Cull cow fattening

[The Ruminant]

What are the figures like for fattening cull cows?

I’ve quite a lot of mature hay that needs using up, plus a lot of straw too. It would be good to pass it through an animal to turn it into FYM. I’d need to supplement the hay with cake / molasses etc but was wondering what the figures look like on a pen of, say, 50 animals.

Do the numbers stack up? It doesn’t need to be massively profitable - the FYM is valuable - but I don’t want it to be a money pit!

Anyone doing this?

 

[d williams]

What are the figures like for fattening cull cows?

I’ve quite a lot of mature hay that needs using up, plus a lot of straw too. It would be good to pass it through an animal to turn it into FYM. I’d need to supplement the hay with cake / molasses etc but was wondering what the figures look like on a pen of, say, 50 animals.

Do the numbers stack up? It doesn’t need to be massively profitable - the FYM is valuable - but I don’t want it to be a money pit!

Anyone doing this?

All in the buying and selling

 

[unlacedgecko]

What are the figures like for fattening cull cows?

I’ve quite a lot of mature hay that needs using up, plus a lot of straw too. It would be good to pass it through an animal to turn it into FYM. I’d need to supplement the hay with cake / molasses etc but was wondering what the figures look like on a pen of, say, 50 animals.

Do the numbers stack up? It doesn’t need to be massively profitable - the FYM is valuable - but I don’t want it to be a money pit!

Anyone doing this?

With your contacts you should be doing Hertfordshire "Galician" beef. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.th.../jun/20/high-steaks-the-new-craze-for-old-cow

 

[The Ruminant]

All in the buying and selling

Yes, I agree with this! I’ve a dealer (with decades of experience and who I trust) who will see to this side of things for me. It was the bit in the middle - feeding costs, typical liveweight gain, time, etc - that I’m hoping you or others will be able to help me understand better

 

[Surgery]

Yes, I agree with this! I’ve a dealer (with decades of experience and who I trust) who will see to this side of things for me. It was the bit in the middle - feeding costs, typical liveweight gain, time, etc - that I’m hoping you or others will be able to help me understand better

I would say your wasting your time , big beef cows are making a fortune sold to fatten , dairy breds will be a nightmare to fatten if you’ve not got the right grub on farm , better off doing a muck for straw

 

[Rich_ard]

Yes, I agree with this! I’ve a dealer (with decades of experience and who I trust) who will see to this side of things for me. It was the bit in the middle - feeding costs, typical liveweight gain, time, etc - that I’m hoping you or others will be able to help me understand better

Plenty do it. Cheap feed, simple system. As said the buying and selling is where its made. If you have the feed why not? Price could drop and you could be better selling them now who knows.

 

[Rich_ard]

Yes, I agree with this! I’ve a dealer (with decades of experience and who I trust) who will see to this side of things for me. It was the bit in the middle - feeding costs, typical liveweight gain, time, etc - that I’m hoping you or others will be able to help me understand better

You trust a dealer?

 

[Limcrazy]

Dealer will have what profit there's going to be. Unless you can buy young cows they're a time bomb.

 

[Hilly]

Yes, I agree with this! I’ve a dealer (with decades of experience and who I trust) who will see to this side of things for me. It was the bit in the middle - feeding costs, typical liveweight gain, time, etc - that I’m hoping you or others will be able to help me understand better

A dealer and trust should never be used in the same sentence …

 

[d williams]

Yes, I agree with this! I’ve a dealer (with decades of experience and who I trust) who will see to this side of things for me. It was the bit in the middle - feeding costs, typical liveweight gain, time, etc - that I’m hoping you or others will be able to help me understand better

Those cows are being sold for a reason
Have you your own breeding herd if do don’t even think about it
Some cows will be incalf some may want to kill you
Cows are very easy feeders and will clean up food other animals may not
Good paying job if bought and sold right but won’t be without its headaches

 

[Hilly]

Those cows are being sold for a reason
Have you your own breeding herd if do don’t even think about it
Some cows will be incalf some may want to kill you
Cows are very easy feeders and will clean up food other animals may not
Good paying job if bought and sold right but won’t be without its headaches

This is it. If you have cows of your own dont even think about it ….

 

[David1968]

What are the figures like for fattening cull cows?

I’ve quite a lot of mature hay that needs using up, plus a lot of straw too. It would be good to pass it through an animal to turn it into FYM. I’d need to supplement the hay with cake / molasses etc but was wondering what the figures look like on a pen of, say, 50 animals.

Do the numbers stack up? It doesn’t need to be massively profitable - the FYM is valuable - but I don’t want it to be a money pit!

Anyone doing this?

You'd probably be better fattening them for the dealer and charging per head.

 

[Andrew1983]

Don’t forget the quality of your fym you are trying to produce is dependent on what goes in. Old sh!t hay with little to no feed value won’t magically become rocket fuel dung…. Unless your adding a lot of grain to go with it. Which you would need for fattening anything other than hairy native cows. If stock feed potatoes are available or other by products this would help.

If you do buy cows then best to fluke doze and possibly even run bloods for johnes, no point pouring time and feed into a cow thats never going to fatten.

I tend to find cows take a few months to get moving then all of a sudden they motor seriously quick.

 

[Plain steer]

What are the figures like for fattening cull cows?

I’ve quite a lot of mature hay that needs using up, plus a lot of straw too. It would be good to pass it through an animal to turn it into FYM. I’d need to supplement the hay with cake / molasses etc but was wondering what the figures look like on a pen of, say, 50 animals.

Do the numbers stack up? It doesn’t need to be massively profitable - the FYM is valuable - but I don’t want it to be a money pit!

Anyone doing this?

You’re might end up with 60 animals by the time there’s a few calved on you

 

[Optimus]

You’re might end up with 60 animals by the time there’s a few calved on you

Our local dealer guy has just given up.he dealt with a lot of folk around here.not sure how many he said he had last year but ended up losing a fair few.also gained a good number of calves which he didnt really want.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

I wouldn’t go into cull cows…too many dodge pots among them. Johnes, bvd ect.
plus auld cows are slow at converting …young cows are good to finish but they are making a very good trade atm

 

[Rich_ard]

I wouldn’t go into cull cows…too many dodge pots among them. Johnes, bvd ect.
plus auld cows are slow at converting …young cows are good to finish but they are making a very good trade atm

I had someone telling me how well someone he knew was getting on with them but I suspect it's more to do with a shift in price than the job. A increase in price soon makes cheap bought cows look alot better.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

I had someone telling me how well someone he knew was getting on with them but I suspect it's more to do with a shift in price than the job. A increase in price soon makes cheap bought cows look alot better.

Anyone can do well on a rising market…

 

[ringi]

I can't see risk of cull cows being good unless buying directly from a few dairy farms that you trust.

 

[Top Tip.]

If you get the right cows there’s nothing easier to fatten than cows.