Glossary of Beef Farming Related Terms

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

A

Aberdeen Angus x: Crossbred calves from the dairy herd are required for the finishing scheme

Aberdeen Angus: Breed of choice for the Blade Farming scheme

Arla: One of the leading milk buyers and processors in the UK

B

Bio-security: High levels of bio-security are practiced on Blade units and encouraged throughout the production chain

Blade Farming SW Ltd: This innovative business was founded in 2000 and is the UK's largest beef farming business, rearing up to 12,000 calves and contract finishing up to 10,000 cattle per year

Blade Farmworks: Extensive software package for beef farmers

Blended feed: Cattle feed normally in a coarse blend, mixed up but not formed into a nut.

BOCM Pauls: Nationwide animal feed manufacturer, supplying feed to the Blade Farming calf rearing units, working with Blade Farming to develop the Blade farming business

Britishangus.com: Newly launched website promoting the Aberdeen Angus breed

C

Calf Collection centres: Blade Farming only uses approved calf collection centres for the gathering of young calves. All centres are registered with Defra and Trading Standards

Calf colostrum intake: Adequate colostrum intake is vital for Calf survival

Calf marketing: For advice on the marketing of young calves contact Blade Farming who buy and sell all types of young calves

Calf rearing protocol: Clear guidelines for our Contract rearers to ensure that Blade calves are of the highest standard when they leave the rearing system

Calf welfare: High levels of calf welfare are practiced throughout the Blade business including the Rearing units and the Collection centres

Carcass weights: Carcass weights on the Forward contracts are tailored to suit the type of cattle being produced

Cereal based diet: Cattle finishing diets with high levels of starch.

Collection centre: Calf collection and sorting facilities strategically located in the south west, operated by Blade Farming and monitored by Defra

Complete diet feeding: Total Mixed Rations (TMR) for feeding to all ages of cattle, mixed up and blended on farm

Compound feed: Feed supplementation for cattle, normally in a nut or blend form

Concentrate feeding: Feed supplementation for all cattle finishing systems

Continental cross calves: These calves are bought and sold through our calf collection centres

Contract calf rearers: A network of 12 contract calf rearing units rear up to 12000 calves per year for the Blade Farming business

Cull / Barren cows: Marketing services for cull / barren cows and stock bulls

D

Defra: Monitor the Blade Collection centres and calf units

E

Electronic identification (EID): Electronic identification is used in the Calf rearing units, and can be requested by franchised finishers. Links into the Blade Farmworks programme can be established

Extensive beef system: Forage based meat production system, i.e. Blade Aberdeen Angus scheme

F

Farmacy.co.uk: On-line purchasing facility for pharmaceutical products linked to our partners the Westpoint Veterinary Group

Feed conversion rate (FCR): The rate of converting feed into growth, closely monitored in the Blade rearing units

Finished price contracts: Contracts available for all types of finished cattle

Forward price contracts: Contract prices available for certain breeds of calf

Friesian bulls: Finished price contracts are available for young well finished Friesian bulls

G

Genus ABS: UK's leading supplier of cattle semen. Working with Blade Farming to improve the quality of the beef coming through the Blade systems

Grass silage: High quality forage for cattle finishing

Grazing period: All the Aberdeen Angus cross cattle produced for the Blade system must have a grazing period of at least 6 months

H

Health history: All Reared calves are sold accompanied by a full health history

Holstein / Friesian bulls: Finished price contracts are available for young well finished Holstein / Friesian bulls

Holstein bulls: Finished price contracts are available for young well finished Holstein bulls

I

Immunoglobulin testing: Random blood testing to check Immunoglobulin levels in calves is carried out in the Calf units and Collection centres

Integrated beef supply chain: The unique Blade Farming business is a fully integrated beef supply chain

Intensive bull beef system: Intensive meat production system, based on housed cattle and straw and cereal diets, i.e. Blade Holstein / Friesian bull scheme

IT programmes: Extensive software packages for recording livestock performance

J

K

Key Performance Indicators (KPI's): Measurement system in place to monitor the performance of the Blade calf rearers

L

Linden Foods: Meat processor based in Ireland buying the Rose Veal produced in the UK by Blade

Livestock marketing: Advice on the marketing of all types of cattle

Liveweight gain: Liveweight gains are closely monitored in the units and on the Finishing farms

M

Maize silage: Quality forage for cattle finishing with high levels of starch

Marbling in meat: Important genetic traits of the Holstein breed which are passed on to their offspring and significantly affect meat quality

McDonalds: A major buyer of meat from the Romford group, who maintain close links with the Blade Farming team

Mineral supplementation: The correct vitamin supplementation in the diets is vital for quality meat production

Mineral supplements: High vitamin E mineral supplements must be fed to the finishing cattle to meet specifications

Mole Valley Farmers: The leading Agricultural supply Co-op in the UK. A main supplier of feed to the Blade calf rearing units. Working with Blade Farming to develop the Blade farming business

N

NatWest bank: National banking group providing finance schemes for Blade farming members

O

Organic meat production: Specialised meat production systems

P

Pain and gain contracts: Unique finished price contracts for cattle; only available through Blade Farming.

Pfizer: Major supplier of vaccines to the Blade calf units

Premium prices: Premium prices are paid for cattle that meet the predefined specifications

Q

R

Random blood testing: Carried out in the Calf units and Collection centres to monitor calf health

Reared calves: Calves reared to order in the Blade Farming contract calf rearing units. Normally sold at over 100 Kgs liveweight

Ringvac: Ringworm vaccine used as an integral part of the vaccination policy in the calf rearing units

Rispoval4: Vaccine supplied by Pfizer and used as an integral part of the vaccination policy in the calf rearing units

Romford Wholesale Meats (RWM Food group): The largest meat packaging business in Europe based in Huntingdon and supplying a number of major retailers throughout Europe

Rose Veal: Rose veal bulls are produced to a predefined specification by Blade Farming on contract to Linden Foods

RSPCA: Monitor the Blade Collection centres and calf units

S

Shearwell data: IT company working with Blade Farming to develop the 'Blade Farmworks' IT package for use on beef farms

Southern Counties Fresh Foods (SCFF): Modern meat processing facility at Langport in Somerset

Succulent meat: A characteristic of meat which is required by the consumer

Succulent meat: Cattle produced to the Blade Farming protocols regularly produce high quality succulent meat

T

Tenderness genes: Important genetic traits of the Angus breed which are passed on to their offspring

Tesco: Leading Retailer in the UK and the major customer for meat from the Langport plant

Trading Standards: Monitor the Blade Collection centres and calf units

U

V

Vaccination policy: A policy defined by our Veterinary Surgeons to improve the quality and health of Blade reared calves for the finishing units

Vitamin E: Vitamin E supplementation in the finishing period enhances the keeping quality of the meat

W

Weaned calves: Calves reared to order in the Blade Farming contract calf rearing units. Normally sold at over 100 Kgs liveweight

Westpoint Veterinary Group: Nationwide Veterinary group overseeing the health of the Blade calf rearing units

X

Y

Z