Feeding Sucker Calves

[CharcoalWally]

I have no real preference in colour but the red ones do sell better up here...... even the steers!

I don't even bother trying to sell the dun heifers as breeders in the mart.....

Oh I agree with you about your part of the World @jamesy. Often @M-J-G and myself will remark that almost all of the Simm bulls on Orkney must be red!!

Controversial Fact No. 1!!

Whisper it quietly -I once sold a chocolate dun heifer to Orkney! !!!!!! Aye, I know, I couldn't believe it either! !! Hasn't happened since though

The dun heifers aren't as sought after down here either. Folk either suspect the heifer is too close to a dairy start point, or they want a suitable coloured heifer to leave the "orange " Charolais calf that @top char mentioned, as the NE buyers like them so much.

 

[jamesy]

I often keep the dun ones to myself as I've no issues with them!

Is it just me or do the real dark red ones tend to be slightly smaller/shapier than pale ones - generalisation I know!

 

[CharcoalWally]

I often keep the dun ones to myself as I've no issues with them!

Is it just me or do the real dark red ones tend to be slightly smaller/shapier than pale ones - generalisation I know!

Aye , dun cows work fine here too.I can't honestly say that I find any size difference here between yellow and red cows. I don't know tbh about the small shapey bulls are they're not my type , so I don't suppose I pay a lot of attention to them. Certainly the likes of Raceview King would have left a rake of small red bulls like that , and I dare say that some of them would have ended up in your part of the World.

As an aside , the small bulls were a hard sale in Stirling last week. A lot of buyers seem to be wanting a bit of scale back in their sire. You can only go so small for so long........

 

[goodevans]

Aye , dun cows work fine here too.I can't honestly say that I find any size difference here between yellow and red cows. I don't know tbh about the small shapey bulls are they're not my type , so I don't suppose I pay a lot of attention to them. Certainly the likes of Raceview King would have left a rake of small red bulls like that , and I dare say that some of them would have ended up in your part of the World.

As an aside , the small bulls were a hard sale in Stirling last week. A lot of buyers seem to be wanting a bit of scale back in their sire. You can only go so small for so long........

that seems strange with the push towards smaller carcase weights and rumoured further cuts

 

[Northeastfarmer]

that seems strange with the push towards smaller carcase weights and rumoured further cuts

Further cuts to what? The weights?

 

[goodevans]

Further cuts to what? The weights?

it has been mentioned twice to me this week but as manuel said I know nothing

 

[Northeastfarmer]

it has been mentioned twice to me this week but as manuel said I know nothing

Can’t see them going down...they’re having to kill more cattle to get the same amount of beef and the cattle aren’t there as it is

 

[pine_guy]

Can’t see them going down...they’re having to kill more cattle to get the same amount of beef and the cattle aren’t there as it is

£5/kg deadweight cattle by Xmas 2018 haha

 

[CharcoalWally]

that seems strange with the push towards smaller carcase weights and rumoured further cuts

Come North and you'll find our finishers are still throwing money at the biggest , fastest growing cattle in the marts.

The Charolais bullock still sells best up here , for these guys know that they can get them in young at a forward weight and then throw feeding at them to get them away quick just as they reach their target weights. If they're off a cow that supplies a good fat cover to help the carcase , then so much the better.

Small , slow growing cattle that take ages and end up underweight just don't float their boat , presumably because they don't leave them enough margin. Like I said , it's easy to get too small and inefficient- we've been there before in the past.

 

[scholland]

Wonder what kg of beef carcase suits the end consumer best?
Butcher we supply wants them 320kg (some at 300 and 340 is ok) Suits me fine.

 

[hendrebc]

Wonder what kg of beef carcase suits the end consumer best?
Butcher we supply wants them 320kg (some at 300 and 340 is ok) Suits me fine.

butchers buying in ruthin seemed to like 500kg heifers that were well shaped and fat but were very selective.
They didnt want anything big they were bought by dealers to sell on deadweight which is ultimatley what killed the beef job there.

 

[Lovegoodstock]

Traditionally it was always a shapey fit heifer around 520k mark like said above, but I have a guy that buys a fair few of my stores and asked auctioneer how he made some of the better ones pay, as he keeps going and will have them. He supplies a butcher near London that pays him over 4/kilo with no upper weight limit so long as an e4l or e4h. Suppose so many restaurants, areas of country, style of eating there is no one answer?

 

[Happy]

365 average. Was a good trade throughout today, ours would be heavier than average for sure.

6-8 month old Charolais.

Flying trade for Spring born calves off their mothers at Stirling again today.
Straw shortage doesn't seem to be having any effect.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Flying trade for Spring born calves off their mothers at Stirling again today.
Straw shortage doesn't seem to be having any effect.

What were good well grown bullocks making?

 

[Happy]

What were good well grown bullocks making?

£900+

 

[Northeastfarmer]

£900+

Standard price

 

[Happy]

Standard price

Plenty at £1000.
Auctioneers felt trade was better than last week.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Plenty at £1000.
Auctioneers felt trade was better than last week.

All good suckled bullocks round here are £900-£1050

 

[DB67]

Flying trade for Spring born calves off their mothers at Stirling again today.
Straw shortage doesn't seem to be having any effect.

Heard that.

Both sales have had a lot less calves than previous years. People holding onto calves that haven’t done aswell this summer?

 

[CharcoalWally]

Heard that.

Both sales have had a lot less calves than previous years. People holding onto calves that haven’t done aswell this summer?

Numbers did look down. Under 2000 calves last week on what's normally a huge sale. If people are holding onto calves you can only assume they're in under a roof now.