Livestock/General Farming photo thread ***READ MOD NOTE IN POST #1***

just do it

Tommyj1 wrote: »

Some heifers for sale tomorrow.

Nice stock there Tommy, good luck tomorrow. You should write down each of their estimated weights and price and compare when you've the final verdict

leg wax

Tommyj1 wrote: »

Some heifers for sale tomorrow.

nice heifers are they around 500kgs or a little more,let us know how you get on,where are you selling them.

Tommyj1

Thanks lads. Hopefully they will sell well. Seems to be good enough trade on these type of cattle. I think the heaviest should be around 550kg and the lightest around 480kg. Myself and the auld lad have picked what we think are the 3 best. We have picked 3 different ones. I bought them in February so I know what weights they were. Will be interesting to see what weight gain they have done. I am selling them in Omagh mart. Will let ye know how I get on.

tismesoitis

best of luck keep us informed;)

caseman

https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/417861/229190.JPG
A few weanling heifers for sale next week.

redzerologhlen

caseman wrote: »

https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/417861/229190.JPG
A few weanling heifers for sale next week.

Lovely heifers there caseman

stanflt

the last load for this year- brought in 58in calf heifers today



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Tommyj1

leg wax wrote: »

nice heifers are they around 500kgs or a little more,let us know how you get on,where are you selling them.

Sold the heifers yesterday. The best price was £1120/€1410. She was 550kg. They averaged £970/€1220 with average weight of 510kg and average age of 18 months. Bought this batch of heifers in February. They had an average daily weight gain of 0.8kg. Would this be good or bad? There was a big difference in the LWG between the heifers. Some had 1.2kg and some had only 0.6kg.

Manoffeeling

Tommyj1 wrote: »

Sold the heifers yesterday. The best price was £1120/€1410. She was 550kg. They averaged £970/€1220 with average weight of 510kg and average age of 18 months. Bought this batch of heifers in February. They had an average daily weight gain of 0.8kg. Would this be good or bad? There was a big difference in the LWG between the heifers. Some had 1.2kg and some had only 0.6kg.

How much money did they earn after costs?

Tommyj1

Manoffeeling wrote: »

How much money did they earn after costs?

When all costs taken out not much left for myself. About £50/€62 per head. Not much for what work is involved. I know it wasn't the best of years with the bad weather. There was extra fertiliser costs and meal costs which ate into the profits. Cattle prices were also expensive when I bought them. I think it is all down to keeping big numbers. Will probably buy a few smaller ones in the next few weeks.

Manoffeeling

Tommyj1 wrote: »

When all costs taken out not much left for myself. About £50/€62 per head. Not much for what work is involved. I know it wasn't the best of years with the bad weather. There was extra fertiliser costs and meal costs which ate into the profits. Cattle prices were also expensive when I bought them. I think it is all down to keeping big numbers. Will probably buy a few smaller ones in the next few weeks.

I know we all like to farm, but its most important to keep a check on the figures. Those margins are small, but you didn't loose on them. Forget about the big numbers. Next year will be better....well done again

pakalasa

Ya, the year gone was exceptional in many ways. In a normal year they would have left a lot more money.

redzerologhlen

Scrub clearing with the chainsaw for the burren life, I'll be pulling thorns out of my hands for the rest of the year

jerdee

Jesus some job .....

Tipp Man

how big an area must you do Redzer? Looks a tough job

redzerologhlen

Tipp Man wrote: »

how big an area must you do Redzer? Looks a tough job

1 hectare of actual scrub which is probably about 2 hectares of ground. Tough work alright but theres a few euro out of it and a bit of ground being opened up aswell. Have about a third of it done now and have to be finished before the new year so its time to knuckle down a bit.

just do it

redzerologhlen wrote: »

1 hectare of actual scrub which is probably about 2 hectares of ground. Tough work alright but theres a few euro out of it and a bit of ground being opened up aswell. Have about a third of it done now and have to be finished before the new year so its time to knuckle down a bit.

I bet you're tempted to go in with the tractor and scrub machine you put a picture of up here a year or two ago

ZETOR_IS_BETTER

One of the first out the gap, thank god

stanflt

beatiful day here today








Uploaded with ImageShack.us

just do it

stanflt wrote: »

beatiful day here today







Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Is that mud I see in these pics? Stan, your farm is a disgrace!

pakalasa

Stan,
Is that a Moore Concrete storage tank in the background?

stanflt

pakalasa wrote: »

Stan,
Is that a Moore Concrete storage tank in the background?

macrete holds 300000gals

redzerologhlen

just do it wrote: »

I bet you're tempted to go in with the tractor and scrub machine you put a picture of up here a year or two ago

I wonder would they notice the difference

vanderbadger

stanflt wrote: »

macrete holds 300000gals

Would they make smaller versions stan ?

Muckit

Turn it on it's end .... et voila!!

You can empty it with the barrow

vanderbadger

Uploaded with ImageShack.us
have to give it to this lad, caught his sucking another cow as she was lying down

moy83

You will have to bring that lad a long way from anything with a teat when it comes to weaning time

Dozer1

Not sure if its allowed but I spotted some of former boards hero johngalway photos on BFF and thought others might like to see them,

the man is a legend to farm those hills in my eyes;)

http://farmingforum.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=77213

Hay_man

redzerologhlen wrote: »

Scrub clearing with the chainsaw for the burren life, I'll be pulling thorns out of my hands for the rest of the year
]

Peasant life eh redzer :pac: :pac:

pakalasa

Dozer1 wrote: »

Not sure if its allowed but I spotted some of former boards hero johngalway photos on BFF....

Pity he left (or did he?:)). I really enjoyed his pics.

redzerologhlen

Hay_man wrote: »

Peasant life eh redzer :pac: :pac:

It's tough going now especially when the weather isn't playing ball, there's a nice few euro out of it though and I have a bit of time on my hands so that's why I tackled it by myself, I might get someone for a few days yet though to take the guts out of it, you wouldn't see a mornings work doing it by yourself by the time it is cut, gathered and all the stumps are treated.

caseman

caseman wrote: »

https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/417861/229190.JPG
A few weanling heifers for sale next week.

These 7 weanlings in ballymote today.
315kg 860
330kg 865
340kg 915
320kg 810
285kg 800
310kg 780 not sold
300kg 770 not sold
Would have liked 20-30ckg more,each had 85 euros worth of meal eat ,all born last week of feb and firsh week of march

just do it

caseman wrote: »

These 7 weanlings in ballymote today.
315kg 860
330kg 865
340kg 915
320kg 810
285kg 800
310kg 780 not sold
300kg 770 not sold
Would have liked 20-30ckg more,each had 85 euros worth of meal eat ,all born last week of feb and firsh week of march

265-270c/kg and 1.05kg dwg. Good result given the year that's in it?

Given the level of BB (in the 1 photo I looked at), do you think more meal would have helped?

caseman

just do it wrote: »

265-270c/kg and 1.05kg dwg. Good result given the year that's in it?

Given the level of BB (in the 1 photo I looked at), do you think more meal would have helped?

More meal would probaly help,but i think, cows with more power is needed for breeding blues alot of my cows are 2nd or 3rd generation bf.

pakalasa

caseman wrote: »

More meal would probaly help,but i think, cows with more power is needed for breeding blues alot of my cows are 2nd or 3rd generation bf.

Ya, you could see that alright in the weanlings. Very good quality all the same. I thought they might have made a little bit more.
Are you planning to breed up from the cows you have?

L driver

caseman wrote: »

These 7 weanlings in ballymote today.
315kg 860
330kg 865
340kg 915
320kg 810
285kg 800
310kg 780 not sold
300kg 770 not sold
Would have liked 20-30ckg more,each had 85 euros worth of meal eat ,all born last week of feb and firsh week of march

very good prices for the stock and the year. You wouldn't get much more for them next year as year and half. would you say you cleared €300/head after costs Caseman? Thanks for pics and prices ... some only post their champagne pics here.

saranac1

pakalasa wrote: »

Ya, you could see that alright in the weanlings. Very good quality all the same. I thought they might have made a little bit more.
Are you planning to breed up from the cows you have?

Lads I have 10 limousine & charlaois 1 st time heifers calving in feb march 2013.

They are out on the land now with round feeder of silage

I intend to throw them a bale of oaten straw soon for the calf and stomach

There weights are 450+ kg

I also intend to give them bolus tablets 6 weeks before calving

Is there anything else or ideas I should know about

It is our first time calving as well!!!

Muckit

Duck farming now til next april

stanflt

Muckit wrote: »

Duck farming now til next april

some difference a few miles make- this was my morning


and yesterday morn

just do it

saranac1 wrote: »

Lads I have 10 limousine & charlaois 1 st time heifers calving in feb march 2013.

They are out on the land now with round feeder of silage

I intend to throw them a bale of oaten straw soon for the calf and stomach

There weights are 450+ kg

I also intend to give them bolus tablets 6 weeks before calving

Is there anything else or ideas I should know about

It is our first time calving as well!!!

Keep building them up at this stage. I'd even suggest some meal. Only add in the straw with 6 weeks to calving i.e. 1st jan if starting to calf in mid feb. they're still young so you've the balancing act of keeping them growing vs having them fit at calving date.

just do it

stanflt wrote: »

some difference a few miles make- this was my morning


and yesterday morn

You calve them all outside? By far and away a better job if it's possible

stanflt

just do it wrote: »

You calve them all outside? By far and away a better job if it's possible

try to if weather permits- i find it far healthier and less risk of cows slipping on concrete

Bean_Flicker

Muckit wrote: »

Duck farming now til next april

Will take that a while to dry out :eek:

whelan1

lashing rain here now.. we are finished calving about 3 weeks ago but outside calving is the biz

1chippy

Muckit wrote: »

Duck farming now til next april

Is that annual or just the year thats in it? would the grass be seriously slow to come right after that?

saranac1

just do it wrote: »

Keep building them up at this stage. I'd even suggest some meal. Only add in the straw with 6 weeks to calving i.e. 1st jan if starting to calf in mid feb. they're stol might so you're the balancing act out keeping them growing vs having them fit at calving date.

Thanks for the info

You suggest meal?

A few people say you should not give meal to in calf heifers as its bad for the calf???

caseman

pakalasa wrote: »

Ya, you could see that alright in the weanlings. Very good quality all the same. I thought they might have made a little bit more.
Are you planning to breed up from the cows you have?

Not sure yet what to do , was thinking of using parthenaise to bring more power for replacements ,or might use ch they seem to trading the best of all at the moment.
I'll post afew pictures to see whwt ye think.

just do it

saranac1 wrote: »

Thanks for the info

You suggest meal?

A few people say you should not give meal to in calf heifers as its bad for the calf???

I don't understand how it could be bad for the calf. True in the last 6 weeks you want to restrict the diet to ensure the calf isn't too big. But you've young growing maiden heifers and they need to energy. I'd be slow to restrict them for any longer than 6 weeks.

Others may want to contribute...

just do it

Pink wart-like growth on the eyeball. Only spotted it today.



Here's a close up

just do it

Handling facilities.

I was dosing cattle today so I took a few pics while I was at it. I'll add some notes tomorrow when I'm on the pc. (edit: Done!)


This is a walk through at the back of the crush. It's the same width as those at Ennis mart. The back gate swings over to block it off. It's set at an angle so the open gate forms a 45 angle acting as a funnel.



Typical problem here, the first one up is trying to reverse. The butterfly wings half way up work brilliantly. The cattle seem to be attracted by them and, once they get used to them, like to get the other side if them. So here is as normally happens. 1 or 2 go up past the wings and reverse. I put some more in the back and shut the back gate. now push up the front ones and get 4 beyond the wings. Now get another 4 at the back. End result, 8 cows packed tightly in the crush by one man with no excitement, beating with sticks etc.

Full crush of relaxed cows making the the job of working with them much easier, safer, and less stressful on both man and beast .

The walk through at the back. Not every lad can fit through it!

This gate swings to insert at 3 different points giving me great flexibility as to how I use the yard.