getting out of sheep

[unlacedgecko]

Mabye you can explain to me how were going to compete with the irish for beef when they have better grass growing conditions AND over 300 euros per ha sub and we get none??

Here's some ideas from the SAC to help out winter cattle and reduce costs.

When I find it I'll post a video of cows and calves being out wintered on hill ground as well.

 

[unlacedgecko]

Mabye you can explain to me how were going to compete with the irish for beef when they have better grass growing conditions AND over 300 euros per ha sub and we get none??

This is the video I was looking for. A beef and sheep producer in Stirlingshire hasn't made silage in 18 years. I first saw it a few years ago and was very impressed by his production methods.

 

[S J H]

I might as well give up now then.

It's ok in nz though, because the weather's better

 

[unlacedgecko]

It's ok in nz though, because the weather's better

But I can't afford to move there/the wife won't go. I wonder how she feels about Romania?

 

[S J H]

But I can't afford to move there/the wife won't go. I wonder how she feels about Romania?

Ask bossfarmer to research it for you, I think he'll be busy for the next hour while he finger points at his men, but after that he'll be in his mahogany lined office.

 

[unlacedgecko]

Ask bossfarmer to research it for you, I think he'll be busy for the next hour while he finger points at his men, but after that he'll be in his mahogany lined office.

That's the kind of farming I aspire to!

 

[exmoor dave]

This is the video I was looking for. A beef and sheep producer in Stirlingshire hasn't made silage in 18 years. I first saw it a few years ago and was very impressed by his production methods.

Outwinter ours on moorland

Unfortunately on most moors there's no current chance of being allowed to do,

 

[Kiwi Pete]

It's ok in nz though, because the weather's better

it's outstanding

 

[Bossfarmer]

I dont use my sub to farm, and dont get any on the leased ground, my problem with you is the constant referal to irish farmers getting all of these subs whilst living in a tropical paradise? come over here and work on a farm for a few weeks and youl see what we get is no different to what ye recieve, cant stand people poor mouthing about themselves, just bloody well get on with it because whats said on this isnt going to change much

you still get it though, im not bad mouthing im pointing out that we in Scotland already have to compete with the irish and they can make a living off less land as it is because of the bigger payments they get, take our sub away completely what chance do we have, im all for removing subs but not when our competition are still getting them the solution is to keep a similar sub in the UK as EU farmers are getting

 

[Bossfarmer]

Exactly the same way we do now but with lower land and feed costs etc and possibly transport , you do realise
the Irish own a large % of our slaughter plants now , just basically trade on lower level with lower expectations , yes your land will drop in value accordingly , but someone will ranch it if not you ,

how exactly will my land cost change? how will my feed cost change?? if were getting £75/acre less across our farm than we are now explain how we can be expected to compete with someone on over 300 euro per ha??

 

[Bossfarmer]

I don't grow any here.
This was just a play in someone else's rig for the day as I'd done the commute but some chodmong had backed my plough into a strainer and bust the mouldboard off
So spent a day in the pivot letting greenstar do my job
(Mostly standing on the steps smoking cigarettes and taking pictures)
It has been remapped up to about 500 horses
There are a few cereal growers around but it's more 'conservation style Min-Till' cereal, than 'plough, fert, plough, fert, cry,' cereal

Yields the same but drastically reduces inputs and our weather isn't reliable enough to spend huge money that may not be recouped.
Plenty of times that harvesting has been impossible- no safety net here - you have to weave your own; that's what I was referring to with your comment about 'maximum efficiency', the conventional high input high expectation cereal cropping system is extremely reliant on getting a good yield.
NZ and Aus is definitely not subscribing blindly to that one as @Farmer Roy has already noted... too risky by far.

It may well appear from the sum of my posts that I'm simply anti-sub, anti-chemical, and anti-cultivation... but I'm not.
I'm just free-thinking and want to show people there is a way off the treadmill.
You just have to want to get off it.

i understand what you are trying to say but its not as straightforward to do that over here, if most of you were farming the small farms over here with no sub you would soon realise that it simply doesnt add up

 

[hendrebc]

I think he (and ithers as well) is trying to tell you to try and do things differently if yoy cant make a prifit without subs. Theres more than one way to skin a cat @Bossfarmer

 

[unlacedgecko]

Outwinter ours on moorland

Unfortunately on most moors there's no current chance of being allowed to do,

Is that because the landowner has taken a subsidy, the terms of which prevent outwintering on the moor?

(I know many farmers are tenants on moorland)

 

[digger64]

Outwinter ours on moorland

Unfortunately on most moors there's no current chance of being allowed to do,

Why ?

 

[digger64]

how exactly will my land cost change? how will my feed cost change?? if were getting £75/acre less across our farm than we are now explain how we can be expected to compete with someone on over 300 euro per ha??

Because the opportunity cost of growing cereals or what ever in marginal situations will be lower and that will in turn potentially lower your fixed and feed costs but as an owner occupier you perhaps would understand what opportunity cost is !

 

[Bossfarmer]

Here's some ideas from the SAC to help out winter cattle and reduce costs.

When I find it I'll post a video of cows and calves being out wintered on hill ground as well.

genius you have reinvented the wheel, i have already looked at this option and ruled it out!

 

[digger64]

genius you have reinvented the wheel, i have already looked at this option and ruled it out!

Would it upset your gamekeeper ?

 

[unlacedgecko]

genius you have reinvented the wheel, i have already looked at this option and ruled it out!

I haven't reinvented or invented anything. Just a short video I thought you might find useful as you were looking to increase cattle.numbers without building more sheds.

 

[hendrebc]

genius you have reinvented the wheel, i have already looked at this option and ruled it out!

Why? Curious as im thinking of trying to kep mine out so anyones opinion is gratefully recieved

 

[exmoor dave]

Is that because the landowner has taken a subsidy, the terms of which prevent outwintering on the moor?

(I know many farmers are tenants on moorland)

Why ?

Many moors are SSSI's for starters.

Most will be in ag-environmental schemes that will specify summer grazing til the end of the scheme.

Many moors are owned by one body but grazed by the surrounding farmers with commons rights, which are going to be very specific, mostly likely for sheep only.

If it's a common, other grazers might not be too chuffed with you out wintering cattle on the same moor as them.

There's owners of moors with very different agendas to us farmers- NT, national parks, RSPB, water companies etc etc.
Those agendas are unlikely to include winter cattle stocking.

If you're in England then we have Natural England to contend with....... they are not pro winter stocking cattle on moors!


We've been extremely lucky to have been allowed to continue.

If you own a moor or have a understanding landlord,
that is reasonable winter dry, isn't a SSSI and isn't in a environment scheme then go for it....... if you can find suitable tick acclimatized cattle.