Is there any future in suckler cows ?

[M-J-G]

Its a bloody good investment , not many investments double your money.

But you won't get an extra kg per day by creeping calves if they are on reasonable cows.

Plus, the buyers aren't stupid, and chubby ad-lib fed calves aren't on some buyers shopping lists.

 

[milkloss]

Plus, the buyers aren't stupid, and chubby ad-lib fed calves aren't on some buyers shopping lists.

Only the canny ones. You want to catch the buyers with a pension subs ....ahem.... spare cash to blow.

 

[shearerlad]

Its not easy, spent most of the morning here in pissing rain cleaning gutters out, satisfying when done and heavy rain giving them a good swill out and no weeds growing out of them lol the jobs not easy now constantly having to juggle finances and rob peter to pay paul etc ete, my lad who is 13 years old talking about putting lime on spreading fert keeping lots of cows and sheep building shed s laying concrete etc not sure if that ship has sailed and we should forget it all or just go for it ? future of the suckler cow ? looks bleak to me

Speaking to a guy at the mart who is top of the game, asked him how he makes all his money. The reply, “it’s easy, feed the ground and that feeds the stock!”
Lime especially is something I wouldn’t skimp on together with drainage.

 

[DB67]

But you won't get an extra kg per day by creeping calves if they are on reasonable cows.

Plus, the buyers aren't stupid, and chubby ad-lib fed calves aren't on some buyers shopping lists.

If it’s chubby it’s probably out a poor cow or bull. Getting calves that grow and fill out at the same time is the key to making creep pay.

 

[Cowcalf]

what more snow ?

its considerably colder here all year, so not as good conditions for grass growth

 

[dirty harry]

Chae

@dirty harry s father had a solution to this!

Remember him saying thought it was pointless a cow having 3 teats and rearing one calf.

You’ve got one hell of a memory!! Yes he was really good with stock - lots of patience, I’ll ask him tomorrow!!

You’re right ref shoes aswell, blimey!!
Basically yes they made shoes in London & needed leather which seemed abundant in northants so rather than cart leather about decided to move the factory to the cattle which then led to having their own cattle and so forth really....

Not sure what the subsequent racehorses had to do with it though- but they certainly didn’t seem to help the bottom line.....!!!

Hope alls well up your way, we finally got some useful rain here at last after 5 months of not v patiently waiting!!
Cheers dh

 

[tinsheet]

Feeding them on red clover silage clover @tinsheet ?

What do you mean by arable/ clover silage, did you undersow and if so what with?

Arable silage, peas and barley / oats, cut at 9 / 10 weeks undersown with a red clover ley. A bale of each in front of them, repeat once they've cleared it all.
This will only be my second winter feeding it as it's new to me, copying a neighbour/friend who finishes 100+ stabilizers on this system, they are finishing at 18 to 24 months no bother no concentrates, wouldn't be the Es and Us that you get but predominantly Rs.

 

[M-J-G]

everything on the east side of the country is boys ground

Funny where I'm from in Ireland, they say that when the come off the ferry on the West it looks fantastic compared to home

The truth is that there is good and bad ground in the east and the west, it's the climate that is different.

 

[Hilly]

Speaking to a guy at the mart who is top of the game, asked him how he makes all his money. The reply, “it’s easy, feed the ground and that feeds the stock!”
Lime especially is something I wouldn’t skimp on together with drainage.

Hes got big ideas at 13 years old , my point was its was a bit of a funny feeling listening to him as he same as me at that age but seeing everything we touch go up in price and everything we sell either down or stagnant i wonder for him future in farming , last decade has been like the clearance of the borders round here.

 

[gatepost]

No southerners at Longtown store sales apart from Tony no one wants sheep work

My daughter took herself up to Longtown, and bought the startings of her new flock,

 

[livestock 1]

My daughter took herself up to Longtown, and bought the startings of her new flock,

Breeding ewes?

 

[livestock 1]

Hes got big ideas at 13 years old , my point was its was a bit of a funny feeling listening to him as he same as me at that age but seeing everything we touch go up in price and everything we sell either down or stagnant i wonder for him future in farming , last decade has been like the clearance of the borders round here.

Yes that’s a bit like here the ones of us who are busy are easy thought of as busy fools while the ones having a rest appear no worse off for it

 

[Hilly]

Yes that’s a bit like here the ones of us who are busy are easy thought of as busy fools while the ones having a rest appear no worse off for it

This country is in a big mess is the bottom line, poor leadership since thatcher has feked it up big time.

 

[Hilly]

When you see since the mid 70`s we are a million head of cattle less and look at all the extra people in the uk now , our industry and employment and wealth has been exported, encouraging young ones into farming irresponsible springs to mind.

 

[Archie]

Certainly doesn't seem to be much demand for suckler cows at the moment.
Sold sixteen 13-17 month old bulling heifers at mart back in May. 4 lots away to 4 different buyers to average £1420.
Got more of same breeding just now and mart saying no demand for them at breeding sales and they've no private buyers looking for anything either so as well to put them in a store sale instead.
I know Autumn calvers are less popular than Spring ones but just goes to show how much confidence is going out the job.

 

[Wolds Beef]

Having read a lot of this thread, we are all fed up of working for 1970's prices with inputs at 2010+ levels. Lincoln Red's live of Forage and produce high quality carcase. Like several of the native breeds they are designed to live of a natural forage diet. Our breed Autumn Sale is on Saturday 20th at Newark. There are several Bulls and in particular the Autumn Sale is 'Ladies Day' with some good quality females for sale. Just Google Lincoln Red on Facebook and see what comes up.!!
WB

 

[Bossfarmer]

Same here no creep, last year best steers weaned at 8 months 370kg, average wean weight 320kg (rubbishy old Angus )straight on to arable and clover silage no concentrates, grew like stink
heifers calve down at 24 to 28 months,

red clover silage?

 

[Bossfarmer]

Forgot,All SDA land 800 to 1100 ft North facing, not the hardest ground but certainly not easy..

whats your rainfall annually, im over 1000mm here cold wet climate this time of year a bit of creep stops the calfs stalling which they definately would

 

[Bossfarmer]

Arable silage, peas and barley / oats, cut at 9 / 10 weeks undersown with a red clover ley. A bale of each in front of them, repeat once they've cleared it all.
This will only be my second winter feeding it as it's new to me, copying a neighbour/friend who finishes 100+ stabilizers on this system, they are finishing at 18 to 24 months no bother no concentrates, wouldn't be the Es and Us that you get but predominantly Rs.

what does it cost to make per acre? and how many bales do you get to the acre?

 

[Bossfarmer]

Hes got big ideas at 13 years old , my point was its was a bit of a funny feeling listening to him as he same as me at that age but seeing everything we touch go up in price and everything we sell either down or stagnant i wonder for him future in farming , last decade has been like the clearance of the borders round here.

clearance of the borders?