€5m per year forecast for heifer rearers

Contract rearers of dairy replacement heifers are on course to earn about €5 million per year, according to Teagasc estimates.

At the recent Collaborative Farming Conference in Clonmel, George Ramsbottom of Teagasc said if heifers from 1,000 herds are contract reared, it will be a € 19m per year business, offering a € 5m reward to rearers.

This is based on a 25% replacement rate in 120-cow herds, which each require 30 heifers at an average rearing fee €637 each for 590 days of rearing.