BEEF producers could improve their enterprises by spending more time selecting cows to suit their farms.

Dr Duncan Pullar of the Meat and Livestock Commission said choosing the right cow to match the feed situation would yield better margins. He cited American trials which had shown that, where feed quality was low, bigger animals performed less effectively.

"In harsher conditions a smaller, thrifty cow, will do better on lower quality forage," he said.

There were a lot of breeds to choose from and a pick-and-mix approach could be useful on some farms. "Going for one breed might attract a price premium through branding, but it probably only has a limited attraction," he said. "Mixing up a few breeds is probably for most people."

Dr Pullar recommended that producers should check out the Breeds project operated by SAC, ADAS and Signet.

Dr Andy Forbes of Merial spoke about veterinary inputs on the farm and urged producers to work closely with their vets to make the best of their enterprise. He urged them to get way from thinking of vets' invoices as a cost to their business. "It has to be seen as a positive contribution and an investment," he said.