Exiting suckler cow farming.

I'd go along with Easten above, If you've made the decision to exit sell them now ( how close to calving? )

What are the tax implications on exiting?

If for example cows and calfs are sold at the back end and you don't restock until the following spring are you not going to have to write a cheque for 50% tax?

Would you not have a problem with drying off the cows? Suckler Calves would sell very well alright

am I right in saying if you have it cash in the bank at the end of year it’s not taken as profit, as cash in the bank and cattle on the farm are both just an asset. It if you had less cash the following year and still no stock then that would be seen as drawings and be taxed?

Don’t know, have never done it. Would a few weeks inside on hay be enough

I wouldn't be good on accounts, but I knew that I had nothing to fear tax wise in destocking.

I used to always compare the bank accounts at the beginning and end of year to be aware of where I was going, it's always a good indicator when your stock numbers are stable.

Well there you go, dry cow tubes are they way to go, only risk is decapitation

That's a great idea Grueller, must keep an eye out

250kg (300 kg would be good performance) On your other point if your cows are older (anything over 8 yo ) you're probably right not to sell in-calf as no-one seems to want older suckler cows

I am not sure how good it bad your land is. I presume you sold your weanlings every autumn. If exiting I would get rid of the bull, calve your cows and sell your weanlings. Overwinter your cows and finish them summer 12 months.

Another option is wean any calves that will be three months by the end of May early June. Fatten these coeds by the end of September. However summer mastitis is a risk.

Selling cows incalf is not a great options older cows seldom dell well. Selling with calves at foot is usually bought by finishers who split the pairs and sell the calf

I be inclined to sell calves in the autumn and finally sh the cows summer '23

Is bull beef back? Could OP finish his bull calves out of the shed U16m?

A lot will depend on your land. However if along the west coast on marginal land then ya you probably need minimum stocking units.

They always took U16 month bulls . However costs are horrendous and getting worse. With rations now at 330/ ton a bull eating 1.6T to finish is costing 520 euro on ration alone. Along the west coast straw costs 30+/ bale if ration goes to 400/ ton in the next 12 months he will cost 640/ ton.

Eastern point about suckler's is spot on. You are looking at your Suckler unit costs doubling even if beef prices double you are still at nothing

I sold the cows last October. Got rode sideways on the price, and sad to see good thrifty limo cross Shorthorn cows who had another 5 or 6 years of life and calf rearing go to finishers.

Worse still: the young ladeen (7) hasn't noticed that his favourite "Blackey Whitey" (Black whitehead) is gone.

I had a few Ped Dexters already and I bought a few more. They're nice animals around the place and should lose less or even cover themselves given even lower input costs and that's saying something because I had one of the lowest cost suckler outfits I knew of.

What finally turned me away from "normal" Sucklers was calving/sucking issues and not having slats -> too much hard work cleaning out, caused by a bad house/yard setup.

The Dexters are outside on silage bales at The moment and costing almost nothing in terms of time.

Its not for everyone but it's one idea. They are still a livestock unit, and they eat about half what a limo would.

Not sure where I'm going with the offspring yet, but they'll make a euro sometime and I won't hate them as much in the meanwhile.

I'm mainly sheep btw, on marginal land and just decided to go organic.

We had them back in the 70's. Like Kerry cattle very quite. They are treated now as suckler's hen back then they were dairy cattle. A pain to hand milk as they are very low.

Used to have trouble calving them as well, but that was because they were AI'ed with SH,FR or Hereford. See very little advantage with them compared to AA or HE if minimum stocking.

I was posting in from the point of a minimal stocked system. What do you intend changing to. LM ate about the easiest calving and good calves to get up in an outside based system.

Pure pets if handled regularly but can go wild if hunted out and left.

They are much more intelligent than continental cattle and will run from strangers unless accompanied by their owner.

Yes there's polled ones if you prefer.

There is a breed bonus but only for Ped Reg stock (which most are amyway) and it's fairly good.

Carcass weight would be 200kg for a 27 to 30 month bullock which is The right age to kill them.

Crosses wouldn't be worth doing.