Beef production from dairy calves is on the rise. Dairy-beef made up 35% of GB prime cattle (12–30 months) slaughter in 2023, up from 28% in 2019.
With these rising numbers comes more dairy-beef trading, whether from farm to farm, through a mart, or via an integrator.
The NFU has put together a non-exhaustive list of questions that might be helpful for you to consider if you are thinking about joining a dairy-beef integrated supply chain scheme.
While not the primary focus of this guide, these questions may also be beneficial for those rearing/finishing dairy-beef outside of an integrated scheme, or are rearing cattle for someone else.
NFU Livestock Board chair David Barton said: “Dairy-beef production is on the rise, which is undoubtedly down to the success of the 2020-2023 GB Calf Strategy. As a result, we have seen more and more dairy-beef trading, particularly through integrated schemes, which are relatively novel and can be confusing.
This guide is not intended to be an exhaustive list and there may be other relevant things that you consider necessary to think about.
It is also not intended to be a template contract, nor to advise you about any negotiations or contracts for dairy-beef schemes.
“The NFU Livestock Board is pleased to publish the NFU’s integrated dairy-beef contract business guide, which we hope will be a key member benefit for those wishing to venture into dairy-beef production.
“Not every section or question of the business guide may be relevant to you, but the board has worked closely together, sharing their experiences, to identify key considerations which you may wish to consider in the context of your business.
“Ultimately, we hope this business guide will help members feel more confident and informed on a new, but growing, way of producing beef
