Trying to make savings on feed costs is high on the agenda of every beef finisher this year, but some Northern Ireland producers cut the finishing period by 70 days last year, even though cattle gained an extra 30kg.

It was worth almost £150 a head - and this year it will be worth more than £200. The reason? Using bulls with high EBV figures.

The EU funded Beef Quality Initiative - based on a hefty £6m grant - has just come to the end of its five-year programme, which subsidised the purchase of performance recorded bulls to 900 Northern Ireland beef producers.

Farmers who were able to claim back 50% of the purchase price of high-ranking bulls have reaped the benefits, says beef and sheep development adviser Kieran Mailey, who is based at Greenmount College.

"Northern Ireland beef production needed to improve in terms of better performance of finishing cattle and a planned approach to breeding suckler herd replacement females.

Source: Farmers Weekly Interactive