Richard and Bryan Coates have sold their entire crop of Charolais cross bulls in 2002 finished at an average 12 months, 360kg deadweight, and with 95% graded in the U specification to achieve their processors’ maximum weekly price.

As for the Charolais crossbred heifers, then the brothers say they are flexible over their marketing arrangements in order to achieve the best returns. "If the store market is buoyant, then the entire batch will be away without hesitation at the 12 month stage and 380kg to 400kg liveweight," says Richard. "However we wouldn’t hesitate to keep these heifers on for another three or four months and finish them ourselves to an average 320kgs deadweight if we reckon there’s a better margin to be made."

The Coates farm 1,500 acres all of which are in the LFA based at Braida Garth, near Ingleton within the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The unit carries 120 suckler cows and a 900 ewe flock. "This is essentially a stock rearing unit and we are totally committed to maximizing our resources and producing what the market is seeking at the lowest possible cost," he explains. "Whatever we rear, whether it’s for the beef or sheep market, we aim to get our share of the trade and that means selling well above the average price.

"For example, we used to sell our Charolais crossbred steers through Craven Suckled Calf Breeders’ Club and we were always among the leading averages. However, for the past 10 years, since changes to the payment system, we’ve been keeping the bulls entire and taking them through to finished weights," says Richard. "We’re currently supplying ABP York, an arrangement that suits us because we’re confident our Charolais crossbreds will consistently hit the required specification and achieve the company’s fixed maximum premium price. What’s more selling deadweight removes the price risk, and it’s convenient particularly when it comes to transport and time."

Charolais sired cattle have brought the Coates family great success, says ABP’s Emma Andrews-Moynan. "Overall, they’ve consistently hit the required specification over the last four years with 95% of cattle grading R4L or better and achieving ideal carcase weights. The icing on the cake came earlier in 2002 when they scooped the reserve supreme champion carcase at ABP’s annual carcase show with a Charolais crossbred bull, one of twins killing out at 340kg, U+3. In addition, at November 2001’s National Festival of Meat staged in London they were awarded reserve champion heifer killing out at 379kg, U+3 and 62%."

Six week old Charolais Cross Calf with Dam at Braida Garth

Running an efficient suckler enterprise has never before been so important. It calls for an optimum blend of genetics, feed and management, and the Braida Garth operation is demonstrating just that.

Charolais was initially introduced to the unit as a terminal sire back in 1970. "Dad went to Perth to the first ever sale of pedigree Charolais bulls in search of a terminal sire to replace our Hereford and leave calves with better performance," Bryan explains. "He met there the late Bobby Robinson, of Snipe House who soon convinced him Charolais was the breed to invest in, and he returned with Fairthwaite Merlin who cost 3,500gns and was the first ever Charolais to start working in a commercial herd in this area. And Merlin certainly left calves which met our expectations.

"Since, we proved Charolais time and time again and we’ve used the breed every year since, including bulls from Brampton, Gaer, Maerdy and Thrunton and currently from Lendor. They’ve each left consistently fast maturing calves with that weight for age – at 12 months Charolais crossbred bulls are on average 50kg liveweight heavier than other Continental crossbreds. They’ve that quality conformation and they always kill out around 60%."

Bryan says they’re also keen to maintain a quality Continental crossbred suckler herd, and this year the brothers travelled to Northern Ireland to select 40 beef cross dairy heifer replacements from one unit and guaranteed free of Holstein influence.

The herd is split between spring and autumn calving and each group of cows maintains a strict six week calving pattern. Cows which fail to conceive within the first 12 weeks of returning to the bull are culled. The entire herd is calved outdoors for ease of management and health reasons.

When it comes to feed, May born calves are housed from mid October, introduced to a low cost cereal mix before being weaned in February. Bulls are introduced to slatted courts and continue to be fed the same mix to finishing by which time they’re eating up to 4.5kg a head a day. Similarly, the autumn born calves are housed at the same time, and introduced to creep from January through to May apart from the bulls which are housed on the same diet through to finishing. Cows and heifers are winter fed low input diets based on quality grass silage – a minimum 12.5ME.

"As far as the enterprise’s future is concerned we’re committed to this unit and maintaining the landscape under the current regimes," says Richard. "We’re also focused on keeping costs as low as possible and at the same time keep stepping up our Charolais crossbreds’ quality by a notch or two in order to ensure we continue to realise maximum market value and subsequent output per area."

· ABP’s customers include the multiples ASDA and Sainsburys, and to meet their requirements it seeks cattle that perform efficiently for both producer and through its production line, says the company’s Emma Andrews-Moynan. "As well as a good shape and a suitable covering of fat, preferably 3 or 4L, our other major consideration is carcase weight. We have a strict specification to comply to in terms of the finished retail product so it’s vital that we begin with the right raw material.

"Nationally, cattle suitable for slaughter in the UK struggle with underweight heifers, fat heifers, oversized bulls and over fat steers," she says. "In fact MLC figures suggest that only 48% of slaughter cattle grade R4L and better. Other revelations include 30% of heifers and 20% of steers are over fat, 47% of heifers are underweight and 30% of steers and 20% of bulls are overweight. So beef producers have plenty of room for improvement."

Correct choice of breeding and a knowledgeable producer are key, Emma explains. "Our producer group members have certainly noticed that Charolais sired cattle are able to produce what we as processors do actually require in terms of shape, fat cover and ideal weight.