Keeping sucklers

[Weasel]

This is not another which breed thread, I know what breed I would have.

How do you think it would work keeping a few sucklers on the side aswell as a full time job? I work full time on a sheep/beef farm but would like to buy a few cows of my own. Either keep them at dad's place or find grazing for them. Not sure how easy it would work out at calving time tho without having to ask dad to keep an eye as he has enough to do. And would there be any money left after I've sold the calf's store. Thinking maybe 10 cows put to char bull.

 

[Swedish Taffy]

Doesn't sound like a bad idea at all. At home, we all work out full time and just make sure all our holidays coincide with the lambing and calving. You could prob do the same if you can get them to sync together. If your dad can keep the occasional eye on them then I cant see why it wont work.
Good luck to you, hope it works out well.

 

[CharcoalWally]

This is not another which breed thread, I know what breed I would have.

How do you think it would work keeping a few sucklers on the side aswell as a full time job? I work full time on a sheep/beef farm but would like to buy a few cows of my own. Either keep them at dad's place or find grazing for them. Not sure how easy it would work out at calving time tho without having to ask dad to keep an eye as he has enough to do. And would there be any money left after I've sold the calf's store. Thinking maybe 10 cows put to char bull.

There must be plenty of people already doing this. You'll have to look at all the practical choices you can put in place to help make it work.

As said above, calving at holiday times as much as is possible, use easy calving bulls if you know what you're working with , (is the Charolais bull an easy calver? ) , and maternal breed cows that will hopefully need less management at calving , though from your posting on here I think you'll already have this sorted.

As to whether there will be any money in it, well ,that'll be up to you. Obviously you will be looking for a low input system to leave as high quality a calf as possible. That won't be so different to what plenty of folk are doing already.

Hope it works out for you. Makes a change to see enthusiasm instead of the usual suckler negativity .

 

[cattleman123]

Great idea...its partly how I started up...my advice buy cows with calves in the Autume they will most likely be back incalf again.. try and buy from a dispersal sale to ensure they are straight, that way you are up and running.with busk calves to sell whenever you wish.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

My dad started with a few cows and sheep and held down a full time job for years, built up the numbers then took redundancy....you just have to pull the odd sick day

 

[MrA.G.]

Myself and dad keep 70 or so sucklers and both work off farm. As @CharcoalWally says it's all about having the right cattle and setup to suit. The other thing is to realise that off farm work takes priority quite a bit hence we just have to accept some things don't get done as soon as they should be.

 

[Baker9]

Ten cows is doable with a job. I have the same number and 60 ewes.
I run a limmy bull and I am looking at sychronising cows next year and no bull.
It helps that there are sales here on a Saturday.
It must be an easy calving bull if you are not about all the time. A wee love calf will go but a big dead one won't. Consider a camera system in the calving pen that can be viewed on your phone. That is the way I do it.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

or Moocall, I have seen it advertised quite a bit

 

[Weasel]

Doesn't sound like a bad idea at all. At home, we all work out full time and just make sure all our holidays coincide with the lambing and calving. You could prob do the same if you can get them to sync together. If your dad can keep the occasional eye on them then I cant see why it wont work.
Good luck to you, hope it works out well.

Thanks for the positive reply was expecting a lot of negative replys. What breed of cows have you got?

 

[Weasel]

There must be plenty of people already doing this. You'll have to look at all the practical choices you can put in place to help make it work.

As said above, calving at holiday times as much as is possible, use easy calving bulls if you know what you're working with , (is the Charolais bull an easy calver? ) , and maternal breed cows that will hopefully need less management at calving , though from your posting on here I think you'll already have this sorted.

As to whether there will be any money in it, well ,that'll be up to you. Obviously you will be looking for a low input system to leave as high quality a calf as possible. That won't be so different to what plenty of folk are doing already.

Hope it works out for you. Makes a change to see enthusiasm instead of the usual suckler negativity .

Cheers for the positivity. Would more than likely sim-luings, also like bluegreys but put off buy their cull value

 

[Weasel]

Great idea...its partly how I started up...my advice buy cows with calves in the Autume they will most likely be back incalf again.. try and buy from a dispersal sale to ensure they are straight, that way you are up and running.with busk calves to sell whenever you wish.

Would like to buy in-calf heifers but as you say it's a long wait till there's calf's to sell. The only problem with what you say is a cow with decent calves at foot are serious ££££ around here

 

[Weasel]

Ten cows is doable with a job. I have the same number and 60 ewes.
I run a limmy bull and I am looking at sychronising cows next year and no bull.
It helps that there are sales here on a Saturday.
It must be an easy calving bull if you are not about all the time. A wee love calf will go but a big dead one won't. Consider a camera system in the calving pen that can be viewed on your phone. That is the way I do it.

What are your calves temperament like?? Seen limmy x calves that are bad to handle, nice cattle tho. Was gonna use a charolais bull as that's what dad's got so was gonna "borrow"him

 

[cattleman123]

Would like to buy in-calf heifers but as you say it's a long wait till there's calf's to sell. The only problem with what you say is a cow with decent calves at foot are serious ££££ around here

Where is here? around here Devon/Somerset..can buy a good outfit for say 13/1400..starting out I would avoid heifers

 

[cattleman123]

What are your calves temperament like?? Seen limmy x calves that are bad to handle, nice cattle tho. Was gonna use a charolais bull as that's what dad's got so was gonna "borrow"him

Seems your half way their...buy some off the old man...

 

[Weasel]

Where is here? around here Devon/Somerset..can buy a good outfit for say 13/1400..starting out I would avoid heifers

South Scotland. Calve sim-luing heifers at work and touch wood their never much bother

 

[Weasel]

Seems your half way their...buy some off the old man...

Hes wanting to much for them . Nah would like to start from scratch for myself just to say I've done it, buying them off him would feel like they weren't really mine

 

[hendrebc]

Cant say much more than whats already been said. Get an easy calving bull or ai them to one if you cant be there all the time ti check in them would be my main advice. Better a poorer live calf than a good dead one. Other than that good luck with the idea

 

[Baker9]

What are your calves temperament like?? Seen limmy x calves that are bad to handle, nice cattle tho. Was gonna use a charolais bull as that's what dad's got so was gonna "borrow"him

Temperament is mostly OK, got one cow which has a mad bull calf, heifers from same cow are OK so go figure. I am through them every day so that helps to settle them. The reason I use a limmy is for easy calving and I sell the calves when weaned and try to have them all away by new year. The only calves which sell well here are Charolais and next is Limmy about £50 a head less.
If your dad is using a Char bull you will know if there are any calving problems with him and go from there

 

[M-J-G]

Hes wanting to much for them . Nah would like to start from scratch for myself just to say I've done it, buying them off him would feel like they weren't really mine

If your old man's are good and the herd is healthy, the devil you know is always better than those from a stranger.

 

[czechmate]

Would like to buy in-calf heifers but as you say it's a long wait till there's calf's to sell. The only problem with what you say is a cow with decent calves at foot are serious ££££ around here

Along side a full time job, would it be the best plan to have calving heifers?