Old bulls to the factory or the Mart

futurefarmer

I have to old bulls that need to be got rid of one is 7 and one is 11 their both pretty huge i want to send them to the factory just want to confirm this is the best place for them and also they have been in a yard all yearso how clean do they need to be to go to the factory ?

Thanks in advance all replies appreciated

bob charles

Mart, many more potential interested buyers so more competition.

futurefarmer

Really ? thanks for the reply, i havent much experience but i would have thought anyone buying bulls at that age at the mart would want them cheap so they could send them to the factory

Thanks again appreciate it

whelan1

i would factory them... these are bulls we are talking about , no messing with them

pakalasa

If they are over 24 months, then they have to be Brucellosis tested for the Mart but not for the factory - right?
They also have to be within a 12 months TB test for the mart also, but not the factory - right?
http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/press/pressreleases/2009/september/title,34680,en.html

futurefarmer

Yeah thats how i understand it about testing 2

Min

Being bulls I would also send them to the factory.

They would want to be fairly clean, I wouldn't be sure of what the minimum standard required is.

bob charles

Well some cattlemen would be able to pay more for older bulls either privately or at the mart than what you will receive in the factory. In all fairness I dont find older bulls dangerous when handled properly, stubborn yes. I loaded a good few last night no problems but had two simi-mental young bullocks that were crazy. Old age usually mellows both man and best

A point on marts - The last good few bunches of fat animals I have seen going through marts have achieved the same price and in some cases more for the farmer selling than if they were sent direct to the factories. maybe time to support your local marts and not be crying when it gone like what happened around me.

Atilathehun

It's been my habbit to always sell my bull at the mart, when his time with me is up.
Mind you, I tend not to keep any bull more than threes seasons, as invariably I keep a few heifers in that period, so it's simpler for me to flog him off and replace following spring.
Three of the last four have sold for well more than I paid when I bought.
Last lad, from memory bought at €2300, as yearling, sold as four year old for €2650. I was quite amazed to be honest. But I like the economics of it.
Always seems to be a few farmers looking for a mature breeding bull around July / August, and they are scarce in the marts at that time, so price can be fairly good.

blue5000

Hi Op what breed are they? Might be worth putting them on donedeal or journal as well. It could save you the trip to the mart. Anyone know what the factory price is?

Bizzum

What I'd be looking at is their condition.
Not much point bringing them to the factory with no condition on them!

Butcher Boy

Around 240 a kg dead weight . or 85 p a pound .

jay gatsby

futurefarmer wrote: »

I have to old bulls that need to be got rid of one is 7 and one is 11 their both pretty huge i want to send them to the factory just want to confirm this is the best place for them and also they have been in a yard all yearso how clean do they need to be to go to the factory ?

Thanks in advance all replies appreciated

In my opinion a couple of old fellas like this should be brought on to the factory and save them the hardship of hauling into a mart and probably spending a couple of days being hauled all over the country to be brought to a factory anyway. An eleven yr old bull that hasn't got condition on him already won't be bought for fattening in the mart imo. I think the prices offered in either place will be almost identical as very few buyers are in the market for this kind of stock.

Just on the testing point - I thought that cattle to the factory didn't have to be in test. Then sent 2 bullocks that were a week over the 12 months earlier this year and within a week got a letter from the department stating we should test immediately or we would be more or less locked up. Can't remember the exact wording but something to consider

whelan1

not to be hogging the thread but we have a lunatic of a pb aa heifer would split you in 2 if she got the chance... has had a go at us all in the last few days, what would you do with her , factory , knackery or persevere.... she calved last thursday , calf not drinking her great as he had pneumonia and is a stupid calf , thus all the handling

moy83

whelan1 wrote: »

not to be hogging the thread but we have a lunatic of a pb aa heifer would split you in 2 if she got the chance... has had a go at us all in the last few days, what would you do with her , factory , knackery or persevere.... she calved last thursday , calf not drinking her great as he had pneumonia and is a stupid calf , thus all the handling

Id say the factory especially if the calf is not inclined to suck . Its not worth taking the chance of getting a belt off her

Bizzum

whelan1 wrote: »

not to be hogging the thread but we have a lunatic of a pb aa heifer would split you in 2 if she got the chance... has had a go at us all in the last few days, what would you do with her , factory , knackery or persevere.... she calved last thursday , calf not drinking her great as he had pneumonia and is a stupid calf , thus all the handling

How was she temprement wise pre calving?

whelan1

Bizzum wrote: »

How was she temprement wise pre calving?

fine ... just yesterday and today she is very hormonal:o

Bodacious

whelan1 wrote: »

fine ... just yesterday and today she is very hormonal:o

Id give her a chance but be careful .. she'll settle in time, if calf was sucking away normal you may not even have taken any notice of her:D

Bizzum

whelan1 wrote: »

fine ... just yesterday and today she is very hormonal:o

Just all the handling an the raging hormones. We have several that would kill you for week after calving, but they settle soon after!

bob charles

Just saw another bunch of milking cows in for slaughter. There owner should be ashamed as they were nothing more than skin and bone. sure suppose he can say he's bottom line is X and Y but for Feck sake some of these guys shouldnt be allowed treat animals in such a manner. For all his smartness he would have received around a 100 euro per animal more at the mart. idiot, and its a very common occurrence, where they are getting there information on providing a cow with proper nutrition is anyone's guess.

whelan1

well we used the digger and the jeep and let her and her calf out- was crapping myself:o