lalababa wrote: » If you are losing 50 euros a head on 100 cattle... Then cut your numbers to the stocking minimum. If more cut their numbers cattle would become scarce.
kk.man wrote: » The big problem is dairy cross cattle in the system. If the suckler bred animal and the dairy cull cows available to the factories beef would be a good price. This diary expansion has come at a cost to the beef farmer.
Water John wrote: » If a good animal was available from the dairy herd, then the suckler herd would be naturally reduced. Much easier to rear stores than managing suckler cows.
kk.man wrote: » A big problem is dairy cross cattle in the system. If the suckler bred animal and the dairy cull cows were only available to the factories beef would be a good price. This diary expansion has come at a cost to the beef farmer.
Cavanjack wrote: » Yet lads are tripping over themselves to buy calves every spring. You’d think the supply was going to dry up.
Water John wrote: » Main problem is, so much of the land is tied up feeding the cow. If you had a good supply of calves, how many could your farm carry either to 500kg or to finish, in comparison? If the number was above 40, I would say an auto feeder would be justified. Calves and yearlings, you'd carry a lot of stock, esp if sold before the second winter.
kk.man wrote: » And teagasc is pushing the merigoround.
morphy87 wrote: » Talking to a man yesterday he sells feed for a company and finishes a lot of cattle off the grass,he told me he gave up winter finishing 3 years ago he was making nothing, he still finishes a lot of cattle off the grass, stuffing cattle with meal doesn’t add up he said
wrangler wrote: » Well they're saying calves are overpriced, That's not encouraging farmers is ithttps://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/what-are-dairy-bull-calves-worth-now-based-on-current-beef-prices/
Bass Reeves wrote: » I am if the same opinion but too many lads think numbers are the answer and meal hides there poor farming ability
older by the day wrote: » Of course it's easy to say calves are overpriced. But if you go to the bother of buying a good bull 2000 euro, stay up at night watching her calf . Spend five weeks going across the yard with buckets, while the milk tank is there in the house. Straw 22euro, hay 30euro, 8 litres of milk/day at wk 2 on wards. 8*35= 2.80. Calf museli, 12euro. The odd vet call. Those nice calves don't arrive at the Mart by magic
morphy87 wrote: » In your opinion how long more will this winter finishing continue? I know 4 or 5 lads that have gave it up in the last year or two,
Jjameson wrote: » It will always be there. The talk about the big exodus is there every spring since I was a nipper! I’m not in the habit of repeating myself I say I’m not in the habit of repeating myself but the money that turning and being lost in beef farming isn’t linked to cattle at all. Milk money, Bps,spousal and independent income,pensions,and perceived tax avoidance. The “haves” are the core of the supply.
richie123 wrote: » It just goes to show you how retarded a lot of farmers are. They wouldn't last a week ina normal business setup outside of farming in the real world. It beggars belief the price calves are making at the minute. Its the same case of "sure what else is there to do instead" Banging the head of a wall waiting for it to crack. The Jersey calf needs 250 euros. The freisin calf needs somewhere around the hundred. Angus and heretofore you could afford to give 15 to 20 to get any kind of a margin out of them. These are teagasc figures and as someone who bought them all in the past they're not wrong.
Jjameson wrote: » Ah that was a long time in the making. The brighter younger sibling was sent to get an education, priesthood and the gom was kept at home from school! In jest of course, But in fairness the reasonable quality Angus her and good type friesian cattle that were well done and have good weight for age would look to be leaving a turn since December?
morphy87 wrote: » What do you think would be a fair price for a contenental bull calf 3 weeks old? I have seen some selling and they are making big money
Bass Reeves wrote: » It not so much what is a fair price as what a lad can afford to pay and make a margin. He gross 1350-1450 euroin the beef business killing 360-385kgs at present. Assuming that he is kept as a store and moved to slaughter. Take 80-100 euro out for transport, mart fees (as calf and store) and slaughter fees. Give the lad that buys him as a calf and rears him to 18 months 700 euro to cover his costs and make a margin and get him to 550-600 kgs. He will cost 3/day for a 100 days to finish.btgats 300 euro allow the finisher a 100 euro margin and another 30-60 to cover misc costs. That is about 1230-1250 euro. Depending on the year and weight he is got to 100-200 euro. However that is from a beef buyers point if view. Man calving him needs another 300+ at 5 weeks to make it worth his while. If beef was 50c/ kg more it would make sense for all the lads involved
morphy87 wrote: » I bought some limousine calf’s the end of April 19, I weighed them two weeks ago they were 595kgs, I will Graze these again and sell mid September as they will still be under age
Bass Reeves wrote: » Would not disagree with that however you have to watch a number of factors FS on animals and from June on access the market to assertain when best to sell. For instance while these cattle will average around a kg a day KW from June on a 10c/ kg drop in base price will take 15-20 days LW gain to correct. In general the last few years base price varied by 10-15c/ kg over the summer. I would be targeting them for August more than September.
Jjameson wrote: » Hi Kmac. It can actually be as much as 44cent depending on the grade. There’s a grid online on Slaney website and one in the ifj each week. The independent plants(flat pricing or conformation grades) or the mart are the place for stock if you think they’ll hit them with this.
