Calf Buying

[kfpben]

I buy in about 70 milk calves each spring/summer to rear up and sell as stores at 8-10 months old.

To date I have been buying excellent calves locally all off one farm- but sadly they have recently had a TB reactor and so are shut down.

Is Meadow Quality a good option? Is it any better health wise than just buying decent looking sorts from a market? I assume they have to pool calves from all over just as a market do.

Previously I haven’t vaccinated at all but I would think that with calves coming from many sources it would be a good idea to start?

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Cardigan Market has good calves

 

[Silverdale]

I have bought from meadow quality in the past from there collection centre had various issues now I buy my own from market

 

[Werzle]

Beeston and carmarthen have large weekly sales of calves. You have abit of come back with calves from MQ but at an added cost.

 

[Ross121]

What about speaking to Southern Counties Auctioneers they might have a few direct contacts

 

[John Chance]

Vaccinations on arrival combined with adequate quaranteen for each group arriving from a different farm would help, but they don't cure existing infections and take various periods of time to give immunity. Buying from several sources through the mart makes quaranteen logistics a nightmare. Buying direct from one high health farm means less likelihood of infection, but big impact if there is a problem.

 

[som farmer]

sca shaftsbury have a good run of calves every Monday, but they are dearer. other wise trust to luck, and look at calves before they go into the sale ring. other wise go and find a good farmer, prefably try and find out if dams have been vac for rota virus,thats worth £10 extra. we will have a doze of Friesian bull calve calves end of august,beginning sept. and hfrds after, used to use mq before we went mad and started milking again, got on fairly well, and would be better than many sources

 

[Gulli]

Just buy good strong calves out of market.
The likes of meadow quality aren't in it for anyone but themselves, they are only moving on calves that would otherwise go through live markets

 

[Hampton]

Just buy good strong calves out of market.
The likes of meadow quality aren't in it for anyone but themselves, they are only moving on calves that would otherwise go through live markets

And also buying from markets to ensure they have sufficient numbers

 

[kfpben]

Thank you for your responses. I thought that buying from the market would be as good an option as any. I’ll have a look at Shaftesbury as they seem to get decent numbers. Cardigan sounds good @Forage Trader but a bit far from Hampshire to pick up a few calves!

Ideally I’d like to find another farm locally to single source my calves from but most of the local dairies seem fairly tied up with a couple of the big dealers.

 

[Werzle]

Not being funny but it would be a waste of time you making the trip from hampshire to cardigan for the numbers they get there. They aint going to let a stranger have anything cheap, carmarthen gets 400-500 calves p/wk to cardigans40- 50!

 

[topground]

Talk to APHA about setting up a rearing unit to take Tb restricted calves. If you can cope with the bureaucracy you will have plenty of choice and will do your existng supplier a huge favour.
Alternatively if you are within 10 miles of your supplier get them to set up a Temporary Livestock association on the building and ground you would rear his exclusive calves on so they move to your unit but are still part of his holding. Be prepared to run them on until large enough to sell through a Tb market if they dont go clear and sort out an agreement that gives you ownership although they have not actually moved holding.