Why 'Maternal Matters' in the suckler herd

When it comes to raising the profit margin, AHDB’s Maternal Matters campaign brings the focus away from carcase traits and back to the maternal performance of the suckler cow.

The importance of maternal characteristics is underestimated in the English suckler herd with only 82 per cent of suckler cows producing a calf each year. This is quite a different story from what is considered the norm in other countries such as the USA, Canada and Australia.

Improving suckler cow performance became the focus of AHDB’s Senior Knowledge Exchange Manager, Sarah Penrose’s, Nuffield Farming Scholarship, sponsored by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society and Worshipful Company of Butchers.  

The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness and increase the use of good maternal genetics within the English suckler herd whilst also informing producers of the management and selection practices required to enable greater cow lifetime reproductive performance and profitability. The work will incorporate key findings from Sarah’s study and focus on heifer development and breeding.  

You can follow the activity on Twitter using the hashtag #MaternalMatters. To find out more about the AHDB Maternal Matters campaign visit www.ahdb.org.uk/maternal-matters .

ABOUT AHDB
AHDB is a statutory levy board. Our purpose is to be a critical enabler, to positively influence outcomes, allowing farmers, growers and others in the supply chain to be competitive, successful and share good practice. We equip levy payers with easy to use products, tools and services to help them make informed decisions and improve business performance. Established in 2008 and classified as a Non-Departmental Public Body, AHDB supports the following industries: meat and livestock (Beef, Lamb and Pork) in England; Dairy in Great Britain; and Cereals and Oilseeds in the UK. For further information visit www.ahdb.org.uk