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Suckler farmers anonymous

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    #62
    893bet
    Registered Users Posts: 8,795 ✭✭✭893bet


    Deleted User wrote: »
    Outrageous money being asked at the minute on DD for incalf heifers

    How long from calving?


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    #63
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    893bet wrote: »
    How long from calving?

    The ones I saw were a few months out like the autumn


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    #64
    Albert Johnson
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 1,874 Mod ✭✭✭✭Albert Johnson


    [Deleted User] wrote: »
    The ones I saw were a few months out like the autumn

    A lot of the hardened suckler men calve from August through to Xmas. This leaves them with a serious "weanling" to sell the following backend. I always thought it was a good way of adding further expense and workload to what was an already under pressure enterprise. My idea of suckling is low cost all the way, namely calve to grass and try and minimise wintering costs which are the real killer imo. However a lot of lad's argue that seeing as the cow will spend 6, 7 or maybe nearer to 8 months receiving feeding in the shed she might as well be producing something during that time.


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    #65
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Albert Johnson wrote: »
    A lot of the hardened suckler men calve from August through to Xmas. This leaves them with a serious "weanling" to sell the following backend. I always thought it was a good way of adding further expense and workload to what was an already under pressure enterprise. My idea of suckling is low cost all the way, namely calve to grass and try and minimise wintering costs which are the real killer imo. However a lot of lad's argue that seeing as the cow will spend 6, 7 or maybe nearer to 8 months receiving feeding in the shed she might as well be producing something during that time.

    6 months in the shed is a lot

    I try and house in december and out early march


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    #66
    Albert Johnson
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 1,874 Mod ✭✭✭✭Albert Johnson


    [Deleted User] wrote: »
    6 months in the shed is a lot

    I try and house in december and out early march

    I'm not disagreeing with you but it's standard enough practice on a lot of marginal land. Cow's housed in late October and not getting back to grass until well into May. It depends on the weather from year to year but that would be the case for a lot of lad's in those areas most year's. I don't know have I ever seen as much housed cattle appearing in the marts in June as this year. Even up to this week I saw cattle that were coming directly out of sheds being sold in the mart. You'd have to wonder what lad's do be at keeping stock indoors virtually all year round.


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    #67
    farawaygrass
    Registered Users Posts: 1,900 ✭✭✭farawaygrass


    I wonder when the bdgp scheme is up this year will there be a rush to sell again or will the market keep them interested?
    Also with autumn calving you have far less calving difficulties and calf sickness.


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    #68
    893bet
    Registered Users Posts: 8,795 ✭✭✭893bet


    farawaygrass wrote: »
    I wonder when the bdgp scheme is up this year will there be a rush to sell again or will the market keep them interested?
    Also with autumn calving you have far less calving difficulties and calf sickness.

    Less sickness in autumn? Not sure about that? We do half and half and that wouldn’t be our experience.


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    #69
    Base price
    Registered Users Posts: 11,171 ✭✭✭✭Base price


    Suckler cow numbers have dropped by 40k between June 2020 to June 2021 and not surprisingly dairy cow numbers have increased by 36.8K over the same period.

    https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/suckler-cow-numbers-fall-by-over-40000-in-12-months-to-june/



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    #70
    funkey_monkey
    Registered Users Posts: 8,106 ✭✭✭funkey_monkey


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117576084#Comment_117576084

    Ours are normally in mid October and out once their calf (April/May) gets strong enough (usually 1 - 2 weeks, depending on how pushed for space we are). Used to calf earlier in March and put them out in late April/May depending on grass growth. Hoping to see them out into November this year, but will need to scan them first and then split the herd to avoid poaching the ground. Some of our cows would be bought in as calves from dairy herds and they would fail a bit more noticeably than those with a tougher pedigree.

    Some fella's who farm PT would have them housed in early October as the ground never seems to dry out at this time of year and its better for them, cattle and field if brought into the house for winter. No point screwing the system in Spring for a few weeks marginal grazing at the back end of the year. Cattle in and let the sheep take what is leftover.



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    #71
    kollegeknight
    Registered Users Posts: 3,240 ✭✭✭kollegeknight


    House at Halloween here abs usually out mid April after herd test.

    the land gets wet quick but doesn’t dry quickly.



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    #72
    Who2
    Registered Users Posts: 2,050 ✭✭✭Who2


    I try to have them in the last week of October and start putting out cows and calves from February on but everything usually early April.

    I used to calve half my cows in the autumn it does add a lot of expenses. I don’t however mind calving down heifers from October on so as I can get them back in calf for January or February the following year without too much hassle.



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