Once bred/calved heifers

ellewood

hi all,
Just wondering is there any one on here doing or knows any body doing once calved heifers and do you find it much bother and much profit in it, ive looked it up on line and dawn were doing a scheme on it but dont know if there still doing it. Any info would be great thanks

Muckit

Hi

I've heard odf this scheme too, but unfortunately I can't help you are regards your question on WHO exactly is doing it.

Interstingly the first lad interviewed here in the food village in Tullamore Show reckoned that in a blind tasting, once calved heifers had better tasting meat.

http://www.farmersjournal.ie/farming/farming-videos/player/index.php?cc=6&cv=95

blue5000

Hi ellewood AFAIK the dawn scheme is closed for this year. Think you had to apply last jan-mar, but I'm not 100 % sure on this. There is a fair bit of resistance at farmer level because last time there was a once bred heifer scheme farmers got screwed.

ellewood

blue5000 wrote: »

Hi ellewood AFAIK the dawn scheme is closed for this year. Think you had to apply last jan-mar, but I'm not 100 % sure on this. There is a fair bit of resistance at farmer level because last time there was a once bred heifer scheme farmers got screwed.

thanks blue, the only reason i ask is i bought a few sucklers last april but they didnt go back in calf - thats prob why they were being sold - but the plus is that now ive big fleshy cows to go to the factory and nice weanlings to sell as well and i know its a good year for any stock, but there going to leave a nice few pounds after just grazing them for the summer. So thats why i was thinking of buying a few incalf heifers that will calf down at 24 mths and if there good sucklers keep them but if not or dont go back in calf kill them under once bred heifer scheme. How did lads get screwed last time?

flatout11

I dont think the economics/hassle of the system will add up, but you will still get enough for empty cows this year with a bot of flesh on them!

blue5000

ellewood wrote: »

thanks blue, How did lads get screwed last time?

Basically once they went on the hook a lot of them were down graded to cows! Back then we didn't have as much traceability so the only way to tell the difference whether an animal was a once bred heifer or not was by the shape of her pelvis, the flatter it was the more calves she had. Of course this could only be seen when when the carcass was split in 2! Also her teeth were the only way you could tell how old she was.

Ok the scheme sounds good in theory, but factories only look at it as an option when beef is scarce. If say 50,000 heifers go in calf, and produce 45,000 extra head of cattle what do you think happens to beef price with an extra 1000 approx head of cattle per wk?

It makes a lot of economic sense to delay the slaughter of a heifer for perhaps a year, produce a replacement, and still get a good quality carcase from her. At farm level you would need better management to look after a bunch of calves that are going to be weaned earlier than the main bunch of calves. Mortality rates would probably be higher, I know I lose a higher% of heifers at calving than cows.

Any reason why your heifers didn't go back in calf? Perhaps they were stocked too tight.

ellewood

blue5000 wrote: »

Basically once they went on the hook a lot of them were down graded to cows! Back then we didn't have as much traceability so the only way to tell the difference whether an animal was a once bred heifer or not was by the shape of her pelvis, the flatter it was the more calves she had. Of course this could only be seen when when the carcass was split in 2! Also her teeth were the only way you could tell how old she was.

Ok the scheme sounds good in theory, but factories only look at it as an option when beef is scarce. If say 50,000 heifers go in calf, and produce 45,000 extra head of cattle what do you think happens to beef price with an extra 1000 approx head of cattle per wk?

It makes a lot of economic sense to delay the slaughter of a heifer for perhaps a year, produce a replacement, and still get a good quality carcase from her. At farm level you would need better management to look after a bunch of calves that are going to be weaned earlier than the main bunch of calves. Mortality rates would probably be higher, I know I lose a higher% of heifers at calving than cows.

Any reason why your heifers didn't go back in calf? Perhaps they were stocked too tight.

yea i know what you mean about the factories alright and i couldnt agree more i think when all those dairy bred calves werent exported this year and maybe farmers buying more weanlings this year numbers for the factory will rise next year anyway and if they could get another lock of calved heifers as well to rise weekly numbers i know well what will happen prices but id be hoping the 15 or 20 id have wouldnt make that much of a difference.

no all my own cows and heifers went in calf no problem, but the few sucklers i bought in april didnt go back in calf they were 2nd and third calvers so now ive a heavy cow not in calf for the factory/mart and ill have a good weanling to sell in november. they havent cost a lot to graze all summer, have trived very well and are going to leave me a tidy profit so thats where the idea of the onced calved heifer idea came from, but will beef be as dear this time next year when ill be selling them its ok this year i suppose as cattle are scarce and prices are up but sher thats the chance you take.