YPERIOS, the win-win combination!

GAEC DE KERBLEUNIOU - Guipavas (29)

In Guipavas, Finistère (29), Pascal Crenn breeds 150 dairy cows and is an enthusiast of YPERIOS crossbreeding. On the farm, all animals are weaned, including crossbred heifers. Read his interview below with Arnaud Tranier, YPERIOS 95 genetic technician.

150 dairy cows
1.2 million liters of milk + 70,000 liters of milk for calf feed
UAA: 200Ha including 17Ha of ware potatoes.

Pascal, can you tell us about the economic results of the YPERIOS cross?

“Here we keep crossbred heifers until they are 3, 3 and a half years old. We put them out all year round, and they keep the sloping land in good shape, adding value to the whole farm. At just over €5 a kilo, it’s a really interesting supplement to our income.

I sell around twenty JBs a year that I keep for up to 2 years, and it’s clear that the difference between a YPERIOS Excellence cross that’s going to be R+ and a black one is a quick calculation.

For example, in March I sold a 385kg black for €4.60 a kilo and a 454kg cross for €5.20 a kilo. That’s a difference of 600€, which is anything but negligible.

Not to mention the fact that black people value their food much less. They eat more and often take 2 months longer to reach the same weight.

What’s more, in general, YPERIOS crossbreds are fairly calm but also hardy animals that can spend the winter outdoors even in rainy years like this one.

Arnaud, what feedback are you getting from buyers about YPERIOS crossbreeds?

“Feedback from bull calf buyers is fairly unanimous about YPERIOS, as the carcasses are well adapted to demand. Since they can be processed into cuts or minced steaks, YPERIOS crossbred JBs are a real response to current consumer trends, with portions that don’t inflate the price for the consumer.

It’s a profitable solution for breeders too. Given the high demand, we’re seeing purchase prices in the field of between €5 and €5.30, which don’t vary much, as do the classes, which are usually between R- and R+.

Pascal, tell us about your renewal strategy / crossbreeding?

“I used to only crossbreed with cows that didn’t retain, but given the ease of birth and the very good conformation of animals with YPERIOS bulls like POGBA EXC or HELVYN EXC, I can now crossbreed without any problem right from the 1st AI and get good value out of these animals.

I genotype all my heifers and base my mating decisions on their UIS. I use sexed female semen on the best ones and I make about 60% of crosses almost exclusively with YPERIOS Excellence.”

Arnaud, fattening crossbred heifers is an interesting outlet for dairy farmers?

“YPERIOS crossbreds lend themselves very well to fattening, they start well, they’re easy to handle and above all they optimize feed much more than pure Holsteins. Here in Finistère, we’re seeing a big reduction in the number of suckler herds, and in this very dairy sector, breeders want above all easy calving without forgetting conformation.

With YPERIOS, they can find both, with the added bonus of breeding comfort and growing recognition from buyers. It’s a real win-win solution.

Pascal, the final word?

“To conclude, we can say that today the margin achieved is equivalent to the cost of the employee over the year, so we have no regrets at all about keeping the young cattle fattening workshop and trusting YPERIOS for all these years!”