Press Release - Take a Ballymena Farm Walk to Profit!

TAKE A BALLYMENA FARM WALK TO PROFIT!
FARMERS seeking to make more money from running suckler cows should plan to walk the Ballymena farm of Billy O’Kane next Tues, Aug 30 from 5pm!
 A farm business where over 95 calves per 100 cows are produced every year compared to a national average of only 80 calves born to every 100 cows kept! 
Organised by ‘farmers for farmers’ this National Beef Association ‘ How to  have 95  calves per 100 cows’ event includes an update on herd health Issues by vet Mairead O’Grady from sponsors MSD Animal Health. Other sponsors are Ulster’s leading supplier of robust, off road vehicles, the Donnelly Group, www.donnellygroup.co.uk and the Ulster Bank.
 Billy and Liz O’Kane run a 90 cow spring calving suckler herd with all calves taken to beef on their 350 acre farm where the other main enterprise is a flock of 1000 outdoor lambing New Zealand Romney ewes.
 Unlike most herds Billy O’Kane’s generates sufficient profit to produce a living wage without touching most of the Single Farm Payment. The position every beef producer must plan to reach before CAP reforms and inflation decimate Single Farm Payments by 2015!
 “The biggest single influence on suckler profitability is total kilos of weaned calves per cows and heifers put to the bull each year so having the correct cow type is critical,” says Billy.
 “We tried the usual route to making a profit, running big, well muscled continental cows put to even more muscular bulls to produce much admired cattle. Cattle that left a loss on our bottom line and a business depending on Single Farm Payments.
 “Hence our logical switch to smaller, more fertile Stabiliser cows and bulls offering 16% extra output for free, thanks to hybrid vigour. A cross of two native breeds, Hereford and Angus, with two continental breeds, the Simmental and Gelbveigh, Stablisers require a lot less input of precious time and costly feed. Calving down at two years old heifers join a herd with a 361 day calving interval.”
 A qualified vet Billy notes that the bulk of the herd calves outdoors with no checks needed between11pm and 7am.
 Most bulls are kept entire and sold for breeding or, when finished aged just 14 months, through Ballymena Mart to average £1060 net and 640kg liveweight, that is 350kg dead weight.. With a daily liveweight gain of 1.5kg from weaning these bulls consumed one tonne each of meal at a cost of £170.
 Yearling heifers not required as replacements by Billy were sold privately this year as bulling heifers at an average price of £800 having consumed 250kg of meal costing £42.
 Figures to make taking this NBA farm tour with Billy O’Kane a must for those planning to produce beef from sucklers at a profit and leaving their Single Farm Payment intact.
 “”This will be a walk and talk event around the stock where our ideas and our experiences, good and bad, can be discussed with other farmers. A chance for us all to look, listen and learn at a time when prospects for efficient beef production are the best seen in a generation.”
 To visit the O’Kane family farm drive from Ballymena by pass towards Broughshane and then turn right into Woodside Road up past Ballymena Mart. A mile beyond the Mart swing right into their farm entrance at a stone wall just past a small cross roads.
  NBA finger posts will be in place from both ends of the Woodside Road and all attending must take bio security precautions regarding clean boots, clothes and vehicles.
 These thought provoking farm walks leave Billy O’Kane’s yard promptly at 5pm and 6.30pm to suit full and part time farmers, details on tel 07831 866260.
 Farmers in the west may wish to attend another NBA farm walk hosted by Stephen Maguire, Congo, Maguiresbridge at 2pm on Thurs, Sept 1.
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