The performance of cattle during the winter-housing period should be monitored to ensure that cattle are meeting their target daily live-weight gains.

Farmers invest significant amounts of time and money into housing cattle for the winter period and often small changes can have a big impact on the amount of weight that cattle gain over the period.

While silage quality and the level of concentrate feeding are the most obvious factors that will impact winter weight gain in cattle, parasite control and animal health, feeding space, ventilation, lying space and water are also factors that can impact performance.

It is advisable to weigh cattle at housing and turnout and as the saying goes: 'You can't manage what you don't measure'.

Monitoring the weight gain of cattle over the winter will allow farmers to identify what changes if any need to be made to the management protocols on the farm.

The table below details guide average daily winter-weight gain targets for spring-born animals:

For suckler-bred steers, the aim is for a housing weight of 315kg in the first winter with steers going to grass at 315kg.

Suckler-bred steers should have a target housing weight of 580kg in their second winter and if going to grass for a third season, the target turnout weight should be 640kg.

Included below is the Teagasc guideline target weight-gain figures for both dairy-beef heifers and steers.

For male dairy-beef calves, the aim is for an average daily live weight gain (ADG) of 0.75kg/day during calf rearing (from purchase in mid March at 45kg) bringing them to a live weight of 95kg in mid-May.

From mid-may to mid-November (first season at grass), the aim is for an ADG of 0.7kg/day bringing the male calves to 240kg at housing.

During the first winter, the aim is for an ADG of 0.6/day, bringing the target weight to 300kg by early March.

For the second season at grass, the aim is for male cattle to gain 0.9kg/day, bringing the target weight to 500kg by mid-October.

For the finishing period, the target is for an ADG of 1.1kg/day, bringing the target weight at finish to 620kg in mid-February.

For female dairy-beef calves, the aim is for an average daily live weight gain (ADG) of 0.7kg/day during calf rearing (from purchase in mid March at 45kg) bringing them to a live weight of 90kg in mid May.

From mid May to mid November (first season at grass), the aim is for an ADG of 0.7kg/day bringing the male calves to 220kg at housing.

During the first winter, the aim is for an ADG of 0.6/day, bringing the target weight to 290kg by early March.

For the second season at grass, the aim is for female cattle to gain 0.9kg/day, bringing the target weight to 465kg by mid-September.

For the finishing period, the target is for an ADG of 1kg/day, bringing the target weight at finish to 510kg in late October.