zero grazing system with black & white bulls

[euroliner]

anyone on a zero grazing system with black & white bulls

 

[Raider112]

Don't think anybody grazes black and white bulls do they? If you are thinking of going into it you can make money if you have your own bulls and your own feed but if you're planning to buy one or both be sure to cost it before you start.

 

[euroliner]

Don't think anybody grazes black and white bulls do they? If you are thinking of going into it you can make money if you have your own bulls and your own feed but if you're planning to buy one or both be sure to cost it before you start.

zero grazing is where you cut the grass mechanically and cart it it into the beasts in the shed , we rear a few calves to beef on a 100% cereal based diet with straw available in ring feeders but wondered what way bulls would grow on a fresh grass diet

 

[Raider112]

zero grazing is where you cut the grass mechanically and cart it it into the beasts in the shed , we rear a few calves to beef on a 100% cereal based diet with straw available in ring feeders but wondered what way bulls would grow on a fresh grass diet

Of course, sorry I took it up wrong. Have no experience of that but I doubt that would be the best diet for them. Might be better with bullocks?

 

[unlacedgecko]

zero grazing is where you cut the grass mechanically and cart it it into the beasts in the shed , we rear a few calves to beef on a 100% cereal based diet with straw available in ring feeders but wondered what way bulls would grow on a fresh grass diet

I have a landowner who is using a zero grazer for dairy cows. He's getting on great with it. Apparently managing the residuals is key.

Bulls grow very well on NZ style techno grazing apparently. If you can't do this due to footpaths zero grazing maybe a good compromise. But, it could be an expensive way of doing it...

 

[gone up the hill]

I have a landowner who is using a zero grazer for dairy cows. He's getting on great with it. Apparently managing the residuals is key.

Bulls grow very well on NZ style techno grazing apparently. If you can't do this due to footpaths zero grazing maybe a good compromise. But, it could be an expensive way of doing it...

Aye but what weights are they by 14/16 months old out there?? or are they running them on until they are 24/30+ months etc??

 

[gone up the hill]

zero grazing is where you cut the grass mechanically and cart it it into the beasts in the shed , we rear a few calves to beef on a 100% cereal based diet with straw available in ring feeders but wondered what way bulls would grow on a fresh grass diet

Should do like hell alongside cake/ cereals but you will have to cut the grass at least once a day and ideally twice a day!

You would have to feed straw as well.

TMR might be the best way forward for what you are thinking of doing.

 

[unlacedgecko]

Aye but what weights are they by 14/16 months old out there?? or are they running them on until they are 24/30+ months etc??

Oh you'd get hammered on age in the U.K. Apparently there is not a chance of making the weight by 14 months. From what I've read most NZ bulls are killed at 18 months ish (end of 2nd summer).

But in the U.K. could the lower cost of production make up for the penalties?

 

[euroliner]

We can get them away a little bit older , but 16 months at a push , was only thinking of grass till there about 12 months then pushing them with a TMR til slaughter ,

we couldn't let them out not because of footpaths or fencing but for the fear of the neighbours seeing them we keep the big charlois cattle in the front fields

 

[polk_farmer]

Aye but what weights are they by 14/16 months old out there?? or are they running them on until they are 24/30+ months etc??

When we were out there most of them that we seen were killed at about 24 months

 

[euroliner]

When we were out there most of them that we seen were killed at about 24 months

They would be hard work at that age I don't think our buildings would cope with there attitude at 24 months

 

[polk_farmer]

They would be hard work at that age I don't think our buildings would cope with there attitude at 24 months

We watched a load sold through Fielding market one day and they had two huntaways working the pens, brilliant to watch

 

[pine_guy]

I've bought weaned B&W bull calves in the spring, kicked them out and fed add lib or well twice a day. Healthy, no bedding and some good grass feed. Then laid in at back end 7/8 month old onto add lib cereal based diet. They all hit weight before 16months.

 

[euroliner]

How much meal did yi end up giving them each , the last batch never left the shed til they where gettn on the lorry and the put away almost 105 tonne between 40 of them

 

[Massey6190]

We fatten b&w bulls and started zero grazing this year but left a few pens on tmr zerograzed ones are a good bit ahead

 

[euroliner]

We fatten b&w bulls and started zero grazing this year but left a few pens on tmr zerograzed ones are a good bit ahead

are they just solely on grass or you giving them some meal along with it ?

 

[Massey6190]

Grass and meal they'd be very loose of they just got grass

 

[irish dom]

We watched a load sold through Fielding market one day and they had two huntaways working the pens, brilliant to watch

Was in fielding 5 or 6 years ago wirh a sheep scanning mate of mine from the area Told me it was a small sale yard!. Awesome place. The auctioneers and their " spotters" were very enjoyable to watch. Motoring through 20 and 30s. Made some difference compared to 1 at a time here in ireland!

 

[polk_farmer]

Was in fielding 5 or 6 years ago wirh a sheep scanning mate of mine from the area Told me it was a small sale yard!. Awesome place. The auctioneers and their " spotters" were very enjoyable to watch. Motoring through 20 and 30s. Made some difference compared to 1 at a time here in ireland!

Huge place and right in the middle of town. It seemed a weird set up with two different auctioneer businesses taking it in turns selling cattle.

We seen a store lamb sale out in central otago too, they were selling in lots of 1500. No spending all day at a sale with lots of 10 or 20 there, the sale only lasted 1/2 hr.

 

[gone up the hill]

Oh you'd get hammered on age in the U.K. Apparently there is not a chance of making the weight by 14 months. From what I've read most NZ bulls are killed at 18 months ish (end of 2nd summer).

But in the U.K. could the lower cost of production make up for the penalties?

No because you NEED to produce what the market place wants!

No one wants Fri bull beef over 16 months.

You need to get away from this idea that we should blindly follow everything NZ does!