Calf to beef thread

weatherbyfoxer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123339975#Comment_123339975

The way it works here is most calves here are in pens of 10 and if the get a heaped round lick bucket of calf nuts in the morning and it's gone by evening they are pulled up off milk completely.

Big mistake is to keep calves on milk twice a day too long,this slows up meal intake..usually put calves on 2.5 liters once a day from 50 days and stay feeding tull they are eating the 1.5kg per head of meal

Anto_Meath

Looking at applying for the Dairy Beeg Weighing scheme but u can't see it on Agfood. Have any of ye applied yet?

mr.stonewall

It's in the expression of interest section. Just tick the box exercise for application

Niallers87

is there a particular date of when the calves have to be weighed?

mr.stonewall

Weights uploaded or submitted to icbf by 5pm on November 1st

Anto_Meath

@mr.stonewall thanks very much for that. Got sorted there now.

emaherx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123356060#Comment_123356060

November 1st, but also make sure they are over 12 weeks

How to qualify

• Be aged eighteen years or over on the date of submission of the application for participation.

• Be the owner of an active herd number with Herd Owner status, herd keeper is not acceptable.

• Be farming a holding in respect of which a valid Basic Income Support for Sustainability application is submitted in 2025 to the Department.

• Had a male calf of a dairy breed and/or a male or female calf of a beef breed sire born to a dairy breed dam in their herd.

These eligible calves must have been:

• at least 12 weeks of age at the time of weighing and has been registered on the holding s/he is being weighed on for a minimum of 10 days prior to the date of weighing.

• in the applicant’s herd for at least 10 days before weighing

• born between 01 July 2024 and 30 June 2025.

Actions to be undertaken

There is only 1 action required under the scheme – weighing of eligible calves and submission of weights to ICBF

• Applicants must weigh a minimum of 5 eligible calves and up to a maximum of 50 calves and submit the weights to the ICBF

• Calves must be at least 12 weeks old at the time of weighing and be registered in applicant’s herd for at least 10 days before weighing

• All weights should be submitted to ICBF within 7 days of weighing but must be no later than 17.30hrs on 1 November 2025

These actions must be completed in full to be eligible for any payment under the programme.

Rate of payment

Payment is €20 per eligible calf. Applicants must weigh and submit weights for a minimum of 5 eligible calves and up to a maximum of 50..

The weights must be submitted to the ICBF by 17.30hrs on 01 November 2025 to make an applicant eligible for payment.

Payments will be made in December 2025

Niallers87

thanks a million for that👍

newholland mad

Do you have to be a member of ICBF to join the scheme. 60 euro membership and hiring the scales would take the good out of it for smaller numbers

Siamsa Sessions

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123358653#Comment_123358653

I think it's free to sign up for ICBF. It's linked to the Dept as far as I know. Ring them and check: (023) 8820222

It's around €50 to hire a scales for the day around here (Waterford).

emaherx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123358653#Comment_123358653

You can get an ICBF login without paying the herd plus membership, you just won't have access to all of the features like genomics data, but I think weights shouldn't be a problem.

bt12

looking for some advice, bought Angus calves last weekend about 21days old were on whole milk, started them on the blue Agritech powder 1.7ltrs and 250grams each twice a day according to the instructions this is the lowest rate plus precision microbes and was going to build them up slowly but a few are a bit watery this evening what would lads recommend have started whiteheads before and had no issues

mr.stonewall

I often get a scour in calves switching from whole milk to powder at around day 5. Takes a bit more of time to settle the stomachs to powder milk. Usually lasts for 2-3 days

If they keep drinking they will be the finest. Make sure they have a good source of water and it can worthwhile to give an electrolyte to any thing you think needs it.

lmk123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123360858#Comment_123360858

I had that issue, I got a bucket of milkshake, bit expensive but I’ll definitely get it from now on, I thought it was a great job

bt12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123360995#Comment_123360995

interesting would u recommend milkshake over precision microbes?

westeast

Hereford or Angus 1 month old heifers 300 to 350 what do you think in the money or not

lmk123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123361031#Comment_123361031

never used microbes but ya I thought the milkshake worked very well

Siamsa Sessions

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123361075#Comment_123361075

Hard to know without seeing them.

That seems to be what they're making in the marts but you'd need a crystal ball to know whether they're worth it or not. What will beef price be in October 2026 when you're killing the first of them at 18-19 months?

One thing is if beef price drops, it'll cost less to replace them in your system.

_Brian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123361547#Comment_123361547

what live weights would you be talking to be killing heifers at 18-19 months old ??

we edge towards a more extensive idea and would usually move them to the mart at 24 months old at about 550kg upwards.

Maybe at current prices it covers the additional cost of pushing them but on average years surely it eats into margins considerably.

Siamsa Sessions

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123361701#Comment_123361701

Good AA and HE heifers would usually be around 520-530kg after maybe 4 weeks of a finishing nut in October.

Not all are "good" like that but those born in Feb and out of solid Friesian cows have a good chance of making it. But you obviously need to keep them right the whole way thru as well.

weatherbyfoxer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123361701#Comment_123361701

So your talking of killing aa heifer in September/October.We usually kill them here at that point into an average 500kg live weight or 265kg O+ 3+ carcass after 6 weeks of 4kg of meal on grass..they usually all kill out over 50%…Not the heaviest stock you'll kill but the cheapest beef you will produce.

_Brian

@Siamsa Sessions @weatherbyfoxer

Thanks
Interesting to see the numbers.

Tibulus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123362575#Comment_123362575

Thanks for sharing,

What would be your target weight going out to grass in year 2?

If a heifer was not making target for September/ Oct. Would you give her a few months indoors ?

weatherbyfoxer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123363821#Comment_123363821

No heifer here sees her second birthday..I'll feed for slaughter once they are over 400kg

Murang

how old would you kill bullocks at?

weatherbyfoxer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364093#Comment_123364093

usally around 22 months

limo_100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364529#Comment_123364529

what is your average weight for the bullocks. I have 10 yearlings that’s are 365kg average weight they could probably make the factory before Xmas but I was thinking if there where left until they are 24months next feb they should come into 700kg bullocks with a 350kg carcass.

weatherbyfoxer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364571#Comment_123364571

Average is 315kg 0+ 3+..600-650kg live weight..60-70 day finishing period of good silage and 5kg of meal indoors from the 1st of October

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364571#Comment_123364571

There Is no right and wrong answer to this. @weatherbyfoxer is right killing off grass from September to November @18-20 months is the cheapest beef you produce. It's also the lowest price point for beef compared to late January or May/June and hanging at 26-28 months.

There Is a combination of factors at play. Nitrates are.one of the main ones. For a lot of dairy farmers as @Siamsa Sessions is doing slaughtering at that age gives you a very low Nitrates footprint for you stock. If you had all Good land then it's similar You can stock more intensively. Housing is another factor slaughtering off grass or housing and slaughtering late January or a mixture of both throws free housing or eliminates the need for it for the second winter. Also if your land is very heavy and you have a long winter then finishing out of the shed.makes more sense.

To counter balance that of nitrates are not an issue I have land in the Area Aid application that defrays my nitrates. I have adequate housing and a relatively short winter limited by availability of grass.

Aa well I can get adequate weight gain off silage alone, turn out some forward stores or heifers in mid February. Some of my cattle did 0.7kgs/ day on silage alone nearly all 20 months + cattle did over 0.5kgs over the winter. Costs for the heavier cattle were probably not much with a euro a day assuming they were the most voracious eaters.

Different senario for your bullocks we will assume beef prices for mathematical purposes.

Autumn finishing October/November feeding 3kgs for 10-12 weeks bullocks gain 180 kgs between now and slaughter out 50.5% and hang 275kgs. Some are slaughtered at the higher AA bonus in November, cattle grade O=O+ 60/40 price 5.6/ kg 1540 euro. Risks associated with autumn necessities housing adding 60-80 euro/ head to costs. Normal ration costs 75 euro

Late January finish cattle are housed early October having gained 160 kgs at grass and fed 3.5kgs and good silage on average until slaughter. Costs 2 euro a day for 110 days. Bullocks grade O+ on average 610LW hang 51% DW 311 kgs @6.1/ kg and average 1900 euro. Disadvantages you need housing, wet autumn will require earlier housing Reallyat mercy of processors and you need them to compete on price

Early summer finish cattle housesmd 1st November @530 kgs ,gain 0.55kgs per day before turnout in March 1st fed from mid April 3kgs of a straight mix until slaughter in mid June. The average gain from turnout to slaughter is a kg per day. They are 705kgs at slaughter hang 51.5% grade O+/R- 70/30. Beef price is coming down from late May peak which is usually above late January peak. You may also slaughter some in late May getting Spring AA bonus. Between everything price averages 6.3/ kg cattle slaughter 363kgs and average 2290 euro. Disadvantages housing required all winter long. Cattle use up a lot of nitrates, you need a short winter and you need to buy cattle capable of carrying the weight which a lot I'd AA will not

emaherx

I weighed calves yesterday with the electronic scales, but also compared a few against a weigh band.

Has anyone tried one? I was surprised by how accurate it is, within a kilo or 2 on 70 to 80 kg calves. It might be handier than dragging scales out again before weaning time or estimating medication dosage. I'm not suggesting it as a replacement for weighing, especially as stock get bigger, but it's definitely useful if you wanted to just compare a couple of them.

https://www.coopsuperstores.ie/products/retractable-weigh-band-retangle-metric-0379551?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=9564529349&gbraid=0AAAAADp56PPKBGfnHvERiyLhptFkVilvT&gclid=Cj0KCQjwzYLABhD4ARIsALySuCS5L3y0aN_9sYRKF4pFOnMf2BQOi66t7MaiR_TKOwCaONCWV6vBfJAaApOMEALw_wcB