Pneumonia

[Sheepykid]

Never let a beast out the shed. Apart from April, when we would buy 250 yearlings, feed on fodderbeet and grass till July, then house and finish.

Shame you've jacked it in for the milking game. I would love to have seen the setup in action. Seems very simple. An manageable.

 

[gone up the hill]

That's what I try to do. But you get the usual advice from reps to weigh regularly clean out weekly nearly an all of it besides being stressful for the animals is a bucket load of work. An all of this sheep or beef job to me is maximum output but with minimal labour inputs. Obviously not to the point animals suffer before I get brought up.

Do you feed them along a passage or in feeders in the sheds?

No point weighing smaller stuff unless you feel they aren't growing for some reason, we only weigh the bigger stuff so to see how heavy they are as no point going over weight ( esp now ) and to make sure any haven't stopped growing.

First rule of fhinshing cattle is NOT to listen to reps!

 

[Sheepykid]

Do you feed them along a passage or in feeders in the sheds?

No point weighing smaller stuff unless you feel they aren't growing for some reason, we only weigh the bigger stuff so to see how heavy they are as no point going over weight ( esp now ) and to make sure any haven't stopped growing.

First rule of fhinshing cattle is NOT to listen to reps!

90% is along barriers a small amount in ring feeders. I chuck a bit of chopped straw on the floor of the silage pit currently to mix in with silage. An then feed minimal amounts of concentrate on top of silage. Wondered about putting it all in a wagon.
I always like to listen to certain reps I get on with but always feel the ideas are not based around what is practical.

 

[gone up the hill]

90% is along barriers a small amount in ring feeders. I chuck a bit of chopped straw on the floor of the silage pit currently to mix in with silage. An then feed minimal amounts of concentrate on top of silage. Wondered about putting it all in a wagon.
I always like to listen to certain reps I get on with but always feel the ideas are not based around what is practical.

Only clean out along the barriers when they need it, for a newly cleaned out shed that might be every 3/4 weeks but on a shed that cattle have been in all winter it might need to be weekly.

What is your market for the cattle?

 

[Sheepykid]

Which market do I buy from or what market do I sell to? I've used hallworthy for cattle but always feel the cattle share too many genetics with galloways. Just my opinion. Privately I try and do most of it. Sheep is mostly Exeter. An I think I'd try Exeter or sedgemoor for cattle next time. Trouble is finding time for all the days out!!!

 

[Beef farmer]

Shame you've jacked it in for the milking game. I would love to have seen the setup in action. Seems very simple. An manageable.

It was simple, it was manageable. But it was also at times a 7 figure sum tied up in cattle, that are/where out of my control in as far as the purchase/sale cost

 

[Beef farmer]

Which market do I buy from or what market do I sell to? I've used hallworthy for cattle but always feel the cattle share too many genetics with galloways. Just my opinion. Privately I try and do most of it. Sheep is mostly Exeter. An I think I'd try Exeter or sedgemoor for cattle next time. Trouble is finding time for all the days out!!!

Truro cattle are all breed up from channel island cows.

 

[gone up the hill]

Which market do I buy from or what market do I sell to? I've used hallworthy for cattle but always feel the cattle share too many genetics with galloways. Just my opinion. Privately I try and do most of it. Sheep is mostly Exeter. An I think I'd try Exeter or sedgemoor for cattle next time. Trouble is finding time for all the days out!!!

Sorry target market to sell into ( ie store or fat )

Exeter is defo the place to sell store cattle, they will easily be £70/100 head up than Sedge 9 out of 10 weeks.

 

[Sheepykid]

Truro cattle are all breed up from channel island cows.

Haha. Yeah your probably right. I don't buy anything from there. Haven't for years actually.

 

[Sheepykid]

Sorry target market to sell into ( ie store or fat )

Exeter is defo the place to sell store cattle, they will easily be £70/100 head up than Sedge 9 out of 10 weeks.

Fat market. St Merryn or abp. Normally St Merryn though. Recently I've found Angus named sires have done well for me. Had a good supply of them an they always were easy doers. An that premium makes a nice difference. But that supply is slowing up now so trying suckled calves as well.

 

[Sheepykid]

It was simple, it was manageable. But it was also at times a 7 figure sum tied up in cattle, that are/where out of my control in as far as the purchase/sale cost

Yeah I bet. I guess the return for the risk or amount of capital tied up was questionable. I know that ratio doesn't really change whatever number you do.

 

[Beef farmer]

Yeah I bet. I guess the return for the risk or amount of capital tied up was questionable. I know that ratio doesn't really change whatever number you do.

I know a chap with 1400 black and whites on a farm ATM. St merryn change grid I don't miss it much.but did Love the dealing side of it, and the cash flow was always there.

 

[gone up the hill]

I know a chap with 1400 black and whites on a farm ATM. St merryn change grid I don't miss it much.but did Love the dealing side of it, and the cash flow was always there.

Those blacks/Whites will have to go North,

B/Ws are too risky now, I wont be keeping any after the ones I have got are gone!

 

[Sheepykid]

I know a chap with 1400 black and whites on a farm ATM. St merryn change grid I don't miss it much.but did Love the dealing side of it, and the cash flow was always there.

Yeah. I had a go at some Friesians for the first time this year. They were cheap at the time. But now they don't look cheap enough. Fortunately I only did 50. See that's the bit I don't like. The going to every market. Even though your buying something I get bored so quick.

 

[An Gof]

Yep it will affect weight gain @Beef farmer reckons ( I recall ) that the week they are TB tested they will not put on any weight and he is at the top of his game so if he says that then I would believe it.

I thought he was dairy now

 

[gone up the hill]

I thought he was dairy now

Yep he is but he will be at the top of his game whatever sector he is in

 

[Beef farmer]

Yep he is but he will be at the top of his game whatever sector he is in

Flattery will get you everywhere.
To be honest, we've gone from all crops and fat stock, to the other end of the spectrum, with paddock grazing and a lot of clover leys. The milk is so much easier to manage, with the computer telling you at the end of each milking how good a certain paddock has preformed. Even thinking of getting a plate meter next year! Guth I belive I must have been near your farm in a previous life, bought cattle from the large controversial dairy farmer

 

[An Gof]

Flattery will get you everywhere.
To be honest, we've gone from all crops and fat stock, to the other end of the spectrum, with paddock grazing and a lot of clover leys. The milk is so much easier to manage, with the computer telling you at the end of each milking how good a certain paddock has preformed. Even thinking of getting a plate meter next year! Guth I belive I must have been near your farm in a previous life, bought cattle from the large controversial dairy farmer

You into the tourist industry as well?

 

[Beef farmer]

You into the tourist industry as well?

Makes farming look pitiful.

 

[gone up the hill]

Flattery will get you everywhere.
To be honest, we've gone from all crops and fat stock, to the other end of the spectrum, with paddock grazing and a lot of clover leys. The milk is so much easier to manage, with the computer telling you at the end of each milking how good a certain paddock has preformed. Even thinking of getting a plate meter next year! Guth I belive I must have been near your farm in a previous life, bought cattle from the large controversial dairy farmer

well if you want to give me a bottle of single malt whiskey I wouldn't refuse it

Hell a plate meter, next thing it will be Organic

Yea im about 3 miles away from one of his farms ( which he still rents ) and about 5 miles away from the home farm!