Alot of Suckler Calves around

T0001

Was travelling around the country yesterday and today and noticed there was an awful lot of suckler cavles around. Not like on farms with the cows but maybe 4 or 5 in a front garden or in a small paddock beside the house. Is there something drawing people to it?? An easy way to make money?? or just a craze??

amacca

T0001 wrote: »

Was travelling around the country yesterday and today and noticed there was an awful lot of suckler cavles around. Not like on farms with the cows but maybe 4 or 5 in a front garden or in a small paddock beside the house. Is there something drawing people to it?? An easy way to make money?? or just a craze??

Not trying to be smart, just clarifying really

Do you mean suckler calves (as in theres a cow with them or they are from the farmers own cow) or just suck calves as in they are bought in and mainly fed on milk replacer or surplus milk etc

T0001

Just suck calves bought on their own. The places they are really dont look like farms at all. There was 4 in the corner of a garden in a fenced off part with a little shed and buckets could be seen. Similar situation in other places aswell. Just stuck me as very odd that it was a trend

amacca

Cant say i've noticed much of it myself but I suppose there might be a very limited return vs leaving an acre or two go to waste if you don't count your time and labour on the type of thing you describe - getting herd number, milk replacer, feed, veterinary, dehorning, squeezing, medicines, implements if starting from scratch, herd test, transport + the cost of buying the calves in the first place doesn't leave much behind when you add it all up.

could be people trying to make a bit of money on the side or probably more likely hobbyists, self sufficiency type people or people with kids mad about it as i can't even see them getting into significant weight on small patches of ground without shelling out on feed.

ganmo

I got 5 myself this year.
200 each
milk powder, we'll say 50 quid for easy sums
+ tb testing(new herd) 60
+ feeder 150
the guts of 50 quid of diesel to get them
so theres 1500 and I've not accounted for what meal they've eaten
I plan to sell them October time I'd hoping for a profit but god knows

ps not sure if I'll go again next year

Toplink

ganmo wrote: »

ps not sure if I'll go again next year

There's no turning back now

Bullocks

Toplink wrote: »

There's no turning back now

Oh ya , needs to buy 20 next year !
I've also noticed a few in farms that never bought suck calves usually , I think there was a dealer calling around locally every few weeks here and lads bought a few when they were in the yard

ganmo

Will he be calling around to collect them aswell?
I don't think they've done the beef farmer many favours in the long run

Bullocks

ganmo wrote: »

Will he be calling around to collect them aswell?
I don't think they've done the beef farmer many favours in the long run

It's up to everyone to make a pound or not , plenty of lads pay way too much for calves over the last few years with or without the dealers help

orm0nd

2 different guys that never touched calves near have about 300 between them ,

1 guy all aax & the other hex , I reckon Larry has a vested interest

CloughCasey1

Bullocks wrote: »

It's up to everyone to make a pound or not , plenty of lads pay way too much for calves over the last few years with or without the dealers help

If ya buy the right type at the right money they will turn a few bob. If ya buy a few rear them and stick them in a few gardens and think they will magically turn into heavy cattle ya may keep your money in your pocket.

CloughCasey1

orm0nd wrote: »

2 different guys that never touched calves near have about 300 between them ,

1 guy all aax & the other hex , I reckon Larry has a vested interest

What was mortality like? I don't think id like to face into 150 green as grass! You'd want some set up.

patsy_mccabe

orm0nd wrote: »

2 different guys that never touched calves near have about 300 between them ,

1 guy all aax & the other hex , I reckon Larry has a vested interest

How does that arrangement work?

orm0nd

CloughCasey1 wrote: »

What was mortality like? I don't think id like to face into 150 green as grass! You'd want some set up.

the hex are super calves & really thriving , shine on their coats , have'nt seen the others but that feloow wouldn't be as good a stockman

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

How does that arrangement work?

don't know the ins and outs , the calves belong to the farmer,& afaik they were sourced from farmers via larry's agent

I think some sort of bonus over the going rate is promised at slaughter

the hex I saw are going to serious stock at 24 months of age