I totally agree with you on this... If it were me feed them on and take the top of the market price. I be very nervous about cattle after the 2nd week of June. It's a long time since processors tried to drop the price in April..I think they are more confident than other years regarding numbers for June.
515 kgs lw now should trans into 350kgs DW (with meal) for June for freisians.
I wouldn’t use last years example of pricing as a model to base this years decisions on.
when did you ever see prices go up in August before last year? It was a unicorn year and I don’t see it happening again for a long long time unfortunately
They went up the year before they were fairly static last year. Autumn prices in 2021 were better than June prices it was similar in 2020.
Usually you get a bit of a price drop in June. However in the last few years there has not been a significant difference in mid late June prices compared to August. You would need a base price difference of +20-30c/kg to compensate for killing in mid June compared to August on cattle killing sub 330 kgs DW
For the last 4-5 years ( since the strike) processors have not significantly pulled summer prices after the early June pull.
Last year we got 4.65 in August September compared to 4.8/ kg after the June pull in price. The year before we got 4.25 in August'2020, 4/ kg early June. The year before that in 2019it was 3.9+/-10c all year long. It was 3.7 rising to 3.9 in 2018.
Ya I would not bet on it not happening in any particular year. However killing cattle that are unfit is one of the quickest ways to lose money.
Another factor coming into play is the push to kill cattle under 24 months. There is less and less cattle coming off grass every year. Late September on is becoming an issue with the slaughter of 18-20 month cattle
Foyle donegal. Bullocks 5.25. Heifers 5.30
Would be doing well to get them to even 325kg DW by early June from those LW's I'd be thinking, and if they are not ready by June 10 better leave them until July 31st. They pile it on in Jun and July. A 325kg DW in early Jun animal would be 370kg+ in late July/early Aug. A 40-50c base cut would leave you same margin (accounting for grass at 60c / day) as killing in June assuming you didn't go over the 30 month for FR's that will grade O.
Surely processors have accurate information on the head of cattle in the country at any given time?
With that information they could definitely plan ahead and pay the optimum price from there perspective.
Yeah they know more about the livestock in this country than the department. They have been known to bluff at times though and drop the price to frighten farmers into selling cattle sooner to avoid a forecasted reduction in supply - sure were else are the cattle going to go... Best not to think about it really.
Add in cattle that are 30-40 kgDW heavier will grade at least a point higher on the grid. Therefore a P+ animal will be at least O- and that is worth 14c/ kg on the grid, it worth 18c between O-/O= on the grid
If an animal goes from P+2+ to O=4- it 38c/kg. Even if he goes into an O=4= it worth 32c/kg.
It's a long time since I saw a 40-50c/kg drop between even early June and jaye August. Last time there was a strike
It's probably the single biggest factor in suppressing beef prices. Yet no one talks about it, a bit like the USC tax that was brought in 14 years ago, we just take it lying down now.
Dept publish weekly kill figures: https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/605aa-beef-kill-figures-weekly-reports-2020/
What the story this week ,trying to contact my agent and he is not picking up.I heard there are sheds full of expensive fat cattle to be killed.
Things not looking great for later in the year if they are backing up grass cattle already
Drop of 5 to 10 cent was roumered to be happening this week, so I shipped out last week.
There's alot of cattle backed up already over the past 4 months with the 3 day kills they have been doing. They must have reduced the quantities promised to supermarkets over the past few months so they could back up cattle as everyone knew a shortage was coming, god forbid they would let the farmer have a decent margin. The lack of bbq weather in the UK over the bank hols prob doesn't help either, we need a heatwave fast!
The got caught with contracts last spring. They have contracted for too many cattle. The strong supply during Jan/ Feb and strong price probably made processors wary of over committing to supply to retailers. Retailers would have contracted in Chicken and pork in it's place.
There will be no flush of grass cattle until probably mid late June. It's costing a fortune to feed cattle so they are slaughtering there own feedlots first. It the reason I have up winter finishing any change in demand you were left carrying the can and given a sh!t price as well as paying through the nose for replacements to go to grass
Supply is probably +30k they have contracts for 28ish so they will let the winter finisher trickle in supply to keep figures at 30 ish K until end of June. No 5.5-6/kg this year it seems. No flat prices
Good explanation of this year's situation.
The reality is they have several different levers they can pull to control supply at different times of the year. It's only ever a matter of which "tool" they use.
Our own factory here have lads hearts broke putting off cattle.
I got a document out from ICBF today. The document was telling me I was in the bottom 10% for this and that with regard to Teagasc figures
Interestingly they had nothing about my weight gain or costs
I suppose I should change my system go get into there top 10% or out of there bottoms figures
Don't you dare question the system! If our "independent" state bodies say one size fits all, then by god you better believe one size fits all 😂
Should I feed small amount of Cattle Meal to weanling bullocks which I have just bought and turned to grass. These animals are averaging under 300 kg liveweight . I can't believe how small these cattle are for their purchase price. I value your opinion/advice.
Your first mistake was opening the letter
Warm it in the fire 🔥
A good dose and plenty of grass and water, heat and sunshine will do the rest for them till the end of the growing season is my advise. A mineral lick be no harm for them either.
Icbf are a complete waste of time and money too if ur foolish enough to join that herd plus
It’s very cheap and has some good features.
It’s not a waste of money when 60 euro/year can help you get thousands from the SCEP scheme.
We supply the vast majority of the data to them. From weights, culling reasons, calving surveys,serve dates calving intervals. We even pay for the genotype data for them to hang all the schemes on
I know that. It might be a lot of things but a waste of money isn’t one of them imo.
Give the a copper injection or a good mineral bolus first that should help them move. They have to grow a bit before they put on weight... if you think they need a dose give them 1. For ease of management it might help to give the a lick of meal but wouldn't be giving them to much yet especially if you have good grass.
ICBF has revolutionised the cattle industry in this country over last 20 years - probably more obvious in dairy sector as a lot of data captured compared to cattle. Look at the increase in milk production - solids/cow, fat & protein % in recent years due to genetic gain. In any herd comparing the top 10% to bottom 10% shows a large difference - analysing the data separates good performers from poor ones. ICBF provides the data.
Easy now ted. They will go back after being left out. I was with a farmer today across the way from an outside place I farm. He has some cattle and the only thing I see he does different to me is he has a lifeline precalver mineral bucket with them all trough the year. But then again they are 25 euro a pop. Meal is still very expensive too. If they are just out of a shed they were probably dosed during the winter. So I think just clean water and grass. What ever you like yourself
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