Scoping the development of high value beef production from dairy bulls using forage-based systems

Rearing male dairy calves is not a common practice in Australia but has been successfully adopted overseas in dairy and beef production systems using grain and protein concentrates. There is a shortage of information about cost effective forage feeding systems that can be used in Australia to achieve target growth rates for male dairy calves to become a high value beef product. The desktop study conducted a literature review and investigated the cost: benefit of a range of current and potential feeding systems. There was limited published information regarding the nutritional requirements of male dairy breed calves and a lack of data available on the potential growth rates and subsequent carcass characteristics from forage-based feeding systems. The economic analysis clearly identified that forage-based systems have the potential to improve the gross margin and return on investment of dairy beef production systems for a range of Australian beef markets. The cost of calf rearing was also identified as a key barrier for achieving a profit. The economic analysis of eight feeding systems across a range of beef markets has clearly identified the production and economic potential of low-cost high-quality forage systems and the future RD&E needs for growing out male dairy calves.