Maximising performance to increase profits

The memorable year of 2025 for beef farmers has not carried through into 2026, with Irish beef producers facing a far more challenging trading environment.
Beef prices have declined by approximately 80c/kg, while factories have been slower to take cattle due to an apparent backlog of stock nationwide. As a result, winter finishers are under significant pressure, with farmers who purchased cattle at high prices in late 2025 now struggling to break even, and in many cases making a loss at current market prices.

Pressures

Reflecting on 2025, beef prices reached record levels, restoring profitability to suckler systems for the first time in many years and lifting confidence across the sector. However, volatility remains a key feature of the market. Ongoing global economic pressures, combined with fluctuating input costs such as fuel and fertiliser, are expected to contribute to a higher cost of production in 2026.

Optimism

As of April 2026, factory prices were beginning to stabilise, with some optimism for price improvement heading into the summer months. The national beef kill has exceeded 72,000 head, while young bull numbers have remained consistent with 2025 levels. This trend may indicate a gradual shift towards higher-output systems, with farmers increasingly targeting animals capable of delivering improved performance.
Profitability in any beef system is largely determined by daily liveweight gain (DLWG) relative to feed cost. Therefore, selecting animals suited to the intended feeding system is critical. For high-forage systems, non-continental breeds or crosses are generally more efficient, whereas continental-type animals typically require higher-starch diets to achieve superior carcass weights and kill-out percentages.

Understanding nutrition

A strong understanding of animal nutrition is fundamental to system success. Animals should be gradually transitioned onto their finishing diets over a period of several weeks to minimise the risk of rumen upset. Ruminants depend on a stable microbial population within the rumen to convert feed into usable energy and protein. Maintaining a consistent rumen pH is essential for optimal microbial activity and overall animal performance.
The inclusion of live yeast products, such as Yea-Sacc, has been shown to support rumen stability by helping to regulate pH and enhance microbial efficiency. Improved rumen function can lead to increased nutrient utilisation from both forage and concentrates, ultimately supporting higher DLWG. Research conducted at Teagasc Grange has demonstrated that the inclusion of Yea-Sacc in beef diets can improve performance by over 10 per cent (figure 1).

However, even the most well-formulated diet can only deliver results when supported by strong on-farm management. Feed systems must be consistently implemented, with attention to detail in areas such as feed delivery, animal health, housing conditions, and stock management. Ultimately, it is the combination of sound nutrition and effective management that determines the level of performance achieved on farm.