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Key performance indicators (KPIs) for beef sector
Suckler herds
| Key Performance Indicators | Performing well | Room to improve | Review performance | ||
| Age at first calving | 23-24.5months | 24.5-30months | 30-36months | ||
| Cows/heifers calved in first six weeks | 85-70% | 70-50% | 50-35% | ||
| Herd replacement rate | 14-16% | 16-19% | 19-22% | ||
| Calves alive 24 hours after birth | 105-95% | 95-85% | 85-80% | ||
| Calves weaned | 102-94% | 94-84% | 84-80% | ||
| Daily liveweight gain - Weaned calves | 1.6-1.2kg/day | 1.2-1kg/day | 1-0.8kg/day | ||
| Herd efficiency | 60-45% | 45-35% | 35-30% | ||
| Full economic cost of production | Per calf weaned | £600-650/hd | £650-800/hd | £800-1000/hd | |
| Per liveweight kilo of calves weaned | £2.00-2.25/kg | £2.25-3.00/kg | £3.00-4.00/kg | ||
Suckler herd KPI definitions
| Key Performance Indicators | Why you should do this KPI | Definitions | |
| Age at first calving | Reducing calving age is an effective way of reducing cost of production and increasing cow lifetime performance. | Total age of all first time calvers at point of calving divided by total number of first time calvers | |
| Cows/heifers calved in first six weeks | Achieving a tight calving block is an indicator of good fertility. In spring calving systems, increasing the 6-week calving rate ensures more calved cows can be turned out to grass at the beginning of the grazing season. Management procedures can be carried out more effectively and will result in more consistent, older, heavier calves at weaning. | Number of cows and heifers calved in the first 6 weeks as a percentage of the total number of cows and heifers put to the bull | |
| Herd replacement rate | Lower replacement rate can reflect increased cow longevity, with lower overall costs and higher lifetime productivity. However, after around 8 years of age, cow productivity declines and older cows can be replaced by heifers. | The number of females needed to replace those leaving and maintain herd size. | |
| Calves alive 24 hours after birth | Good indicator of herd health and fertility, also reflecting abortions and calf mortality around calving. Useful to compare against calves weaned KPI. | Number of calves alive 24 hours after birth as a percentage of cows and heifers put to the bull | |
| Calves weaned | Good indicator of herd fertility, health and calf mortality. Every herd’s aim is to wean one calf per cow put to bull. | Number of calves weaned (including calves sold before weaning) as a percentage of cows and heifers put to the bull | |
| Daily liveweight gain - Weaned calves | Indicator of calf growth. Good indicator of calf genetics, dam milking ability and grassland management. It is important that calf performance is achieved cost effectively. | Average weight gained from birth to weaning divided by average age at weaning | |
| Herd efficiency | Herd efficiency is an overall KPI that takes account of the number and size (weight) of all cows/heifers bred and their relationship with the number and size (weight) of calves weaned and is linked to profitability. It is a reflection of herd fertility, herd health, genetics, feed quantity and quality and management practices. Herd efficiency is also an indicator of environmental impact. | 200 day adjusted daily liveweight gain as a percentage of the average weight of all cows/heifers put to the bull. 200 day weight is calculated by taking the average weight gained from birth to weaning divided by the average age at weaning, multiplied by 200 | |
| Full economic cost of production | It is important to calculate your Cost of Production (COP) as just changing physical performance is unlikely to impact your profitability unless it is achieved at the same or lower cost. Calculating your full economic cost of production (cash costs and opportunity value of family labour and owned land) ensures that you both reward yourself and the result can be compared to others and market prices. | Total livestock (breeding herd, calves and replacements) costs, including home-grown forage, plus total overheads, including value of unpaid labour, depreciation for machinery and property, rent and value of owned land divided by number of calves weaned or kg of calves weaned | |
Suckler herd KPI case studies
Practical examples from our strategic/monitor farms and how they use their KPIs to manage their business and performance.
Growing and finishing beef cattle
| Key Performance Indicators | Performing well | Room to improve | Review performance | ||
| Mortality - Beef stores and finishing | 0-0.5% | 0.5-1% | 1-2% | ||
| Age at slaughter | Intensive production | 12-13months | 13-16months | 16-17months | |
| Extensive production | 18-20months | 20-23months | 23-27months | ||
| Daily liveweight gain | Beef stores | 0.9-0.7kg/day | 0.7-0.5kg/day | 0.5-0.3kg/day | |
| Beef finishing | 1.7-1.5kg/day | 1.5-1.1kg/day | 1.1-0.9kg/day | ||
| Full economic cost of production | Beef stores | Per animal sold | £1000-1065/hd | £1065-1150/hd | £1150-1350/hd |
| Per liveweight kilo of animal sold | £2.00-2.10/kg | £2.10-2.40/kg | £2.40-3.10/kg | ||
| Intensive Beef finishing | Per animal sold | £1300-1350/hd | £1350-1460/hd | £1460-1600/hd | |
| Per liveweight kilo of animal sold | £1.90-1.95/kg | £1.95-2.20/kg | £2.20-2.60/kg | ||
| Per deadweight kilo of animal sold | £3.50-3.60/kg | £3.60-4.10/kg | £4.10-4.80/kg | ||
| Extensive Beef finishing | Per animal sold | £1280-1300/hd | £1300-1340/hd | £1340-1600/hd | |
| Per liveweight kilo of animal sold | £2.10-2.15/kg | £2.15-2.30/kg | £2.30-2.70/kg | ||
| Per deadweight kilo of animal sold | £3.80-3.95/kg | £3.95-4.20/kg | £4.20-5.00/kg | ||
Growing and finishing beef cattle KPI definitions
| Key Performance Indicators | Why you should do this KPI | Definitions | |
| Mortality - Beef stores and finishing | Important indicator of cattle health and management. | Number of deaths or casualties as a percentage of opening and incoming animals | |
| Age at slaughter | Reducing age at slaughter increases profitability and can reduce the industry’s impact on the environment. | Average of age of cattle sold finished (to market or abattoir) | |
| Daily liveweight gain | Indicator of cattle growth. This KPI is appropriate for cattle during growing or finishing periods and reflects animal health, genetics, feed quantity and quality, and management practices. DLWG can also be used as an indicator for environmental impact. | Average weight gained during time spent on farm divided by average number of days on farm | |
| Full economic cost of production | It is important to calculate your Cost of Production (COP) as just changing physical performance is unlikely to impact your profitability unless it is achieved at the same or lower cost. Calculating your full economic cost of production (cash costs and opportunity value of family labour and owned land) ensures that you both reward yourself and the result can be compared to others and market prices. | Total livestock costs, including cost of home-grown forage plus total overheads, including value of unpaid labour, depreciation for machinery and property, rent and value of owned land divided by number of cattle sold or kg of cattle sold | |