Beef / Lamb & Pig Price Tracker

Ian1890

Member
Insanity....apart from large short keep finishing cattle I despise seeing cattle kept indoors in summer...paints such a bad light on farming

What age are you happy turning young stock out at? I’ve got some feb born BBX which I would not normally graze till next summer as I’m not convinced turning them out that young is the best thing. Would like the idea of getting them out though. Except for the fact that right now I have very little grass. Come on rain!!!!!
 
Insanity....apart from large short keep finishing cattle I despise seeing cattle kept indoors in summer...paints such a bad light on farming

Why such an issue!? I'm sure there are situations where cattle are far better looked after housed during the summer than some that are grazed!? TB situation will put a lot more cattle inside for longer imo.
 

pine_guy

Member
Location
North Cumbria
What age are you happy turning young stock out at? I’ve got some feb born BBX which I would not normally graze till next summer as I’m not convinced turning them out that young is the best thing. Would like the idea of getting them out though. Except for the fact that right now I have very little grass. Come on rain!!!!!
Chook them out, feed them like they were inside. No bedding and plenty of fresh air. Nothing better/healthier.
 
You graze your cattle so why you getting on your high horse?

No high horses here!? It seemed like you have a real issue with cattle inside which I don't quite understand!? I'm just in the process of setting up an AFU which will mean cattle inside all year from young calves through to finish. Will still graze some but most will be housed in the AFU. Granted it'd be nicer to run them all at grass through the summer but 6 monthly TB testing (60 days when shut down) is putting a spanner in the works.
 
Location
Cleveland
No high horses here!? It seemed like you have a real issue with cattle inside which I don't quite understand!? I'm just in the process of setting up an AFU which will mean cattle inside all year from young calves through to finish. Will still graze some but most will be housed in the AFU. Granted it'd be nicer to run them all at grass through the summer but 6 monthly TB testing (60 days when shut down) is putting a spanner in the works.
Well let me put it this way to you....if I locked you inside a cell for 365 days but you had a comfy bed, plenty of food and water...or you had the option that from Oct-nov you could go outside have a different diet, play with your mates, feel the sun on your back, stretch your legs, feel the elements....what would you chose?
 

goodevans

Member
Well let me put it this way to you....if I locked you inside a cell for 365 days but you had a comfy bed, plenty of food and water...or you had the option that from Oct-nov you could go outside have a different diet, play with your mates, feel the sun on your back, stretch your legs, feel the elements....what would you chose?[/QUO
the fat ones in our vlillage look like they never leave their sofa if that's anything to go by so I suppose they are more efficient at food conversion
 
Well let me put it this way to you....if I locked you inside a cell for 365 days but you had a comfy bed, plenty of food and water...or you had the option that from Oct-nov you could go outside have a different diet, play with your mates, feel the sun on your back, stretch your legs, feel the elements....what would you chose?

You've slightly ignored what I put. I think if you had the regional challenges of TB you might have to adapt more than you're currently obliged to. As I said, in a perfect world I'd prefer them out over summer, but unfortunately that's not the case.
 
Location
Cleveland
You've slightly ignored what I put. I think if you had the regional challenges of TB you might have to adapt more than you're currently obliged to. As I said, in a perfect world I'd prefer them out over summer, but unfortunately that's not the case.
No I didn’t ignore it....if you’re clear and only testing every 6 months then that’s means a full summer at grass
 
No I didn’t ignore it....if you’re clear and only testing every 6 months then that’s means a full summer at grass

And if I'm running 4-500 cattle all at grass that all need testing in June? And I go down on that test, they then have to be done again in August.......again in October...... It's a risk I have to take with the breeding cattle but not one I'm taking with the stores. The AFU allows me to finish my own calves even when shut down, but once they're in, they're in. I'd be foolish not to build it into my business plan.
 
Location
Cleveland
And if I'm running 4-500 cattle all at grass that all need testing in June? And I go down on that test, they then have to be done again in August.......again in October...... It's a risk I have to take with the breeding cattle but not one I'm taking with the stores. The AFU allows me to finish my own calves even when shut down, but once they're in, they're in. I'd be foolish not to build it into my business plan.
Well it’s too much like factory farming for my liking but each to their own
 

jendan

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Northumberland
No high horses here!? It seemed like you have a real issue with cattle inside which I don't quite understand!? I'm just in the process of setting up an AFU which will mean cattle inside all year from young calves through to finish. Will still graze some but most will be housed in the AFU. Granted it'd be nicer to run them all at grass through the summer but 6 monthly TB testing (60 days when shut down) is putting a spanner in the works.
What is an AFU? Sounds like a form of abuse.
 
Location
Cleveland
Easy to say but a farm without cattle is dead.
I have exactly the same dilemma as Harperfarmer. I am facing my first midsummer test and 400 grazing cattle will have to come home for testing in a couple of weeks. I will see how it goes but there will probably be big changes here next year.
Why will the farm be dead? Plenty of arable farms round here with no stock, just using break crops....I’ll just finish bulls
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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