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Finishing Heifers 2014/2015

  • 27-06-2014 2:35pm
    #1
    saranac1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 182 ✭✭


    Anyone thinking of finishing heifers off grass or ad lib in shed around October
    What's the best way to finish heifers?
    Understandably there will be fighting amongst best price sought this winter with the factory's as there is still an oversupply from bulls/ bullocks around but if you have 20 continental heifers now, doing well on grass at present at 15/17 mths of age what do you think is best way to finish them?


Comments

  • #2
    Farmer Pudsey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,326 ✭✭✭Farmer Pudsey


    Really tou have two options depending on condition. finish off grass in November. Depending on condition now you could feed 1-2kg of barley and soyahulls. In september depending on grass you can increase to 3-4 and maybe onto 5 in October. A lot depends on grass quality. Back of the envelope 130 days at 3kgs/day 390kgs cost of ration 100 euro. Heifers should do over 1kg/day.

    Other choice is feed for 4 weeks pre housing 2kgs/day house 3rd week on October and feed for 70 days. 60kgs at grass and if you have good silage 4kgs/day building up to 5 for last month. Total ration in shed 320kgs. If good quality silage @ about 33DM they will eat about 2 bales ever 3 days. Silage costs about 1 euro/day and another 1.1 in ration/day. Finishing in shed 200 euro/head. I thinh the weight difference would harley make up the 100 euro the big thing would there be enough of a price difference for shedding them. IMO you would need 30c/kg of a difference to justify


  • #3
    Muckit
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,174 ✭✭✭✭Muckit


    saranac1 wrote: »
    but if you have 20 continental heifers now, doing well on grass at present at 15/17 mths of age what do you think is best way to finish them?

    Time


  • #4
    blue5000
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,753 Mod ✭✭✭✭blue5000


    saranac1 wrote: »
    Anyone thinking of finishing heifers off grass or ad lib in shed around October
    What's the best way to finish heifers?
    Understandably there will be fighting amongst best price sought this winter with the factory's as there is still an oversupply from bulls/ bullocks around but if you have 20 continental heifers now, doing well on grass at present at 15/17 mths of age what do you think is best way to finish them?
    What weight are they now?

    If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.



  • #5
    saranac1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 182 ✭✭saranac1


    blue5000 wrote: »
    What weight are they now?

    I'd say from 450 kg to 550 kg


  • #6
    Farmer Pudsey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,326 ✭✭✭Farmer Pudsey


    saranac1 wrote: »
    I'd say from 450 kg to 550 kg

    If they are that weight they have the potential to finish before housing. However you have to make sure there is not a few lighter heifers that are just 450kgs or below. The better heifers that are above 500kgs have the potential to put on over 1kg/day on good grass and 1-2kgs of ration. Grass is still very high in protein so a barley/maize/hulls mixture would be grand with 1.5% minerals. Watch out for hoose from now on and at first sign do with ivermectin however there is a 56 day withdrawal so beware.

    The weather in Oct/Nov will decide a lot. As these will be 600kgs or more at that stage if it get ver wet you may have to house or idealy feed silage outside if weather not too bad. However if we get an autumn like last year you can carry to mid Nov. The most important is to watch the price around then. If weather changes the price drops and the cost of keeping them shoots up from maybe 1.5/day to 2.5/day.

    The heifers over 500kgs have the ability to hit 630kgsLW by then and kill about 345kgs.


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  • #7
    sandydan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,471 ✭✭✭sandydan


    was at mart and 450kg especially 15 months were getting higher bids relative to 550 kg plus . farmers were finding it kinda hard to figure out trade at min, maybe due to factories curtailing intake


  • #8
    moy83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,701 ✭✭✭moy83


    sandydan wrote: »
    was at mart and 450kg especially 15 months were getting higher bids relative to 550 kg plus . farmers were finding it kinda hard to figure out trade at min, maybe due to factories curtailing intake

    I was talking to a fella the last day that said he can't figure how light stuff is making the money it is at all considering the price he has to take off factories . He said its either sit on his hands and buy nothing or take a chance on buying heavier cattle and hope for a lift in beef prices in a couple of months


  • #9
    Farmer Pudsey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,326 ✭✭✭Farmer Pudsey


    moy83 wrote: »
    I was talking to a fella the last day that said he can't figure how light stuff is making the money it is at all considering the price he has to take off factories . He said its either sit on his hands and buy nothing or take a chance on buying heavier cattle and hope for a lift in beef prices in a couple of months

    A lot of buyers are chasing the quality stock, they get caught up in final cheque. Too many have got caught up in the 1400 euro+ animal or the HE and AA schemes where cattle sell in the 4/KG+ bracket. There is value out there (or was the last time I was at the mart) however you have to be flexible in your choice of cattle and know what different cattle will cost to take to finish and what is a good estimate of price and what profit that will leave you if any.


  • #10
    Mad4simmental
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,580 ✭✭✭Mad4simmental


    sandydan wrote: »
    was at mart and 450kg especially 15 months were getting higher bids relative to 550 kg plus . farmers were finding it kinda hard to figure out trade at min, maybe due to factories curtailing intake

    At the 450kg you have beef lads bidding and the lads looking to put a few heifers in calf to sell on or keep. At the 550kg you only get the beef lads bidding. That's what I would think any way.


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