Cashing in on data collection

Investing in data collection infrastructure has allowed one Scottish pedigree herd to make notable genetic advancements

Investing in the right equipment has been essential for Chapelton Farm to safely and efficiently collect data needed to improve genetic progress. Arrowquip’s Q-Catch 86 Series Manual Squeeze Crush from Wise Agriculture Ltd has allowed the farm to weigh finishing steers at a spot rate of 100 head per hour in a calm and safe environment.

While the business philosophy of “you can’t manage what you don’t measure” is nothing new, sometimes a fresh approach is needed to make the most of that collected data. For fifth generation pedigree and commercial suckler producer, Donald Biggar and his two sons, Duncan and James, of Chapelton Farm, progressing data collection and application in the last 10 years has shaved finishing times down from an average of 24 months to 19 months.

Located near Castle Douglas in South West Scotland, Chapelton Farm’s pedigree herd consists of 160 head, split evenly between Aberdeen Angus and Beef Shorthorn cows. An additional 240 cows make up the commercial herd, which is self-replacing utilising only genetics from the pedigree herds.

“We use our commercial herd to test and improve the genetics of our pedigree herd so that we can continue to enhance production genetics for our customers. Clients are typically commercial producers breeding their own replacements. This means they need to produce offspring that are highly fertile, easy calving and will also wean off grass and perform well on a predominately forage diet,” explains James. “Along with only utilising genetics from the pedigree herd, we started collecting additional data on the commercial herd four years ago to feed back into pedigree breeding decisions.”

For James, Duncan and Donald Biggar of Chapelton Farm, balancing terminal and material traits is a necessity to provide customers with genetics that will optimise suckler herd and finishing unit performance.

In principle, the process sounds simple. However, it requires disciplined recordings of relevant traits that are scored by the farm’s own ranking system and compiled into a spreadsheet. At birth, calving ease, birth weight, calf vigour, calf size and cow docility are recorded. Confirmation and fat cover from carcase data are also fed back into the analysis, as well as days to slaughter and average lifetime daily gain.

“This process gives each animal multiple data points which can be used to rank all sires and dams used within the business. This data is used to identify animals that are not suitable for breeding,” explains Duncan. “Ease of management is predicated on cow docility. Calving data that suggests a higher than average intervention rate is also likely to result in deselection. Interestingly, our data suggest that calving ease and calf size or weight are not always closely linked, so the full range of data must be considered.” 

Production genetics  

The on-farm index is then used to select the highest performing pedigree sires based on the commercial offspring’s data points, which is analysed in conjunction with phenotype, and BREEDPLAN EBVs.

“She first has to first give you a calf at two years old, and then continue to give you a calf every year for the following eight years. Until your cows do that, nothing else is worth chasing.”

- James Biggar

“We are careful to make balanced trait-selections. If we were to get too excited about a terminal trait like growth, for example, then we risk damaging maternal traits like calving ease,” explains Duncan. “It is essential to analyse all of the traits that must be combined into one animal.”

According to James, health status, fertility and structural correctness are the top priorities, and everything after that follows. Currently, conception rates average 92%, which the farm is working to progress to 96%.

“She first has to first give you a calf at two years old, and then continue to give you a calf every year for the following eight years,” says James. “Until your cows do that, nothing else is worth chasing.”

From birth to finish, data is collected from Chapelton Farm’s commercial herd to make strategic breeding decisions for its pedigree Aberdeen Angus and Beef Shorthorn herds. In the last 10 years, this practice has improved the farm’s efficiency by simultaneously decreasing birth weight and days to slaughter.

All cows are spring calving and pregnancy detected in early September. Anything that is open is culled post-weaning. To tighten the calving pattern, the breeding season is nine weeks long. On average, 87% of the herd calves within the first six weeks.

“When you’re calving almost 400 cows in nine weeks, with the majority of those calving within six weeks, it is essential from a labour and management point of view that females are able to calve unassisted,” explains Donald. “Our sire selection strategy has proven successful in improving calving ease, with the average birth weight reducing by 2kgs in the last three years. Our target is a birth weight in the 38-44kg range.”

Performance in the finishing pen

As Chapelton Farm made breeding decisions that resulted in lower birth weights, days to slaughter have simultaneously decreased for their commercial finishing steers. 10 years ago, steers were finishing at around 24 months. Through genetic improvement, 50% of steers are finished within 19 months and the longest days to slaughter don’t exceed 24 months.

“In the current market, days to slaughter is critical. Prime steers need to be finished as efficiently as possible,” explains James. “Better genetic selection, better grazing management and feeding at finishing have all contributed to earlier finishing of prime animals. Our target remains around 19 months, but I hope we can reduce this by an additional three to four weeks using better grazing management techniques and improved grass swards. This is work in progress and will take time but should offer significant savings.”

The business’s focus on profit from efficient production rather than end finishing weight, has resulted in a 600kg liveweight at slaughter for a 320kg carcass weight. Weights are taken every three weeks to keep an eye on average daily liveweight gain to market steers to M&S, Scotbeef and Morrisons.

“Because our genetic programme has allowed us to provide suppliers with consistent and uniform cattle, we have a very good relationship with them. Currently, we are hitting spec 98.2% of the time, which is essential to stay profitable,” says James.

Investing in the right tools

Donald, Duncan and James all agree that one big key to success in continually recording and analysing data has been the investment in the right infrastructure. Recently, the business started to upgrade its cattle handling facilities with an Arrowquip Q-Catch 86 Manual Squeeze Crush from Wise Agriculture Ltd to improve safety and efficiency of cattle handling.

Weights are taken every three weeks to keep an eye on average daily liveweight gain to market steers to M&S, Scotbeef and Morrisons.

“The Q-Catch 86 crush is designed based on animal behaviour research into low-stress cattle handling, which means it is very quiet and keeps cattle calm and moving forward. Two of us have weighed steers at a spot rate of 100 head per hour because you can operate the headgate and the rear gate at the same time,” says Duncan. “The calmer we can achieve cattle handling tasks, the faster we can get them done. We want low stress for us, our team and our cattle. In return, all parties perform better.”

“The calmer we can achieve cattle handling tasks, the faster we can get them done. We want low stress for us, our team and our cattle. In return, all parties perform better.”

- Duncan Biggar

While it is largely anecdotal, the data collected, and visual assessment has shown a correlation between animals that get more stressed and increased days to slaughter. According to Donald, this is just one more factor why selecting for docility is so important to the business.

“Responsibly handling livestock means investing in the right facilities and making culls when necessary to provide our employees with a safe working environment,” concludes Donald.

This article originally appeared in the January 31, 2020 Beef Special of Farmers Guardian and has been republished with permission.