starting farming

Dupont

i was thinking of renting a field a neighbour has this year.he reckons it near 10 acres.i was wondering for me to get a herd number would the renting of it have to be shown going through the books(there is crush and pen on site) how much would the land make.its 1 good square field steep ground. now the other bit what to put on it? sheep or cattle? was thinking about fresian bull calves,somthing cheap how many would 10 acres keep untill near end of year,not wintering them would be selling them. what are bull calves making that are off milk and ready for grass

Farmer Pudsey

Having any calves with out some sort of a house is dodgy, suspect even. TBH what you are doing is pure stupid you are planning to come in at the top of the market if you ever enter any enterprise you should never come in at the top end of the market.
He reckons it near 10 acre, he knows exactly as he has the maps. Going farming in one square field with calves you need to form some sort of a paddock systen to rotate them around it other wise you will have a worm problem. Another issue at start of year you will need a load of them to keep grass down and half that at end of year.

Say you buy 30 strong calves at 250 euro each feed them a 2/3 bag of ration a day at grass to keep them motoring and after 40 day you change to a good quality beef ration for the next 160 ( I am allowing for 200 day grazing you will alsoneet to feed a bit more in the fall ) say that they will eat 175 kg/head @ 300/ton average= 50 euro
Rent I suppose he is giving it to you at a bargin of 150 euro/acre so it works out at 50 euro /calf.
Mortality 3% (1 calf your very efficent you have to get the vet twice and a couple of injections before he die's as well as knackery charges total) = 15 euro's per calf
Dosing/herd test de horning ( alot of what you buy will need it done) =15 euro'/head
Mart charges( buying and selling) transport to and from the mart 30-35euro's/head.

total cost 405 euro.s per calf as well as diesel to and from field, co-op, vet and mart you will need to get 450 euro's/caf to break even and 500/calf to generate a 1500 euro profit. Last year the best fresians calf only made 500 euro's per head

you will also have over 12,000 euro,s tied up in stock before years end

PatQfarmer

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

Having any calves with out some sort of a house is dodgy, suspect even. TBH what you are doing is pure stupid you are planning to come in at the top of the market if you ever enter any enterprise you should never come in at the top end of the market.


you will also have over 12,000 euro,s tied up in stock before years end

Telling it like it is.:D
Scary stuff!

larthehar

and if your going to fence, add 1.50/metre to that, plus water availability at each paddock... fertliser @ €400/ton.. €25/ton to spread.. and whats the story with SFP??? depending on who is due that will make a difference....
oh.. and enda kenny will be looking for his cut!!

Farmer Pudsey

larthehar wrote: »

and if your going to fence, add 1.50/metre to that, plus water availability at each paddock... fertliser @ €400/ton.. €25/ton to spread.. and whats the story with SFP??? depending on who is due that will make a difference....
oh.. and enda kenny will be looking for his cut!!

I did not put in for fencing as he is only renting the land, I imagine he clean down a few pallets or get small posts and fence tempory use a small black 45 gallon tank have it at the center of the field and and move it every time he moves the calves.
I did forget grass costs put it in at 20cent/head/day 40 euro for the year this year it may not cost him that as it will be the first year the calves are in the field but in a couple of years it will maybe some of my costs are on the high side but I cannot see much change out of 420-450 per calf as he has to buy strong calves.

But his biggest problems are he would need to be very efficent and the amount of capital tied up in the venture

Dupont

fence perimeter is fenced has water,have eletric fence for splitting into paddacks.am owed alot more than the price of field so wouldnt be paying for field,just dectucting it from bill:rolleyes: was thinking about 10 calves,would they do on half of it,cut other half for hay and sell it, or buy sheep late summer and kill off grass late this year early next year, or buy cows with calf at foot sell calf as weanlings and cow as in calf(ai)

Dupont

meant to say that this isnt to make a fortune (its farming) but more of a hobby. does anyone know what the story is on getting herd number

20silkcut

Dupont wrote: »

meant to say that this isnt to make a fortune (its farming) but more of a hobby. does anyone know what the story is on getting herd number

you need a cattle crush on your holding to get a herd number..

20silkcut

Dupont wrote: »

meant to say that this isnt to make a fortune (its farming) but more of a hobby. does anyone know what the story is on getting herd number

you need a cattle crush on your holding to get a herd number..

Dupont

20silkcut wrote: »

you need a cattle crush on your holding to get a herd number..

ya there is one.is there a minimum acerage,how do i show im renting and how do i go about applying

Good loser

Better to buy Friesian stores or calves at least 4 months old. Ten would do on 3 or 4 acres if you buy immediately.

20silkcut

Dupont wrote: »

20silkcut wrote: »

you need a cattle crush on your holding to get a herd number..

ya there is one.is there a minimum acerage,how do i show im renting and how do i go about applying

Can't remember the finer details but a fellow came out to verify I had a crush from the distict veterinary office.
I don't remember showing him any maps or leases or anything but it is about 10 years ago. You need to get on to your local district veterinary office.

Dupont

Good loser wrote: »

Better to buy Friesian stores or calves at least 4 months old. Ten would do on 3 or 4 acres if you buy immediately.

what money are fresian stores making,bulls or bullocks. what about cull cows and kill of grass,will beef be good price later on.
what does people think i should put on it,cattle, sheep. work is from 8 to 6 but do have a right few days off because of the way building went tits up. live only couple miles from field,co-op and mart is 15 mins away