Hilly
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders.
A tenners worth of feed to put on 1 kilo ?
Is there any future in suckler cows ?
- Thread starter ges
- Start date
livestock 1
Member
240 a tonne at 4 kilos would be 24p x 4 96p to put a kilo on so it is viable
Hilly
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders.
Its a bloody good investment , not many investments double your money.
livestock 1
Member
Doesn’t feel like it to me
Northeastfarmer
Member
- Location
- Cleveland
As my dad says.... it’s cheaper to make them grow when they’re young than when they’re auld
- Location
- Fife
Feed conversion efficiency is variable between individual animals.
3:1 would be amazing. It’s more likely to be 4:1, at best. But some individual animals could be as low as 14:1.
Northeastfarmer
Member
- Location
- Cleveland
Most finishing cattle will be 12:2 at best
14:1 youre best packing In
Bossfarmer
Member
- Location
- between Perth and Inverness
and the calves wont get any concentrate until they are weaned in jan?
Or you could look at it as half of your profit is gone before you factor in any other costs.
- Location
- Buxton, Derbyshire
The way I see creep feeding is;
Increased calf growth rates + better able to manage cow condition/fertility minus Cost of creep feed + time/hassle factor
Vs
Lower input costs minus reduced growth rates + increased land requirement for 2nd summer grazing and silage making + plus increased shed requirements for wintering calves on cows or 2nd winter cattle
We calve in April-June, creep feed from Aug (this year we started in July due to lack of grass effecting milk) we then wean at housing in Nov. For us to build new sheds to winter calves on cows or feed silage only to calves would be a much bigger investment than creep feeding.
Increased calf growth rates + better able to manage cow condition/fertility minus Cost of creep feed + time/hassle factor
Vs
Lower input costs minus reduced growth rates + increased land requirement for 2nd summer grazing and silage making + plus increased shed requirements for wintering calves on cows or 2nd winter cattle
We calve in April-June, creep feed from Aug (this year we started in July due to lack of grass effecting milk) we then wean at housing in Nov. For us to build new sheds to winter calves on cows or feed silage only to calves would be a much bigger investment than creep feeding.
most of the calves are sold so I don't know what they get, any heifers that we keep for replacements will never get concentrate that incudes our pedigree British blues, as a rule the only cattle we feed concentrate to are the pedigree bulls after weaning till about 18 months and we keep a steer every year for the freezer and they only get about 2 kg/day of blend, there are odd exceptions to this eg calves whose mother dies and things like that
I did try creep feeding years ago but as we have loads of small fields the cattle are moved every few days sometimes up and down the road and to be honest I couldn't be arsed to move the bloody thing in the end it got left in a field for a few years then sold
all that said I am not against creep feeding, whatever fits your system and cattle its up to you
but if for the sake of round numbers you were to feed a hundred quid to each calf before its weaned and sold how much more would you want it to make to be worth the cost of feed, equipment and the time and hassle and mess of feeding them ?
Hilly
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders.
If you spend 100 quid to be honest anything more is proffit aint it, if you spend 100 quid and they make 120 more you have turned 100 into 120 cant do that in the bank times that by 200 you have made 4k and made you calves nicer too sell.
so the equipment time hassle and mess cost nothing ?
Northeastfarmer
Member
- Location
- Cleveland
Calf creeps aren’t dear....and time....I’m here all day
Hilly
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders.
No but say for 6 months of the year £650 month more income over and above whats already on offer , look at as an investment invest bps into creeps and feed and it will grow into more money you get nothing at the banks, thats the way i would look at it.
that's fair enough whatever you want to do
lots of thing aren't much though till you add them all together
Northeastfarmer
Member
- Location
- Cleveland
It’s better then paying the tax manthat's fair enough whatever you want to do
lots of thing aren't much though till you add them all together
Hilly
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders.
Its defo an opportunity to make a few quid more, needs to be looked at as an investment, Adding value etc , seems to beat anything on offer at banks etc etc i just need to figure out how to keep the land lice out the creep feeders.
Is it