Hereford and Angus

blue5000

Was in the mart during the week and noticed that whitehead and angus heifers were very cheap compared to continentals. They were making roughly 1.70 per kg, while the contintals were making from about 2.10 a kg up to close to 3.00 a kg. Seems like the only option for these native breeds is to get them finished where they are born.

Surely with Hereford prime and angus schemes these heifers would make more in the mart as stores, why are they so cheap/ good value. Maybe I'm missing something here?

mf240

These schemes are great untill you kill a batch and one isn't fat enough another is too fat another is too heavy another is too light ect.

And a few don't grade

bbam

blue5000 wrote: »

Was in the mart during the week and noticed that whitehead and angus heifers were very cheap compared to continentals. They were making roughly 1.70 per kg, while the contintals were making from about 2.10 a kg up to close to 3.00 a kg. Seems like the only option for these native breeds is to get them finished where they are born.

Surely with Hereford prime and angus schemes these heifers would make more in the mart as stores, why are they so cheap/ good value. Maybe I'm missing something here?

Over the last few years €1.80-1.90 was kinda tops for these plain stock anyway. So at €1.70 they aren't too far behind other years..

Muckit

blue5000 wrote: »

Was in the mart during the week and noticed that whitehead and angus heifers were very cheap compared to continentals. They were making roughly 1.70 per kg, while the contintals were making from about 2.10 a kg up to close to 3.00 a kg. Seems like the only option for these native breeds is to get them finished where they are born.

Surely with Hereford prime and angus schemes these heifers would make more in the mart as stores, why are they so cheap/ good value. Maybe I'm missing something here?

The real litmus test as to whether they are good value or not is if a seasoned Angus x breeder like yourself that knows how to flesh them cheaply would be tempted to buy a few

blue5000

Muckit wrote: »

The real litmus test as to whether they are good value or not is if a seasoned Angus x breeder like yourself that knows how to flesh them cheaply would be tempted to buy a few

That's a good point:) I try to operate a closed herd, only thing I buy in is a stock bull, and that is usually straight off a farm. I often got over 2.20 a kg for angus heifers in the mart in the boom years.

It is just that they seem to be an awful lot cheaper than continentals. OK most of us know that they finish at lighter weights. But if I was a beef finisher which would make more money: 4 batches of angus/white head heifers or 2 batches of charolais out the gate in a year?

mikeoh

Has it more to do with the % of Fr in those heifers u saw . An Angus or Hereford crossed on a sucker will produce a great calf and sell just as well....Imo

bob charles

Most heifers/bullocks born in 11 would now be ineligible for bonus schemes

J DEERE

Hereford and angus heifers are looking to be cheap replacement stock for anyone looking for breeding heifers. Being crossed with Friesian they have plenty of milk. I find that Hereford cows when crossed with limousin bull produce bulls which flesh easily and mature early and heifers which serve as excellent breeders. They can also be bulled at a lower weight than continentals I have found

1chippy

J DEERE wrote: »

Hereford and angus heifers are looking to be cheap replacement stock for anyone looking for breeding heifers. Being crossed with Friesian they have plenty of milk. I find that Hereford cows when crossed with limousin bull produce bulls which flesh easily and mature early and heifers which serve as excellent breeders. They can also be bulled at a lower weight than continentals I have found

Fertility is a serious advantage with these breeds i found,

johnpawl

We always keep a few aaxbrfr to breed continental replacements off. also find their bull calves do very well also, prob due to milk.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/p0wfcbh7q9nxvdj/Photo%20Mar%2030%2C%2011%2040%2007.jpeg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ip6mivmfzzcc79l/Photo%20Jul%2007%2C%2021%2041%2003.jpeg

nashmach

blue5000 sshh :D

I must say we started with a few of these last year as prices were ridiculous for other stock.

Find that they kill out well with limited meal and easy to turn over with less capital tied up.

Supply of them is limited and there are a number of older farmers who like "the black whitehead" and drive them to uneconomic prices. At least that is around here.

J DEERE

1chippy wrote: »

Fertility is a serious advantage with these breeds i found,

very true. Oldest cows in our herd are Hereford and have never failed to come in heat or hold to service

Midlandsman80

mikeoh wrote: »

Has it more to do with the % of Fr in those heifers u saw . An Angus or Hereford crossed on a sucker will produce a great calf and sell just as well....Imo

Very true,Angus bull in Ennis Mart on back of ifj,born December 13 haven't got it too hand but he was 500kg+!!! Hard get that with any breed...was still over a euro a kg off lighter cont bulls....

mikeoh

I keep 50% Angus and50% limx the pollys go to the factory 3 months before the lims and last winter that was money in the bank......all u and r grades from suckers cows......to put it into money the AA average circ. €175 less a head but what would it have cost to feed them!!.....p.s little or no meal either .

PatQfarmer

Have reared AAX for many years, but not taking in any calves this year.
Usually finished them all, but with the weather and overstocking the last few years(over-ambitious!), have ended up selling them in the mart as forward stores instead. Max for the best of hfrs was €2.06/kg. Doesn't pay to rear them when less well-done ones are available at less than €2/kg, down to €1.70/kg in some cases.
This year will be buying in stores as I sell and finish the current batch of AAX.
Another disadvantage in the dairy-cross AA is that they are nearly all out of first-calvers, so bloomin' tiny! This was not the case heretofore, as the AA was used to "clean-up" the cows. Now cows anf strong heifers are all AI, so AA only getting onto the smallest, youngest heifers.
No doubt, AA is a great bull on a continental cow.
Knowing my luck, stores will be a "flyer" next year and I won't be able to buy any:D

Sharpshooter82

PatQfarmer wrote: »

.
Knowing my luck, stores will be a "flyer" next year and I won't be able to buy any:D

Always the way:P I want to stay with AA as they are less work and dont need to watch them as much (Im farming part-time)
thinking of getting some full AA next year, none crossed with freiseins

manjou

Most of angus i see in marts are bucket fed out of fresins so are not as good as sucked calves. Have angus calves this year of stock bull and of contintal cows and they are streets ahead of contintal calves for size they seemed to do better in the bad spring and since things picked up are motoring ahead with no meal.Will sell as stores next spring so will compare aa and contintal calves then as will be treated the same all winter but last time had aa stores to sell in spring they made less per kg but were heavier at 13 months on silage only diet

Sharpshooter82

manjou wrote: »

Have angus calves this year of stock bull and of contintal cows

where did you get your calves or are they home born

manjou

Sharpshooter82 wrote: »

where did you get your calves or are they home born

own born out of my own cows

Sharpshooter82

thats the style. ill be looking for AA the same as yours or pure AA next year

Sam Kade

I don't know where this 1.70/kg is coming from AA down in Cork were making 2/kg and over last spring.

bbam

Sam Kade wrote: »

I don't know where this 1.70/kg is coming from AA down in Cork were making 2/kg and over last spring.

The 1.70 is from AA / Fr cross. Most are bucket reared.
Also you find most of these are from the easiest calving smallest AA straws and often on heifers. It's hard to get size into them. I've given up trying.

Midlandsman80

One of the best continental commercial herds in the country also sees the benefit of using some angus in a herd..
http://www.jalexherd.com/aberdeen-angus-sires

PatQfarmer

bbam wrote: »

The 1.70 is from AA / Fr cross. Most are bucket reared.
Also you find most of these are from the easiest calving smallest AA straws and often on heifers. It's hard to get size into them. I've given up trying.

Took me a while...but I'm with you on that.
Regular dairy supplier changing system a bit and getting all milky ones from Autumn herd, so says that Spring herd will be calving down to AA from mainly cows, so may be tempted again...depending on calf price in Jan:rolleyes:

Sam Kade

bbam wrote: »

The 1.70 is from AA / Fr cross. Most are bucket reared.
Also you find most of these are from the easiest calving smallest AA straws and often on heifers. It's hard to get size into them. I've given up trying.

Yeah, I saw aa calves selling in Bandon mart last march decent ones making up to €250 others so small you could bring them home in your pocket:eek: we're making €50-€70.