It's hard to be holding stuff when prices are so good at the moment. I had calves sold Friday fr bulls 180, aa bulls 3 to 350 and heifers 290.
It hard to add value to that as they were around 3 to 4 weeks old.
Calf rearing is relatively easy in Feb. It's when the houses get warm and the bacteria gets plenty, From St. Patrick's day on.
I suppose its the fact that a lot of countries can't export because of blue tongue and lower numbers of births that are making prices good. Will this continue indefinitely, do any know?
weaned or near weaned Angus/hereford calves would/should make 500 bucks this spring ….i havnt too many fe bulls but most sold for over 100 bucks at 15/20 days …Angus/blues/Hereford and limos left …no great panic to sell ….auto feeder makes things so much easier
I think that will be my plan in future. It's being forced on me this year due to being restricted so I'll see how it goes. Sell them before the winter maybe out of the slatted unit even.
Allways a good idea if you have low disease issues,good housing ,adequate labour,plenty feed and humongous amounts of patience.
Would it be worth holding onto calves a bit longer this year given the way beef price seems to looking very positive? Until weaned maybe?
Most Likely. I used to sell about 10 every year after weaning. I have 10 surplus this year but I might keep them as I'm not under pressure with nitrates anymore.
Will dairy heifer calves be worth something this year,
It's like what is happening in the US. Lads breeding beef calves and depending on sexed semen for replacements. TB and the increased milk price another factor. High cull cow prices.9
They Were killing in calf maiden heifers only a few months ago and david Clarke was exporting them as nobody wanted them. You couldn't sell surplus heifer calves last year. Looks like there is alot of flying herds now.
very strong prices I’d say cows averaged over 3500..top price was 5400 I think…some real nice stock for sale
anyone see how the greenlawn sale went today
Why would the lad buy when he can rent land so cheaply on these long term leases
Not if you’ve enough grass.
I must do a grass walk in the morning but I’m guessing they’ll be in at night here for a while yet
I did a walk there today. Ground conditions are good but the snow really hit the place. I could nearly say 600 kgDM across the whole place. Will leave the cows out for a few hours tomorrow or Monday.
Is it too soon to leave the cows out day and night?
I see the farm leased by the kealy family in Carlow, made great money. 2.4m or 21k plus per acre. The 28acre outblock making a serious price of 770k apparently bought by local farmer.
Giving the house and facilities the 75acre block was probably decent value in the current market.
These fertilizer bans, only effect small farmers like myself ordering the small amounts.
Artics drawing the " night" fertilizer every night around here.
Yes, from what I've seen there's going to be an exemption for urea spread in liquid form
Heard some discussion on Newstalk earlier and how it’s the price of whey that’s confusing the poor millionaire execs.
Are other companies feeling the whey pain as much as Glanbia?
Doesn't make great reading for the plc and how it's been makes the bonuses paid out to talbot and Co last year even more galling https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2025/03/01/mclaren-sponsor-glanbia-faces-struggle-convincing-investors-it-can-get-back-on-track/
Is There a loophole that your not spreading it in granular form??
Either way it will be dearer and harder got.
More like push over in the bed and let South America in.
If quality isn't rectified this season, it'll see the end of the "protection" project. A concern I'd have is that the fertiliser industry detests it from a logistical pov and you'd question their resolve to solve the quality issue. Farmer will just go to CAN and there will be have be a whole rethink of the MACC curve as a means of reaching climate targets.
What will you do if you cant access urea for foliar?
this urea ban was let go very lightly from what I can see …we as farmers get again will have to suck up yet another questionable cost increase forced on us for what ….pro urea is 50/60 euro tonne dearer than standard urea ….has question marks despite our cheerleader advisors etc telling us otherwise …farmers had huge problems with it last year ..some weather wise but most down to crap product …majority of farmers I’ve been talking to will be spreading way less or none of it this year and hard blame them
Can will be next. Give it another year or two after this
Let them regulate away. It will all help to reduce production and prices will go up.
We are at war with the US and Russia and our anti agricultural lobby are still allowed reign in Ireland banning things while we should have every tool in the arsenal available. When does the time come that farmers and the public go to war in Ireland over these quisling traitors that would continually threaten agriculture and food in Ireland for what? Other countries we at war with having free reign and laughing at our ineptitude.
Banning Urea has nothing at all to do with water quality. It's a play to reduce input emissions rather than having to reduce stock numbers...probably our only realistic "scientific" solution unless they can crack the methane conundrum.
It's a hill farm. Decent south facing one. He is sticking with the sheep and calves. If I was farming it I have transfered to organics 50HA would give a decent organic payment. Very hard to maximise those farms.
Locally One or two would slag me about how I had done well. My quib back is "they woukd starve if they went to where I come from"
Would love the challenge of a 60 acre wet heavy farm
