Contract aims at beef cattle

Ezicalve scheme seeks to achieve dairy farmers' buy-in as beef numbers fall. A new calf contract gives financial surety to breeders, calf rearers and finishers, says PGG Wrightson's supply chain manager Pierre Syben. It is the Ezicalve contract, aimed at getting more beef cattle from the dairy industry reports The Manawatu Standard. The beef industry is dependent on dairy farmers, said Mr Syben, as beef numbers fall, and dairy cow numbers increase, and the new contract is aimed at getting dairy farmers' buy-in. "A bobby calf is only going to be worth about $16 this year, maybe less. That's 20 per cent back on last year. So dairy farmers are better to use beef bulls or their semen. Under this Ezicalve contract, they'll get $40 for a heifer and $70 for a bull calf of 33 kilograms at four days," he said. Mr Syben said this gives more certainty to all players. "In the past, calf rearers were burned [losing money]. There just hasn't been the demand for the weaned calves."Mr Syben said the contract will give surety from conception to customer. It is called the Ezicalve contract after the Ezicalve bulls sold by the Ardo Stud at Marton, the Riverton Stud at Fordell and Shrimpton Hill in the South Island. They are selling low birthweight hereford bulls and semen. Some of the bulls also have a low gestation period. "The bulls produce calves, which cows are able to have naturally. They're not cow-killing calves," said Mr Syben, and the low gestation period gives dairy farmers more early milk once calves are born. The Ezicalve contract enables the dairy farmer to know calves resulting from an Ezicalve bull will be bought. The rearer also knows they will find a home and the fattener knows there will be a meat company to send the cattle to. He said in Australia, more livestock is contracted than in New Zealand.