Suckler beef systems – assessing steps to improve profitability

Introduction Ireland is the fifth largest net exporter of beef in the world, exporting 90% of the total 520,000 tonnes of carcass weight produced in 2014, valued at just under €2.1 billion. A further 210,000 cattle, worth €162 m, were exported live. Beef production is the most ubiquitous farm enterprise activity in Ireland with the beef sector one of the main contributors to the Irish agri-food industry, accounting for 34% of total gross output value in 2014. Of the 139,000 farms nationally, beef production activities occur on almost 80% with this output largely generated from the progeny of the suckler beef cow herd. Despite the significance of the beef sector to the national economy, family farm incomes are low, with many beef enterprises operating at a loss when EU and national farm support payments are excluded. Improving profitability on suckler beef farms nationally is a challenge for all stakeholders associated with the industry. The purpose of this article is to outline the key factors that influence the profitability of suckler beef systems and in this context to present analysis highlighting the importance of suckler farms operating to very high levels of management and production efficiency.