (A) Type of stock to be fed Silage required per animal each month (tonnes) SUCKLER COWS Spring calving 1.0 OTHER CATTLE - 350kg to 350kg to 250kg calves 0.3 Silage required per animal each month (tonnes) (B) Number of months housed (C) Silage required (tonnes) (AxBxC) SUCKLER COWS Spring calving OTHER CATTLE - 350kg to 350kg to 250kg - calves TOTAL 11

12 The farmer has a silage pit that 20 metres long, 10 metres wide and is 2.5metres deep as in the diagram 2.5 metres 10 metres 20 metres The silage pit is full of silage and is 20% Dry Matter (DM%) The Dry Matter Conversion Factor for 20% DM silage is 0.77 Tonnes of silage = Volume (m 3 ) x Conversion factor C.7. Calculate the amount of silage in the pit (AC3.3) Length (m) x Width (m) x Height (m) = Volume (m 3 ) Volume (m 3 ) x Conversion Factor. Tonnes of silage in pit =...tonnes Has the farmer enough silage to feed his animals for the 6 month winter? Yes No (Please circle) 12

13 Beef Production Soils & NMP Soil ph is a key performance indicator of the level of soil fertility. The average for Northern Ireland soils tested over the last 5 years is a ph of 5.8. D.1. What is the target soil ph for a soil for growing grass? (AC4.1)... D.2. Describe how you would increase soil ph and two benefits of doing this. (AC4.1, 4.2) Increased by: Benefit Benefit D.3. Suggest one reason why a soil would have a soil index of 4 for Phosphorus. (AC4.2) D.4. Outline what influence it would have on your management of fertiliser and slurry for that land (AC4.2) D.5. The nutrient value of different animal slurries depends on many factors. Which of the following will have a higher nutrient content? (AC4.2) A. Slurry from dry suckler cows B. Slurry from cereal fed bull beef Describe why you believe this slurry will have a higher nutrient content

14 Beef Production Grassland management Grazing systems E.1. Describe two advantages and two disadvantages of paddock grazing (AC3.3) Advantages Disadvantages E.2. Describe two ways of dealing with having too much grass in the grazing area on farm in months of May and June (AC3.3) E.3. Explain why it is important not to allow grass covers to get too high in early summer. (AC3.2) 14

15 Beef Production Silage production and sward improvement Silage making F.1. Describe three steps In the process of filling a silo to assist good fermentation of the silage (AC.3.2) Sward improvement F.2. Describe one situation where sward renovation by over-seeding may be used (AC.4.2) 15

16 Performance Assessing performance G.1. Two farmers have the same land area and type. They both have 40 suckler cows with all the calves sold at the annual weanling sale. The table below outlines the performance of both farms.(ac 4.1, 4.2) Farm A Farm B Calves born per year Calving index Average weight at sale (Oct) kg of concentrates fed/calf 0 65 Which of the two farms is likely to be most profitable? Give two reasons to justify your choice Suggest two possible areas for improvement on the poorer performing farm