- Location
- North West
Can’t you keep the few that you suspect will be shot the next day
Twins, freemartins is easy but we've had strong well shaped calves shot the next day, so its hard to know.
Can’t you keep the few that you suspect will be shot the next day
I'm not so sure it is. Previously more calves were sent off to market, mixed up and then struggled with all sorts of disease that impacted them through out their lives reducing growth rates and increasing cost. Now more farms are rearing their own calves and selling weaned (we are on 2 farms) or selling to buyers who want calves above a set base weight reared to standards that require much greater care and result in healthier calves (our other farm). These calves become more efficient feed converters. Their is plenty of evidence to back up the huge difference in feed efficiency between calves that have had pneumonia for example and those that have not.but it is still an inefficiency in the beef supply chain and as an industry, we are all told we have to be more efficient!
Rearing some of these calves to 8 weeks could have a negative effect on cash flow.Because it protects and adds value to Arla’s brands which means Arla can pay its farmers a higher milk price.
Is there more margin in that route?I'm not so sure it is. Previously more calves were sent off to market, mixed up and then struggled with all sorts of disease that impacted them through out their lives reducing growth rates and increasing cost. Now more farms are rearing their own calves and selling weaned (we are on 2 farms) or selling to buyers who want calves above a set base weight reared to standards that require much greater care and result in healthier calves (our other farm). These calves become more efficient feed converters. Their is plenty of evidence to back up the huge difference in feed efficiency between calves that have had pneumonia for example and those that have not.
Maybe those on the TSDG should be made to milk Aberdeen Angus for their 32ppl
Whisper it quietly, but so far we are making more money by keeping them, but we are fortunate to have been able to rent a building on another farm capable of taking 200 calves (which is under a separate holding number so could be an isolation unit if required) and we have an autumn herd and a spring herd to fill it twice a year.Rearing some of these calves to 8 weeks could have a negative effect on cash flow.
Hoops can cost money.
Some producers have chosen a lower milk price with a lower COP.
So these animals are housed while with you?Whisper it quietly, but so far we are making more money by keeping them, but we are fortunate to have been able to rent a building on another farm capable of taking 200 calves (which is under a separate holding number so could be an isolation unit if required) and we have an autumn herd and a spring herd to fill it twice a year.
Now there’s a nonsense.But you should be breeding from you "highest genetic" heifers
Listen the guy is obviously trying to do his best to make something of the calves not just dump them in a market and walk away, and I commend him on thatSo these animals are housed while with you?
Extra feed
Extra labour
Extra machinery.
Don't forget the beef price is at an all time high.
So if everyone goes out and looks for a shed for 200 calves locally...... loads of them around.Listen the guy is obviously trying to do his best to make something of the calves not just dump them in a market and walk away, and I commend him on that
The beef price may be on a high but it’s only a fairly recent phenomenon, those of us who have well grown animals to sell are for once seeing a decent return.
If this is the answer why is it not happening already .I thought the problem was that it doesn't stack up financially to rear these calves for beef and make a profit.
Tesco wanted this years ago when they started the tsdg and where going to solve this issue, did they?
I think the real issue is why as an industry are we producing calves with no value other than slaughter for pet food
Can all and sundry access that? They shouldn't be able to.
Yep, all of those but also extra profit, so far. Maybe because we have been on a rising beef market. Time will tell. I know I will really gain if we get locked up with TB, compared to the issues we faced in the past.So these animals are housed while with you?
Extra feed
Extra labour
Extra machinery.
Don't forget the beef price is at an all time high.
I can remember Carla Lane ended up taking some “poor baby calves that would have been shot” to her small holding in Sussex, good few years ago now. She would have had to register with CTS to do that. I bet their are others who think similarly with CTS registrations.Well, if you have the id you can do a search?
If that’s the case shouldn’t the arla farmer who’s seeing a benefit I presume be made to keep ownership of calf until then ??I am not sure what the legal position is but a declaration implies you must keep the calf alive for 8 weeks. I guess the declaration means that it is not the dairy industry's problem - or Arla's for that matter. The early slaughter or euthanasia of that calf becomes a beef industry issue.
The timeframe means that you will have weathered the most expensive part of the calf's life and you would be weaning it or close to weaning it so would be unlikely to slaughter the calf at that point. Whilst there will be unintended consequences to this, I think it is right that the industry takes the issue seriously as it is wounding for reputation and they have to start somewhere.
Certainly quite a few unused barns like that round us. We actually have a second one we rented for rearing heifers and I know of 2 more empty sets locally.So if everyone goes out and looks for a shed for 200 calves locally...... loads of them around.
So we as dairy farmers are dumping them?
@Cows 'n grass dumped 30 today?
What's the difference between that and dumping them as sticks or stores?
Why? Potentially the buyer may pay less by choosing to agree to the restriction, so it becomes a win win. If he doesn’t pay less then it suggests a free market sees it as no issue.If that’s the case shouldn’t the arla farmer who’s seeing a benefit I presume be made to keep ownership of calf until then ??
My father buys calves there and refuses to sign any paperwork as he doesn't work for those companiesThought I would ask this here for a bit more clarification.
Herself has bought a few calves this week for the first time in ages, one to suckle on a cow who had a dead calf, and a few more for luck Popped to Shrewsbury and then bought them from Drayton...
What set me pondering was the low prices in Shrewsbury for some 2 month old calves flagged as Arla, fair enough, I know that they are not supposed to go for slaughter as calves, but I wondered what was the law on this?
Then on Wed at Drayton, Herself bought a nice bull calf with an Arla flag, and I was expected to sign a document about the subsequent life of the calf AFTER I paid. Now this is the first time this had happened and set me thinking, if I have just bought a calf in market, what legal right does the owner have to insist that I follow some rule imposed by his milk buyer? Dont ever recall the matter being raised in the conditions of sale....
I seem to recall buying calves with a Tesco sticker that mau have been the same, but no paperwork then...