Beef production in Ireland

Transcription

1 Beef production in Ireland - structure, economics and environment Padraig O Kiely Teagasc, Grange Beef Research Centre, Dunsany, Co. Meath, Ireland Beef production meeting at Nya Aulan, Alnarpsgården, SLU Alnarp, Sweden; Wed. November, 9 Government agency responsible for ~ research ~ advice/extension ~ teaching/training in agriculture and food Grange Beef Research Centre Grange Dublin ha grassland beef cattle Specialised research facilities & laboratories scientists and 4 PhD students

2 Teagasc, Grange Beef Research Centre Provide the technologies Irish beef farmers need to allow them profitably provide consumers with the meat they require Overview of topics covered:. Climate and land use Overview of topics covered:. Climate and land use

3 . Climate and land use x Average air temperature and rainfall in Ireland 'C 3 mm/month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Temperature ('C) Annual rainfall total = 84 mm Rainfall (mm) Source: Climate and land use Ireland Latitude: - N Area: m ha Sweden Latitude: -69 o N Area: 44m ha Humans: 8.9m Cattle:.8m Sheep:.m Humans: 4.m Cattle:.9m Sheep: 3.4m. Climate and land use Land use Land use Agriculture Wetlands Forestry Semi-natural vegetation Water Other %land area

4 . Climate and land use Agricultural land use % Rough grazing % Arable crops 9% Grassland 8% Overview of topics covered:. Climate and land use Farm structures Number of farms Averagefarmsize(ha) Owners age: <3 years > years Average price ( /ha; 9) 8 3

5 Farm incomes (8) Averageincome ~ full time ~ part time % farmers had off-farm job 8% farmers owners/spouses had off-farm income 4% 3% 3% Gross agricultural output -total= 4.8 billion 34% % % % % 4% 4% % Beef Milk Pigs Sheep Cereals Other Family farm income full-time () /ha Dairying Cattle rearing Cattle other Sheep Tillage

6 Farm & herd size () UAA (ha) Dairy Cows Beef Dairying Cattle rearing 8 Cattle other 3 9 Sheep 39 8 Tillage 6 UAA = utilisable agricultural area Degree of self-sufficiency (%) Meats Dairy products Beef 6 Fresh milk 84 Pig 49 SMP 8 Sheep 46 Cheese 448 Poultry 9 Butter Exports SMP = skim milk powder Grazed grass Grass silage Maize silage WCC silage Relative costs of feeds Forage brassica (grazed) Barley grain (purchased) Per unit DM consumed Per unit UFL consumed DM = dry matter; UFL = net energy basis; WCC = whole-crop cereal Hugerange around each of these mean values

7 Overview of topics covered:. Climate and land use Cattle numbers ( )( Total cattle Total cows Dairy Beef Breed of bull used -%() Holstein/Friesian A. Angus Hereford Limousin Belgian Blue Charolais Simmental Other Cow type Dairy Beef

8 Breed type of beef cows -% Limousin Charolais Simmental Hereford A. Angus Belgian Blue Other 3 3 >9% dairy cow genes are Holstein/Friesian % calf births/month for dairy and beef cows 3 - Dairy Beef Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Timing of beef slaughtering % per quarter of the year st Qtr nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr

9 Form of beef output - numbers of cattle () Live export 6 Carcass/meat export 69 Other 9 Cattle type & weight - at export abattoirs (%; 8) Steers Bulls Heifers Cows % total 44 6 kg carcass Destination of beef (meat) exports - (8) EU UK France Italy Netherlands Scandinavia Iberia 99% %

10 Destination of live exports - (8) EU Spain Italy NL UK Other 6% % Steer carcass classification - Conformation Fat E+U R O P Total < < < Total 4 4 Steer carcass classification - Conformation Fat E+U R O P Total < < < Total 4 4

11 Overview of topics covered:. Climate and land use Continental X Hol./Friesian steers ~beefat4monthsofage Inputs Grazed grass.4 t DM* Silage.46 t DM*.8 animal units/ha N input ~ organic Concentrates ~inorganic 46 kg N/ha 4 kg N/ha kg* *per calf + yearling Continental X Hol./Friesian steers ~beefat4monthsofage Output per animal Liveweight Carcass weight 6 kg 3 kg Conformation ~ R ~O Fatness ~ 3 ~4 % 3% 6% 4%

12 Continental X Hol./Friesian males. Intensive increase stocking rate of steers. Steer beef at months old 3. Steer beef at 8 months old 4. month old bull beef Beef from the suckler herd ~ steers at 4 months & heifers at months Inputs Grazed grass. t DM* Silage. t DM*. livestock units/ha N input ~ organic Concentrates ~inorganic kg N/ha 9 kg N/ha 6 kg* *Per cow unit = cow (.9LU) + yearling (.LU) + calf (.3LU) =.9LU Beef from the suckler herd ~ steers at 4 months & heifers at months Output per steer/heifer Liveweight 69/4kg Carcass weight 39/3kg Conformation ~ U ~R Fatness ~ 3 ~4L ~4H 6/43% 39/% 9/% 4/4% 3/3%

13 Other issues Nitrates directive Criteria for Single Farm Payments (incl. cross compliance) Special areas of conservation Greenhouse gases Climate change Water supply and quality Consumer concerns (incl. animal welfare, meat quality, etc.) Go raibh míle maith agaibh! = Tack så mycket