Press Release - Dairy farmers should anticipate national shorgage of beef breeding heifers in three years time

Dairy farmers should anticipate national shortage of beef breeding heifers in three years time.

Dairy farmers can benefit from progressively developing shortfalls in domestic beef production by breeding, and rearing, beef cross heifer calves in anticipation of a surge in demand for bulling heifers from much more optimistic suckled calf breeders in two to three years time.
So says the National Beef Association which calculates that continued contraction in beef calf numbers is already on track to trigger extremely tight supplies of slaughter cattle over 2011-2012 – which will in turn persuade beef specialists to expand their herds and trigger a UK-wide search for suitable breeding females.
“It is time for the beef industry, and those who supply it with calves and replacement females, to take stock of the battering its production is already facing as a result of huge contraction in both the beef and dairy herds, and prepare for counter action,” explained NBA director Kim Haywood.
“Over the ten years ending in December 2008 over 240,000 suckler cows dropped out of the system and at the same time the number of dairy cows plunged by almost 550,000 head so it is no wonder store cattle prices are as hot as they are this spring and demand for dairy bred beef calves is flying too.”
“This year prime beef production in the UK is expected to fall below two million tonnes for the first time anyone involved in the industry can remember and this is an on-going result of a three percent drop in national calf output in 2006 and another 2.6 per cent fall in 2007.”
“Nor can anything be done about further production falls that are already in train for 2010-2012 as result of yet more shrinkage in calf numbers last year and further inevitable slippage this year too.”
“This disaster can be put down to a steady decline in industry confidence but counter signs, like unusually strong demand for replacement beef breeding heifers and store cattle, are beginning to emerge and it is possible, perhaps even likely, that in three years time the entire beef industry will have had a complete change of heart.”
“If this is the case there will be huge demand for suitably bred bulling heifers and dairy farmers who have anticipated this, and immediately set out to use more beef semen, could be on a double winner because the trade for beef cross bull calves may be even stronger than it is now while a well presented 15 month old beef cross heifer, able to produce a calf at two years old, could be worth a price that can only be imagined at present,” Ms Haywood added.
For more information contact:
Kim Haywood, NBA director.  Tel. 0131 336 1754/07967 698936