New profit levels reached on beef farm

IMPROVED cattle prices will bring the gross profit margin in 2011 to €994 per hectare (€402 per acre) at the Derrypatrick suckler beef demonstration and research farm at Grange, Co Meath, according to Teagasc.

Set up in 2009, the farm has been controversial due to teething problems, with difficulties for management in getting top-quality calves born alive, and a major breeding setback when an infertile bull led to a high empty rate in half of the herd. But latest figures indicate the farm is well on its way to the objective of a blueprint for high suckler farm profitability.

Current profitability is considerably higher than the average achieved on commercial farms, measured by the National Farm Survey (€141/ha) or eProfit monitor data (€391/ha).