Expected results

On the farms of the Operational Group, based on reproductive management, approximately 250 male calves are produced per year, which are either sold in the first month of life or remain on the farms for fattening. Their meat is sold at a low price, €2.6-3.2 per kilo. Given the lack of know-how for fattening black-and-white calves, they are slaughtered between 13 and 18 months of age, resulting in great variation in slaughter weight, carcass yield and the quality of the meat produced. These are inhibiting factors for the profitable commercial exploitation of meat. Essentially the breeders cover the costs of fattening the calves with minimal profit margins.

With BlackWhite an increase in economic performance is expected to approximately 20% of the current selling price of the meat by applying the optimal method of fattening calves for maximum performance in a carcass with high quality meat. This approach can be transferred to other similar farms. In particular, according to the latest available data, in 2019 approximately 8,800 and 6,600 calves were slaughtered in the prefectures of Xanthi and Thessaloniki, where the Project will take place, respectively. These data highlight the possibility of immediate further exploitation of the results of the Project.