Utilising dairy bred AA calves

[Rabbit Wolverine]

Normally sell our AA calves (about 55 per yr, although would probably increase in future) at weaning but I’m wondering if there’s any money in keeping them to stores/finishers?
Thinking to feed them on a grass/maize silage ration, plenty of straw from arable side, muck to go back.
We do rent some suitable sheds on a block of ground we rent, trouble is, it’s 4 miles away from main farm so someone would have to travel daily to look after them.
Would there be enough margin to justify another man?

EDIT: Forgot to mention the calves will be coming out of crossbred cows, not extreme holsteins

 

[Agrivator]

Unless you have a market for the heifers as bulling heifers for suckler herds, why not use a Simmental or Limousin instead of the Angus.

 

[jackrussell101]

Normally sell our AA calves (about 55 per yr, although would probably increase in future) at weaning but I’m wondering if there’s any money in keeping them to stores/finishers?
Thinking to feed them on a grass/maize silage ration, plenty of straw from arable side, muck to go back.
We do rent some suitable sheds on a block of ground we rent, trouble is, it’s 4 miles away from main farm so someone would have to travel daily to look after them.
Would there be enough margin to justify another man?

There would definitely be a margin but it just depends how busy you want to be, we are similar here in as much as we like to make something of them and find usually selling them at 5 months plus we feel we make a decent price rather than letting them go at 3 weeks old.

 

[dinderleat]

12-18month names sires would be 800-950 for steers heifers 650-800 or you could fatten them pickstock normally pay a premium of 20p of fat so there’s more possibilities. We started doing it 10 years ago and managed to get a Waitrose contract so keep all ours through to finished. They are currently up to £3.90ppkg so on average coming back at £1300

 

[HarryB97]

I would keep them till they are strong stores and maybe finish a few and see how you get on. No need for another man as it's only a distance of 4 miles, It dosn't take much longer to look after 200 cattle than it does 20. May as well utilise the sheds you are paying for as well as spreading income streams and risk.