M-J-G
Member
I don't think that would have been an unfair assumption for people to make.I find it interesting the kind of folk who like, or find this post funny. Says a bit I think.
Cows.
- Thread starter CopperBeech
- Start date
CopperBeech
Member
- Location
- A Welsh man lost in England
Got to have cows there.
CopperBeech
Member
- Location
- A Welsh man lost in England
No issue with the comment.
- Location
- Devon
Cows or cattle?
CopperBeech
Member
- Location
- A Welsh man lost in England
Cattle. Basically, some sort of bovine. They’d like native sucklers I expect. But they also want it to work for me
Could you sub let it? Take on a ruck of weanlings like dairy heifers or something and run them through to the autumn then send them hoke once the ground goes? Take the money to graze them and a bit on top to check them. Ground doesn't get poached every winter and they don't interfere with the sheep.
More to life
Member
- Location
- Somerset
There's an endless supply of good calves on dairy farms why on earth keep a cow.
I meant suckler cows, depending on your notice period/rental agreement trading stock would be much easier to move on
beardface
Member
- Location
- East Yorkshire
Dairy heifers wouldn't be a bad shout if you can get them.
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
Dairy grazing for spring/summer
Just sheep for autumn/winter
"Keeping" cattle is where most of the cost is, why take on these costs when you can just have the use of the cattle when you have a feed surplus .
Buy native dairy bred weanlings 6-10mths around now for fairly cheap money and farm them round for 12 mths on nothing but grass and grass silage and sell on for further finishing.
beardface
Member
- Location
- East Yorkshire
And stick b n b pigs in the sheds so your importing nutrients and monthly cheque.
M-J-G
Member
That would be my thought, little to no need for silage or hay, and less topping in summer, less fuel inputs and machinery about the place.
CopperBeech
Member
- Location
- A Welsh man lost in England
Just a few things - bandb pigs are never going to be a go there, no chance.
re dairy heifers, there aren’t many dairy’s anywhere near, and I don’t want to be shipping cattle in from other areas, and to be honest it’s not dairy cow ground.
I’ve got sheep, and they will be lambing there and summering there:
re dairy heifers, there aren’t many dairy’s anywhere near, and I don’t want to be shipping cattle in from other areas, and to be honest it’s not dairy cow ground.
I’ve got sheep, and they will be lambing there and summering there:
Plas king
Member
- Location
- North Wales
I would have a look at the elite beef scheme with woodheads.
Reared Beef X Calves arriving at 160-180kg around early April... house for 3/4 weeks to worm and vaccinate- turnout for the summer then house for the winter on silage- and sell them into the Spring Store Trade and free up the shed to start again. General viewpoint is that Nov/Dec Born calves will be strong enough to turnout in early May, and you benefit from the rearer hitting the baby calf price during the lowest part of the year and (hopefully) passing on that saving. Get the price agreed before hand or you will be competing against the panic buyers round the ring when the grass starts growing!
Suffolk Serf
Member
- Location
- Bury/Thetford
Worth looking at how Beckhithe Farms operates on some marshland southeast of Norwich. Black Limousin suckler cows (2000 head?), calving just before turnout, summered set stocked in groups of about 40 with (I think) angus bulls. Weaned at housing. All youngstock finished in outside yards. Sold direct (probably Waitrose?)
Doesn't strike me as a particularly low cost system but they've been doing it a while and the MD is an accountant.
Doesn't strike me as a particularly low cost system but they've been doing it a while and the MD is an accountant.