Sucklers anyone miss them ?

jed

Member
Location
Shropshire
I’ve had a mare of a calving time this year from abortion to cryp calves that won’t suck and really have had enough of the f…ing things pretty well convinced myself that they’ve got to go .
I love to look at a field of great looking cows and calves but I’m not getting any younger kids are not farming and I just can’t quite decide what to do .
I’m sure others have been in my position so do you have any regrets about shifting them on ?
We currently buy weaklings in so my plan would be to replace the suckler calves with extra dairy cross weanlings.
 

Hilly

Member
I’ve had a mare of a calving time this year from abortion to cryp calves that won’t suck and really have had enough of the f…ing things pretty well convinced myself that they’ve got to go .
I love to look at a field of great looking cows and calves but I’m not getting any younger kids are not farming and I just can’t quite decide what to do .
I’m sure others have been in my position so do you have any regrets about shifting them on ?
We currently buy weaklings in so my plan would be to replace the suckler calves with extra dairy cross weanlings.
Summer some for someone else ? If their is any left after this year 😂
 

Werzle

Member
Location
Midlands
I’ve had a mare of a calving time this year from abortion to cryp calves that won’t suck and really have had enough of the f…ing things pretty well convinced myself that they’ve got to go .
I love to look at a field of great looking cows and calves but I’m not getting any younger kids are not farming and I just can’t quite decide what to do .
I’m sure others have been in my position so do you have any regrets about shifting them on ?
We currently buy weaklings in so my plan would be to replace the suckler calves with extra dairy cross weanlings.
Weanlings are ideal for someone wanting to ease up abit. Cull your cows and graze their calves round . Sucklers are an expensive hobby if your having loads of problems.
 

hendrebc

Member
Livestock Farmer
I’ve had a mare of a calving time this year from abortion to cryp calves that won’t suck and really have had enough of the f…ing things pretty well convinced myself that they’ve got to go .
I love to look at a field of great looking cows and calves but I’m not getting any younger kids are not farming and I just can’t quite decide what to do .
I’m sure others have been in my position so do you have any regrets about shifting them on ?
We currently buy weaklings in so my plan would be to replace the suckler calves with extra dairy cross weanlings.
Obviously depends on the farm and how you can run them but get some cattle that are easier to look after and calve outside later on in May June. Won't look as nice as a field full of stonking continentals but ive found natives are a damn sight easier and cheaper to keep. I don't miss the almost pure limos at all.
 

Vader

Member
Mixed Farmer
I’ve had a mare of a calving time this year from abortion to cryp calves that won’t suck and really have had enough of the f…ing things pretty well convinced myself that they’ve got to go .
I love to look at a field of great looking cows and calves but I’m not getting any younger kids are not farming and I just can’t quite decide what to do .
I’m sure others have been in my position so do you have any regrets about shifting them on ?
We currently buy weaklings in so my plan would be to replace the suckler calves with extra dairy cross weanlings.
Have odd bad years, but on the whole ours calf ok. Might be the breed and how they fed pre calving??
 
Obviously depends on the farm and how you can run them but get some cattle that are easier to look after and calve outside later on in May June. Won't look as nice as a field full of stonking continentals but ive found natives are a damn sight easier and cheaper to keep. I don't miss the almost pure limos at all.
Poorly selected cattle of any breed can be difficult, natives aren't immune
 

bobajob

Member
Location
Sw Scotland
How many suckler cows have you got?

It used to be you would consider a herd of cows / flock of sheep as an asset and it was something to sell on your retirement / if you needed the £.

Not sure if that is still the case now, I suppose if you had a lot of bought in calves instead they could also be considered that.
 
No but a lot easier to find natives that are easy to look after than continentals in my experience.
*Apart from Welsh blacks they can f**k off
Maybe big arsed extreme continental types.
I think a lot of people don't really follow much logic when keeping cows, keeping big arsed cows that are more mucular than many bulls isn't generally clever.

A cow should look like a cow and be feminine, if you want fancy calves, add it in with the bull if you must, but people want to keep these fancy things as cows, which isn't ideal IMO.

I regularly see cases on FB where Lim x BB x Blonde heifers is advertised for sale, and some cretin comments saying that she'll make "some cow" and then some other clown bids her up to 5 grand to cut show calves out the side of her.
 

hendrebc

Member
Livestock Farmer
Maybe big arsed extreme continental types.
I think a lot of people don't really follow much logic when keeping cows, keeping big arsed cows that are more mucular than many bulls isn't generally clever.

A cow should look like a cow and be feminine, if you want fancy calves, add it in with the bull if you must, but people want to keep these fancy things as cows, which isn't ideal IMO.

I regularly see cases on FB where Lim x BB x Blonde heifers is advertised for sale, and some cretin comments saying that she'll make "some cow" and then some other clown bids her up to 5 grand to cut show calves out the side of her.
I've spoken to several people who won't keep texel/beltex/charollais/whatever terminal sired sheep because of all the hastle but will keep the equivalent cows and just accept it as normal :unsure:
 

jamesy

Member
Location
Orkney
Obviously depends on the farm and how you can run them but get some cattle that are easier to look after and calve outside later on in May June. Won't look as nice as a field full of stonking continentals but ive found natives are a damn sight easier and cheaper to keep. I don't miss the almost pure limos at all.
I bought a Lincoln Red to put over heifers last summer for a nice easy calving.

He’s only getting cows put to him this year…..
 

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quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

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