Options for pure dairy-bred male calves

Mary Vickers

A technical report• Veal production systems

• Bull production systems – intensive and including home grown forages

• Potential to graze bulls for part of the system

• Steer production systems - intensive and including home grown forages

• Advantages and disadvantages of castration

• Effect of birth date on production system/marketing date

GB finished steer prices

230

240

250

260

270

280

290

300

310

320

J F M A M J J A S O N D

2006-2010 Average

2009

2010

2011

p per kg dw

Source: AHDB/EBLEX

GB finished young bull prices

210

220

230

240

250

260

270

280

290

300

J F M A M J J A S O N D

2006-2010 Average

2009

2010

2011

p per kg dw

Source: AHDB/EBLEX

Outputs

• A technical report

• Veal production factsheet

• Case studies & material for knowledge transfer

• Recommendations for future work:

R&D work

Knowledge transfer work

On-farm demonstration work

Time scale

• Work started July 2011

• Due to complete December 2011

• Available at www.eblex.org.uk

• Ideas for follow up work welcome ……………