Different Breed

seanymaguire

Whats your thoughts on Galloway breed of cattle?

you save alot on meal for a start but is there money to be made from keeping them?

Albert Johnson

That's a very broad question that applies to all rare breeds imo. It depends on a number of different factors mostly revolving around the end market for your produce. Assuming your based in Ireland I'd try to stick to traditional breeds such as Dexter's, Irish Moiles ect as it should be easier to market the end product domestically.

To be successful with rare breeds I think you need to cover the entire production chain from farm to fork or get a contract with someone who has access to the whole manufacturing and retail sector. Drumanilra farms locally would be an example of what I believe is necessary to make a go of rare breed produce. There producing, manufacturing and selling the entire experience to the general public and seem to be going from strength to strength, this is the mindset that's required for agriculture particularly in the West imo.

I'd be very wary of simply producing unusual weanlings or stores and expecting to lamp them into the mart and get on the same as other more conventional stock. Remember that rare breeds are rare for a reason and will be penalized unless a suitable market is available come sale day. It's a venture that will require lots of homework before committing to making the change otherwise it's not going to be a success imo.

seanymaguire

Albert Johnson wrote: »

That's a very broad question that applies to all rare breeds imo. It depends on a number of different factors mostly revolving around the end market for your produce. Assuming your based in Ireland I'd try to stick to traditional breeds such as Dexter's, Irish Moiles ect as it should be easier to market the end product domestically.

To be successful with rare breeds I think you need to cover the entire production chain from farm to fork or get a contract with someone who has access to the whole manufacturing and retail sector. Drumanilra farms locally would be an example of what I believe is necessary to make a go of rare breed produce. There producing, manufacturing and selling the entire experience to the general public and seem to be going from strength to strength, this is the mindset that's required for agriculture particularly in the West imo.

I'd be very wary of simply producing unusual weanlings or stores and expecting to lamp them into the mart and get on the same as other more conventional stock. Remember that rare breeds are rare for a reason and will be penalized unless a suitable market is available come sale day. It's a venture that will require lots of homework before committing to making the change otherwise it's not going to be a success imo.

so Galloway cattle you would stay clear?

Albert Johnson

seanymaguire wrote: »

so Galloway cattle you would stay clear?

I wouldn't stay clear as such but what do you envisage the end result of the whole debacle will be? Galloway's could be as lucrative as any breed if marketed right but I don't think it's as simple as buying a GA bull and waiting for the cows to calve. The domestic market currently scorns all traditional breeds outside of AA or HE be they Galloway or Dexter, therefore any resulting crosses of these breeds will need an alternative market. The definition of an alternative market is open to interpretation but I'm dead sure that landing in to a mart or standard factory with any rare breed type stock will not be a success. All breeds have there merits if used as intended but that depends on your own situation as to what will and won't work. What exactly have you in mind for the Galloway's and perhaps we can better advise you?

manjou

Albert Johnson wrote: »

seanymaguire wrote: »

so Galloway cattle you would stay clear?

I wouldn't stay clear as such but what do you envisage the end result of the whole debacle will be? Galloway's could be as lucrative as any breed if marketed right but I don't think it's as simple as buying a GA bull and waiting for the cows to calve. The domestic market currently scorns all traditional breeds outside of AA or HE be they Galloway or Dexter, therefore any resulting crosses of these breeds will need an alternative market. The definition of an alternative market is open to interpretation but I'm dead sure that landing in to a mart or standard factory with any rare breed type stock will not be a success. All breeds have there merits if used as intended but that depends on your own situation as to what will and won't work. What exactly have you in mind for the Galloway's and perhaps we can better advise you?

there is premium for dexters but they have to be p br and not crossbred. i think there is similar with Galloway also have p br.

Albert Johnson

manjou wrote: »

there is premium for dexters but they have to be p br and not crossbred. i think there is similar with Galloway also have p br.

I'm aware of those schemes and must look into them further as there the only hope going forward for suckler type beef imo. It's whether the op is aware or involved in these schemes that I'm curious about? It's all fine and well saying that Galloway's, Dexter's ect are worth X amount under what ever scheme but it's no good unless you've access to the paying customers. I wouldn't think you can just ring up on the day and expect them to be killed as quickly as conventional stock. There were a bundle of yearling Dexter bulls in my local mart lately, 220-240kg and all PB registered and suitable for the Dexter beef premium according to the seller. The best of them were making there weight and the lesser one's weren't bid for, it's not much good saying there worth so much if you haven't got a suitable buyer come sale day.

coolshannagh28

Albert Johnson wrote: »

I'm aware of those schemes and must look into them further as there the only hope going forward for suckler type beef imo. It's whether the op is aware or involved in these schemes that I'm curious about? It's all fine and well saying that Galloway's, Dexter's ect are worth X amount under what ever scheme but it's no good unless you've access to the paying customers. I wouldn't think you can just ring up on the day and expect them to be killed as quickly as conventional stock. There were a bundle of yearling Dexter bulls in my local mart lately, 220-240kg and all PB registered and suitable for the Dexter beef premium according to the seller. The best of them were making there weight and the lesser one's weren't bid for, it's not much good saying there worth so much if you haven't got a suitable buyer come sale day.

I would have been in the market for them .....

Albert Johnson

So was I at that sort of money but he had a lot more in mind, was able to tell me how much more they were worth to someone in the scheme. I questioned him if there was all that to be made it was a wonder he wouldn't finish them. Funnily enough he didn't answer that question, if your stuck to sell it's only worth what the man is paying on the day.

Albert Johnson

Maybe I'm coming across as anti rare breeds but this isn't my intention, I'm fully in support of researching any and all markets that can cater for beef of any colour that returns a fair margin to the primary producer. Schemes that add value to our produce are the only show in town imo going forward. However it will take a change in both mind and skill set to implement these changes. That's why I'm curious as to the OP's background, if he's already finishing cattle then he's better prepared for the change over as he will have experience of the process. If on the other hand he's running a bunch of continental sucklers, a good Charolais bull and selling everything as weanlings he's in for a culture shock. This is one of those decisions that you need to go into with your eyes open to avoid disappointment.

manjou

Albert Johnson wrote: »

Maybe I'm coming across as anti rare breeds but this isn't my intention, I'm fully in support of researching any and all markets that can cater for beef of any colour that returns a fair margin to the primary producer. Schemes that add value to our produce are the only show in town imo going forward. However it will take a change in both mind and skill set to implement these changes. That's why I'm curious as to the OP's background, if he's already finishing cattle then he's better prepared for the change over as he will have experience of the process. If on the other hand he's running a bunch of continental sucklers, a good Charolais bull and selling everything as weanlings he's in for a culture shock. This is one of those decisions that you need to go into with your eyes open to avoid disappointment.

these markets are there and paying good money but there are t&cs that go with them no point going out and buying a few and then do research on them . have bought a few dexters here but researched market first and have outlet got for them as no point bringing them to normal mart or factory as you will lose alot fairly quickly

seanymaguire

like to hear from other who have Galloways and similar cattle, they are easy to keep i hear not requiring much or any meal, are hardy and can be outwintered and easy calvers,

Water John

There is a guy running a herd in the Knockmealdown or Galtee Mountains, don't know anything about him. Seen a few articles over time.

coolshannagh28

If I wasn't at Dexters Id be keeping Galloway .

Say my name

coolshannagh28 wrote: »

If I wasn't at Dexters Id be keeping Galloway .

Would you be able to post a picture of one of your Dexters?
It'd be an alien breed to most on this forum.
Do you breed them yourself as well?

coolshannagh28

I have a fairly big herd breeding my own and running them to finish

gerryirl

im looking at this as a bit of side show for a project I'm involved in.. Do you kill the dexters yourseld Coolshannagh or do you have your own market for them.. Whats the kills bonus on them. Youd harldy get QPS

toleratethis

Water John wrote: »

There is a guy running a herd in the Knockmealdown or Galtee Mountains, don't know anything about him. Seen a few articles over time.

Joe Condon, very nice genuine guy.

coolshannagh28

gerryirl wrote: »

im looking at this as a bit of side show for a project I'm involved in.. Do you kill the dexters yourseld Coolshannagh or do you have your own market for them.. Whats the kills bonus on them. Youd harldy get QPS

There s a market € 5 to €5,50 a kilo no QPS , that's a stick to beat a man with . Its a niche product but is in demand , there is some management on cash flow but margin to be made .

gerryirl

cool what weights would they kill out. Would you get 250kg dead

coolshannagh28

gerryirl wrote: »

cool what weights would they kill out. Would you get 250kg dead

Average 180 .

k mac

coolshannagh28 wrote: »

There s a market € 5 to €5,50 a kilo no QPS , that's a stick to beat a man with . Its a niche product but is in demand , there is some management on cash flow but margin to be made .

where do you kill? I presume there is only one or two factories that have a market for them. or do you kill them privately?

coolshannagh28

k mac wrote: »

where do you kill? I presume there is only one or two factories that have a market for them. or do you kill them privately?

ABP do a kill and Killenure Dexter in Tipperary also , I would kill an odd one for my own use .

gerryirl

what is the meat like. texture taste wise

coolshannagh28

gerryirl wrote: »

what is the meat like. texture taste wise

Fine textured meat with a high level of marbling , slightly gamey nutty, taste incredibly tasty.

k mac

coolshannagh28 wrote: »

Average 180 .

Would be ideal for killing a heifer for the freezer for yourself

Water John

Had a Dexter steak in Drumanilra, very nice.

Say my name

There's a young farmer that has both Galloway and Dexter cattle, posting on Farmers of the UK Twitter account this week.

Birdnuts

Water John wrote: »

Had a Dexter steak in Drumanilra, very nice.

Probably a bit like mountain lamb ie. when animals have access to natural herbal pasture it comes through in the meat

k mac

Think in the future with the way things are with suckler/beef farming the way forward may be to diversify to some niche market so maybe the OP is on to something. Wagyu Beef anyone??
With all the talk about sustainability wouldn't it be great if you could rear your own animal be it angus,Hereford, dexter whatever get it killed in a local small abbatoir and supply a local hotel/restaurant who could advertise this steak from a farm a few miles down the road. Of course regulations or other beef barons made sure all these small abbatoirs were closed years ago.

toleratethis

Mobile abbatoirs should be available also. Our local abbatoir told me in fairly colourful language not to darken their door with a dexter. I didn't push him as to why, he'd get paid so I don't see the problem.

Who2

I was with a lad doing Galloway up north and was very impressed. Not for weanling sales but they weigh like lead and finish on no meal. He was getting 340kg dead at 24 months on a basically organic system.

toleratethis

Who2 wrote: »

I was with a lad doing Galloway up north and was very impressed. Not for weanling sales but they weigh like lead and finish on no meal. He was getting 340kg dead at 24 months on a basically organic system.

What's the €/kg for them at that weight/age?

Who2

toleratethis wrote: »

What's the €/kg for them at that weight/age?

It’s four or five years ago and I haven’t followed up since.

k mac

Am tempted to buy a few pb dexter heifers for breeding. Just carry drystock at the minute but I know sucklers have huge costs with the price of keeping a cow for the year to produce a calf, but my thinking of dexters is I have about 12 acres of bog that has some nice pasture mixed in between. It is said they can be outwintered so my thoughts are this type of ground would be ideal and I would save a on the price of housing for the winter and silage etc. Only problem is there are bog holes and the like that would be dangerous but I have often heard that cattle that are used to outwintering on rough ground sem to know how to avoid dangerous drains and bog holes.

Water John

Drumanilra were looking to work with some farmers rearing Dexter on contract. Not sure how that's now with Covid 19.