buying and feeding fresian maiden heifers

soundlaaaaad

hello im new to this but i have a question

Im considering buying some friesian heifers around 14 months old and wondering how to go about feeding them. I'd plan to bull them in a few months.

I was wondering if someone could let me know if I was to get them I'd have little or no grass, so meal wise what would they need to be getting each (how many kg's per animal) to gain weight and then how many kg's to condition.

Thanks
Sean

Sam Kade

At 14 months they should be ready for breeding now. Are you going milking or do you hope to sell them when calved?

3 the square

soundlaaaaad wrote: »

hello im new to this but i have a question

Im considering buying some friesian heifers around 14 months old and wondering how to go about feeding them. I'd plan to bull them in a few months.

I was wondering if someone could let me know if I was to get them I'd have little or no grass, so meal wise what would they need to be getting each (how many kg's per animal) to gain weight and then how many kg's to condition.

Thanks
Sean

great time to buy maiden heifers at the mo seem to be cheaper than last year u will make serious money next spring if iwere u id buy asap grass should take off next week wouldnt take much of the green stuff to keep them flying, best of luck sean

Timmaay

Yep the older they are the harder it tends to be to get them in calf. At 14months old, and close to the target breeding weight (of about 330kg for fr), they should all be cycling and showing strong heats.

In terms of feeding them, if your don't have grass to feed them I can almost guarantee that you will loose money on them.

Sam Kade

3 the square wrote: »

great time to buy maiden heifers at the mo seem to be cheaper than last year u will make serious money next spring if iwere u id buy asap grass should take off next week wouldnt take much of the green stuff to keep them flying, best of luck sean

The country is flooded with friesian heifers, no profit to be made also the export market is stopped this year. I bought maiden heifers the last two years and there is no profit in it. reduction sales and clearance sales are not an indicator of prices.

soundlaaaaad

thanks for the replys.

just wondering what you guys would pay for good strong 14 month old british friesian maiden heifers?

Sam Kade

soundlaaaaad wrote: »

thanks for the replys.

just wondering what you guys would pay for good strong 14 month old british friesian maiden heifers?

For 350kg heifers I would pay no more than €600 max less if possible.

Timmaay

Sam Kade wrote: »

For 350kg heifers I would pay no more than €600 max less if possilbe

Depends on things like the breed, AI sire, pedigree registered, disease status of the herd etc. Sam, 600max sounds very cheap, a neighbour only got 620 for his late (march/April) maiden heifers off a stock bull, he was disappointed with that price.

Sam Kade

Timmaay wrote: »

Depends on things like the breed, AI sire, pedigree registered, disease status of the herd etc. Sam, 600max sounds very cheap, a neighbour only got 620 for his late (march/April) maiden heifers off a stock bull, he was disappointed with that price.

But if you are buying heifers to sell on after calving is what I am referring to. I've seen incalf and calved heifers sold for €700 at marts this spring. No demand and with export stopped there are more heifers around. Not much profit buying heifers for €800 and keeping them for 10 months and selling them calved for €700. If you are buying them to milk them it would be a different story. I know a lot of farmers selling maiden heifers plenty phone calls but no buyers.

kfk

Sam Kade wrote: »

But if you are buying heifers to sell on after calving is what I am referring to. I've seen incalf and calved heifers sold for €700 at marts this spring. No demand and with export stopped there are more heifers around. Not much profit buying heifers for €800 and keeping them for 10 months and selling them calved for €700. If you are buying them to milk them it would be a different story. I know a lot of farmers selling maiden heifers plenty phone calls but no buyers.

Did not realize calved heifers could be got for that money now. I paid more that twice that last year for them. Were they in poor condition?

Sam Kade

kfk wrote: »

Did not realize calved heifers could be got for that money now. I paid more that twice that last year for them. Were they in poor condition?

Excellent condition british friesian type. If you are selling your own stock in a clearance sale and you have followers you could get up to 1200 for the same type animals. If you have well bred heifers or cows in a clearance sale went up to 1700. Trouble this year is with the export market gone there are more heifers around and the fodder shortage has compounded the problem. I was at a reduction sale at the start of April when all that mans stock were sold 4 bidders left the ring and the average price dropped by 300 a head.

soundlaaaaad

I bought 12 BFR Heifers 340kg 13 month old average 610 a head. Have them out with my easy calving parthanaise now lets hope they all go in calf!! Happy with price and so was he so hopefully make money out of them next year. Best wishes to all ye and thanks.