End of the Road for Small Livestock Farms?

[Derrick Hughes]

I sell the grass to the man who summers the stores . Seems to work well [emoji23]I spend it on lime and seed to sell more grass to the man who summers the store , one day I may get to smell some money [emoji28]

 

[Henarar]

Pleased you’ve said that now. Some on here thought they were going on Dragons Den summering stores!
Wonder why no one else thought of that before now?

well we have run some through last few years instead of selling in the spring, not hurt us yet

 

[Henarar]

I sell the grass to the man who summers the stores . Seems to work well [emoji23]I spend it on lime and seed to sell more grass to the man who summers the store , one day I may get to smell some money [emoji28]

I bet you do OK
never seen no flies pitch yet

 

[Derrick Hughes]

I bet you do OK
never seen no flies pitch yet

The day I stop enjoying is the day I stop , my main aim is improving the land , that's what drives me on

 

[Hilly]

Their is only so much in commodity store cattle only way to to make a lot is to have a a lot ! Even then once you get into paying Labour etc etc tough going for all I’d say

well we have run some through last few years instead of selling in the spring, not hurt us yet

I have in the past and found it a bit of a waste of time , rather make sure they do well in winter sell April that leaves space for few more cows which I find more lucrative than summering cattle, each to their own the country is very diverse not possible for everyone so do same .

 

[Will 1594]

In the northern hills which is traditionally a sheep and suckler cow area it has been the most expensive winter we have had.

The weather has changed in recent years, I don't know whether this is the new pattern or a blip.

Our cows are housed for 4-6 weeks longer than they used to be. This has a big cost when you are buying straw and means you need more silage, putting pressure on stocking rate. Also because of the very late spring, grass crops are looking lighter than normal

I think straw will remain expensive because the cost of haulage will rise and there is so much going to power stations etc and more people will chop it to try to increase soil OM.

We may be getting more for cattle but input prices have shot up, all these factors are making people question the job, its more than just the subsidy issues

Inflation the thing to watch every thing rocketing .
We will bale 2000 small bales and 50 rounds
And will chop rest . Well over 1200 acre
Going to roundup a patch in a good whest field later can see the row the nugget who pleaded for a field of straw last year . ryegrass where first bale dropped out and next one and next one and a smattering across half of field

 

[puppet]

Make sure they do well in winter sell April that leaves space for few more cows which I find more lucrative than summering cattle, each to their own the country is very diverse not possible for everyone so do same .

Plenty people think avoiding wintering and calving cows is the way to go. Where do they think the 'expensive' store cattle come from each Spring?

 

[Chae1]

Inflation the thing to watch every thing rocketing .
We will bale 2000 small bales and 50 rounds
And will chop rest . Well over 1200 acre
Going to roundup a patch in a good whest field later can see the row the nugget who pleaded for a field of straw last year . ryegrass where first bale dropped out and next one and next one and a smattering across half of field

Bloody hell! Youve been messaging me after straw in NE Scotland and your chopping your own.

 

[Hilly]

Plenty people think avoiding wintering and calving cows is the way to go. Where do they think the 'expensive' store cattle come from each Spring?

I think less want to have cows and more just want stores , being a cow man suits me ! But stores are not expensive enough

 

[lloyd]

Inflation the thing to watch every thing rocketing .
We will bale 2000 small bales and 50 rounds
And will chop rest . Well over 1200 acre
Going to roundup a patch in a good whest field later can see the row the nugget who pleaded for a field of straw last year . ryegrass where first bale dropped out and next one and next one and a smattering across half of field

Choppers on everywhere if it turns wet.

 

[lloyd]

The day I stop enjoying is the day I stop , my main aim is improving the land , that's what drives me on

What for the government want that type of ground rewilded.
Your not going against Bozos wishes are you?

 

[Henarar]

Their is only so much in commodity store cattle only way to to make a lot is to have a a lot ! Even then once you get into paying Labour etc etc tough going for all I’d say

I have in the past and found it a bit of a waste of time , rather make sure they do well in winter sell April that leaves space for few more cows which I find more lucrative than summering cattle, each to their own the country is very diverse not possible for everyone so do same .

yep each to their own

 

[Henarar]

The day I stop enjoying is the day I stop , my main aim is improving the land , that's what drives me on

I know, just having a laugh

 

[Will 1594]

Bloody hell! Youve been messaging me after straw in NE Scotland and your chopping your own.

That was for pig man totally different job
F in ryegrass is going to be headache to sort now

 

[Derrick Hughes]

What for the government want that type of ground rewilded.
Your not going against Bozos wishes are you?

Well he will pay more for good land than land thatswild already

 

[lloyd]

Well he will pay more for good land than land thatswild already

What's happening with that proposed big rewilding project near you ?

 

[Bossfarmer]

erm rent /labour/vet/haulage ? and( 1.5 per acre might be ok in a high rainfall area)

i would say its a non starter on rented ground, haul them yourself, shouldnt cost much on labour/vet

 

[Henarar]

i would say its a non starter on rented ground, haul them yourself, shouldnt cost much on labour/vet

How much would they have to gain in the winter then with all the cost of feed and bedding not to mention the sheds, spreading dung, diesel, machinery and so on ? 3 times as much ?

 

[DrWazzock]

On 10 acres of grass here we had 10 cows. Sold calves at 10 months old weaned off when they came in in November. Price about £650 each on average. You’d be lucky to gross £650 an acre growing wheat here and would have maybe £300 per acre costs to grow the wheat. I didn’t think the cows did too badly financially and would have been better if we hadn’t screwed up the management of body condition. We were straw off the rest of the farm which we hardly noticed and they ate rough hay that the horse folks wouldn’t buy. I reckon they can fit in, but a couple of big vets bills can see the profit disappear. Arable isn’t all sunshine and profit. It’s big spend, high risk and slim margins.

 

[Bossfarmer]

How much would they have to gain in the winter then with all the cost of feed and bedding not to mention the sheds, spreading dung, diesel, machinery and so on ? 3 times as much ?

depends if you grow cereals and need the dung?