Mart Price Tracker

Hard Knocks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123406272#Comment_123406272

I don’t know if AI bulls are ahead of stock bulls like years ago

148multi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123407614#Comment_123407614

You also can tailor different bulls and breeds to suit cows.

Anto_Meath

For anyone that has less than 25 cows its the choice and reliability of AI bulls that are the real benefits. Some farmers have fantastic bulls running with their cows but the 1 bull doesn't suit all their cows.

Plus the cost of keeping a bull over a year for a few months work, the safety concerns and the ability to breed my own replacements are all benefit I associate with using AI.

Dunedin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123409785#Comment_123409785

single biggest issue with AI is firstly catching cows on heat and secondly getting them in for the AI. Bear in mind most suckler farmers are working off farm.

A few missed cows will soon lessen any advantage over a stock bull.

limo_100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123409806#Comment_123409806

find AI is better being doing it for years don't think could go back to a bull there's no bull to suit all. Can use different breeds on different cows bigger bulls on some easier on others I work off farm If after a few weeks I'm struggling to get a few cows in calf I land everything that I haven't inseminated and run them on a scyrno program find I get 60-70% and usually 85% after first repeat. Have to be proactive these days try and make the best of it. Also this year I have switched 40% of the herd onto autumn calving so should make it easier to run them programs in house.

Anto_Meath

@Dunedin I agree with you and that's why I synchronise all my cows, which has the advantage of I calf them all within 6 weeks. Then I have a nice even batch of calves for working with, tagging, dehorning, vaccinating introducing meal and weaning, it leaves them far easier to manage when part time.

Synchronise ealy June, start calving mid March finish by the end of April. I see lads with bulls around me and they are calving from the end of January until the start of June...

Hard Knocks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123409983#Comment_123409983

But that’s the farmers mentality. Lots take away the bull and put with some incalf cows. There’s pro and cons to both. Even fertility programs don’t always work

Sugarbowl

got about 4 euro per kg for Angus bullocks last week. Suckler stock and from AI. I’m told prices were back this past week. I never hit that prices before either way.

grass10

Under 30 month in spec fat and forward cattle are after going up a lot in marts the last few days the number of these type of stock are gone very scarce

morphy87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123416900#Comment_123416900

Yeah there very scarce, by the end of May there should be a big squeeze again

limo_100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123417002#Comment_123417002

What about fat cows have a few ready to go to the mart I held tight last few weeks was thinking to go next week or week after

morphy87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123418538#Comment_123418538

well I wouldn’t know but I know an agent that has a lot of cows to sell and he is holding on for a few weeks anyway

morphy87

Just popped in to Thurles today, I have never seen cattle so dear, fresians making €3.80 a kg freely,

limo_100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123419634#Comment_123419634

you think there ahead of a month ago?

morphy87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123420005#Comment_123420005

Fresians today were definitely dearer than a month ago,

bogman_bass

cattle are always a premium on a bank holiday this time of year. Tomorrow will tell the tale

Farmer Dan

Yes, it's nearly the last day of buying for summer grazers to qualify for the ANC

Barron lad

Whitehead bullocks after selling in roscrea. Someone must know something the rest of us dont

Albert Johnson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123431769#Comment_123431769

I'd wager that whoever bought them knows no more about where the beef price is going to be when those cattle will be fit than the rest of us. There next years cattle and starting from a high cost base even in the times we're in.

The grass is growing nd you're into the final days of buying for the 7 month retention period. Grass fever well and truly sets in at this time of year and the pressure is on lads to get stock bought if there needed for the scheme. I see it myself these weeks that if cattle are needed then it's a matter of buying them and not looking to closely at the bottom of the statement when you go into the office. The old saying of the 1st of May you put you're stick away is a true one imo. There's never much value to be had these weeks, too many lunatics around the ring and them sledging away at each other.

Conversations 3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123431904#Comment_123431904

When will the value return to lads not in these schemes?

I need to stock up but I'm not spending stupid money.

WoozieWu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123431994#Comment_123431994

cattle are good value at current prices

Albert Johnson

Oftentimes the job quietens down about July/August and there's bits of value to be had. The shows get small about marts but between men at silage and other work, not having grass cattle killed to make space for replacements ect there isn't the same custom for what's available. With online bidding now it costs nothing to look through the catalogue and see what's available and go from there. It's all about keeping you're eye out and watching what's going on.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123432819#Comment_123432819

Picked up seven CH cross suckler bred heifers something like that. They were slightly out of spec age wise 16-24 months for there weight. 310 kgs average 950 euro. Good honest poorly done stores. Off a mountain. Weighting nothing as the expression goes.

Hard Knocks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123433466#Comment_123433466

How have they preformed?

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123433479#Comment_123433479

They are only in a week, they are a bit spookish but in with a bunch of FR bullocks so they are starting to settle. They have to be dosed it was late at night when they were collected so they went straight into the field

Albert Johnson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123433466#Comment_123433466

They sound the business without having seen them. To make 300kg odd at that age and be weighing bad they'd have to be big and storey anyway which is easily sorted once there thriving sorts. It's getting a bit late for them real rough hungry cattle but you can only buy them as you see them, if they'd the luck of getting to a good spot at Paddy's day they'd be looking well now. Having said that at €950 you'd entertain them at any time of year, those stiff sort of cattle only need to get thriving and they'll work away themselves with minimal intervention.

As for the dosing and all that sort of work I'm coming to the conclusion that it was better left for a few weeks after purchase in most cases. Especially with those badly done cattle the best thing you can often do is let them off to the land and acclimatise to being on a better spot. Lads do be rooting at them doing this and that with them and oftentimes there wild and if they were left alone to do there own thing and get thriving it was better. I know that help can be scarce and sometimes if it's not done on the day when there in it won't be done for ages.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123433996#Comment_123433996

I am buying for 2026 now. As you say it's easier to buy at June-August marts. I will let them hit 36 months before slaughter. It's not the end of the world if they go over 36 months. They will not be huge heifers but if they hang 300kgs@6.5/ kg next year they will leave a twist in my low cost system. They be replacing heifers that will be making over 2k++/ head @7.5/kg and over.

valtra2

There not going to bad in mart. 760kg cow that lost her calf a month ago.

grass10

Their is a lot of cull cows making over 4 euro per kg in marts for the last week once they are heavy sucklers the mart is the place to sell fat cattle at the moment

limo_100

Have some 12month old bulls that are thriving very well at the moment they are around 500kg at present thinking of keeping them for a few more months and then selling them hopefully the heaviest of them would be up on 600kg at that point will there be a market for these kind of cattle or am I as well to sell them off in the next 4weeks? or should I just finish them?