A B P Cattle Grid

[Sheepykid]

Yeah I think your right @Northeastfarmer.
That would be my guess.

 

[slaney]

I don't doubt people for a second but a good friend of mine bought cattle for a living (for the factory) and always said the general farmer (including me) hadn't a clue. and every time they held a stock judging competition at a fair he was proven correct only about 1 in 10 got anywhere close and 1 in 20 got it correct.

He said farmers always always overestimated stock and he was a stock farmer himself

I suppose were all prone to overestimate our own stock from time to time

 

[Sheepykid]

I don't doubt people for a second but a good friend of mine bought cattle for a living (for the factory) and always said the general farmer (including me) hadn't a clue. and every time they held a stock judging competition at a fair he was proven correct only about 1 in 10 got anywhere close and 1 in 20 got it correct.

He said farmers always always overestimated stock and he was a stock farmer himself

I suppose were all prone to overestimate our own stock from time to time

Your are probably right. I've not been doing it for many years. So I'm no expert. But it is the first in a few hundred I've sent. I may just be jumping to conclusions an blaming the new system for just a poor bullock.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

I don't doubt people for a second but a good friend of mine bought cattle for a living (for the factory) and always said the general farmer (including me) hadn't a clue. and every time they held a stock judging competition at a fair he was proven correct only about 1 in 10 got anywhere close and 1 in 20 got it correct.

He said farmers always always overestimated stock and he was a stock farmer himself

I suppose were all prone to overestimate our own stock from time to time

Do u think most fat buyers say that so they can down grade stock sent in

 

[slaney]

Do u think most fat buyers say that so they can down grade stock sent in

They could.

but I know this chap since I was 4 and I never caught him out in a lie before. I also think farmers often over judge there animals. In Weight and grade because they bred them

I do the same
My 45kg lambs are the same as other peoples 50 kg lambs

It's Human nature.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

They could.

but I know this chap since I was 4 and I never caught him out in a lie before. I also think farmers often over judge there animals. In Weight and grade because they bred them

I do the same
My 45kg lambs are the same as other peoples 50 kg lambs

It's Human nature.

A bit like length some people think 3 inches is 6 inches...

 

[topground]

It would be interesting to run a test where the 'expert cattle buyers' grade the same cattle live at the same time as farmer finishers. Those cattle would then be put through an ABP plant anonymously.
My money would be on a comparison of the grades showing that the 'expert buyers' and the farmer finishers would be about the same in their grading but the new ABP grid would value the animals lower than both. Why? Because I believe ABP have introduced the grid and it's interpretation as a means of devaluing finished animals to inflate their profits.
Anyone able to provide evidence to the contrary?

Edit: Do ABP buy out of the live market regularly or only when they have to in order to keep the plant running?

 

[Chimera]

Your are probably right. I've not been doing it for many years. So I'm no expert. But it is the first in a few hundred I've sent. I may just be jumping to conclusions an blaming the new system for just a poor bullock.

I started to doubt myself after the first load on the new grid. But after the second load I was livid. Sent a few into Woodheads yesterday and am delighted with the grades! 4 U+, 4 U-, and rest R's mostly 4L and 4H. Better than I expected. I put one down as a borderline R/O+ (but at ABP similar have come back fudgin O=!) When you're picking cattle every week you know what they should come back as. It's not a case of overhyping your own cattle, as you soon learn how cattle will grade at different plants. I have no problem with getting a P grade if I expected it. It's the change in grades and therefore price within a week that gets me. I guess it's just ABP reverting to type.

 

[bread and jam]

I started to doubt myself after the first load on the new grid. But after the second load I was livid. Sent a few into Woodheads yesterday and am delighted with the grades! 4 U+, 4 U-, and rest R's mostly 4L and 4H. Better than I expected. I put one down as a borderline R/O+ (but at ABP similar have come back fudgin O=!) When you're picking cattle every week you know what they should come back as. It's not a case of overhyping your own cattle, as you soon learn how cattle will grade at different plants. I have no problem with getting a P grade if I expected it. It's the change in grades and therefore price within a week that gets me. I guess it's just ABP reverting to type.

agree about how the plants grade. Have found at woodheads never fat enough, st merryn to fat, but always in the plants advantage to not pay any bonus or to knock you a few pence off. So far with abp the new grid the first week thought they were a grade down on fat class, cattle this week came back as hoping they would be, more by luck than judgment. and probably next week will get my arse smacked. I can see why people stick with a certain company once they learn what that plant wants.

 

[aangus]

I started to doubt myself after the first load on the new grid. But after the second load I was livid. Sent a few into Woodheads yesterday and am delighted with the grades! 4 U+, 4 U-, and rest R's mostly 4L and 4H. Better than I expected. I put one down as a borderline R/O+ (but at ABP similar have come back fudgin O=!) When you're picking cattle every week you know what they should come back as. It's not a case of overhyping your own cattle, as you soon learn how cattle will grade at different plants. I have no problem with getting a P grade if I expected it. It's the change in grades and therefore price within a week that gets me. I guess it's just ABP reverting to type.

Do Woodheads have a weight limit?

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Do Woodheads have a weight limit?

Think it's 420 @beefandsleep ?

 

[beefandsleep]

Heifers and steers under 36 months
270 - 430 kgs

Deductions per head

Colne 15.58
Spalding 15.58
Turriff 16.14

Underweight
Under 270kg ((Grade price x 270) - kgs underweight)/270

Overweight
Over 430kg Paid to 430kgs
Cattle over 460kg will be paid to 430kg-10p/kg

All OTM cattle will be deducted 5p/kg

 

[beefandsleep]

So unless theyre real dogs, dont get them over 750kg.

Edit, if theyre dogs, don't send them or they will tell you not to bother again.

 

[Dafydd]

Sent 3 bulls to abp Shrewsbury this morning, first cattle we've finished for a few years, normally everything goes stores. No complaints with the grades here, all pure Simmys.

 

[beefandsleep]

Why did you finish them Dafydd? TB?
Do you know what the KO% was?

 

[Dafydd]

Why did you finish them Dafydd? TB?
Do you know what the KO% was?

Those 3 are pedigree but one had bad feet, other temperament wasn't great and the other just hasn't done as well as hoped. Would normally cut or sell as feeding bulls at 10m anything that doesn't make the grade. KO% 59 56 57

 

[bread bin]

Heifers and steers under 36 months
270 - 430 kgs

Deductions per head

Colne 15.58
Spalding 15.58
Turriff 16.14

Underweight
Under 270kg ((Grade price x 270) - kgs underweight)/270

Overweight
Over 430kg Paid to 430kgs
Cattle over 460kg will be paid to 430kg-10p/kg

All OTM cattle will be deducted 5p/kg

What weight do woodhead pay up to for bulls?

 

[beefandsleep]

They don't kill bulls

 

[beefandsleep]

Not quite true, they contract kill black and whites for buttelar at spalding.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

They don't kill bulls

I thought they killed stabiliser bulls for themselves?