Beef future for dairy calves

Dairy calves could soon be grown on for beef production thanks to a new strategy being customised to suit the Tasmanian dairy industry.

Dairy Australia and TasFarmers today launched the 10-year Tasmanian CalfWays Action Plan at Agfest which will investigate the commercial viability of beef‑on‑dairy production.

The aim is to improve sustainability by creating value from non-replacement dairy calves, which currently go to slaughter with next to no return to farmers.

By tailoring the project to the state’s distinct farming systems, freight challenges and processing constraints it is hoped that dairy farms will get on board in coming years to help the program evolve into a new income stream.

The Tasmanian Plan follows the release of the National CalfWays Roadmap, which aims to build sustainable market demand for non-replacement calves. 

The first project under the Plan will see Dairy Australia work with a large northern Tasmanian dairy to assess profitability drivers for beef‑on‑dairy enterprises in seasonal systems, with the findings to be applied more broadly across the state. 

This pilot is grounded in real farm systems and is the first step in testing how the Action Plan can be delivered on farm before opportunities for scaling are explored.

TasFarmers chief executive officer Nathan Calman said the work is about giving farmers practical options and long-term certainty in their dairy businesses.

“This has been a priority issue for the industry for years. What we’re doing now is putting structure around a solution,” Mr Calman said.

“We’re starting with a pilot, but the goal is clear, we are seeking to create real market value where there hasn’t been one.”

Mr Calman said a state-based Action Plan was critical, with Tasmania’s unique position as an island state, freight barriers and limited processing capacity requiring a different approach to the mainland.

“Everything here is more spread out. You can’t just move stock or scale up systems the same way as you can in the larger markets on the mainland, say in Victoria or NSW,” Mr Calman said.

“This Action Plan is about building something that works in Tasmania, not copying and pasting those models.”

The 10-year framework is designed to give producers clearer direction on how to manage non-replacement calves as part of their business by creating value while also improving care pathways and outcomes for calves.

CEO of Dairy Australia Matt Shaffer said the initiative would help underpin the industry’s sustainability goals and align with community expectations around animal health and welfare.

“Our industry has a shared goal to see every calf enter the value chain by 2035. CalfWays supports this goal by broadening supply options for buyers, particularly through the growth of dairy-beef channels, without distorting existing markets or compromising milk production,” Dr Shaffer said. 

“Valued market chains for non-replacement calves are vital for farms to be profitable and our industry sustainable.”

South Riana dairy farmer and Tasmanian Dairy board member Brodie Hill welcomed the initiative and is considering a future where he doesn’t have to send poddy calves to the abattoir.

“It’s fantastic that the industry is trying to look at pathways and deal with the issues we have with bobby calves that come up in our seasonal calving operation - it’s great that they’re throwing some resources behind it and that the whole industry is working together.

“We all want to see a value-adding market that adds to the bottom line as well as produce a good welfare outcome for the calves.”