Most PROFITABLE suckler cow breed!!!

[Agrivator]

And I don't know where Agrivator hails from but suckler prices quoted from up north are a whole lot different to those we see down here.

Have a look at these prices
https://harrisonandhetherington.co.uk/sale-reports/borderway-beef-breeding-sale-38/

 

[Poorbuthappy]

Have a look at these prices
https://harrisonandhetherington.co.uk/sale-reports/borderway-beef-breeding-sale-38/

Takes a mighty good pedigree sale to see prices anything like that down here

 

[Woolless]

Takes a mighty good pedigree sale to see prices anything like that down here

They seem to lose their mind over big-arsed BB X Lims and the like over there.

 

[unlacedgecko]

The most profitable is a sim-luing to a Charolais bull on hill ground, cheaply wintered

 

[Bill the Bass]

They seem to lose their mind over big-arsed BB X Lims and the like over there.

That is the sale to sell at, not to buy at.

 

[Wolds Beef]

I have been watching this thread with interest!! I know you could not put every breed on the list but! I breed Lincoln Red's. Lincoln's have been used in some composite combinations. They have also been used pure and also as a cross animal. They are not expensive to buy. They live cheap on forage and veg waste. Calve easily, therefore less labour required, are docile, therefore easily handled. Finish well at any age, and produce a high quality meat, therefore are used by many farm shops and butcheries. The problem is that the powers that be many years ago did not feel the need to go into premium schemes! They therefore do not attract a few pence extra at the end. The slow ending of HLS and ELS schemes will not help as again they are losing the little extra they attract in monetary value. But as said above they are easy to handle, Calve easily (I run about 25 and for the last 2 years have only helped 3 out of 50!!). I know of many herds that feed very little concentrate, but only feed and finish on forage. Several of these are in the Pasture for Life schemes. There was quite a bit of interest at beef expo (so I understand) and we now run into the County show season. Have a look down the lines and talk to breeders(We are a friendly bunch). Oh, I also forgot to say that for the last 2 years I have had 100% calving, and have not turned any cows away without a Calf. Lincoln's are all over the country and can live out in all weather's, in fact some live out all year on sand land.
The powers that be also do not feel the need to promote the breed heavily!! (I think this also needs to be addressed but I am just an ordinary member.)
@JP1 @Henarar (and anyone else that can back me up!!.
WB

 

[Bossfarmer]

I have been watching this thread with interest!! I know you could not put every breed on the list but! I breed Lincoln Red's. Lincoln's have been used in some composite combinations. They have also been used pure and also as a cross animal. They are not expensive to buy. They live cheap on forage and veg waste. Calve easily, therefore less labour required, are docile, therefore easily handled. Finish well at any age, and produce a high quality meat, therefore are used by many farm shops and butcheries. The problem is that the powers that be many years ago did not feel the need to go into premium schemes! They therefore do not attract a few pence extra at the end. The slow ending of HLS and ELS schemes will not help as again they are losing the little extra they attract in monetary value. But as said above they are easy to handle, Calve easily (I run about 25 and for the last 2 years have only helped 3 out of 50!!). I know of many herds that feed very little concentrate, but only feed and finish on forage. Several of these are in the Pasture for Life schemes. There was quite a bit of interest at beef expo (so I understand) and we now run into the County show season. Have a look down the lines and talk to breeders(We are a friendly bunch). Oh, I also forgot to say that for the last 2 years I have had 100% calving, and have not turned any cows away without a Calf. Lincoln's are all over the country and can live out in all weather's, in fact some live out all year on sand land.
The powers that be also do not feel the need to promote the breed heavily!! (I think this also needs to be addressed but I am just an ordinary member.)
@JP1 @Henarar (and anyone else that can back me up!!.
WB

interesting, what sort of size are these cows?

 

[Henarar]

I have been watching this thread with interest!! I know you could not put every breed on the list but! I breed Lincoln Red's. Lincoln's have been used in some composite combinations. They have also been used pure and also as a cross animal. They are not expensive to buy. They live cheap on forage and veg waste. Calve easily, therefore less labour required, are docile, therefore easily handled. Finish well at any age, and produce a high quality meat, therefore are used by many farm shops and butcheries. The problem is that the powers that be many years ago did not feel the need to go into premium schemes! They therefore do not attract a few pence extra at the end. The slow ending of HLS and ELS schemes will not help as again they are losing the little extra they attract in monetary value. But as said above they are easy to handle, Calve easily (I run about 25 and for the last 2 years have only helped 3 out of 50!!). I know of many herds that feed very little concentrate, but only feed and finish on forage. Several of these are in the Pasture for Life schemes. There was quite a bit of interest at beef expo (so I understand) and we now run into the County show season. Have a look down the lines and talk to breeders(We are a friendly bunch). Oh, I also forgot to say that for the last 2 years I have had 100% calving, and have not turned any cows away without a Calf. Lincoln's are all over the country and can live out in all weather's, in fact some live out all year on sand land.
The powers that be also do not feel the need to promote the breed heavily!! (I think this also needs to be addressed but I am just an ordinary member.)
@JP1 @Henarar (and anyone else that can back me up!!.
WB

yep the ones we have have been good cows, compact and keep themselves up together very well, good udders, seem to milk ok and would live in far worse conditions than we have here I am sure, they have a good calf to our British blue bulls but as you say no premium but I would think they would have a good calf to an angus If you wanted to go for that wouldn't they ?
this thread is after all about the cow breed you can put a different breed of bull on any breed to get the other half of the calf which after all is what in most cases your selling

 

[Wolds Beef]

@Bossfarmer If you look the Livestock sales thread there is one about Lincoln's at Newark and it has pictures of the Local Show which will give you an idea. The Auchmacoy herd is at Ellon near you! and I am sure Sharon Buchan would be delighted to show you there cattle.
WB
@JP1 may link the thread in some way!

 

[Wolds Beef]

@Bossfarmer There is also a very good herd of Red's on the banks of the Tay at the St Fort estate owned by Andrew Mylius and his Son. They also have Angus Cattle.
WB

 

[unlacedgecko]

A low maintenance self replacing female that;

calves unassisted at 24 months,
gets in calf again within economic time frame,
weans her calf to a sufficient weight off grass alone,
can be outwintered, or housed for as short a time as possible.

I reckon you'd find examples of such individuals within most breeds. Just got to get the right type.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

A low maintenance self replacing female that;

calves unassisted at 24 months,
gets in calf again within economic time frame,
weans her calf to a sufficient weight off grass alone,
can be outwintered, or housed for as short a time as possible.

I reckon you'd find examples of such individuals within most breeds. Just got to get the right type.

Considered a career in carpentry?

 

[Archie]

A low maintenance self replacing female that;

calves unassisted at 24 months,
gets in calf again within economic time frame,
weans her calf to a sufficient weight off grass alone,
can be outwintered, or housed for as short a time as possible.

I reckon you'd find examples of such individuals within most breeds. Just got to get the right type.

Couldn’t agree more and one thing the poll results show is breed is not the single answer.
Many more factors have a far greater effect when it comes to overall herd profitability.

Not quite in @Top Tip. league but with a bit of work not even all Sim cows are big heavy hungry things that will poach your fields and eat you out of house & home
Heifer with her 8 month old Lim calf back in calf to Charolais next time.

 

[Happy]

The cow in the background looks a cracker.
Looks like a fair sized calf on her too

What do you make of poll results @Bossfarmer?
Any policy changes likely?

 

[Bossfarmer]

The cow in the background looks a cracker.
Looks like a fair sized calf on her too

What do you make of poll results @Bossfarmer?
Any policy changes likely?

i think going by the poll and the above pics the simmental is worth sticking with

 

[glensman]

i think going by the poll and the above pics the simmental is worth sticking with

You were right all along.........

 

[Bossfarmer]

a

You were right all along.........

always worth looking at other opinions, im not looking to outwinter them i have straw and need muck so that rules out certain breeds

 

[egbert]

A low maintenance self replacing female that;

calves unassisted at 24 months,
gets in calf again within economic time frame,
weans her calf to a sufficient weight off grass alone,
can be outwintered, or housed for as short a time as possible.

I reckon you'd find examples of such individuals within most breeds. Just got to get the right type.

The breed wouldn't matter, if I tried calving at 24 months, i'd be in a world of sh*t in very short order.
I calve at 3, and am grateful if they're calving again at 4, and in a fit state to rear the second....

 

[glensman]

a

always worth looking at other opinions, im not looking to outwinter them i have straw and need muck so that rules out certain breeds

Keep them all correct and medium sized and you'll not do any better than simmental cows for decent ground , which is what I'm guessing you run your sucklers on.

 

[Bossfarmer]

Keep them all correct and medium sized and you'll not do any better than simmental cows for decent ground , which is what I'm guessing you run your sucklers on.

yes theyre on arable ground