My €100m BEAM scheme

I heard talk of DAFM offering a online ready reckoner to assist farmers to calculate Nitrates on their farms vis a vie their herd profile. Was that a myth?

Bass Reeves wrote: »

Once again some farmers seem intent on throwing away money. It like lads are asked for a 20% reduction not 5%. Some farmers are buying store lambs this autumn which seem to have rose in price. As well other lads are not buying weanlings rather than stores. Now if you consider stores dear look at the price of bucket fed weanlings.

You wonder will some lads ever learn

Saw lads buying aax heifers around 425kgs for 2.00 to 2.06 a kg, 1 of them is complaining about the Beam reduction to people.

He has grass building up, previous heifers gone to factory so bought away.

I don't get it, maybe it's me but 850 to 875 for store pollies and the base they way it is, wouldn't he be better off waiting a few weeks and getting them cheaper, let that gap help him beam reduction.

He could deal with the grass one way or another without bleeding out the nose.

For quite a few farmers, full time, part time big and small the profit at the end is the least concern. A grand way to be but it's part of the problem and only the factories benefit.

Bass Reeves wrote: »

Once again some farmers seem intent on throwing away money. It like lads are asked for a 20% reduction not 5%. Some farmers are buying store lambs this autumn which seem to have rose in price. As well other lads are not buying weanlings rather than stores. Now if you consider stores dear look at the price of bucket fed weanlings.

You wonder will some lads ever learn

We're loving the online mart sales. OH bought a lock of Feb born bucket reared weanlings a few weeks ago - 9 FR, 3 FRx, 1 CHx and 1 AAx for avg of €217 including mart fees. In fairness the FR's/FRx's don't match up to the one's that I reared but they are not too far behind them.

When is this paid out anyone know

Sugarbowl wrote: »

Did we not get that money last December?

He on about the Beef finisher payment. I taught it was to be paid either in late October or early November

Anyone know where on agfood you can find how you are doing numbers wise for the BEAM scheme? I used to be able to find it before...

Is there an online checker coming on stream.
I was over my target, some animals went to factory yesterday and now I'm under when doing the sums, was thinking of buying a few but hard to know where I actually stand.

Not really answering your query but out of interest, if you log on to your ICBF account and click on profiles, there is an option there to view nitrates and it shows a spread sheet of your stock for the year and N figures. It kind of gives you an idea of how it works I’d say. Found it a few nights ago and thought it was helpful.

Bass Reeves wrote: »

While the ICBF nitrate calculator is handy it tends to overestimate your nitrates compared to what they really are at.

The Dept of agriculture have one I am not sure where and you should try to access that one on agfood.ie

Didn’t realize that - thought my figure was high enough alright!

Bull calves here on 1.31 ADG & heifers 1.19 (the runty one doesn't help!)I'm guessing that;s about average?

Best bull doing 1.58 & you'd know it too!:pac:

Sugarbowl wrote: »

Doing some calculations here to see how I’m fixed...
What happens when you have a calf born around the 20th of the month. Will the calf be calculated as being present for a full month or will it just be the 10days of that month?

The 10 days of that month. Same as if you bought in a cow on the 20th of the month.

New BEAM calculator on ICBF website

https://www.icbf.com/wp/?p=16911

Lime Tree Farm wrote: »

New BEAM calculator on ICBF website

https://www.icbf.com/wp/?p=16911

That's a great tool, you can work out exactly what you need to do.
8% under here and will keep it that way.

Great tool alright. But bear in mind you have to adjust figures for cattle moving up an age in the months to come.
I initially thought I was grand but realised I'll be way over as all my weanlings will be 1-2 year olds in feb and march.

I am paying it back, that simple. I went through everything completely accurately to the best of my knowledge and would need to sell 40 cows to meet the reduction.
My nitrates have risen drastically due to going dairying as a dairy cow is 89 as against a suckler being 65. Cest la vie, I said at the time I was viewing it as an interest free loan at a time that I needed it. That's the way it has turned out.