Dawn Meats developing profitable opportunities for dairy-bred calves

A PROJECT to develop and demonstrate profitable opportunities for dairy-bred male calves by taking them through to slaughter in their second year is being developed by the Dawn Meats Group.

Dawn is investing in the dairy beef production project adapting the most up-to-date information on production efficiencies with Teagasc

The meat processor and the authority have collaborated on numerous projects including the original Dawn Teagasc Beef Partnership Scheme.

Dawn said it will make its Dairy Beef Club deliver by marrying its marketing capability with production systems already developed by Teagasc on its beef and dairy units around the country.

Paul Nolan, group development manager with Dawn Meats, said the motivation for this project has come from evidence that the current marketing channels being used by dairy farmers for their bull calves are loss-making while better marketing outlets are possible.

A number of demonstration units are already being progressed in Johnstown Castle and on farms in the south, south-east and west with the first animals expected to be ready for slaughter in late 2011.

The project involves collecting two-week-old bull calves and delivering them to specialised rearing units that will be given a menu of feeding regimes for the production of suitable bull beef from 15 to 21 months of age. Open days are also planned.