Feeding suckled calves from now on

[Bossfarmer]

Lighter store cattle better p/kg.

Is there any point feeding them up? Normally sell best of ours at 400-450kg at ten months old. Was considering pushing them to 500kg this year. But doesn't look much point.

are you may calving and selling the following march? im keeping mine until theyre 600ish kg these days

 

[Bossfarmer]

A lot of finishers are just wanting to feed them hard for 100-120 days, therefore wanting to buy cattle that are used to feeding and already motoring

there are the guys im aiming at so getting them sold around 600kg

 

[Bossfarmer]

I go completely opposite,probably wrong but works for me.

Currently feeding no creep or any meal through to 21 month stores.

Pure lims.

No dicking about with creep which takes time and labour and handling,no bought in feed,keep bought in feed costs to near zero.

Cut short term ley and bale nice,lovely stuff and creep the calves to that.

I haven’t got time or inclination to carry bags of feed about.

do you cut it at the leafy stage? is it not worth giving them this for protein plus a bit of bruised barley?

 

[Yale]

do you cut it at the leafy stage? is it not worth giving them this for protein plus a bit of bruised barley?

We have fed barley in the past but the so its possible,tend to struggle with trough space for them however on balance for cost they seem to do well on the leafy ryegrass,cut just when the seed heads are starting to shoot.

 

[Hilly]

Anyone got their cows in yet ?

 

[Chae1]

there are the guys im aiming at so getting them sold around 600kg

They'll finished at 700kg. Why not just finish job?

 

[jamesy]

Anyone got their cows in yet ?

Half of them, been in a fortnight. Got too wet, the other half are on some rough grazing/links and getting silage

 

[hally]

Anyone got their cows in yet ?

Been in a fortnight, two weeks later than last year, only a 7 months winter this year( hopefully)....peace of cake

 

[Optimus]

Anyone got their cows in yet ?

All of them , apart from a few heifers on the hill

 

[Optimus]

They'll finished at 700kg. Why not just finish job?

I'd agree with that. Done most the hard work.might as well have all the pie instead of letting someone else have a slice.

 

[Chae1]

I'd agree with that. Done most the hard work.might as well have all the pie instead of letting someone else have a slice.

Be £50/hd mart commission? Would near pay to finish them

 

[Hilly]

They'll finished at 700kg. Why not just finish job?

Plenty go fat in local mart less than 600kg .

 

[Bossfarmer]

They'll finished at 700kg. Why not just finish job?

like to clear the lot out in march to make space for calving, i can decrease stocking density of the other cattle, also the time and hassle of picking out fat beasts small groups at a time and hauling them to a killing house doesnt appeal

 

[Bossfarmer]

Be £50/hd mart commission? Would near pay to finish them

are there no fees at the killing house? time/haulage of small groups?

 

[Optimus]

are there no fees at the killing house? time/haulage of small groups?

Yes the do but it ain't much.we send small groups up to portlethen all the time just fit them in when a wagon is passing.

 

[Spartacus]

Anyone got their cows in yet ?

All of them since last week. Some neighbours had them in 2 or 3 weeks before us.

 

[Werzle]

Anyone got their cows in yet ?

No

 

[wellingtonfarmer]

Be £50/hd mart commission? Would near pay to finish them

plus 3 lots of haulage to be taken into consideration. To the mart, to finishing farm and to the Abbatoir