Cow Weaning Efficiency 2018

[Kiwi Pete]

generalisation

Is it wrong?
I know you don't feed much hard feed, but can you go for a drive and see wheat or barley?
I think for similar land mass, the UK has about 15 times the area under arable based on any stats I have seen.
Sure it is less mountainous up there but still quite an interesting point of difference, neatly omitted in the tales of horror on here - most combines here have been housing owls and starlings for almost 40 years.

 

[Henarar]

I didn't say it was wrong I said it was a generalisation
plenty of grass being eaten around these parts

 

[Smallfarmer1]

So about £210 a tonne so 6kg costing £1.26 or €1.44. Not sure on your price per kg for your weaned calves but if the extra 0.6kg growth at least covers the creep and your time for doing it then it’s worth it.

2.64 a kilo at .6kg =1.58. It pays, hooray!
Check them every 2nd day, fire a few bags creep in the van, easy peasy

 

[M-J-G]

2.64 a kilo at .6kg =1.58. It pays, hooray!
Check them every 2nd day, fire a few bags creep in the van, easy peasy

How many cows, in how many batches?

 

[M-J-G]

Is it wrong?
I know you don't feed much hard feed, but can you go for a drive and see wheat or barley?
I think for similar land mass, the UK has about 15 times the area under arable based on any stats I have seen.
Sure it is less mountainous up there but still quite an interesting point of difference, neatly omitted in the tales of horror on here - most combines here have been housing owls and starlings for almost 40 years.

You are right, most finishers in this country use cereals to finish cattle.

Most cows are grass based, but that's not always the most economical choice for wintering. Silage is often an expensive feed in comparison to alternatives that are available in many parts of the country.

 

[Smallfarmer1]

How many cows, in how many batches?

1 batch 16 cows. Small west of ireland farm. Part time. Hence the name small farmer

 

[T C]

Best cow here weaned 2 bull calves exactly 7 months old weighing 378 and 345 Kg. They were creep fed and she will be a medium sized (700kg) AAx 3rd calver.
All bull calves here averaged 325 weaned at 6.5 months old so probably 45% of mothers. Heifers are still running with their mothers.
A thought on weight of cow - easiest to take the average of cull cow weight. A cull should be empty but in good condition.

 

[Blaithin]

WTH breed do you have that's pushing 2000 lbs? Some big old boney Holstein or do BB's get that big?

Can't see any cow that big being worth keeping unless she's raising multiples.

 

[Smallfarmer1]

WTH breed do you have that's pushing 2000 lbs? Some big old boney Holstein or do BB's get that big?

Can't see any cow that big being worth keeping unless she's raising multiples.

Charolais simmental and limousin mainly i suppose

 

[Blaithin]

Charolais simmental and limousin mainly i suppose

I grew up with those, 1800 would be big for them and they'd be old to be that big. 2000 is just ridiculous!

Can't even think of any PB breeders of Sims, Chars or Lims here that would aim for that size. 1600 seems to be the biggest wanted around here.

 

[Smallfarmer1]

I grew up with those, 1800 would be big for them and they'd be old to be that big. 2000 is just ridiculous!

Can't even think of any PB breeders of Sims, Chars or Lims here that would aim for that size. 1600 seems to be the biggest wanted around here.

Dont really weigj cows here but a heifer that we killed this year after rearing her first calf killed out at 423 kilos which is 800 kg at 53% k/o or roughly 1750lb. Would be above average but by no means a horse. Bought an incalf heifer 23 months at 700 kg/1550lb. Shes a big cow now though.

 

[Henarar]

WTH breed do you have that's pushing 2000 lbs? Some big old boney Holstein or do BB's get that big?

Can't see any cow that big being worth keeping unless she's raising multiples.

we have a Hereford cross that is about 900 kgs several of the blues and the baz crosses are around 800 though last time I worked out the herd ave it was 650 though that was a few years ago, but I could soon do it again as the everything is weighed at least twice a year, I am more concerned with the price the calves make rather than the weight though the heaviest very often make more its not always the case

 

[Blaithin]

It’s interesting that in a country so geared towards housing with a market demanding lower carcass weight than others. And it sounds like they’re fairly strict about that... your cows are the size of elephants.

 

[beefandsleep]

On the carcass weight point(which I agree with), it’s a moving goalpost and only in the last 5 years or so has the carcass weight spec. been reduced across nearly all processors along with bigger price penalties. In the next 5 years who knows where it will be. If manufacturing beef can’t come from Ireland at current volumes they might decide they want massive carcasses after all.

 

[beefandsleep]

Personally I would be either selling everything at weaning to a finisher, so weaning the biggest percentage of cow weight as possible would be my priority or if overwintering everything, finishing them all before their second winter. In both scenarios moderately sized cows around 6-650 kilos seem to be best suited. The only difference would be the bull to use. A flashy continental if selling store or something easy fleshing if finishing, maybe an Angus for the premium. Cow type would be whatever suited the ground best but 50/50 continental and British blood probably.

 

[Samcowman]

we have a Hereford cross that is about 900 kgs several of the blues and the baz crosses are around 800 though last time I worked out the herd ave it was 650 though that was a few years ago, but I could soon do it again as the everything is weighed at least twice a year, I am more concerned with the price the calves make rather than the weight though the heaviest very often make more its not always the case

Easy enough to do for values, just substitute £ per kg of cow for kg of calf per kg of cow. Would be quite an interesting one to do for someone who was considering a change of breed.

 

[Jonny B88]

Weaning efficiencies this year is 43% on cows with heifer calves and 47% of cows with bull calves. Average cow weights 610kgs and 658kgs respectfully.

 

[NZDan]

As far as I’m aware the amount a cow eats is directly proportional to her weight. So in theory for the space of 40 750kg cows you should in theory be able to carry 50 600kg cows.
With feeding meal whilst on Mum I see it that you are replacing mums milk with grain and hence more cost.

I think metabolic body weight is body weight to the power of .75
So a smaller cow while she eats less actually eats more per kg of body weight, which is why smaller cows have better BCS on average, and since BCS and fertility are strongly related smaller cows tend to wean more calves than bigger cows. At least that was how it was explained to me.
Plus we shouldn't confuse smaller cows due to poor feeding with genetically small cows. Frame score , BCS and weight are all part of the matrix, I personally would hesitate to use one on its own and Id prefer to know all three.

 

[scholland]

I have read and listened to many of the nz links on this thread. But you don't have to be from nz to thin Cows down a bit over winter.
Cost savings for us are huge to keep fat Cows out, make them eat some rough grass and drop them a bcs. Good for cow health as well.

 

[Henarar]

I have read and listened to many of the nz links on this thread. But you don't have to be from nz to thin Cows down a bit over winter.
Cost savings for us are huge to keep fat Cows out, make them eat some rough grass and drop them a bcs. Good for cow health as well. View attachment 738122

that's ok if you have land that will take it
what do you do with the calves ?