A digital tool, initially developed for pastoral farmers in New Zealand, has enabled Deeside Monitor Farmers Duncan and Claire Morrison to successfully finish bulls at grass, resulting in significant cost reductions.
FARMAX is a modelling and decision software support tool that allows farmers to build a model of your entire farm system and use this model to record actual farm performance data, forecast future expectations, and create unlimited scenarios for your farm system.
Duncan and Claire run 248ha across three farms as a wholly suckler enterprise with 250 suckler cows and heifers going to the bull, comprising commercial and pedigree Aberdeen Angus and pedigree Stabilisers. They own 200 of the cattle and lease 50 Stabiliser cows.
As a young business, the Morrisons aim to grow while improving profitability, which is what inspired them to join the Monitor Farm programme. The initiative, managed by QMS with support from AHDB and funded by the Scottish Government, aims to enhance the productivity, profitability, and sustainability of Scottish farm businesses.
Meikle Maldron is one of nine farms across Scotland working collaboratively with specialists to address challenges and share best practices through practical demonstrations and discussions. Each Farm works closely with the programme manager and regional adviser, farm staff and trusted advisers to establish the baseline technical, environmental, and financial performance of the farm business.
A fan of rotational grazing, Duncan had come across FARMAX forage management software and has been using it as part of the Monitor Farm programme to plan and manage grazing.
The start of calving has been pushed back a week, while setting up winter or deferred grazing has helped with managing spring and summer grass availability.
Identifying that he had extra grass over summer and had previously spent thousands on feed to finish bulls inside, Duncan decided to experiment with finishing them at grass. Bulls were divided into two groups at turnout in April: those weighing more than 350kg and those weighing less than that. Both groups moved paddocks every two days or so. Bulls were offered approximately 1 kg/head of concentrate pre-turnout, which continued in the field in mid-April, with rates increasing towards finishing. Total feed use was 17 tonnes.
SAC senior beef and sheep specialist Kirsten Williams costed the system using the farm’s figures, with the only subsidy included being the beef calf scheme. Grazed grass was valued at 6p/kg DM, calculated based on the intake and weight of cattle during the grazing period.
Costs allocated to the grazed bulls cover all expenses from weaning through to sale, including additional haulage to transport the bulls from the winter housing farm to another for grazing, time spent bringing them in for slaughter selection, and some repairs. The system has given the husband-and-wife team confidence that the farm has enough quality pasture to finish bulls at grass, and so could also run steers at grass if processor requirements change in the future.
Duncan says: “FARMAX has helped me understand our own business and where the pinch points are for feed supply. For instance, I know if we will be short of grass in spring, and we can try to smooth out those bumps – it is about getting the most out of the farm. It’s about not missing opportunities.”
Bull finishing at grass vs intensive (per head)
Total variable costs: £217 at grass vs £629 intensive
Purchased concentrate feed: £157 at grass vs £546 intensive
Gross margin, including all forage costs: £501 at grass vs £184 intensive
Net margin, including fixed costs: £229 at grass vs £96 intensive
Share