Beef price tracker 2

I agree it did not, however there is no God given right to a profit. 5 years ago we were producing too much, 50%+ of sucklers cows were loss making, there is still probably 20%+ wasting there time ,it's hard to know if they would do any better at anything else. Have no doubt there is farmers not making money at calf to beef etc and other system. However dairy bred calves will always be produced as dairying is inherently profitable if done half right

Suckler cows are a byproduct of milk quotas back in the 80's. Dairy farmers controlled the supply of beef calves. They started improving cow quality which reduced the number of calves they produced. Along with that until the end of the noughties. Most dairy farmers had a beef operation on the side.

Traditionally suckler cows were only along the western seaboard. Even dairy calves went west to be reared to be stores before moving to better land to fatten.

Milk quotas changed the complete landscape along with production based quotas. The end of quotas changed the landscape again. Calves halved in price and it became profitable to have a beef system based calf to beef because of extra supply as dairy farmers went 100% dairying. The changing of subsidies from production based to area based and convergence reduced the reason to keep suckler. Now we have a situation where sucklers profitability has increased because of reduced beef supply and Bluetongue ( which we survived this year.)

If sucklers increase substantially, it will increase beef supply dairy cales will drop back etc.

The appalling vista is if Bluetongue gets in

THat is a while back I think it was nearly all AA bulls he was using. Cows wereculles at 8-10 years of age. I a not remember thecow type he used.

There was a farmer above in co Down as wlwith large numbers I think he used BBxHO cows bred to AA bullshe was carrying everything to finish. Some of the AA were getting into U grade

I would say a much higher percentage of suckler farmers have pulled the plug compared to calf to beef operations. You also havevto factor that a substantial number of smaller suckler units on poorer land have opted to minimise sto king rates and have entered organics. That is not an optional open to calf to store or beef operations.

You are incapable of an reasonable analysis of the beef sector.

Once again you attack me.

I only ever did calf rearing because of issue between 2005 and about 2OO8/9 becase of the f@@k up that was the farm payment system. After I purchased in 2003 I had no SFP untilabout 2008, I was trying to compete for stores from 2005 to 2008 against lads with substantial SFP who at the time were willing to.lose money buying stock. It took them 3 years for them to adjust there economics in buying cattle. I was making farm repayments of 2k/ month and was after buying another small bit of ground joining my house wich was costing 5k half yearly.

So ecominics dictated that I could not afford to lose money at the store to beef game.

When the economics changed in 2008 I started doing bulls for4-5 years.

Remember I never got handed a farm for nothing

must have been some bullock. Anybody see him?

Sorry. Carnaross today. 5 grand! I wonder is he a lad that had been on the show circuit?

Had a look at him on LSL, he would carry another half a ton anyway if his legs woukd hold it up. Ya I would say a show bullocks, Auctioneer looked for 5k for him straight off he opened at 4.2k and went on from there.

Weather conditions deteriorating albeit an improvement nxt week.

7mnth stockers/summer grazers will start to appear

Close on 3c/l cut on milk price by dairygold may bring more parlour cows to the marts considering prices for said cows are high.

The number id like to see is what % of animals are gone out of the system due to TB....its rampant where i am, i appreciate its more prevelant in large dairy herds but its even in closed herds now in greater numbers