Finishing bullocks on grass

Kileir

Have a bunch of ~30 month old bullocks and not sure whether to go to the mart or the factory with them. They not got any meal feeding to-date so may not grade without it. Dunno whether to start feeding them at this stage or not. Five or six already at 30months, rest will be 30 months in July-Aug

Their a mixture of continental crosses. Any suggestions?



Dooooh, just noticed my spelling on the title line - scarlett !!!

jay gatsby

Kileir wrote: »

Have a bunch of ~30 month old bullocks and not sure whether to go to the mart or the factory with them. They not got any meal feeding to-date so may not grade without it. Dunno whether to start feeding them at this stage or not. Five or six already at 30months, rest will be 30 months in July-Aug

Their a mixture of continental crosses. Any suggestions?

Mart

simx

jay gatsby wrote: »

Mart

+1;)

Farmer Pudsey

Kileir wrote: »

Have a bunch of ~30 month old bullocks and not sure whether to go to the mart or the factory with them. They not got any meal feeding to-date so may not grade without it. Dunno whether to start feeding them at this stage or not. Five or six already at 30months, rest will be 30 months in July-Aug

Their a mixture of continental crosses. Any suggestions?



Dooooh, just noticed my spelling on the title line - scarlett !!!

What weight are they have you plenty of grass and if you sell do you need to replace. Also how many have you.

Kileir

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

What weight are they have you plenty of grass and if you sell do you need to replace. Also how many have you.

Have plenty of grass hence haven't been in any hurry to move them on as the cost of replacements is shocking. There's 28 of them, 6 over 30 months, all over 24 months. Youngest will be 30 months by October. Some are already fit to kill but mightn't grade without a bit meal feeding.

Farmer Pudsey

Due to supply I think that finished cattle will remain scarce until after christmas,as especially after the weather up to now. If these are continental crosses they will react well to meal feeding 3 kgs over 6 weeks will cost around 30-35 euro. Finished continental cross cattle weighing 730 liveweight will finish 380-390kgs and should come into over 1600 euro.

If you intend to replace when sold I finish and sell in mart or factory I would be very hesitant about replacing cattle at present as I believe that the price of young cattle is too high compared to the outlook due to the amount of cattle that will be coming fit for slaughter from after Christmas on.

Kileir

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

feeding 3 kgs over 6 weeks will cost around 30-35 euro.

I thought 30-35 euro per head seemed high but your spot on. Barley costing EUR250/tonne (and the same fella told me they are forward buying feeding barley at 150/tonne !!) and a 12% Beef ration Costing EUR260/tonne.

Assuming a 13:1 ratio this would leave a profit of 8 euro head @ 4.20/kg beef - not much margin for 6 weeks work

Farmer Pudsey

Kileir wrote: »

I thought 30-35 euro per head seemed high but your spot on. Barley costing EUR250/tonne (and the same fella told me they are forward buying feeding barley at 150/tonne !!) and a 12% Beef ration Costing EUR260/tonne.

Assuming a 13:1 ratio this would leave a profit of 8 euro head @ 4.20/kg beef - not much margin for 6 weeks work

Reserch last year showed that cattle (contentintals) on adequate grass converted up to 2KG's of ration at 4:1 give it even at 6-1 I know it is not much better but you are hoping by feeding to move up part of a grade 6cent/Kg on a 370kg animanl this is worth 22 euro's, get into a higher price by having them finished earlier ever 5 cent gained worth nearly 20 euro's.:cool:

DMAXMAN

to get a proper kill on bullocks this weather you need to meal them.

Farmer Pudsey

DMAXMAN wrote: »

to get a proper kill on bullocks this weather you need to meal them.

People often quote returns ratio's however they forget an improvement in grade, killout and maybe being able to target a higher price in August as opposed to October and the targeting of the qulity assurance premium all added togeather might make up 20c/kg. on a good contenintal steer this might be worth 70-80 euro's or more. My own prefernce would be to feed 2Kg's over 8-10 weeks.