Cattle out wintering question

Connemara Farmer

Local farmer is interested in getting some Dexter cattle, and was asking me what the department might require from her in terms of housing. She wouldn't want to build a specific cattle shed, has some basic old sheds already. Seeing as I never have had cattle I couldn't answer. I think she wants them mostly for cleaning up rougher ground - not sure that plan will work tbh. So I know a crush will be required, and a shed which can be used to house a sick animal, neither is a problem. What else will they look at and for? At what point do they say the cattle must go in over Winter? Or is that determined by stocking rate on farm?

Thanks.

severeoversteer

Connemara Farmer wrote: »

Local farmer is interested in getting some Dexter cattle, and was asking me what the department might require from her in terms of housing. She wouldn't want to build a specific cattle shed, has some basic old sheds already. Seeing as I never have had cattle I couldn't answer. I think she wants them mostly for cleaning up rougher ground - not sure that plan will work tbh. So I know a crush will be required, and a shed which can be used to house a sick animal, neither is a problem. What else will they look at and for? At what point do they say the cattle must go in over Winter? Or is that determined by stocking rate on farm?

Thanks.

small shed for sick animals and a crush
also handy to have a pen that is the width of a cattle trailer that makes it easy for loading into trailer

stocking rate would be her goto for determining the amount of animals to outwinter

there will be a grant of 200 euro per LU for rare breeds in the new glas, I might even buy a few dexter cows myself for the craic, have some marginal land that I could leave them on as the lands not much good for fattening which is what I mostly do

there are more native breeds than just dexter, such as dexter !, Kerry cows, blue greys, irish moiled ???? cant think of any more, surely there are more

Connemara Farmer

Yeah she mentioned Kerrys as an option too.

If you look at the T's & C's of GLAS you needed to have been a member of the particular rare breed society for the previous two years. Rare breeds was the only other measure a commonage farmer could take to get into GLAS + and that little detail was in it.

I wouldn't be sure of her stocking rate tbh, are their guidelines or regulations you or someone else could point me to?

farm14

Connemara Farmer wrote: »

Yeah she mentioned Kerrys as an option too.

If you looisk at the T's & C's of GLAS you needed to have been a mthe holdingember of the particular rare breed society for the previous two years. Rare breeds was the only other measure a commonage farmer could take to get into GLAS + and that little detail was in it.

I wouldn't be sure of her stocking rate tbh, are their guidelines or regulations you or someone else could point me to?

No guidelines on stocking rate on getting a herd number. She should be ok for getting it. It has to be a defined holding, separate entrances to the holding, entry points onto other adjoining holdings/lands must be blocked, land must be stock proof, sepetate crush, seperate watering feeding facilities, separte farm machinery. Also must be adequate facilities for inspection isolation treatment of sick animals, housing, loading etc & adequate facilities for animal bedding & manure collection.

severeoversteer

I applied for another herd number recently on one of the outfarms, the department guy didn't even get out of the jeep, just drove upto the holding , he could see a crush and a small shed and a few gates and saw that the land was divided by stone walls and hedges and was happy with it, away i go

Muckit

What's the benefit of having a second herd number?

paddyc310

Do not think dept will allow same person to have to herd noumbers
Yrs back I had seacond herd no and they took it from me my son will be looking for it now there will be no problem farming with the dexter cattle check with teagasc regarding schemes units per hector etc best of luck paddy 310

severeoversteer

Muckit wrote: »

What's the benefit of having a second herd number?

if one goes down with tb I am still up and running in the other herd as they are completely separate holdings

can time the buying and selling so tb tests don't clash and try and have minimal amount of cattle for each respective test

can sell a certain amount of animals within 30 days of buying for each herd number aswell up to 100 I think per herd number, anything more and you need dealers herd number


having more than one herd number would only be worth it for finishers who have animals for short periods like 30-100 days etc

Farmer Pudsey

Connemara Farmer wrote: »

Local farmer is interested in getting some Dexter cattle, and was asking me what the department might require from her in terms of housing. She wouldn't want to build a specific cattle shed, has some basic old sheds already. Seeing as I never have had cattle I couldn't answer. I think she wants them mostly for cleaning up rougher ground - not sure that plan will work tbh. So I know a crush will be required, and a shed which can be used to house a sick animal, neither is a problem. What else will they look at and for? At what point do they say the cattle must go in over Winter? Or is that determined by stocking rate on farm?

Thanks.

As other posters said small shed for a sick animal and a crush. She can out winter at a rate of 1LU/HA. If she is on mountain type land this will not be an issue and she will not have to house for winter. her biggest issue will be feeding outside if using a ringfeeder or near a gate. If it gets cut up and the top becomes liquidfied she can be fined under cross compliance.

Why is she interested in dexters. Cattle are good to reduce finain and rough grasses and scrub on winterage type land at right stocking rate. Store bullocks might be a better options.

Connemara Farmer

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

As other posters said small shed for a sick animal and a crush. She can out winter at a rate of 1LU/HA. If she is on mountain type land this will not be an issue and she will not have to house for winter. her biggest issue will be feeding outside if using a ringfeeder or near a gate. If it gets cut up and the top becomes liquidfied she can be fined under cross compliance.

Why is she interested in dexters. Cattle are good to reduce finain and rough grasses and scrub on winterage type land at right stocking rate. Store bullocks might be a better options.

I asked why Dexter, and the answer was she wanted something light that wouldn't do a lot of damage. Her ground wouldn't be level at all so I can see the thinking behind that. She also mentioned interest in the breeding.

coolshannagh28

Dexter are a good choice for that type of land they thrive better on the rough grasses and it gives their beef its unique flavour ,they are a tier 1 option in glas at e200 a head and at a reasonable stocking rate they will pull good money in the suckler cow subsidy next year as a lot more can be carried, add to this the very high premium for the beef and their extremely low inputs ie very low calving difficulty and lower vet costs no meal feeding and outwintering etc.

Connemara Farmer

coolshannagh28 wrote: »

they are a tier 1 option in glas at e200 a head

Only if you have been a member of the particular society for the previous 2 years (for priority entry anyway).

coolshannagh28

Connemara Farmer wrote: »

Only if you have been a member of the particular society for the previous 2 years.

sneaky one !

Capercaille

If the person wishes to out-winter she/he may be eligible for the Chough farm plan scheme from the NPWS. The scheme depends if breeding Chough are present in area.

Bullocks

Capercaille wrote: »

If the person wishes to out-winter she/he may be eligible for the Chough farm plan scheme from the NPWS. The scheme depends if breeding Chough are present in area.

Does the outwintering benefit the Chough ?

Capercaille

Bullocks wrote: »

Does the outwintering benefit the Chough ?

Chough require a short sward for feeding and eat the invertebrates that feed on cow dung. Since most cattle feed outdoors during the summer it is not a problem then. However since most cattle are wintered indoors now, the lack of cattle outwintering leads to starvation for Chough. Chough are now absent from the East Coast of Ireland, due to cattle being housed indoors during winter. They survive in less intensive agriculture in coastal area in the South and West.

Bodacious

Muckit wrote: »

What's the benefit of having a second herd number?

get the 30 ha for das x 2! father and son, husband and wife

Bodacious

Capercaille wrote: »

If the person wishes to out-winter she/he may be eligible for the Chough farm plan scheme from the NPWS. The scheme depends if breeding Chough are present in area.

tell me more .. im good terms with my local ranger.. we have a breeding pair the real deal with the funny squawk and the red beaks ,,.. in an old building.. whats this scheme im missing out on!?

coolshannagh28

I notice up to 7k is available under GLAS if you qualify for 2 priority options

Connemara Farmer

coolshannagh28 wrote: »

I notice up to 7k is available under GLAS if you qualify for 2 priority options

It will be nigh on impossible to draw down €7k IF you have commonage. You must select commonage as a priority entry, then the only other option that you're allowed to select to draw down GLAS + is rare breeds.

As I said above, then you must have had been a member of that particular rare breed society for the past two years.

Plus you must have the full 41/42 hectares of commonage, both to draw down the full €5k GLAS and the full €2k GLAS+.

That's without getting into the mickey mouse entry, liability, CA, plan issues.

That is, of course, as things stand at the moment.

Capercaille

Bodacious wrote: »

tell me more .. im good terms with my local ranger.. we have a breeding pair the real deal with the funny squawk and the red beaks ,,.. in an old building.. whats this scheme im missing out on!?

http://www.npws.ie/media/npws/publications/Terms%20and%20Conditions%20Document%20Final%20version%20VI.pdf
The terms for the Chough scheme might have changed since this document was published. You have to be in one of the Chough SPA to qualify. Your local ranger should know the full details.

Markcheese

Can see crows getting their beaks painted orange -

Bodacious

Capercaille wrote: »

If the person wishes to out-winter she/he may be eligible for the Chough farm plan scheme from the NPWS. The scheme depends if breeding Chough are present in area.

we have choughs but they not present on npws/dept of ag maps