Boards Beef Discussion Group

leg wax

moy83 wrote: »

How did you fare out with that 54 ounce steak the other day ?
I ate six double cheeseburgers without taking a drink in mcdonalds a few years ago

you should have tried a burger with some beef in it :D

Muckit

A proper steak burger from your local butchers is your only man Right or wrong I never eat beef burgers out of a chipper. Very fussy about burgers and mince :rolleyes:

pakalasa

You realise what crap you're eating from supermarkets, when you've eaten from our local butcher, I can tell ya. Sausages, burgers, steaks.....the whole lot. Delicious......

reilig

pakalasa wrote: »

You realise what crap you're eating from supermarkets, when you've eaten from our local butcher, I can tell ya. Sausages, burgers, steaks.....the whole lot. Delicious......

Further to that, you realise what crap you're eating from your local butcher when you have eaten an animal that you have reared yourself. Lamb cutlets, pork chops, T-bone steaks, proper mince as opposed to the stuff that butchers make up which usually contains the meat and rind that they can't otherwise sell, pork hocks, free range chicken. I'm dribbleing with the thoughts!! There's no eating like the eating on an animal or bird that you have reared yourself!!

Tora Bora

reilig wrote: »

Further to that, you realise what crap you're eating from your local butcher when you have eaten an animal that you have reared yourself. Lamb cutlets, pork chops, T-bone steaks, proper mince as opposed to the stuff that butchers make up which usually contains the meat and rind that they can't otherwise sell, pork hocks, free range chicken. I'm dribbleing with the thoughts!! There's no eating like the eating on an animal or bird that you have reared yourself!!

Further to that, you realise what you have lost when you get your home reared animal or bird slaughtered at an abbatoir, when you compare to the home slaughter and after slaughter management. Oooh, all that blood kept for the pudding! And all the other bits and pieces of offal, kept for the pudding, to add proper substance.
And the blood and rice pudding from the blood of your goose:cool:
And the duck ............... ahhhhh, duck liver pate:P:P
That reminds me, I've only one small piece of home cure bacon left after last years pig Need to purchase a pair soon;) They will be fed good barley and fine meal, not that shiete pig meal in the bag. Spare spuds. Bits of cabbage and other veg. They will be outside, rooting around. They will get a few apples in the weeks before they meet the firing squad. Then they will rest in peace in the timber barrell, my grandfather had, before hanging for a few weeks in the auld house to dry and harden. Wrap in news paper. Into the auld tea chest, and we will have a protein rich winter:D:D

Muckit

Tora Bora wrote: »

Then they will rest in peace in the timber barrell, my grandfather had, before hanging for a few weeks in the auld house to dry and harden. Wrap in news paper. Into the auld tea chest, and we will have a protein rich winter:D:D

What's the idea with the timber barrel? I heard the oul lad on about the hanging and the 'tea chest' alrite. How much salt would you need to hold the bacon from a pig? The tea chest was about 2'X3' was it?

moy83

leg wax wrote: »

you should have tried a burger with some beef in it :D

I think I read somewhere before that there can be beef from hundreds of cattle in the one mcdonalds burger from that mechanicaly retrieved meat . Unreal when you think about it , but I suppose when eating food like that they dont really want you thinking too much about where it came from .
I had T bone steak from a small 19 month angus x heifer the last day it was smashing , absolutely delicious, licked the plate after

Farmer Pudsey

1chippy wrote: »

what would the option on bullocks be like. cheers for the help

I believe that bulls are much more profitable that bullocks it is all a matter of being able to handle. I read somewhere that you would need a 70c/kg difference between bulls and bullocks for to castrate. A bull will kill 2/3 of a grade better than a bullock.

AA,HE etc all grade R as bulls as do all beef/dairy crossed. As bullocks there are mostly O+. Friesians 10-20% R's and the rest as 0+,O=.
I would not finish a bullock over the winter as I can get them back out within 120 days. So that means that I can overwinter a store bullock for 150-160 euro's. To finish he will cost 3 euro's a day and you may have to grow him for a month or so. Thii means maybe a 150 day inside at 2.5/day so 375 euro's and you need to buy grass cattle as well.

PatQfarmer

Tora Bora wrote: »

They will be fed good barley and fine meal, not that shiete pig meal in the bag. Spare spuds. Bits of cabbage and other veg. They will be outside, rooting around. They will get a few apples in the weeks before they meet the firing squad. Then they will rest in peace in the timber barrell, my grandfather had, before hanging for a few weeks in the auld house to dry and harden. Wrap in news paper. Into the auld tea chest, and we will have a protein rich winter:D:D

I know this is the Beef Discussion Group, but...:)
I've been feeding my two piglets barley and beet pulp, together with waste veg(almost perfect!) from local shop. They LOVE bananas:D
Am not sure that they have all they need from barley and was going to get the pig-meal.
Any other suggestions?

Muckit

Anyone intending to go to the Grange Open day next Wednesday? Sounds like it could be a good one. I'd love to get a glimpse at the Gaynor's farm where they are rearing the bulls

PatQfarmer

Muckit wrote: »

Anyone intending to go to the Grange Open day next Wednesday? Sounds like it could be a good one. I'd love to get a glimpse at the Gaynor's farm where they are rearing the bulls

Thank God you posted something, Muckit! I was starting to think I'd killed the group by asking a question about pig-feed on the 20th:D
Not going, but would like to:(

bob charles

Muckit wrote: »

Anyone intending to go to the Grange Open day next Wednesday? Sounds like it could be a good one. I'd love to get a glimpse at the Gaynor's farm where they are rearing the bulls

I remember years ago as a student in Dublin going for an old cycle to grange on Saturday afternoon to see the going on's. There was no one around anywhere so I had a right look. Didn't see a whole pile tbh, just a place where allot of people earn there crust and as far removed from the real world as possible. If heading along, take a view of do the opposite of what is being said:roll eyes:.

Had a wet day read of some of the farmers journal yesterday. Those lads at the fresian bull beef are on a lovely learning curve. Lots of figures seemed strange in there workings. Good to see an outlet for those by product calves I suppose.

Muckit

Didn't read the dairt beef bit as it doesn't interest me, but thought it was interesting the bit on the cont cattle and meal feeding levels with ad lib silage. The lads fed the least meal during the winter (2kg) made the most of converting grass come turnout.

pakalasa

bob charles wrote: »

Had a wet day read of some of the farmers journal yesterday. Those lads at the fresian bull beef are on a lovely learning curve. Lots of figures seemed strange in there workings. Good to see an outlet for those by product calves I suppose.

Nothing wrong with those steaks they showed either. 270 Kgs were the ideal carcase weight.

just do it

Muckit wrote: »

Anyone intending to go to the Grange Open day next Wednesday? Sounds like it could be a good one. I'd love to get a glimpse at the Gaynor's farm where they are rearing the bulls

Can't make it Muckit, and having never been to Grange I'd like to get up there to have a look (nose) around! Same as that my second meeting of the discussion group is on Tuesday and due to work can't make that either. What harm the farm it's on is the one I'd like to see most!

just do it

Jeez lads, I've to go and buy the comic now to see what ye're on about!:D;)

blue5000

Did anybody get any surprises in their icbf suckler cow reports? Biggest shock for me was that a pbnr bull I bought last year to run with a bunch of heifers has a suckler beef value of 142. Will definitely be holding on to him for a few more years.

Also any cow that is got by ai is streets ahead of cows got by stock bulls, on paper anyway:cool:

49801

blue5000 wrote: »

Also any cow that is got by ai is streets ahead of cows got by stock bulls, on paper anyway:cool:

Yes I have noticed that if you use AI and have the herd history going back your data will look much more impressive.... but it does not nessicarily follow that the herd is in fact better that.

We have several cows that we don't know who sired them for example and as a result their stats and those of their progeny are undermined. This will be ironed out as the years go on and these animals get culled i suppose:rolleyes:.

1chippy

This thread seems to be forgotten about so i thought i might bring it back up. Sorry if you didnt want to see it again but personally i liked it. If i'm not being too cheeky would there be any chance we could discuss suckler handling facilities, wintering sheds, calving gates, etc. kinda want to get a bit done on my own set up before winter kicks in and all suggestions welcome.

just do it

1chippy wrote: »

This thread seems to be forgotten about so i thought i might bring it back up. Sorry if you didnt want to see it again but personally i liked it. If i'm not being too cheeky would there be any chance we could discuss suckler handling facilities, wintering sheds, calving gates, etc. kinda want to get a bit done on my own set up before winter kicks in and all suggestions welcome.

+1

blue5000

1chippy wrote: »

This thread seems to be forgotten about so i thought i might bring it back up. Sorry if you didnt want to see it again but personally i liked it. If i'm not being too cheeky would there be any chance we could discuss suckler handling facilities, wintering sheds, calving gates, etc. kinda want to get a bit done on my own set up before winter kicks in and all suggestions welcome.

We have a small doorway at the exit of the yard, we use it to draft the calves from the cows to dose the calves. Cows need to have a bit of an appetite for grass so they run through easily, leaving the calves behind in the yard;)

just do it

I put a side door off the gable end pen in the slatted house this Spring. This has greatly improved the flow of cattle in and out. Then within the door there is a smaller door that acts as a creep gate for calves. I'll take a few pictures later

pakalasa

I think this thread died when someone mentioned 'Profit Monitors'. He turned around then and everyone was making for the nearest gate.

Muckit

The tread died because only a few threw their hat in the ring. Plenty went home with hats though

J DEERE

Been working away steadily here on calving pens, creep gates/areas and sheds for the last couple of weeks. The weather has forced us in out of the fields and into the sheds. No harm in a way because we used to always leave it until last minute to get everything in order for housing. Downside now is everything has been housed again so work has hit a standstill.

Main goals for this year is improving creep facilities. Will have about 20 Autumn calves due in the next 12 weeks. I'd be hoping to have a pen on slats for them when they go in as they will be 8-10 weeks old heading in. The cows will get 2kg of ration until they go back in calf (AI). After that I'll be feeding the calves. The creep area will just be a place where they can go and eat silage and ration without competing with the cows at the barrier. They will have a separate straw bedded area for lying. Also in the process of setting up the yard so that I can get these calves out to grass in early Feb. A creep gate will be set up leading out onto the roadway. Once its properly fenced they can access any paddock on the farm.

Been working on calving pens lately. Have two calving pens at the moment serving 45 cows (25 spring/20 autumn). Works out at about 12 cows to a pen. In the process of making 2 more pens, not really for calving but more so bonding areas for cows after they calve. Will be needed anyway as we build numbers, hoping to calve down 60 in 2014. A calving gate divides the two calving pens which enables us to use the gate from either side. Looking into buying a calving camera now, something compatible with internet and smartphone. Have shelves on the wall near the calving pen, handy for leaving ropes, iodine, lubricant, tags etc on just to have everything on hand.

We buy in 30-40 calves in Feb/Mar, mainly Friesian bulls. Up to now we have been using the immersion for inside to mix milk but will convert an old milking parlour/dairy this year and install a water heater for mixing milk. Can see this being worthwhile as I see myself rearing calves every year and will probably increase the numbers I rear in the future. Been considering buying some autumn born calves to see how we get on with them.

Have invested time and money in handling facilities, roadways, fencing and paddocks over the last couple of years. Its the simple things which really make a difference. Everything is now set up in the way one man can do everything by himself which is important as myself and the father both work part-time off-farm. Good facilities ease the stress on man and beast. During the week, I dosed and injected up to 60 weanlings in an hour without breaking a sweat. Have two crushes, one indoor and one outdoor. The indoor crush was made specifically for calves and weanlings whilst the outdoor crush is used for larger animals.

Will upload a few pictures when I get the chance but there's my hat in the ring for the time being...

moy83

Muckit wrote: »

The tread died because only a few threw their hat in the ring. Plenty went home with hats though

I would be guilty of taking the hat home with me , and mostly thats because im still trotting after the father doing things his way which is why I dont have alot to add to this thread . Our set up would be miles behind what some of ye boys have on the go and not productive at all really
But I find it a brilliant read and fair play to everyone that has added their experience and knowledge to it .

1chippy

I'm currently changing a section of an old slatted shed for autumn calvers. Its a three bay double two over tanks, one dry. I am going to put a three foot gate in the middle of the dividing gate on the slatted section and a creep through to the dry bay. I am making up a narrow sectioned feed barrier with a small headlocking gate to one end (mini crush) at the dry section. hopefully allow for feeding strong calves but not let them out through it. What spacing should i be keeping these horizontal bars at. Am i mad leaving leaving the dividing barrier between the two slatted pens or should i just rip them out. i thought it would be handy for sorting animals and say allowing if i had one pen calved i could allow for the other still to be isolated . Any suggestions, ive been getting ost of my info of you lads so you might as well keep on sharing.

Manoffeeling

I went for a walk on my farm today and was amazed at how little grass is on it. I sold all the cattle on July 1. I thought I might be able to get a few bales or something, even though I spread no manure! I might get someone to put cattle on it if it dries.

J DEERE

1chippy wrote: »

I'm currently changing a section of an old slatted shed for autumn calvers. Its a three bay double two over tanks, one dry. I am going to put a three foot gate in the middle of the dividing gate on the slatted section and a creep through to the dry bay. I am making up a narrow sectioned feed barrier with a small headlocking gate to one end (mini crush) at the dry section. hopefully allow for feeding strong calves but not let them out through it. What spacing should i be keeping these horizontal bars at. Am i mad leaving leaving the dividing barrier between the two slatted pens or should i just rip them out. i thought it would be handy for sorting animals and say allowing if i had one pen calved i could allow for the other still to be isolated . Any suggestions, ive been getting ost of my info of you lads so you might as well keep on sharing.

Are the dividing barriers removable?

As for the feed barrier, you only want enough space for them to be able to get their head out so I'd be saying 15inches maybe. Should be enough room for them to put their head out but narrow enough to catch them at the shoulders if they try to get out.

J DEERE

Manoffeeling wrote: »

I went for a walk on my farm today and was amazed at how little grass is on it. I sold all the cattle on July 1. I thought I might be able to get a few bales or something, even though I spread no manure! I might get someone to put cattle on it if it dries.

I've never seen as bad a year for grass growth, its at a virtual standstill. Lads who have been farming for over 40 years have been saying they never remember a year like this. Its worse than 09, its just the fact that milk price and cattle prices have stayed relatively good may be disguising it. The most efficient farmers are struggling to manage grass this year