New start in beef

MollyRo

I'm starting off with my own herd number for the first time and will have 48 cows and their calves. I have 72 acres and am thinking of what way to do it to increase my profits as I have repayments to make on land. I'm thinking of selling the cows after grazing season and keeping all calves and keeping until fit for selling/killing next year. I'm going to continue with a dry stock herd. My question is how much beef stock I could keep on that land and also have enough for silage ground. Any suggestions or advice is appreciated.

rangler1

MollyRo wrote: »

I'm starting off with my own herd number for the first time and will have 48 cows and their calves. I have 72 acres and am thinking of what way to do it to increase my profits as I have repayments to make on land. I'm thinking of selling the cows after grazing season and keeping all calves and keeping until fit for selling/killing next year. I'm going to continue with a dry stock herd. My question is how much beef stock I could keep on that land and also have enough for silage ground. Any suggestions or advice is appreciated.

Unless you have good subsidies it'll be hard to meet any repayments in a beef enterprise.
That said, your stocking rate will depend on the quality of land and standard of farm management and only you can determine that. I used to keep cattle and would always aim to stock the land at 1000kgs of cattle on an acre in the spring so that was maybe 3 cattle 350kgs or 2 of 500 kgs and keep half the farm for silage and then reduce stocking rate as the year progresses and the silage is cut and fields become available but i would be paddock grazing and keeping the land fertile, Poorly managed land in poor fertility would only feed half that and weight gain would be poor.

Sam Kade

Whatever happened to apr2014? Wasn't he making savage money from beef summer grazing on old grass and selling surplus bales off the field like hot buns

_Brian

I agree with rangler, repayments would be tough without direct payments to support the system.

Beef really is a low margin business, typically run where there is very little land costs. I think most beef enterprises would struggle to cover repayments and general maintenance. Most are relying on direct payments for in excess of 100% of income meaning payments are going to subsidise the system.

Good luck !

_Brian

Sam Kade wrote: »

Whatever happened to apr2014? Wasn't he making savage money from beef summer grazing on old grass and selling surplus bales off the field like hot buns

Thinking his accounting caught up with him

WhichWay

What would you think of stocking 73 calves and 73 steers giving a total 73livestock units (LU) equal to 2.5 LU\ha? Based on MollyRo's 72acre(29ha).
Maybe finish the steers out of the shed at 24 months, or let them go before second winter.
And start the cycle again.
What is the kg\acre stocking of this system?

Who2

rangler1 wrote: »

Unless you have good subsidies it'll be hard to meet any repayments in a beef enterprise.
That said, your stocking rate will depend on the quality of land and standard of farm management and only you can determine that. I used to keep cattle and would always aim to stock the land at 1000kgs of cattle on an acre in the spring so that was maybe 3 cattle 350kgs or 2 of 500 kgs and keep half the farm for silage and then reduce stocking rate as the year progresses and the silage is cut and fields become available but i would be paddock grazing and keeping the land fertile, Poorly managed land in poor fertility would only feed half that and weight gain would be poor.

If hes running 48 cows and followers on 72 acres he must know how to look after ground. its well above average.

Tomjim

Who2 wrote: »

If hes running 48 cows and followers on 72 acres he must know how to look after ground. its well above average.

what would the average be on 72 acres

rangler1

Who2 wrote: »

If hes running 48 cows and followers on 72 acres he must know how to look after ground. its well above average.

70 cows plus calves is possible on 70 acres

TITANIUM.

rangler1 wrote: »

70 cows plus calves is possible on 70 acres

Im slow to correct you as Ive a feeling your speaking from experience.
But 70 suckler cows and there calf's on 70 acres sounds like pie in the sky stuff to me.
When those calf's are 6months they're going to be going through a fair bit of grass themselves.
And where are you going to get your silage.

charolais0153

TITANIUM. wrote: »

Im slow to correct you as Ive a feeling your speckling from experience.
But 70 suckler cows and there calf's on 70 acres sounds like pie in the sky stuff to me.
When those calf's are 6months they're going to be going through a fair bit of grass themselves.
And where are you going to get your silage.

Its going to take a bit of manure and decent land but it would be manageable but difficult

Who2

charolais0153 wrote: »

Its going to take a bit of manure and decent land but it would be manageable but difficult

53 sucklers. 50 calves eight replacement and 2 bulls. Plenty on 70 acres with the margin in beef

charolais0153

Who2 wrote: »

53 sucklers. 50 calves eight replacement and 2 bulls. Plenty on 70 acres with the margin in beef

I don't doubt ya

_Brian

Who2 wrote: »

53 sucklers. 50 calves eight replacement and 2 bulls. Plenty on 70 acres with the margin in beef

I too would urge caution regarding excessive stocking rates for beef, in a year where grass is tight money will need to be spent supplementing, and there just aren't the margins there to do that.

Dairy lads feel the pinch when they have to supplement feed cows from off farm sources, but beef farms are loosing money if they need to do that.

gerryirl

sell the lot and buy a load of donkeys for the units for the payments.. I know men at it.. I couldn't do it but maybe Im just a busy fool like a lot of us at the minute

Who2

gerryirl wrote: »

sell the lot and buy a load of donkeys for the units for the payments.. I know men at it.. I couldn't do it but maybe Im just a busy fool like a lot of us at the minute

48 sucklers and calves would leave the average joe with a nice tax bill unless you bought fancy donkeys

Tomjim

would you be able to carry 20 cows, 1 bull and finish everything to beef at 30 months

gerryirl

Who2 wrote: »

48 sucklers and calves would leave the average joe with a nice tax bill unless you bought fancy donkeys

what does a fancy donkey look like..lol

What's the general thoughts on buying in suck calves fairly cheap and either selling them as stores or finishing?

I know one or two dry stock farmers who usually buy and finish bullocks who are going over to suck calves and reducing the number of older animals. One in particlaur is looking at going into this in a fairly big way.

I know there are risks with losing calves but in other ways (*without the benefit of hard numbers) it would appear to offer an opportunity of profit. I'd be interest in how the numbers actually work out in this strategy.

*basing this on having bought in calves to put with cows who lost calves in the past, paid small money and got good money back. Taking into account you aren't feeding a cow all year, no bull or AI and obviously aren't losing a calf in the process. You have the milk replacer costs though of course.

gerryirl

Adriana Spicy Peace wrote: »

What's the general thoughts on buying in suck calves fairly cheap and either selling them as stores or finishing?

I know one or two dry stock farmers who usually buy and finish bullocks who are going over to suck calves and reducing the number of older animals. One in particlaur is looking at going into this in a fairly big way.

I know there are risks with losing calves but in other ways (*without the benefit of hard numbers) it would appear to offer an opportunity of profit. I'd be interest in how the numbers actually work out in this strategy.

*basing this on having bought in calves to put with cows who lost calves in the past, paid small money and got good money back. Taking into account you aren't feeding a cow all year, no bull or AI and obviously aren't losing a calf in the process. You have the milk replacer costs though of course.

yes your right alot of people are starting to go this way.. If i was full time farming Id be at it . Its the feeding them 3 times a day bit Id not be able for and me working

gerryirl

gerryirl wrote: »

yes your right alot of people are starting to go this way.. If i was full time farming Id be at it . Its the feeding them 3 times a day bit Id not be able for and me working

Didn't think feeding 3 times was required the lads I know definely aren't anway as they are working. Morning and evening for the first while and the down to once a day evening only when they get a little older. Suppose it depends how young you buy them in though.

Bass Reeves

Not sure if I would be buying calves. I some how think the Op is working as well and that suckler cows are a risk when you are not there to watch. The one issue with winter finishing is cost of ration over the finishing period. Over the last 2-3 years price/kg during the winter is as low as October/November price nearly.

Weanling to store would be a good option and finish off grass between June and early September under 30 months.You should be able to keep 40+ yearling and 2 year old bullocks on 70 acres. How far you push it will be up to you. You will only be able to close 25% of the farm in spring for silage but you can take in and out paddocks as surplas paddocks arise. Run the cattle as 2-3 bunches. A bunch of 10-15 on ration finishing and the rest as a mob grazing until you pull a few out to put on ration for 6-10 weeks to finish. You will be lowly stocked in Autumn and highly stocked in spring time. You may decide to buy some of you cattle as yearlings in May/June to lower stocking rate in early spring.