Economics of store cattle

[Sparkymark]

I keep my Angus heifers now as prices are poor for calves but yet i see my barren dairy heifers making over £1000.
Grass reared is the way to make it pay.

 

[Fergieman]

I finish every male animal born on the farm, unless any suckler men want one to set on. Going on the comments above I must be mad.

 

[Repeat]

Someone once said to me when I was thinking of growing our beef calves on, there are three people in the chain, the breeder , the rearer and the finisher.
At any time only one of these will make a profit, but none of them knows who it will be.
We are still selling our calves at 8 weeks.

 

[Kiss]

think I’d rather rear a few of the Hereford x bulls than spare dairy heifers with the price they are making

 

[An Gof]

Someone once said to me when I was thinking of growing our beef calves on, there are three people in the chain, the breeder , the rearer and the finisher.
At any time only one of these will make a profit, but none of them knows who it will be.
We are still selling our calves at 8 weeks.

I buy calves and take them all the way to finish. My philosophy is that if there is any profit in beef if you do it from start to finish you have it all without any extra haulage charges or commissions.

 

[Sheepykid]

I would say there is a huge amount of variables in raising these store cattle. I notice several dairy farmers value all their calves at £400 a piece. Truth be known I doubt very much the average is anywhere near that. Depends how well you feed them and if they are dragged up or reared correctly. What your farm circumstances are, if your buying all your food in etc. No different in any sector of farming. Take dairy for instance. Lots giving up. But a handful claim to make a fortune and are expanding. Horses for courses as usual.

 

[dinderleat]

Blues are best sold as calves dairy bulls are best kept to 20m if you have the grazing available plus as they are worth less as calves there’s more scope to make a profit. Sold some 20m this autumn for 970av
native breeds it just depends on grazing available and infrastructure.
there are contracts available for finished angus which do pay quite well.
each farm if different and has different cost base. The ground we graze is no good for dairy cows otherwise we would just milk more cows.