Farming Chit Chat

reilig wrote: »

9 Autumn calved weinling heifers for the mart this morning. 4 BB and 5 CH. 300 - 350kg. Being extra careful this year to ensure that none are in calf as I got caught last year with one. Got all scanned yesterday and they are empty. Hopefully the prices will be good. All should be suitable for export!

Good luck with them. Sold two autumn heifers myself last week.
Lim @ 320 kg €765. Char @ 300 kg €735. To be honest I was bit disappointed.
But at same time, glad to see them out the gate with fodder situation. This year, weight is king when selling weanlings. Good forward stock selling well. Lighter stock well back.
I have weaned all spring calves, big and small. On the best grass and piling in meal. Want to push hard till end Oct and head for the gate with them before winter. SFP money will be in pockets by then, so trade might pick up a bit.

are people noticing that the land is completely washed looking like there is no fertilty in it.its very difficult to get grass building up this year.

simx wrote: »

keep going wrote: »

are people noticing that the land is completely washed looking like there is no fertilty in it.its very difficult to get grass building up this year.

yeas very badly affected here

Plenty P&K will need to be spread if we got a dry spell in the autumn.

tismesoitis wrote: »

How did it go for you Reilig? hope to head to carnaross on tuesday with sept oct born bulls. might just bring a couple to test the water. But if things seem to be on the up with the good forcast might just load them all up!

I broke no records

My BB heifers were 360 - 380kg and made €600 with their weight.
My CH heifers were 340 to 360kg and made just over €2 per kg.
Brought 4 bulls as well:
1 CH was 430kg and made €1090
1 CH was 360kg and made €1040 (youngest and best calf I had)
1 BB was 390kg and made €1005
1 LM was 370kg and made €890.


Prices were slightly improved on the week before, but I was still down €100 per head on last year - and remember that this time last year the price increase had not hit, prices were ordinary and didn't rise until mid october 2011.

Calves aren't weighing as well either - I guess its because of all of the rain.

BB bulls or heifers (If they are decent quality) will make €500 to €600 with their weight.
Continental bulls or heifers suitable for export will have no problem making over €2 per kg.
Continental bulls or heifers not suitable for export are just under €2 per kg.
Bucket fed weinlings are a disaster - saw several hereford cross and angus cross heifers that were over 12 months old and weighed 280 - 320 kg and none crossed €500, in fact the majority were brought home after failing to cross €450.

Exporters/dealers put the floor in the prices. There were very few farmers buying. Some of the exporters got together and went around each pen of cattle before the mart started to decide who got what. Then at the sales ring they all stood together!

reilig wrote: »

Bucket fed weinlings are a disaster - saw several hereford cross and angus cross heifers that were over 12 months old and weighed 280 - 320 kg and none crossed €500, in fact the majority were brought home after failing to cross €450.

Jebus that's not great... were they any way good looking stock or was it just that nobody wanted them..

bbam wrote: »

Jebus that's not great... were they any way good looking stock or was it just that nobody wanted them..

They looked ok. It was just that there were very few farmers buying.

pakalasa wrote: »

There's only one way to deal with that - have someone you know bidding on your cattle. Two can play that game.
I remember a few years back I wanted a good bull weanling to put with the last few cows I had to bull. I bidded on this good BB. I didn't buy him, but I drove up the price with some other bidder. The farmer saw me bidding from the sellers box and he came up to me afterwards. He was amazed at the price he got. It really got me thinking about how handy these dealers were picking up good cattle at cheap prices for export. Once the farmer is out of the bidding, the small group of exporters can divide things up easily between them.

but this is what happens ever year at this time because there is enough for all of them,reilig great prices all the same.

Black Smoke wrote: »

Weaned a bunch of calves last week. Stuck the cows in the shed. Opened a bale of silage, saved in early July. Weather was bad, and got no wilt. Cut late evening, after one dry 24 hour period, but little or no sun. Baled 24 hours later, before the next deluge arrived.
Was happy to see, it preserved very well. Good colour and no waste.

However, cows not too impressed, by the looks of things. Just don't seem to eat it with gusto when you put it under their heads. Lot of scratching around, on picking. Gets eaten, but I suspect it's bit on the sour side:( Anybody else seen this issue with this years silage

Opened bales last week for weined cows that was baled in mid july, it was baled wet enough. Cows went mad for it. The smell off it would knock you down and its very hard to get it off the hands

Black Smoke wrote: »

Weaned a bunch of calves last week. Stuck the cows in the shed. Opened a bale of silage, saved in early July. Weather was bad, and got no wilt. Cut late evening, after one dry 24 hour period, but little or no sun. Baled 24 hours later, before the next deluge arrived.
Was happy to see, it preserved very well. Good colour and no waste.

However, cows not too impressed, by the looks of things. Just don't seem to eat it with gusto when you put it under their heads. Lot of scratching around, on picking. Gets eaten, but I suspect it's bit on the sour side:( Anybody else seen this issue with this years silage

Yep.
Was talking to a fella last week and he had tried the cows with a bale made in July, was down in the rain for a few days before baling. He said it looked grand but smelled sour, cows didn't eat it either. He's worried about the rest.
Maybe it was too soon to open it, 5-6 weeks?

http://www.afbini.gov.uk/index/services/services-diagnostic-and-analytical/forage-analysis.htm

Our Teagasc uses these guys in Northern ireland. I think my planner quoted €15 per sample the other day.

You can go to them direct! If its pit silage you need 2 samples. If its bales, you need samples from at least 4 bales.