Intensive Beef

[gone up the hill]

There would be very few in a better position to make money finishing cattle than Clive if he were to start it. I dont see where everyone is getting the whole 'losing thousands' every year out of. The beef men are getting as good at crying as the dairy farmers.

Fhinshing beef cattle and milking cows is like comparing chalk with cheese!

Biggest difference with fhinhsing bought in cattle is that you have very little control as a store buyer over your no1 cost which is buying in the cattle!

Very little in fhinshing cattle in real terms, milk is a much better prospect if you want to make serious money!

 

[Beef farmer]

Fhinshing beef cattle and milking cows is like comparing chalk with cheese!

Biggest difference with fhinhsing bought in cattle is that you have very little control as a store buyer over your no1 cost which is buying in the cattle!

Very little in fhinshing cattle in real terms, milk is a much better prospect if you want to make serious money!

Couldn't agree more. A finisher is bent over a barrel, don't buy and your out of a job, do buy and you have to pay what the market wants. No body milks cows for fun. I've got loads of neighbours in there 60+ age bracket that like 100 cattle to keep me out of trouble, and lean on the gate and look at. Try competing with them in a market.

 

[ridger]

Those types are impossible to compete with better to get a good dealer to buy I find,

 

[Beef farmer]

My grandfather dealt cattle for 50 years, he always said, when cattle are dear everybody would ring up and want 10. When they were cheap people would ring up and only want 3. They always thought that when they were dear they were gonna go dearer and when cheap gonna go cheaper.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

My grandfather dealt cattle for 50 years, he always said, when cattle are dear everybody would ring up and want 10. When they were cheap people would ring up and only want 3. They always thought that when they were dear they were gonna go dearer and when cheap gonna go cheaper.

How true...it's the same with sheep

 

[ridger]

My grandfather dealt cattle for 50 years, he always said, when cattle are dear everybody would ring up and want 10. When they were cheap people would ring up and only want 3. They always thought that when they were dear they were gonna go dearer and when cheap gonna go cheaper.

Isn't that the way of life though

 

[gone up the hill]

Couldn't agree more. A finisher is bent over a barrel, don't buy and your out of a job, do buy and you have to pay what the market wants. No body milks cows for fun. I've got loads of neighbours in there 60+ age bracket that like 100 cattle to keep me out of trouble, and lean on the gate and look at. Try competing with them in a market.

Those 60 year old farmers are the biggest problem for professional fhinshers, they don't need to make a profit at the job as they have no intrest in improving their farm/ buildings/ machinery etc and also don't need to make a profit so they can live as they will be getting at least one pension to cover their living costs.

 

[gone up the hill]

Those types are impossible to compete with better to get a good dealer to buy I find,

Intrestingly the weeks that the dealers don't buy the price of cattle will drop £50/80 head! I think dealers are also part of the problem in regards high store cattle prices.

 

[ridger]

Intrestingly the weeks that the dealers don't buy the price of cattle will drop £50/80 head! I think dealers are also part of the problem in regards high store cattle prices.

I don't really agree with all the dealing rings, one mart here is like a pantomine with them wanting the one in the bridge or the one behind it, the normal farmer buyer doesn't stand a chance

 

[Jonny B88]

Private Internet buying may well become more popular then?

 

[ridger]

Private Internet buying may well become more popular then?

Don't think so, the farmer always thinks he isn't getting enough, seen a 600 kg Friesan bullock sold on Monday for 1110, farmer said 1150 was what he should have made

 

[robin banks]

Surely Clive is best placed to make money in beef. He has the cheapest grain available. As it is available on farm in his own store at market price. No need to add on delivery cost. His tillage enterprise doesn't have to pay haulier and nor does the beef enterprise. His straw is the same. He will have some ' free ' labour from the tillage enterprise during quiet times. And he will have scale that most could only dream of. Plus he gets fym for the tillage job on his doorstep.
Now whether the beef job can deliver a proper return is debatable. But he has many more positives compared to most. Plus a new yard should be very labour efficient compared to other finishers who have added on to building's over the years.

 

[gone up the hill]

Surely Clive is best placed to make money in beef. He has the cheapest grain available. As it is available on farm in his own store at market price. No need to add on delivery cost. His tillage enterprise doesn't have to pay haulier and nor does the beef enterprise. His straw is the same. He will have some ' free ' labour from the tillage enterprise during quiet times. And he will have scale that most could only dream of. Plus he gets fym for the tillage job on his doorstep.
Now whether the beef job can deliver a proper return is debatable. But he has many more positives compared to most. Plus a new yard should be very labour efficient compared to other finishers who have added on to building's over the years.

How will he get the cattle from the market to the farm and then from the farm to the plant if he has no haulage costs??

 

[robin banks]

How will he get the cattle from the market to the farm and then from the farm to the plant if he has no haulage costs??

Never said he has none in total. He has no haulage cost on the barley and wheat or peas and beans that he would be feeding. And he has no haulage on the straw. Other finishing units would have those cost plus both Clive and most others would have similar costs of haulage of cattle in and out.
Its not mega saving but it is an advantage. And whether grain price is £90 or £190 on the market other specialised finishers will still be buying grain plus paying a merchant to haul it.

 

[Baling Hay]

Surely the best option for @Clive would be a spring calving suckler herd with all progeny finished early? He could keep the cows on home straw and some urea during the winter, grow maize silage, crimped barley and some beans for a finishing ration and have grass leys for grazing during the summer?

Seems to tick all the boxes!

 

[Beef farmer]

Surely the best option for @Clive would be a spring calving suckler herd with all progeny finished early? He could keep the cows on home straw and some urea during the winter, grow maize silage, crimped barley and some beans for a finishing ration and have grass leys for grazing during the summer?

Seems to tick all the boxes!

Apart from the op not wanting to have animals in a field.

 

[Baling Hay]

Apart from the op not wanting to have animals in a field.

He is missing the biggest benefit of livestock. He must have several hundred acres in a block somewhere?

 

[Henarar]

I've got loads of neighbours in there 60+ age bracket that like 100 cattle to keep me out of trouble, and lean on the gate and look at. Try competing with them in a market.

Those 60 year old farmers are the biggest problem for professional fhinshers, they don't need to make a profit at the job as they have no intrest in improving their farm/ buildings/ machinery etc and also don't need to make a profit so they can live as they will be getting at least one pension to cover their living costs.

Ever thought those old boys may be making money from the job

 

[DrWazzock]

What's so wrong with animals in a field. Grains worth F all, the soil structures gone and its saturated with weed killers from a losing fight with blackgrass. Why not grass a big swathe down, like I have this year and just run a few cattle on it extensively.

I find the cattle easier than the arable. Not much to do with them all summer, then a daily routine in winter. nothing arduous, quite relaxing. keep a few so you keep them friendly. There's no money in it of course, but never mind. We still get the BPS.

Better than pulling a sprayer out of sh*t hole in November, laden with a tank mix of five products costing x thousand pounds. Or having to rebuild your tractor engine after one days ploughing.

 

[Beef farmer]

Ever thought those old boys may be making money from the job

I imagine they are. But making £1 on a beast isn't gonna keep you very fat. But it keeps them busy. They have made there fortune and are now reaping the rewards. I one day hope to be that old git pissing off the big finishers.