Aberdeen Angus beef production
Aberdeen Angus Quality Beef Ltd is an initiative set up to help producers meet consumer demands for superior quality beef. How does the performance of Aberdeen Angus cattle compare with that of Continental cross cattle? Aberdeen Angus cattle have been finished at Greenmount Campus over a range of systems since 1996 with the aims of quantifying inputs and determining the physical and financial performance of the animals. In these assessments cattle were sired by proven quality Aberdeen Angus and Continental bulls. Due to small numbers on each system the results presented in this note should be interpreted with caution.
Young Angus beef (14 months) compared with Continental stores
In 1996, ¾ Aberdeen Angus calves born to Angus x Friesian cows were finished out of the house in the spring at approximately 14 months of age. This enterprise was compared with Continental calves stored over the winter.
| Angus 1 | Charolais 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steers | Heifers | Steers | Heifers | |
| Live weight (KG) at slaughter or sale 2 | 451 | 445 | 430 | 375 |
| carcass weight (KG) | 243 | 239 | - | - |
| carcass grade 3 | 2.8 | 2.9 | - | - |
| carcass fat score 4 | 3.8 | 4.4 | - | - |
| winter feed costs(£) | 101 | 90 | 96 | 83 |
| Purchase price (p/KG) | 90 | 70 | 95 | 80 |
| Sale/transfer value | £389 | £382 | 115 p/KG | 95 p/KG |
| Margin over "store" costs and feed 5 | 100 | 51 | 225 | 48 |
1 Aberdeen Angus five steers, four heifers; Charolais eight steers, seven heifers
2 Angus cattle were slaughtered and Charolais cattle were weighed at the same time
3 where E=5, U=4, R=3, O+=2.5, O=2 and P=1
4 where fat class 1 = 1, 2 = 2, 3 = 3, 4L = 4, 4H = 4.5, 5= 5
5 includes premia + extensification
Summary
- Finished Angus heifers have similar margins to Charolais heifers but may have more value as breeding stock
- Continental steers sold as stores can be more profitable than finishing light weight Aberdeen Angus steers.
- Finishing steers at 14 months or less resulted in too many being under weight for Aberdeen Angus bonus payments.
Finishing ¾ Aberdeen Angus and Continental steers at under 18 months
In 1997, March born Aberdeen Angus steers and ½ Continental steers out of Aberdeen Angus x Friesian cows were slaughtered at approximately 17 months of age. The aim of this study was to take cattle to heavier weights at grass after a store period over the first winter.
| Angus | Charolais | |
|---|---|---|
| Age of Slaughter (months) | 17 | 17.5 |
| Carcass weight (KG) | 308 | 324 |
| Carcass grade | 2.8 | 3.0 |
| Carcass fat score | 4.3 | 3.5 |
| Price (£/KG) 2 | 1.59 | 1.43 |
| Value at Slaughter (£/head) | 490 | 463 |
1 Aberdeen Angus six steers; Charolais six steers
2 Includes bonus paid to members of Aberdeen Angus Quality Beef.
Gross margin was £31 and £39 higher for the Angus cattle when Continental steers were either finished during the last fortnight on grass or silage and concentrates respectively. This was in spite of the fact that the Continental steers had better carcass conformation and leaner carcasses. This was due to the higher price/ KG and shorter finishing period on the Angus system.
Summary
¾ Angus cattle can be more profitable than Charolais x steers where both are finished at under 18 months of age (provided bonuses are achieved on Angus cattle).
Finishing ½ Angus and ¾ Continental steers at 18 months
April/May calving Limousin x Friesian cows were bred to Aberdeen Angus, Charolais and Belgian Blue AI bulls followed by a Limousin stock bull. The Angus cattle were finished off grass at 15-16 months and the Continentals were also finished off pasture at 17-18 months of age.
| Angus 1 | Continental 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steer | Heifers | Steers | Heifers | |
| Growth rate | ||||
| Birth Slaughter (KG/d) | 1.0 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 0.8 |
| Age of Slughter (months) | 16 | 15 | 18 | 17 |
| Carcass weight (KG) | 290 | 239 | 342 | 271 |
| Carcass grade | 2.8 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 2.9 |
| Carcass fat Score | 3.7 | 4.4 | 3.6 | 3.7 |
| £/KG Carcass 2 | 1.62 | 1.42 | 1.48 | 1.49 |
| Value at slaughter (£/hear) | 470 | 352 | 506 | 402 |
1 Aberdeen Angus six steers, eight heifers; Continental seven steers, six heifers
2 Includes Aberdeen Angus bonus
- Continental cattle had heavier carcasses.
- Continental steers had better conformation and leaner carcasses than Angus.
The shorter finishing period of Angus cattle means that, in a spring calving situation, they will not need to be housed before slaughter. The following table shows the financial implications of housing or not housing Continental cattle before finishing.
Partial budget comparing Angus with Continental steers and heifers
| Steers | Heifers | |
|---|---|---|
| At Grass | ||
| Lower Carcass value of angus | 36 | 50 |
| Cost of Grazing continental cattle | 14 | 12 |
| Net effect on margin (£) with Angus Beef | £22 lower | £38 lower |
| If Continental cattle were housed | ||
| Cost of finishing continental cattle (£) | 47 | 44 |
| Net effect on margin (£) with Angus Beef | £11 higher | £6 lower |
Summary
- ½ Angus heifers can become over fat at low carcass weights and therefore are less profitable than Continental heifers.
- ½ Angus steers finished off grass are slightly more profitable than Continental steers where they have to be finished out of the house due to deterioration in ground conditions.
- ½ Angus steers are less profitable than Continental steers finished off grass.
Finishing Angus cattle at older ages
In 1998, the performance of steers and heifers sired by Aberdeen Angus and Limousin bulls born to April/May calving Limousin x Friesian cows was compared
| 1/2 Angus 1,2 | 3/4 Limousins 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steers | Heifers | Steers | Heifers | |
| Growth Rate | ||||
| Weaning Weight (KG) | 338 | 300 | 338 | 330 |
| Birth Slaughter (KG/d) | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| Slaughter data | ||||
| Age at slaughter (Months) | 23 | 18 | 22 | 19 |
| Carcass Weight (KG) | 327 | 235 | 354 | 288 |
| Fat Class | 4.0 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.0 |
| Grade | 2.8 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 3.3 |
| £/KG Carcass 3 | 1.70 | 1.57 | 1.60 | 1.64 |
| Value (£/head) | 556 | 371 | 556 | 444 |
| Margin over silage and concentrates ( £/head) | 451 | 371 | 504 | 444 |
1 Aberdeen Angus seven steers, four heifers; Limousin eight steers, four heifers
2 Progeny of heifers
3 Includes Aberdeen Angus Quality Beef bonus
Note: Limousin and Angus steers were offered 208 and 94 KG concentrates respectively during the finishing period
- Angus steers had lower carcass weights than Limousin steers but a higher carcass value partially compensated for this.
- Carcass value of Angus heifers was £103 lower than that of Limousin heifers mainly due to the poorer conformation of Angus heifers.
Possible roles for Aberdeen Angus
- Aberdeen Angus beef will be attractive for a spring calving herd having Aberdeen Angus x cows with steers and heifers finishing off grass at 15-18 months of age.
- Second stage premium can be claimed on Angus steers but they must be managed carefully so that they do not become overfat. Angus steers can be finished at 22 months on a ration of quality silage only and less than 100 KG concentrate.
- Margin from finished Aberdeen Angus heifers will be £50-£100 lower than that from finished Continental heifers.
- To compete with Continental cattle, store price of Aberdeen Angus cattle must be lower or carcase value per KG must be at least 10 percent higher to compensate for the lower weight, poorer conformation and higher fat cover.
Technical note prepared by Norman Weatherup and William McLauchlan
Beef Technologists
Greenmount Campus
Beef Technologists
Greenmount Campus
