Calf to beef thread

tractorporn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121652761#Comment_121652761

Department make the rules and the Department make sure the organic bodies implement them

Water John

Well both organic bodies are taking on staff, if anyone feels its a cushy number.

tractorporn

20240210_130351.jpg

Got the calves out today for a few hours great to see them picking on a bit of grass.

148multi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121649230#Comment_121649230

Don't get hung up on the straw bedded area, plenty of lads giving an acre beside shed and no bother from the societys or department with it.

Don't know where they are going to sell all this beef.

It was only a few years ago you were allowed to enter on a points system, sheep no points, beef 10 points, dairy 20 points, tillage and horticulture 30 points.

It seems the dept now want to use the scheme to stop farmers using chemical fertilizer.

jfh

Lads, looking for a bit of advice here, bought fr bulls last weekend, all feed for the first few days, but this morning, one calf didn't come up to the feeder, coaxed him but reluctant to suck, looks empty and cold. Any advice on what I should do with him, I have a few calf jackets so going to stick one on later and give him life aid, he doesn't have a scour. Probably 3 weeks old, he came off an automatic feeder and I'm feeding him twice a day

Base price

Did you take his temperature? Does he suck your finger? Is he bloated? Is he pulling on the wind/breathing fast/noisy? Has he an unpleasant smell from his mouth/brownish looking tongue? Has he a swelled navel? Is he star gazing/standing with his head stuck in the corner of the pen?

Best advice is put the jacket on him asap, bed up your trailer/back of your van and bring him to your Vet for proper advice.

jfh

Thanks base price, left for work for the day but plenty to check there when I get home

Base price

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121797079#Comment_121797079

Try to get him to your Vet if you can when you finish work. IMO you have to think about his value in the future and keeping him thriving. He is going to cost you more than his present value if goes on the knackery lorry.

I bought three cracking FR bull calves for €20/hd in late January and also bought six HEx calves (4 heifers & 2 bulls) for €145/hd plus luck money from the same farm. I don't differentiate within breeds when it comes to feeding and Veterinary care. At the end of the day they all cost the same to rear/feed with CMR, crunch/pencils, bedding, vaccines etc.

Remember the knackery lorry ain't going to pay you when it comes into your yard to collect fallen stock but waits for you to sign the cheque.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121797079#Comment_121797079

Everything about calves is speed of action, a calf that is sick will go down hill fast. Its immaterial whether an a calf costs 20 or 500 euro in many cases the potential margin is virtually the same.

Buy a digital thermometer in a pharmacy if you have not got one. Write the healthy temperature of animals in a bit of paper, I cannot remember it so Google it. The first thing sith any sick calf is take his temperature. Early intervention is everything. When you take an animal to the vet or if the vet calls make sure you are there and watch, listen and ask questions.

Infections spread fast and what is one sick calf can quickly be a bunch of sick calves. The knackery truck will charges 30-50/ calf to collect its 100 for 2-3 of them.

A vet will charge 30-80 euro depending on whether you bring the calf to him or he come to the farm. He is expensive if the calf dies so the earlier he comes the better chance of not having a vets and a knackery bill.

Remember the thermometer

Lime Tree Farm

Temperature 38.5°C for a calf

https://thatsfarming.com/beef/animals-temperature-explainer/

blue5000

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121649359#Comment_121649359

You'd nearly be as far on going to the supermarket for it. Only 5c dearer.

https://shop.supervalu.ie/sm/delivery/rsid/5550/product/supervalu-organic-whole-milk-1-l-id-1475578000

Base price

@jfh how is the calf this evening.

Dunedin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121797833#Comment_121797833

Spot on there. Thermometer is a key. Be careful though leaving them in cold sheds as the batteries go quick in them.

jfh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121804563#Comment_121804563

Much better thanks, but the jacket on him and gave him one of those calf saver shots, feed the following morning no issues. Will keep an eye on hik

tractorporn

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Not sure if this should be here or in labour saving but this was the best €10 I've spent in screwfix so far. Its a bit for mixing paint.

Mixing is a breeze, only takes 20 seconds and never any tiny lumps which the whisk was leaving.

emaherx

First batch of calves landed here yesterday.

I setup a new water heater this morning.

tractorporn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121813945#Comment_121813945

Lovely shine on those calves.

Where did you pick up the heater? Looks a good job. I've seen some camping ones and I was wondering if they would be strong enough for this job.

emaherx

Yes, it's an outdoor / camping one from Amazon. Working fine so far but I guess time will tell just how up to the job it is.

funkey_monkey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121817324#Comment_121817324

I got one like that but there was no exhaust top on it. Is yours safe to have in a shed? I had to make a cowl for mine so that dust and stuff didn't get lodged in it and create a fire hazard.

tractorporn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121817324#Comment_121817324

There is a serious price difference in the price of ones which are marketed for campers and ones for calf rearing. And both probably out of the same factory.

Good loser

I use a canteen type heater. Fill with buckets and use a 2 litre jug to take water out. No plumbing. Plug in electric.

emaherx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121817966#Comment_121817966

Not much plumbing involved in these either, comes with garden hose type connections. Just connect a gas cylinder, a water hose and it produces instant hot water.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121817570#Comment_121817570

Probably, must get a look at one to see if there is anything to justify the price difference. I didn't go for the cheapest camping one either there can be a big difference between flow rates in some of them.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121817439#Comment_121817439

Probably not safe in too enclosed a space but I have right beside an 8 foot door way so it's barely inside, just far enough to keep the rain off me.

limo_100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121813945#Comment_121813945

Great looking calves did you pick them up in a mart? Any harm to ask rough gauge price of the prices?

The heater is a great job i need to get one later on as I have no hot water to feed calves. Is that 10litre per minute? they have one on country farm supplies for 375 I assume its very similar one if not the same with a different logo

emaherx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121818960#Comment_121818960

Bought direct from 1 local farm, paid 200 a head, there's a bit of a mix in breeds / weight. Picking up another 10 this week.

yes, 10L per min, which is probably a little more than my mains will supply. I only seen that one advertised after I purchased, looks very similar but hard to know if quality is any better/worse. The one I got seems fine so far, except for the outlet hose and head that came with it, but I'll probably plumb it into a normal tap this weekend anyway.

Good loser

See post 202 above. I'd say mine was less than €100 some years ago. About 20 l capacity. Sufficient heat in about 10 mins. Time between batches means there's no delay once started. My calves run around yard and in/out houses from day one. So they travel in turn to the feeding point.

emaherx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121826503#Comment_121826503

The Gas one doesn't store any water, just heats as it flows out of tap up to 65 degrees in about 5 seconds which is handy for cleaning, but can be turned down to around 40 degrees for mixing feed with a display showing current temp. I also don't want to use the electricity as it is still connected to my Mums house. I'm sure they would be more energy efficient too.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121827453#Comment_121827453

If you are worried about your mother's electricity bill put a electric meter on it. I think you can buy consumption meters handy enough that work off a plug

emaherx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121827852#Comment_121827852

I wouldn't be that concerned, I'd contribute more to the bill than I use, but that wouldn't stop her worrying about the cost of electricity. Besides the gas heater seems to be working well and probably cheaper to run than most electric options.

emaherx

Another 10 arrived here yesterday.

tractorporn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121845069#Comment_121845069

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Got 5 heifers myself yesterday, oldest born 31/1 youngest 14/2, gave 230 for them which is a bit more that the last batch but these are far better calves.