Export Weanlings from suckler herd

farawaygrass · 29-01-2017 8:04pm #1

In your opinion and experience, is it possible to get all export quality Weanlings from your suckler herd using one stock Bull? I heard of a few that use ai but not any that use one Bull.

50HX · 29-01-2017 8:23pm

i wouldn't think so...you'd want a very even herd of cows for that, not to say that's it's not do able but majority of suckler farmers are part time so i would doubt it

it would be the exception rather than the norm for sure

Mac Taylor · 29-01-2017 9:45pm

Unfortunately I would say unlikely. I see even with AI that certain bulls suit better with certain cows. I've one cow that produces a great calf with dancer, I have used other bulls on her with mixed results.
Leg wax I think was using almost pure limousin cows and a bb bull and was getting great results before he went over to the dark side:D

charolais0153 · 29-01-2017 10:11pm

Mac Taylor wrote: »

Unfortunately I would say unlikely. I see even with AI that certain bulls suit better with certain cows. I've one cow that produces a great calf with dancer, I have used other bulls on her with mixed results.
Leg wax I think was using almost pure limousin cows and a bb bull and was getting great results before he went over to the dark side:D

He switched to a more blonde type of cow before he got rid of them.its hard enough with ai to get export quality calves never mind with stock bull. A good charolais bull out of an easy calved bull like pirate,csvelands fenian or fiston would have calves that are very saleable , charolais are hard beaten in the ring

Who2 · 29-01-2017 10:52pm

If you can get muscle on both sides you'll get export grade but even then your going to have the odd few for whatever reason that won't come right. I've been buying and breeding a bit of muscle back into heifers with the aim of going down this route, I'm finding it slow going to get them right, but I've got to the stage il be looking for a serious bull to mop up in the near future but until then it's for replacements and the rest ai.

Genghis Cant · 29-01-2017 11:29pm

Who2 wrote: »

If you can get muscle on both sides you'll get export grade but even then your going to have the odd few for whatever reason that won't come right..

Yeah, like colour!
A lot of our bulls would have been export quality over the years but there's a a couple that don't fit the bill.

charolais0153 · 29-01-2017 11:31pm

Genghis Cant wrote: »

Yeah, like colour!
A lot of our bulls would have been export quality over the years but there's a a couple that don't fit the bill.

What's the best colour for an export quality blue

Who2 · 29-01-2017 11:36pm

Genghis Cant wrote: »

Yeah, like colour!
A lot of our bulls would have been export quality over the years but there's a a couple that don't fit the bill.

Colour dosnt seem to as big an issue with export grade, a good calf's a good calf to them. I seen a few of those donkey brown calves going that would have got nothing if it wasn't for the boat.

Who2 · 29-01-2017 11:37pm

If you include Libya everything will be export grade.

charolais0153 · 29-01-2017 11:43pm

Who2 wrote: »

If you can get muscle on both sides you'll get export grade but even then your going to have the odd few for whatever reason that won't come right. I've been buying and breeding a bit of muscle back into heifers with the aim of going down this route, I'm finding it slow going to get them right, but I've got to the stage il be looking for a serious bull to mop up in the near future but until then it's for replacements and the rest ai.

We have a lovely muscly Pam cow that we gave BBQ to to improve size and be easy calving . I'll have to stick up s picture

Genghis Cant · 30-01-2017 12:42am

charolais0153 wrote: »

What's the best colour for an export quality blue

I think, and I'm far from an expert on the matter, but solid colours are favoured.
The blues I don't know only we had one recently, a cracker he was too but was brown and dirty white and he didn't fit the bill.

farawaygrass · 30-01-2017 1:07pm

Genghis Cant wrote: »

I think, and I'm far from an expert on the matter, but solid colours are favoured.
The blues I don't know only we had one recently, a cracker he was too but was brown and dirty white and he didn't fit the bill.

I have a few blue cows and funny enough they throw chocolatey brown ones. Sold one Bull Weanling there last week in mart, 410kg, €1080. Happy enough but trouble is they are not all like that!! That's why I asked the question. In fairness our cows are a mixed bag but got a good muscley Bull alright

Limestone Cowboy · 30-01-2017 1:23pm

I think blues are a dead duck at this stage. Charolais gives you a lot more options and you'll still get paid enough for the one that doesn't make the grade.

TITANIUM. · 30-01-2017 1:52pm

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

I think blues are a dead duck at this stage. Charolais gives you a lot more options and you'll still get paid enough for the one that doesn't make the grade.

Even in the the good times it was hard to get rid of a poor blue. No bother if he came fancy but hard to get a customer for a plain blue. A plain Ch you could sell any day of the week.

farawaygrass · 30-01-2017 5:31pm

What is the best cow for a charlois? Would you class blonde the same as charlois for selling or are they still a step behind?

Who2 · 30-01-2017 5:45pm

farawaygrass wrote: »

What is the best cow for a charlois? Would you class blonde the same as charlois for selling or are they still a step behind?

A limo cross Charolais with a bit of milk. Blondes are very fine but nice shape

Willfarman · 30-01-2017 7:07pm

A blue Holstein cow and a Charolais bull was the best all round job here years ago.

valtra2 · 30-01-2017 7:40pm

Milk.meal and a good terminal bull and you can have 80 percent export weanlings.

charolais0153 · 30-01-2017 8:05pm

valtra2 wrote: »

Milk.meal and a good terminal bull and you can have 80 percent export weanlings.

So my Holstein will have a belter of a blue this year......

valtra2 · 30-01-2017 8:15pm

charolais0153 wrote: »

So my Holstein will have a belter of a blue this year......

Put a terminal bull on her and leave calf on cow and pump meal into him and ya 80percent will. Try it and get back to me. ðŸ˜

charolais0153 · 30-01-2017 8:23pm

When we talk about export ,are we talking about the Italian job and u+ and e grade weanlings or are turkey and the like included aswell

farawaygrass · 30-01-2017 8:51pm

charolais0153 wrote: »

When we talk about export ,are we talking about the Italian job and u+ and e grade weanlings or are turkey and the like included aswell

I was thinking more along the lines of the Italian market, as in so far as I understand it, the turkey market isn't so strict on spec.
When I said before I had blue cows, they are from the dairy herd. But as I think someone here said here before-they can be a bit inconsistent

charolais0153 · 30-01-2017 9:05pm

farawaygrass wrote: »

I was thinking more along the lines of the Italian market, as in so far as I understand it, the turkey market isn't so strict on spec.
When I said before I had blue cows, they are from the dairy herd. But as I think someone here said here before-they can be a bit inconsistent

¾ or ⅞ bred limousines cow and a blue bull is most consistent way

TITANIUM. · 30-01-2017 9:12pm

Export quality for me would be the likes of this guy.

Limestone Cowboy · 30-01-2017 9:55pm

TITANIUM. wrote: »

Export quality for me would be the likes of this guy.

That's what I picture when I hear it mentioned aswell. Are Italy taking many/any from here since tlt went south? They were the only ones paying a real premium over our own market and it seems to have died away since tlt went.

TITANIUM. · 30-01-2017 10:09pm

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

That's what I picture when I hear it mentioned aswell. Are Italy taking many/any from here since tlt went south? They were the only ones paying a real premium over our own market and it seems to have died away since tlt went.

There were a few efforts to resurrect it but it's fairly slim pickings unless you have the right contacts and the right cattle at the right weight at the right time.
Fancy Ch like him tho can be sold here at the right price most of the time. You might have to target a special sale or show n sale to get that price if the trade is going bad tho.

charolais0153 · 30-01-2017 10:10pm

TITANIUM. wrote: »

Export quality for me would be the likes of this guy.

Is he charolais off a blue cow? I don't think Italians like charolais from Ireland , I think they orefr the charolais from France. Lovely calf

TITANIUM. · 30-01-2017 10:42pm

charolais0153 wrote: »

Is he charolais off a blue cow? I don't think Italians like charolais from Ireland , I think they orefr the charolais from France. Lovely calf

Spot on. FSZ outta a EDJ cow who's off a fr.
First time ive heard that about the Italian preference. Ive sent plenty of um off with the shippers anyway and never a peep out of um so long as they have the muscle.

Who2 · 30-01-2017 10:46pm

TITANIUM. wrote: »

Spot on. FSZ outta a EDJ cow who's off a fr.
First time ive heard that about the Italian preference. Ive sent plenty of um off with the shippers anyway and never a peep out of um so long as they have the muscle.

The problem with ch is it's very hard to get the extreme muscle.

TITANIUM. · 30-01-2017 11:13pm

Who2 wrote: »

The problem with ch is it's very hard to get the extreme muscle.

The right AI bull and your cow needs abit in her. Although allot of my blue cow's wouldn't look muscular but they still have 50% blue in them. That coupled with the milk going back to the fr drives the calf with minimal ration.

tanko · 30-01-2017 11:16pm

Nice calf, did she calve herself, have you used Fiston much?

TITANIUM. · 30-01-2017 11:40pm

tanko wrote: »

Nice calf, did she calve herself, have you used Fiston much?

I pulled that lad alright but nothing hectic.
Ya I've used a nice bit of fiston, He's a very good coverall. I'm still not sure if calves off him will remain a little butty tho. The extremely well muscled lad's anyway

tanko · 31-01-2017 12:14am

Yeah, Fiston is a super bull when you take everything into account.
Lack of size can be a problem with them but they sell well from what i've seen so far. I used HCA a lot over the years, many of the Bulls ended up as U+ animals after i sold them. Had some U+ calves off FZF also, haven't had a calf that graded an E yet.

Farrell · 31-01-2017 12:31am

tanko wrote: »

Yeah, Fiston is a super bull when you take everything into account.
Lack of size can be a problem with them but they sell well from what i've seen so far. I used HCA a lot over the years, many of the Bulls ended up as U+ animals after i sold them. Had some U+ calves off FZF also, haven't had a calf that graded an E yet.

If you want an E, try FZM

tanko · 31-01-2017 12:40am

Ah, I'm not too bothered about it, I'll give ZGM a go this year, maybe he'll do it:pac:

cj maxx · 31-01-2017 8:48am

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

That's what I picture when I hear it mentioned aswell. Are Italy taking many/any from here since tlt went south? They were the only ones paying a real premium over our own market and it seems to have died away since tlt went.

Noticed 2 maybe 3 Belgian livestock lorries heading north yesterday.

patsy_mccabe · 31-01-2017 10:14am

I see the odd lorry off BB type weanlins being weighed in my local mart. So the trade must be still alive. I sold a STQ bull myself this year at 15 months. Weighed 600kgs with just a little feeding, about 3 kg a day. Made €1250. Had to keep him to that age as locked up with TB. Really surprised at the weight as he was very butty.

50HX · 31-01-2017 7:50pm

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

I see the odd lorry off BB type weanlins being weighed in my local mart. So the trade must be still alive. I sold a STQ bull myself this year at 15 months. Weighed 600kgs with just a little feeding, about 3 kg a day. Made €1250. Had to keep him to that age as locked up with TB. Really surprised at the weight as he was very butty.

yeah the BB would fool you v easily weight wise

STQ was a great bull, also used DBZ down through the years and happy with him, have 2 KIW this year...although they look more like KYA in size:)

farawaygrass · 31-01-2017 10:13pm

TITANIUM. wrote: »

The right AI bull and your cow needs abit in her. Although allot of my blue cow's wouldn't look muscular but they still have 50% blue in them. That coupled with the milk going back to the fr drives the calf with minimal ration.

What bull do you use on them blue x cows? Also, do you buy them cows as calves or older? I seen with the ones I bought, some just have that little bit more muscle between the hing legs where others look more like fr

TITANIUM. · 01-02-2017 8:50am

farawaygrass wrote: »

What bull do you use on them blue x cows? Also, do you buy them cows as calves or older? I seen with the ones I bought, some just have that little bit more muscle between the hing legs where others look more like fr

We bred them off the dairy herd back in our milking days and then from black lm cows outta the milkers. The second cross outta the limos are the most consistent to be fair.
This year I'm using allot of fiston and Abit of ZAG on the blues depending on the cow.
Ya you'll find that some cows just will not bring the type of calf you want regardless of what you do with her.
Wait till they have calves on the ground before you pass judgment on them. Some of the more fr looking of my blues bring great calf's.

patsy_mccabe · 01-02-2017 9:56am

I saw a bunch of cows selling in Ennis mart a while back that were all AI bred from dairy cows. Calves were from AI BB bulls. Cows looked very plain, some too narrow at the hips for my liking but the calves were savage looking. E grade types.
I bought the only one not calved and she had a ZAG heifer. Cow was very nervous but grand now. Calf is stone mad.

Export Weanlings from suckler herd

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