Doing nearly 200 a year at the moment. Have an arable enterprise and some old buildings, so have our own barley and straw. It definitely makes a positive contribution to fixed costs, but there will be little profit in it. If you’re buying in feed and straw I can’t see there being much left. I’m hoping to phase it out over the next year using sexed semen. We do have relatively small cows so are always struggling to achieve minimum weights, getting a bull calf to 450kg at 13months out of a 500kg cow is a stretch, you might get on better with your sim x cows.
I’m pretty sure @Full of bull(s) does them. Think they are through buitelaar. I’ve done a group this year. Bought last autumn. But obviously not finished yet so can’t give you any useful costings. Other than what you would already know regarding rearing the calf. In theory it’s alright, like most things. In practise I’m still undecided. Think like most farming its what overheads you would be carrying or how labour hungry your setup would be.
Buitelaar. Nearly all gone without deductions before 14months. Struggle more with our spring Calvers rather than autumn calvers.
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