Scottish Agricultural College is advising farmers to get their cattle pregnancy scanned early to “improve efficiency, reduce emissions and maximise profitability.” According to Robert Ramsay, agricultural specialist at SAC consulting.

The advantage of scanning early can make sure that empty cows are not being retained unnecessarily and add to costs and emissions. It is also important to identify twins as soon as possible so as to implement the appropriate nutrition to ensure successful calving. Ramsay advises to “ideally get your scanning booked in about six weeks after breeding to get the best results.”

With cull prices high in recent years, farmers in Scotland have been taking advantage of culling poor performers. Data from SAC shows that achieving 5% greater calf numbers, by reducing barren cows and calf mortality, could improve finisher cattle sales by over 3t of live weight per 100 cows, as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 10% per kilogram of carcase weight.

From his own experience, vet Tim Geraghty, from SRUC Veterinary Service, says:

“Even the ‘leanest’ systems will likely be handling cows in the coming months to facilitate weaning, a shift to autumn/winter systems, or both. Getting a pregnancy test done at the same time is a low difficulty-high return intervention as it ensures only productive cows are carried into winter. There are very few beef herds that have such consistently high fertility performance and low wintering costs where a pregnancy test done at an early autumn management handling does not yield a cost: benefit.”

The aim of FFBC, run by SAC Consulting, is to support farmers to find practical ways to cut carbon, increase sustainability, and move towards net-zero emissions within their farming system. This is through a combination of the findings from its volunteer Climate Change Focus Farms, the latest scientific research and discussion groups, and an understanding of the wider context of the changing economic and policy landscape.

“Against a backdrop of reducing farmgate prices and changing support payments, farmers need to continue to strive for optimised performance in everything they do,” advises Mr. Ramsay. “Those who get their house in order just now will be best placed to weather whatever the future has to hold.”