Bull beef system ’more efficient’

Bull beef systems are significantly more efficient than steer beef systems, and have been shown to have the potential to increase margins per hectare, Teagasc director Professor Gerry Boyle said at last week’s Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture’s debate on the beef and livestock sector.

He said the large increase in bull beef production in recent years has been driven by the opportunity to produce higher outputs of beef per hectare, especially when there was no price advantage per kg for steer beef, and recent Teagasc research into bull beef systems has been supported and encouraged by all of the key beef industry stakeholders.

Bull beef systems that have been incorporated onto commercial demonstration farms have demonstrated high margins per hectare relative to other beef systems, and the Teagasc Derrypatrick suckler herd which finishes bulls was established in consultation with all the main beef industry stakeholders, said Prof-Boyle. He said Teagasc advice has always been and continues to be that farmers considering finishing bulls should first establish that they have a market outlet.