Calf to beef thread

Dunedin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122540238#Comment_122540238

yes. Need to be fairly sure of their weights so as not to over dose.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122540238#Comment_122540238

It's a stomach fluke dose, high resistance to it, but if you have not used a yellow drench for years ot should work. I think, but I am not sure it's where there is a fluke issue you will have issues its a severe dose when fluke is an issue. Against worms it's a serious issue AFAIK

tractorporn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122539888#Comment_122539888

They are getting just over 1.5kg every evening, I probably should be giving two but two buckets is all I can carry so it's 24kg between 18 calves. I mix 16% beef nuts 50/50 with rolled maize. It's a bit low but it's working so far. Going forward I'm gonna add some soya to it. I budgeted for 2 bags of powder per calf and I was a bit below that. All calves got milk for 84 days but again I'm gonna extend that for the few smaller lads to over 100 days anymore I'd say the 3 runts would have faired a bit better with more milk.

tractorporn

Yeah

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122540130#Comment_122540130

Yeah two out of the three herds that ive bought off are Fr with a small but of Holstein but one of them had used Jersey in the past and when I looked on ICBF the dams are 12 and 14% Jex.

Tibulus

Has anyone ever finished out Jearsy calfs?

Have 5 jearsy/angus crosses about 17 months old. They are filling out nicely during their second year on grass, but will never make 600kg live weight. I could seperate them at housing in Novenber and feed meal finish before Christmas or taget April/May.

What approach have people taken to finishing?

limo_100

Looking to buy some spring born aa or he cross bulls or bullocks roughly around first of November for shed time. I would be hoping to have them killed within the year. What weight would I want to be buying now to get them into 550-600kg live weight next year for slaughter. 300kg would that be a good weight to be buying now?

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122564565#Comment_122564565

400-430 kgs depending on when you want to slaughter them and hiw well they thrive. You could probably buy350 kgs at present to do the same thing.

The value at present are light heifers 280-320kgs being got fir 5-600 euro

limo_100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122566512#Comment_122566512

Yeah that's what I was think seem bulls for the same weight around 650 but maybe the heifers would be the better value. If I bought 10 of these heifers they would be fit to kill in roughly 12 months wouldn't they get to 500-550kg live weight for slaughter.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122567598#Comment_122567598

I be hoping they would hang into 280-300 kgs DW. @5/kg they would make 1400-1500 euro.

White Clover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122566512#Comment_122566512

What kind of heifers are these Bass?

limo_100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122568091#Comment_122568091

Which breed do you think performs better aa or the Herefords I would imagine the he are the better breed with heavier carcass's

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122568758#Comment_122568758

Some are Continentals CH and LM, saw a couple of Red lm type heifers down as AA. HE aa well. You would buy some of the Friesian heifers 350-400 kgs for 1.5/kg

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122568840#Comment_122568840

It really depends on the animal, howethete is a lot of poorer quality AA around

limo_100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122568926#Comment_122568926

I think il try to stick to the Herefords and get a fairly even batch at around 280-320 kg

Austinbrick

We used the Holly last winter and there was no ringworm.Always had ringworm before.

They were also bedded better than other years. Maybe that was a factor.Although,I'd give the Holly the nod .

Aly Daly

Ringworm is caused by a fungal infection can be treated fully with an anti fungal spray such as Backtokill,power wash the sheds after the winter & spray a good disinfectant afterwards,I see the odd small spot of it with bought in cattle & we immediately deal with it,you can then put some holly in the shed when they no longer need treatment for what is a very irritating condition for the animal,i spotted a picture on boards recently put up by a farmer of a calf/weanling heavily infected & stating that he will be OK once he is housed with holly,not good & I would encourage the man to get the animal into the crush spray liberally with anti fungal & cover the beasts eyes with his hand when applying near the face,similarly I would encourage any farmer with ringworm which can happen easily when handling infected animals to use an anti fungal cream rather than tying up holly out of his bedroom light fitting.

mr.stonewall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122579725#Comment_122579725

I use a 6*3 timber and 3 6inch conc blocks. Would you have option maybe putting the concrete area to the side. Might make bedding and cleaning easier. Gates sheeted with stock board. Swing a gate and calves locked into the concrete area. Straight in with tractor and lift out the bedding. When putting in bedding drop a grab of straw over the gate. No messing with straw in the concrete area.

Good idea of move calves to a separate airspace

mr.stonewall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122580158#Comment_122580158

Sitting on the ground on edge. Never an issue. You will get a few years out of it. Could you screw a few of say inch timber to act as packers to lift it. Have seen a few people use single slats for the same. Also look to make the entrance to the bedding are narrow to stop straw been dragged

Cleaning out consider a mini digger. The only bit I want to fork is the bit around the walls.

tractorporn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122579900#Comment_122579900

That picture was of a treated animal who will also get holly to clear the now bare patches over the winter. This is not my first rodeo. I hope that helps you sleep at night seeing as you were so concerned!

Aly Daly

Perhaps I should not have discussed a picture on here in the negative & I will be careful not to do that again so i apologise for that,I won't get into a row over holly V vetinary science & please use whatever dose of holly you prefer if that makes you sleep at night.

morphy87

What percentage nut or ration are people giving there March April born Calfs?

tractorporn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122580447#Comment_122580447

Perhaps you shouldn't

Hard Knocks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122580733#Comment_122580733

Most calf nut/rations are 16%, which would be sufficient. If you can get a higher %, go with it as this was a tough year

morphy87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122583185#Comment_122583185

The one I’m currently using is 18%

Finty Lemon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122580825#Comment_122580825

Char are the best of the best when they are good, but very bad value when they are ordinary. Always overpriced as calves and I tended to find them a bit soft and sluggish as young stock. Need a lot of feeding to finish which often does pay but can be risky.

In short, you need to be a better operator than I am to get the value out of Char. Plainer works better here.

limo_100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122587325#Comment_122587325

Have reared blue calves in my time and always find them great when buying them but disappointing then after some wont grow other stay butty so won't be bothering with them again

mr.stonewall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122580733#Comment_122580733

Feeding 15% here as it's a bit of a balance from ration in bulk with a few finishing stock. Energy is key. We haven't go much sun for energy in grass this year. Feeding a little under 1.5 kg to the strong bunch and 2kg to smaller weaker bunch.

morphy87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122587597#Comment_122587597

So would you recommend changing from the 18% nut?

mr.stonewall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122588002#Comment_122588002

For me it's cost and easiness as it's a beef ration from last of the finishing cattle. They have been on it since June. Ration is cheaper than nut and then bulk blown in is cheaper than bag. Grass should be able to supply most of the protein. In the winter I give the same ration to the weanlings on silage and have tub of soya bean meal. I just give the about 0.25 kg of this on top of the meal. Has helped bring on the tail end of the stock. Its about mag lick bucket to about 25 weanlings. Worked out at about 20c a head a day to top this bunch up. 700 kg in a JFC tub lasted 2 months

On calf to beef it's about trying to pull up the weaker stock. The longer they are on the farm the greater the cost. And thus lower margin. We all have some dingers in the groups reared, but don't forget the bottom end

kk.man

I was chatting to a large finisher last year and he was advocating the nut as opposed to the ration for finishing cattle at grass.

I did it this summer and have to say I'm convinced it's a better way to finish cattle. I fund it's putting on the fat faster and I don't have the exact sums yet but I think it's taking less tonnage to finish. It must be bourne in mind you can't compare the two years. This was a horrible grass growing year.