Is there any future in suckler cows ?

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
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Fife
Here's a system advocated by some American suckler producers, with some suggested adaptions. I've flagged this up elsewhere but interested in what the TFF assembled suckler brains trust think:

-Native-bred cows, calving June/July.
-Calves wintered at foot on deferred grazing (could be housed) and weaned on to spring grass.
-Sell as stores before second winter, or if carried over (brassicas? Good silage?) would finish readily on grass.
-Pluses: Potential for a PFLA/no cereals system. Cull cows finished easily at grass when price is generally good. Lean cows put condition on easily in spring.
-Negatives: controlling cow condition before calving? Calves small to sell if you need to get out of them before winter.

Double suckle all the cows for extra £££
 

dannewhouse

Member
Location
huddersfield
the lad I know, 350 aax cows, aa bull, everything gone fat by 20 mnts, all hitting waitrose spec, no conc. nothing housed, measured his grass, maxed that, wintered on kale. The best dairy boys are getting 5000 liters from forage, if they can do that, so can the fat finish off grass.
But are the best dairy men getting 6000 5000 from grass, so it might be comparable to giving a calf a bit of creep?
 

unlacedgecko

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Livestock Farmer
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Fife
I think you'd be asking for trouble on that system. Dairy x sucklers spring calving might be ok. How easy is it to get a cow to take an extra calf?

According to the kiwi studies I’ve read, on average 90% will accept one using the “dog collar” method.

The foster calf typically has a lower weaning weight, but catches up by slaughter.
 

unlacedgecko

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Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
What's the dog collar method?

Put a calf collar on each calf, joined by 18” of rope or chain with swivels at each end. Have the trio in a small pen for a day, then a small paddock for a few more days. Observe closely to ensure both calves feeding well.

Once cow has accepted both calves turn them out.
 
Issues that occur.
Young calves on muddy forage crops are not going to do well, you are losing a lot of good growth potential at an age when they are at their most efficient.
If you have lovely dry ground ideal for outwintering then you are probably short of summer grass when the cows need it to milk.
On the deferred grazing, cows and calves moved regularly/daily so mud shouldn't be too much of an issue. Fair point on brassicas, potentially. Peak lactation wouldn't be until late summer/autumn.
 

unlacedgecko

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Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
Also, you are taking some of the pressure off the cow and even more so the heifer so she is likely to get back into calf more quickly.

With a closed her you can breed own replacements and cull anything which doesn’t get back in calf. Putting the stock under pressure like that will allow identification of fertile genetics.
 

Extreme Optimist

Member
Livestock Farmer
With a closed her you can breed own replacements and cull anything which doesn’t get back in calf. Putting the stock under pressure like that will allow identification of fertile genetics.
True, I have a closed herd. Why not make it easier for them to get back in calf. You have the extra liveweight gain when the calf's FCR is at it's best and then the added bonus of the cow being in calf days and possibly weeks sooner than she otherwise would have been.
 

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