buying dairy beef calves now or spring

john p mc g

would calves bought in now rather than in the spring do better in the first year seeing they would be weaned and ready for grass earlier .All the teagasc studies seem to base it on spring born calves

mf240

Buy now if you can get them. They will make full use of next years grass.

bbam

I think spring born system has less costs and less risk from disease..

Less costs as if you time their purchase right they will be ready to go out to cheap grass just as they are weaned off milk...
This also reduces the housed period when they are most susceptable to problems, just after weaning...

If you buy now you're looking at min 3 months housed and its a long time for them to be indoors... keeping infections and viruses at bay will be hard work compared to a short 8 week housing in spring and then out into good weather and good grass...

john p mc g

bbam wrote: »

I think spring born system has less costs and less risk from disease..

Less costs as if you time their purchase right they will be ready to go out to cheap grass just as they are weaned off milk...
This also reduces the housed period when they are most susceptable to problems, just after weaning...

If you buy now you're looking at min 3 months housed and its a long time for them to be indoors... keeping infections and viruses at bay will be hard work compared to a short 8 week housing in spring and then out into good weather and good grass...

would 4 weks more in make that much difference ive reseeded paddocks next to shed where i could let them out any good day maybe that grass would not be much use to them

bbam

Would three even see them out.
Dec to mid April.

john p mc g

bbam wrote: »

Would three even see them out.
Dec to mid April.

the weather we cannot control

Milked out

Once you have enough space indoors I find Autumn born calves tend to do well as they make use of grass straight away but then again as I am prob that bit busier in spring the spring born calve could be hindered by my performance as much as anything else.

john p mc g

Ive 7 lined up now and im goin for few more in spring so it will be good to see come winter

Sam Kade

john p mc g wrote: »

Ive 7 lined up now and im goin for few more in spring so it will be good to see come winter

What breed?

1chippy

would everyone keep them in? they are light stock, they wont poach, if you can set up access from a shed into a small garden, they are better off out. i have autumn calves running out to a small paddoock here and you would be surprised the weather that the calves will stay out in once they have some form of a wind break. Fair enough they are suckler calves but surely something similar would work with dairy lads. they'll grow a fine coat of hair if nothing else.

nashmach

Given prices at the moment, I think late born weanlings offer better bang for your buck.

john p mc g

Sam Kade wrote: »

What breed?

All angus average 225 each out of whwt looks like bfr between two weeks and month
old

Sharpshooter82

john p mc g wrote: »

All angus average 225 each out of whwt looks like bfr between two weeks and month
old

Where did you pick them up? Might be stocking early this year myself

john p mc g

Sharpshooter82 wrote: »

Where did you pick them up? Might be stocking early this year myself

Local farmers donedeal saw their adds but you ave to be quick

bbam

john p mc g wrote: »

All angus average 225 each out of whwt looks like bfr between two weeks and month
old

I've reared lots of sucks down the years and its something I love doing, BUT..
AAx have become a minefield, too may small framed straws being used and the resultant calves never get a decent frame..

Small weanling prices are low enough to question the business case of rearing sucks..
Few weeks ago I wanted to fill out a pen with small wenalings, we bought some April/May born weanlings from suckler herds for €475-€490 bright CH and LM/HE cross. If I had more rom I'd have bought more of them..

Sharpshooter82

bbam wrote: »

I've reared lots of sucks down the years and its something I love doing, BUT..
AAx have become a minefield, too may small framed straws being used and the resultant calves never get a decent frame..

Small weanling prices are low enough to question the business case of rearing sucks..
Few weeks ago I wanted to fill out a pen with small wenalings, we bought some April/May born weanlings from suckler herds for €475-€490 bright CH and LM/HE cross. If I had more rom I'd have bought more of them..

That i agree with. hard to get real good ones. Was thinking of HE for a change this year

john p mc g

Sharpshooter82 wrote: »

That i agree with. hard to get real good ones. Was thinking of HE for a change this year

He might sell good around 420kg for bulling i got 900 for one two weeks ago couple of farmers mad bidding on him and i taught she was a plain lookin yoke

Sharpshooter82

john p mc g wrote: »

He might sell good around 420kg for bulling i got 900 for one two weeks ago couple of farmers mad bidding on him and i taught she was a plain lookin yoke

yeah i have a AAX heifer going in the next week at about 400kg and im hoping for near that money myself. might get 50:50 AAX and HEX for next year to see is there much of a difference in them