Which beef breed bull to use going forward

[som farmer]

With sensible bull selection a calf could be worth £100 over another without it being any more difficult on the cow.

How often do you get an extra 100 quid profit from milk with no extra cost incurred.

how often do you lose £100, from a hard calving, knacked cow, rfm, etc.
With cows at their present value, l am not prepared to gamble. Milk is what we produce, efficiently, calf value, is just a by product of milk. Plenty of figures out there, that tell you the av cost, of each, of the above, across a herd, can be a huge sum. If, and we all do, get a young cow, buggered after a hard calving, and has to be euthanised, the loss of her, carries the rearing cost, loss of milk, and/or her replacement, which could add up to £ 2/3,000. Still think the risk is worth it ?

 

[M-J-G]

how often do you lose £100, from a hard calving, knacked cow, rfm, etc.
With cows at their present value, l am not prepared to gamble. Milk is what we produce, efficiently, calf value, is just a by product of milk. Plenty of figures out there, that tell you the av cost, of each, of the above, across a herd, can be a huge sum. If, and we all do, get a young cow, buggered after a hard calving, and has to be euthanised, the loss of her, carries the rearing cost, loss of milk, and/or her replacement, which could add up to £ 2/3,000. Still think the risk is worth it ?

Why not just avoid hard calving bulls.

Why is there more cost for a better calf?

Better cattle and hard calving shouldn't have to go hand in hand.

 

[cull cows]

The way feed costs are going I can only see the Angus and Hereford type calves becoming more popular than ever.
These native types will finish of grass or good silage and a couple of kilos of barley.
With the price of feed going forward I would not be rushing to buy blue calves

 

[Werzle]

The way feed costs are going I can only see the Angus and Hereford type calves becoming more popular than ever.
These native types will finish of grass or good silage and a couple of kilos of barley.
With the price of feed going forward I would not be rushing to buy blue calves

Alot can happen in 9+mths. Future seems to be finishing all cattle before 18mths old to hit carbon targets and not grass feeding them for 2+ yrs

 

[Wesley]

Alot can happen in 9+mths. Future seems to be finishing all cattle before 18mths old to hit carbon targets and not grass feeding them for 2+ yrs

Its utter madness. Basically forcing them to grow as fast as possible by pushing as much concentrate into them as possible. Beef will end up going the same way as chicken, bland tasteless rubbish. But apparently thats progress

 

[Timbo]

Its utter madness. Basically forcing them to grow as fast as possible by pushing as much concentrate into them as possible. Beef will end up going the same way as chicken, bland tasteless rubbish. But apparently thats progress

Incorrect. Feeding them properly and breeding for FCE.

 

[Wesley]

Incorrect. Feeding them properly and breeding for FCE.

Same as they have with chicken you mean? More efficient but its tasteless compared to what they used to be.

 

[Timbo]

Same as they have with chicken you mean? More efficient but its tasteless compared to what they used to be.

GP dont know nor care

 

[M-J-G]

I could never understand putting a lean bull like a BB over a dairy animal, with both being so lean.

Cattle need to be easy fleshing regardless of breed and there are hard strains in every breed I've paid attention to.

That fact that a pure Hereford is usually overfat in most lowland situations, I'd class them as the most suitable candidate.
From what I see there are too many hard fleshing AA and Shorthorn cattle around for using on a lean dairy breed.

 

[thorpe]

I could never understand putting a lean bull like a BB over a dairy animal, with both being so lean.

Cattle need to be easy fleshing regardless of breed and there are hard strains in every breed I've paid attention to.

That fact that a pure Hereford is usually overfat in most lowland situations, I'd class them as the most suitable candidate.
From what I see there are too many hard fleshing AA and Shorthorn cattle around for using on a lean dairy breed.

from a finishers point of view, the better simmental , easy fleashing and get some finish win win!

 

[Werzle]

from a finishers point of view, the better simmental , easy fleashing and get some finish win win!

Sims arent popular in the calf or store ring though

 

[Werzle]

Its utter madness. Basically forcing them to grow as fast as possible by pushing as much concentrate into them as possible. Beef will end up going the same way as chicken, bland tasteless rubbish. But apparently thats progress

Horses for courses , its alright for mince but i agree an older beast grown slower must taste better. I think we were all amazed that lowering the slaughter age was talked about as the future when it looked far more likely extensive beef ticked the enviro boxes

 

[thorpe]

Sims arent popular in the calf or store ring though

i dont know why as a fisher there my first choice, easy fleshing , good dlwg get a bit of finish but try to avoid hols types but that applies to any beef X

 

[Scholsey]

If a friendly beef farmer said they’d tAke all my Hereford x calves at £75 at 10 days old I’d snap their hand off and never buy a straw of BB again!

 

[sidjon]

Sims too heavy boned for easy calving, may make better beast to finish, but not at expense of the cow, had someone else ring up today for more Hereford heifers.

 

[cull cows]

If a friendly beef farmer said they’d tAke all my Hereford x calves at £75 at 10 days old I’d snap their hand off and never buy a straw of BB again!

Wish you lived closer I’d snap your hand off

 

[thorpe]

Sims too heavy boned for easy calving, may make better beast to finish, but not at expense of the cow, had someone else ring up today for more Hereford heifers.

perhaps my view of simms is a selfish one!

 

[sidjon]

perhaps my view of simms is a selfish one!

Think going forward, as dairy farmers we need to know what the beef guys want and need to make their business work better too.

 

[thorpe]

Think going forward, as dairy farmers we need to know what the beef guys want and need to make their business work better too.

a bit of colostrum would be a good start.

 

[M-J-G]

Its utter madness. Basically forcing them to grow as fast as possible by pushing as much concentrate into them as possible. Beef will end up going the same way as chicken, bland tasteless rubbish. But apparently thats progress

During a beef EBV discussion I used the examples of pigs and poultry being the ultimate in large populations suitable for producing values, and another guy said that he agreed, but the end result was a shite product.

Which I couldn't argue with, modern day chicken is something that we won't have in the house.