Bossfarmer
Member
- Location
- between Perth and Inverness
interesting so what would be a rough average per head at the moment steers £1400 heifers £1350?
Feeding Sucker Calves
- Thread starter Old Tip
- Start date
dannewhouse
Member
- Location
- huddersfield
at the moment yes as price just seems to be up a bit but haven't sold many recently. spring time a touch less. I sell them at more like 12-15 month calving march-april and into may a little so I only have 2 that were extra late calving left I don't try and sell all year round I accept the cash flow is all to pot but my view is it is more efficient to calve spring turnout onto quality spring grass which goes through the cow into the calf I hope and then wean at housing 6-7 month old feeding a dry suckler all winter relatively low feed as she doesn't need much but feeding the calf directly the high grade feed. argument being its feed efficient but painful for the cash flow?
not altogether true because somes peoples profit is their pride in turning out superb stock and some peoples profit is their pride in doing something on the cheap and not all based on pound notesBest post on this thread
not sure about thatBest post on this thread
yep something in that
there is more to life than moneyMust admit I like to turn out superb stock on the cheap
don't work all the time though
Just sold half our calves today straight off the cow.(All Charolais X, born March 25th to mid May) All calves have been creep feeding since 3rd July an have nearly finished off 14ton of a Calf blend I picked up in bulk. All cows have been having baled silage which was made from a field that got ahead of stock over the summer, so poor quality. The cows that calves went today are in on straw ATM, an will be turned back out as soon as they settle down. Weather premiting. The rest of the calves, (pedigree Charolais an Salers) will be weaned at housing or Xmas depending on age. Calves get good quality silage an crimped barley an cows will get poorer silage an straw/hay.
Bossfarmer
Member
- Location
- between Perth and Inverness
You say they ate 14 tonne but how many calves was that between andwat weight did you manage tkget the calves up to?
Lovegoodstock
Member
- Location
- Buckinghamshire
I think @dannewhouse is doing incredibly well averaging that for that age of cattle. Good on you @Bossfarmer if your averaging the same for stores with less feed at same or younger age, but try selling them to that figure south of the border and see how you get on, think you will be in for an eye opener to be honest
top char
Member
We calve March,april,may and a few june, they have been getting a little creep from the 1st of sept to get them eating before weaning, weaned them at the weekend and average weight for 30 calves was 343kilos. Will be interesting to see weight gain come sale day in January. We have to buy straw and blend so it wouldn't pay to keep them until Spring.
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Northeastfarmer
Member
- Location
- Cleveland
Are you saying your calves only made £230-£350 or is that their weights ??
Weights
Bossfarmer
Member
- Location
- between Perth and Inverness
thats a decent weight if thats males/females, do you feed cows any concentrate before they go to grass and are you working with high genetic expensive bulls?
That two don't necessarily always go hand in hand!
far from it
P.O.T
Member
- Location
- Dumfries and Galloway
What would people class as too much food? Our calves getting creep just now are averaging about 4 kgs a day. Obviously some will be eating more and some less. Once weaned will be feeding 2kgs a day with good silage. Obviously not that much but just obviously are going through alot of food atm.
Bossfarmer
Member
- Location
- between Perth and Inverness
This is a fair point witg creep feeders the first 5 calves in could be eating 7kgs each the next 5 a couple and therest of the calves none
P.O.T
Member
- Location
- Dumfries and Galloway
Yeah mostly never let it run out so everyone can get their fair share. Just wanting to do best by cattle in terms of growth but not wanting to break bank with feed.
johnflimston
Member
- Location
- Glamorgan, Wales
How about feeding whole barley and a protein pellet through an advantage feeder.
We've got some home grown barley which is a bit weathered.
We've got some home grown barley which is a bit weathered.
Cowcalf
Member
- Location
- North of Scotland
For calves would need to be bruised but otherwise would work ok
M-J-G
Member
And neither are necessarily any good.