Signing up to Stabiliser made sense for family

Mar 8 2008 The Journal

BEEF producers throughout the North West have pledged unprecedented support in the Northwest Stabiliser Project.

The three-year £375,000 Foodnorthwest initiative is funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA).

Within three years of its launch, five new multiplier Stabiliser herds have been established to contribute to increasing the pool of breeding stock, and more than 1,000 Stabiliser-sired animals are on the ground.

Of these, 110 are pure bred.

In addition, 900 sucklers are currently in calf to the Stabiliser.

More than 200 farmers have registered an interest in the project of which so far around 30 have ordered either semen or bulls to breed Stabiliser replacement heifers by grading up from their existing suckler cows.

Project co-ordinator Lowri Williams said: “The interest from the region’s farmers in Stabiliser cattle has been quite unprecedented and the Northwest Stabiliser Project has exceeded the targets it had been set to achieve.

“With a projected return of £10.8m to the industry over 10 years, we believe that the initiative is on track.”

The project was originally designed to enable North West suckler producers to introduce composite breeding strategies as a catalyst to improve the efficiency and quality of beef production and subsequently enhance the competitiveness of their suckler herds, and that objective has never before been more relevant.

“The farmers who have expressed interest so far have one thing in common, they are all seeking the opportunity to reduce escalating production costs and improve the output value of their suckler enterprises, and the Stabiliser is providing them with a solution,” Lowri added.

“The Stabiliser is a composite damline imported eight years ago by the Stabiliser Cattle Company from the USA where it was developed to deliver consistent high-quality beef produced for least cost per kilo in subsidy-free systems.”

In 2007, 9,300 cows were mated by Stabiliser bulls. These cows are scheduled to deliver cost savings of £97 a head per year based on the top third of Signet performance recorded herds in 2006/07.

Among them are Richard and Charles Geldard who hosted an open day this week on their family’s Low Foulshaw Farm, Levens, near Kendal, one of the Northwest Stabiliser Project’s official Focus Farms.

“We are finding that the Stabiliser is starting to play a major role in our 150 cow suckler enterprise, and its performance so far reflects that already achieved by established herds in the UK,” Richard said.

“For example, the calving interval among our Stabiliser cross cows has been reduced from 18 to 14 weeks and is on track to achieving the herd’s three-month target calving interval. In addition, the Stabiliser’s ease of calving has been notable with up to 30% fewer cows and heifers requiring assistance. Our Stabiliser cross calves have a relatively low birthweight, a light frame, and are extremely thrifty.

“The entire crop of Stabiliser cross calves have been reared on milk and grass, and at seven month weaning the steers averaged 315kg, the bulls averaged 311kg, and the heifers averaged 274kg.

“The heifers are being returned to the herd for grading to purebred Stabiliser status, while we are finishing the steers within 16 months at an average 320kg deadweight to sell through the family’s farm shop.”

Lowri Williams added: “Stabiliser genetics are not only contributing to improved output in UK herds, but they are also making savings of up to 20% on labour and building depreciation, and a similar level on wear and tear of machinery and power requirements simply because of improvement in feed efficiency from grass, thereby reducing winter silage requirements.

“Their hardiness is also leading them to being housed later. We expect the cattle at Low Foulshaw to go on and make a similar reduction in production costs and increase the output value of the unit’s suckler enterprise.”