Dairy Calf To Suckler Idea

[Dairyfarmerswife]

And that won’t happen while positive Johnes cattle are alive and breeding beef calves, to pass on the disease.
Any cattle health initiative must include a slaughter policy, to be successful. What’s happening is damn selfish to the beef farmers buying these calves.

That's what was going through my head. Mine are mainly being sold to a guy who finishes them but some will go through a market. There's no requirement to declare Johnes status as far as I know. Tbf we also use beef in heifers and to sweep the block so it's not a given that the dam is Johnes but the risk is there.

Equally, if I can reduce the incidence of Johnes in my herd, I still only need a finite number of dairy replacements so in time the Johnes prevalence in beef heifers we produce should be lower. Alternatively we could use male sexed beef on Johnes cows and may do in the future. It's a work in progress.

 

[johnb5555]

What cost are dairy heifer calves in N.I.
Local mart, where I used to buy my replacements, last sale BBx av 298 and Limx, only 1 in, 365.

 

[Whitewalker]

And that won’t happen while positive Johnes cattle are alive and breeding beef calves, to pass on the disease.
Any cattle health initiative must include a slaughter policy, to be successful. What’s happening is damn selfish to the beef farmers buying these calves.

I know of pedigree dairy men selling their fresh heifers through the ring diseased. Absolutely disgusting

 

[johnspeehs]

What cost are dairy heifer calves in N.I.
Local mart, where I used to buy my replacements, last sale BBx av 298 and Limx, only 1 in, 365.

Similar here, bb might be a bit dearer.

 

[Weasel]

I know of pedigree dairy men selling their fresh heifers through the ring diseased. Absolutely disgusting

Really? Makes me proud of my high health home bred beef sucklers

 

[Whitewalker]

Really? Makes me proud of my high health home bred beef sucklers

Absolutely , I think you should be. There are so many things to contract these days it is definitely something to be proud of.

We’re very clean (Currently) too in our dairy herd . I couldn’t bring myself to even rent our farm or housing out , the thought of Tb , dermatitis bvd johnes etc getting a foothold is unthinkable. Something may eventually appear but not without trying my best

 

[Lazy Eric]

I do this too but you need to rethink your sums. To buy the type of calf you need and rear it to 2 yrs old £780 won’t go far, I reckon mine cost near that by 12 months. The two problems you will have are finding good enough calves and getting them big enough to sell at 2 yrs old. Small dairy bred hfrs with calves at foot are bad sellers, plenty sub £1000. They will be costing more.
The only advantage is it lets you get numbers up without needing huge amounts of cash as the cost is spread over the 2 yrs.

There is some rubbish around , you must seek out and select good strong heifer calves that will grow, and I don’t mean just their legs!

 

[sheep&cows&stuff]

What cost are dairy heifer calves in N.I.
Local mart, where I used to buy my replacements, last sale BBx av 298 and Limx, only 1 in, 365.

Real good lim bred dairy heifer calves from good thick cows £250. Lesser sorts £200

 

[sheep&cows&stuff]

I do this too but you need to rethink your sums. To buy the type of calf you need and rear it to 2 yrs old £780 won’t go far, I reckon mine cost near that by 12 months. The two problems you will have are finding good enough calves and getting them big enough to sell at 2 yrs old. Small dairy bred hfrs with calves at foot are bad sellers, plenty sub £1000. They will be costing more.
The only advantage is it lets you get numbers up without needing huge amounts of cash as the cost is spread over the 2 yrs.

Here were my estimations:

Purchase - £250
Milk - £80 (2 x bags of milk replacer)
Meal - £160 (1kg of meal per day for 2 years average) - Assuming meal £210 per tonne plus a little bit
Straw - £20 - (I purchase 6x3x2 bales £10 each. 1 bale to bed calf when small and 1 bale to bed when she is calving at 2 years old)
Silage - £120 - (8 bales at £15 each made at home)
Dosing - £50 - including BVD
Land - £100 (1 acre per year old calf)

Total - £780

Now - if a man could buy a beef bred heifer calf at a mart for £400 - Then when he goes to sell it with a calf at foot it could be worth a lot more (£1600+) - however it is hard to find such calves.

 

[johnspeehs]

It doesn’t leave much room for error, I think your costings are very low,£1000 is possibly nearer true costs but I reckon mine still cost a good bit more.
Only way you will know is try a few, as I said before it’s a good way to get stocking rates up without the need for huge amounts of capital.

 

[sheep&cows&stuff]

It doesn’t leave much room for error, £990 is possibly nearer true costs but I reckon mine still cost a good bit more.
Only way you will know is try a few, as I said before it’s a good way to get stocking rates up without the need for huge amounts of capital.

That's it - things always cost more than projected. As long as they don't lose money its a good way of gathering up a few quid I suppose!

 

[wiggyv8]

Vets bill if you’re going to do it get them pelvic measured at 12/13 months, peace of mind .we keep some beef bred hfrs and if we need a calf try to get a hfr often dairy bred though usually them that fail the measurement

 

[had e nuff]

Here were my estimations:

Purchase - £250
Milk - £80 (2 x bags of milk replacer)
Meal - £160 (1kg of meal per day for 2 years average) - Assuming meal £210 per tonne plus a little bit
Straw - £20 - (I purchase 6x3x2 bales £10 each. 1 bale to bed calf when small and 1 bale to bed when she is calving at 2 years old)
Silage - £120 - (8 bales at £15 each made at home)
Dosing - £50 - including BVD
Land - £100 (1 acre per year old calf)

Total - £780

Now - if a man could buy a beef bred heifer calf at a mart for £400 - Then when he goes to sell it with a calf at foot it could be worth a lot more (£1600+) - however it is hard to find such calves.

Friend was at a dairy meeting where they discussed heifer rearing costs. Kite figures were that it costs £1900 to rear a heifer to calving at 2 years on average. Obviously some can do it cheaper.