How Do You Like Your Steak?

“My personal favourite is rare, well-seasoned with salt and pepper and a creamy stilton sauce.  We will all have our own preferred level of ‘doneness’ when it comes to our steaks but one thing that all our steaks have in common is that almost 50% of the animals that these steaks derive from have been bred from a dairy cow.

 

Beef from the dairy herd is continuing to grow year on year in the UK and plays an integral role in the UK’s beef market and supply chain.  According to the latest data from AHDB, just over half of all cattle processed in the UK are born in the dairy herd, with 37% of the prime cattle now coming from dairy dams. 

 

So how has this change happened?  Over the past decade beef calves from the dairy herd has risen by a massive 77% due to advancement and reliability of dairy sexed semen.  This figure will continue to rise as dairy farmers embrace new technologies and strive for additional efficiencies within their business.  Technologies such as genomic evaluations and IVF will be key factors if this trend is to continue.

 

At the top of this change is the Aberdeen Angus calf followed closely by the British Blue. These two breeds equate to almost 40% of the beef calves born in the dairy herd (approximately 560,000 calves according to AHDB). Most other beef breeds have declined or plateaued apart from Wagyu beef calves which have risen from a few thousand in 2019 to 31,000 Wagyu beef calves being born in the dairy herd in 2023.

 

The UK suckler herd still plays a key part in producing over half our beef, but the  important role the dairy cow and the dairy industry will play in the future of the beef industry is huge. Opportunities within this rapidly developing market are there for those with the resources to grow, feed and finish cattle.  Vertical integration of this part of the supply chain has been successful and has made the process of selling the beef calf seamless. 

 

The original integrated supply chain continues to lead the way in its flexibility and transparency with its sole objective to add value and help protect the economies they serve.  This means that the live auction ring currently wins at delivering the best margins for these special beef calves bred from the dairy herd.  The weekly sale rings at Borderway demonstrate the same trends as the national cattle figures show with quality Angus and British Blues cross bred from dairy dams being marked from newborn calves up to finished cattle. 

 

In an industry where every little bit helps, it’s necessary to make sure the true value of your stock is being realised.  I’m convinced that dairy producers on some occasions are missing out on the true value of these important beef cattle.  I would like to encourage you to explore the options within the live auction system which is of course the original integrated supply chain. You might just be pleasantly surprised!

 

This leads nicely onto another important subject. For me our national security and food security is one and the same.  The new UK government, like the previous one, continues to flounder along with a policy focussed on so-called ‘environmental good’ with no ambitious strategy to expand our home-grown food production.  We do this at our nation’s peril especially when so many geopolitical situations currently seem fragile. The UK depends on the global supply chain, which can experience stress during these conflicts, and we should be treating our food security as a national security priority.

 

The dairy cow can and must play an important role not only in providing our nation with milk and dairy produce but also top-quality beef, allowing us to rely less heavily on imports. 

 

So, however we like our steaks, we should be thankful that we have a choice and let’s appreciate the dairy cow for everything she contributes to the national food chain. High quality milk along with all those delicious dairy products and remember that when you order your next steak the chances are its dam was a dairy cow. 

 

Thanks for milking…Glyn Lucas”