Calf price chitchat

whelan2 · 30-09-2019 6:11am

Good loser wrote: »

The Angus are surely worth €250.

If there was jersey in them 160 would be too much.

Bass Reeves · 30-09-2019 10:47am

Good loser wrote: »

The Angus are surely worth €250.

Too many AA calves are too slow growing. At best these will kill 230-240kgs DW next December 12 months. At present prices that is about 850-920 before deductions. But you will need to do them well over the winter and they eat 400kgs+ of nuts next autumn to get them to slaughter weight. They need to gain 0.85 kgs /day between now and then to killout 240kgs. In reality they may be June 2021 cattle

_Brian · 30-09-2019 10:58am

Bass Reeves wrote: »

Too many AA calves are too slow growing. At best these will kill 230-240kgs DW next December 12 months. At present prices that is about 850-920 before deductions. But you will need to do them well over the winter and they eat 400kgs+ of nuts next autumn to get them to slaughter weight. They need to gain 0.85 kgs /day between now and then to killout 240kgs. In reality they may be June 2021 cattle

The explosion of the dairy herd in recent years has seen a rush of AAx calves out of heifers from the easiest calving AA straws. They are a near disaster to rear, small framed and slow growing
AAx are great hardy calves to rear but if you get stuck with one of these they are not really viable at all.

Base price · 30-09-2019 11:05am

_Brian wrote: »

The explosion of the dairy herd in recent years has seen a rush of AAx calves out of heifers from the easiest calving AA straws. They are a near disaster to rear, small framed and slow growing
AAx are great hardy calves to rear but if you get stuck with one of these they are not really viable at all.

Plus AA is been used widely on JE and JEx cows to disguise the jersey influence.

Anto_Meath · 30-09-2019 12:17pm

AA Calf prices in Carnaross today..

_Brian · 30-09-2019 12:24pm

We just avoid AA calves and focus on HE. Much lower chances of a runt and they are just as hardy to rear.

Muckit · 30-09-2019 12:34pm

_Brian wrote: »

The explosion of the dairy herd in recent years has seen a rush of AAx calves out of heifers from the easiest calving AA straws. They are a near disaster to rear, small framed and slow growing
AAx are great hardy calves to rear but if you get stuck with one of these they are not really viable at all.

I can see the slogan now ...

"Are you stuck with a suck?"

Call 1800 KNACKERY

whelan2 · 30-09-2019 12:43pm

Anto_Meath wrote: »

AA Calf prices in Carnaross today..

Alot of those calves are old

Muckit · 30-09-2019 12:52pm

whelan2 wrote: »

Alot of those calves are old

Would they be off milk replacer by that stage? Shows what l know about calves! Wouldn't like to be signing up to that regime!!

Tell us, where had you the chalice hid anyways?

whelan2 · 30-09-2019 12:55pm

Muckit wrote: »

Would they be off milk replacer by that stage? Shows what l know about calves! Wouldn't like to be signing up to that regime!!

Tell us, where had you the chalice hid anyways?

Ha, just goes to show how clueless some people are that they put it up for auction

Anto_Meath · 30-09-2019 1:34pm

whelan2 wrote: »

Alot of those calves are old

Ye there is a lot of them around 2 months and would be off milk I guess, just looking there at the FR bulls, they are young and are making €50 -€60 and I Chx bull born 1st September made €400...

whelan2 · 30-09-2019 1:41pm

Anto_Meath wrote: »

Ye there is a lot of them around 2 months and would be off milk I guess, just looking there at the FR bulls, they are young and are making €50 -€60 and I Chx bull born 1st September made €400...

I got 50 euro out of the yard for my friesisn bulls on Friday. Have Angus to go this week, 2 dealers looking for them

Reggie. · 30-09-2019 2:06pm

whelan2 wrote: »

I got 50 euro out of the yard for my friesisn bulls on Friday. Have Angus to go this week, 2 dealers looking for them

Never mind them dealers

_Brian · 01-10-2019 9:17am

Reggie. wrote: »

Never mind them dealers

Dealers are bit like dentists.
Everyone hates the thought of them but we all still need them about.

atlantic mist · 04-10-2019 8:16pm

100 for 3 week old friesians, 180 for herford x all out of yard

visatorro · 05-10-2019 11:39am

atlantic mist wrote: »

100 for 3 week old friesians, 180 for herford x all out of yard

I'd take that no problem. Higher quality stock still dear in the marts. Heard of a few farmers getting fed up looking for stock to buy. Could be a market for calves yet

whelan2 · 08-10-2019 2:45pm

Just back from calf sale. 2 fr bulls 35 euro each. Aa heifer nice calf 70 euro. Aa bull nice square calf 85 euro. Older friesans made to 50 euro . Others made 20. Angus calves from 100 euro to 50 euro.

patsy_mccabe · 08-10-2019 3:48pm

What were whitehead bull calves making?

whelan2 · 08-10-2019 5:20pm

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

What were whitehead bull calves making?

Didnt see as I was talking to someone:) nearly missed my own calves too

Reggie. · 08-10-2019 10:10pm

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

What were whitehead bull calves making?

Free to a good home :P

wrangler · 10-10-2019 9:20pm

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

What were whitehead bull calves making?

IFJ are going to do the figures on their dairy calf to beef project next week, i told them they were for the birds when they gave €220 for their calves this year.
It'll be interesting to see if they don't lose their shirt at that price and is €50 even too much for them

Bass Reeves · 10-10-2019 11:33pm

wrangler wrote: »

]

IFJ are going to do the figures on their dairy calf to beef project next week, i told them they were for the birds when they gave €220 for their calves this year.
It'll be interesting to see if they don't lose their shirt at that price and is €50 even too much for them

The problem is not the price they pay for calves rather it is there system. There's a high inputs/output system all based on effieniecy. Produce tons of grass, bale excess into silage, have cattle gaining max weight all the time.
They are trying to transfer what works in milk over to beef. It's not quite easy. Us 220 the price they paid for He bull calves and what age were they

Water John · 10-10-2019 11:39pm

Just on cue, here's one by Teagasc;
https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/huge-crowds-attend-teagasc-green-acres-calf-to-beef-farm-walk-in-co-kilkenny/

Net margin €167/acre!!!

older by the day · 10-10-2019 11:44pm

Sher its just that the end price is too low. If bullocks need 30 months. Its too much feeding. if you want nice well fed 4wk old calfs then buyers will have to pay, the dairy farmer, has milk, straw, labor costs as well. If calfs don't pay then lads won't be long getting sick of feeding them. "Tho shalt not kill" but you may not strive day and night to keep alive.

Water John · 10-10-2019 11:49pm

One idea is, for the calves to stay on the dairy farm for a few weeks and the beef farmer looks after them. Whatever about costs, it's the labour is the killer for the dairy farmer.

older by the day · 10-10-2019 11:55pm

Water John wrote: »

Just on cue, here's one by Teagasc;
https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/huge-crowds-attend-teagasc-green-acres-calf-to-beef-farm-walk-in-co-kilkenny/

Net margin €167/acre!!!

A grazing platform of 90+ ha good land... bring it down to west cork, don't be wasting it up there

jaymla627 · 11-10-2019 12:21am

Water John wrote: »

One idea is, for the calves to stay on the dairy farm for a few weeks and the beef farmer looks after them. Whatever about costs, it's the labour is the killer for the dairy farmer.

It's the two odd euro a day on milk replacer if feeding calves properly that's the killer, no beef farmer will go through the torture of training calves onto the teat for the first couple of days, in a act of soladirity, rearing calves properly and to the book costs over 3 euro a day, your discerning teagasc indoctrinated dairy farmer goes the other route and you end up with calves not fit for kebabs

Bass Reeves · 11-10-2019 12:42am

older by the day wrote: »

A grazing platform of 90+ ha good land... bring it down to west cork, don't be wasting it up there

This is where all the BS starts, it all based on a full time beef farmer on a calf to beef system working like a slave for 60-70 hours a week spreading fertlizer like it was 100 euro/ ton to bale grass you may not need to sell at below cost price.

Friend of mine is renting 39 acres, he finished 28 heifers this year off it bought them at 15-18 months he will average at slightly over 600/acre gross margin, he is leasing some SFP and draws ANC and GLAS and sells some bales as well.

His net margin is 175/head, ANC is around 1400 euro, his GLAS is about 3500 and his SFP is worth about 1400 net. He says he spends 12 hours/weeks on the farm at his calculations he is earning over 20/hour for every hour he spends there. He has upped his heifers numbers to over 30 this year.

Gawddawggonnit · 11-10-2019 7:31am

Bbxhol males 15days = €320.
Bbxhol females 15days = €200.
Chxhol males 15days = €240.
Chxhol females 15days = €185.
Lmxhol males 15days = €180
Lmxhol females 15days = €115.
Hol males 15days = € 85.

Not for export, home market. Price will fall steadily from now until Feb...then no sale until Irish/UK calves flush through the market.

Hill Bill · 11-10-2019 7:50am

Bass Reeves wrote: »

Friend of mine is renting 39 acres, he finished 28 heifers this year off it bought them at 15-18 months he will average at slightly over 600/acre gross margin, he is leasing some SFP and draws ANC and GLAS and sells some bales as well.

His net margin is 175/head, ANC is around 1400 euro, his GLAS is about 3500 and his SFP is worth about 1400 net. He says he spends 12 hours/weeks on the farm at his calculations he is earning over 20/hour for every hour he spends there. He has upped his heifers numbers to over 30 this year.

Hi Bass,
Sounds like a good system.
At what weight & what time of year does he buy in at?

Bass Reeves · 11-10-2019 9:16am

Hill Bill wrote: »

Hi Bass,
Sounds like a good system.
At what weight & what time of year does he buy in at?

He bought during the summer from June-August this year ( last year it was August September)at present he is understocked for his farm size but it. In general Heifers are 270-330 kgs when buying. This year he fed less than 2 ton of nuts and the first heifers were slaughtered off grass only

Bass Reeves · 11-10-2019 9:16am

Hill Bill wrote: »

Hi Bass,
Sounds like a good system.
At what weight & what time of year does he buy in at?

He bought during the summer from June-August this year ( last year it was August September)at present he is understocked for his farm size but it. In general Heifers are 270-330 kgs when buying. This year he fed less than 2 ton of nuts and the first heifers were slaughtered off grass only

cute geoge · 11-10-2019 4:29pm

Bass Reeves wrote: »

He bought during the summer from June-August this year ( last year it was August September)at present he is understocked for his farm size but it. In general Heifers are 270-330 kgs when buying. This year he fed less than 2 ton of nuts and the first heifers were slaughtered off grass only

Can you tell us what price he paid for the heifer at that weight because i can not see how he made a margin of 170 /head on them unless he out wintered

Bass Reeves · 12-10-2019 1:05am

cute geoge wrote: »

Can you tell us what price he paid for the heifer at that weight because i can not see how he made a margin of 170 /head on them unless he out wintered

Last year heifers cost about 560/head average if I remember right. They were in the 280-350kg bracket, I say averaging 320 kgs across the lot. This year he has bought slightly heavier heifers about 45 days earlier at 600 euro mixture of AA, HE and LM last year.

Heifers rotational grazed outside until early December last year and will be similar this year. They went back to grass early March. They went through about 75 bales in that time over last winter or 2.7 bales/head. He fed minerals on top of the silage. If you value the base of silage at 27/bale it cost him 80 euro in feed costs over the winter inc minerals. He is killing the last of the heifers at present. he had a LM hit 360 kgs last week and a Hereford 325kgs. Both were FS4= an R and an O+. He has a few that are over 30 months to go now.

His heifers will average 1200 euro across the summer leaving him a gross margin of over 600/head. I taught it was an awesome preformance, however he keeps them on lowish covers all the time. He will sell surplus silage. Last year he had about 70 bales of hay and at least that in silage as well.

His rent is 5.5K I think and he takes nearly all the land cost off the cattle which I think is not quite right while he allows a land cost in the surplus silage and hay he has GLAS, ANC and Leased BPS as well. What are his costs 80 for wintering, ration 22/head, dosing and Vet 20/head, mart, transport and slaughter fees 40/head( some were bought direct). Grazing costs 100/head and land rental 140/head. I think he is overdoing the land rental as he should allow for his payments to cover some along with the 1500 he puts against his silage hay.

MIKEKC · 12-10-2019 5:23pm

Bass Reeves wrote: »

Last year heifers cost about 560/head average if I remember right. They were in the 280-350kg bracket, I say averaging 320 kgs across the lot. This year he has bought slightly heavier heifers about 45 days earlier at 600 euro mixture of AA, HE and LM last year.

Heifers rotational grazed outside until early December last year and will be similar this year. They went back to grass early March. They went through about 75 bales in that time over last winter or 2.7 bales/head. He fed minerals on top of the silage. If you value the base of silage at 27/bale it cost him 80 euro in feed costs over the winter inc minerals. He is killing the last of the heifers at present. he had a LM hit 360 kgs last week and a Hereford 325kgs. Both were FS4= an R and an O+. He has a few that are over 30 months to go now.

His heifers will average 1200 euro across the summer leaving him a gross margin of over 600/head. I taught it was an awesome preformance, however he keeps them on lowish covers all the time. He will sell surplus silage. Last year he had about 70 bales of hay and at least that in silage as well.

His rent is 5.5K I think and he takes nearly all the land cost off the cattle which I think is not quite right while he allows a land cost in the surplus silage and hay he has GLAS, ANC and Leased BPS as well. What are his costs 80 for wintering, ration 22/head, dosing and Vet 20/head, mart, transport and slaughter fees 40/head( some were bought direct). Grazing costs 100/head and land rental 140/head. I think he is overdoing the land rental as he should allow for his payments to cover some along with the 1500 he puts against his silage hay.

I don't see any cost included for house depreciation repair or machinery

Bass Reeves · 12-10-2019 5:46pm

MIKEKC wrote: »

I don't see any cost included for house depreciation repair or machinery

He is renting the place and I have it included

MIKEKC · 12-10-2019 6:43pm

Bass Reeves wrote: »

He is renting the place and I have it included

It certainly seems a good low cost system. He bacially sells for double the buying price. I thought most people would be feeding 2kg meal. Even in a short winter it would be costing e60 a head. If he can achieve the weights without it there would be a serious saving

Bass Reeves · 12-10-2019 10:09pm

MIKEKC wrote: »

It certainly seems a good low cost system. He bacially sells for double the buying price. I thought most people would be feeding 2kg meal. Even in a short winter it would be costing e60 a head. If he can achieve the weights without it there would be a serious saving

It not about doubling your money it more about getting weight gain off grass. Admittedly like my own farm early turnout is possible to do. But its also about putting a system in place and adapting that system for the farm. Feeding ration to stores is only giving beef to processors at cost price there is no margin for the lad doing it and you may lose compensatory growth. IMO you need to achieve a margin of 600/head on a 10-14 month store to summer/autumn beef system to achieve a margin of 200+/head. It not all about the buying of the cattle it about achieving a decent weight gain from the time an animal arrives to the time he go'es onto the hook.

More and more lads are moving to a no ration system with stores, I even see lads starting it for the first winter as well with 6 month old cattle. The whole trick is to have silage cut in late May/early June and to have it up on 40DM. After that feed minerals and some calcium(limestone flour to build bone. A 350 euro JEX store taht comes into 850 euro at slaughter is equally as useless as a 1k store that comes into 1500 euro.

stanflt · 14-10-2019 8:16pm

Had Fresian bulls 21-24 days old in Carnaross today- 90 85 85 80 75

Lots of Fresian calves being sold for 15-25 euro- really poorly reared calves

whelan2 · 09-01-2020 11:45am

Any word on prices st the moment?

stanflt · 09-01-2020 11:56am

whelan2 wrote: »

Any word on prices st the moment?

Sold 3 fr bulls in Carnaross on monday 70 70 and 65 for a poor lad

Reggie. · 09-01-2020 11:58am

whelan2 wrote: »

Any word on prices st the moment?

Free to a good home I heard

Reggie. · 09-01-2020 11:58am

stanflt wrote: »

Sold 3 fr bulls in Carnaross on monday 70 70 and 65 for a poor lad

Wait till the glut comes in

whelan2 · 09-01-2020 11:58am

Reggie. wrote: »

Free to a good home I heard

That rules you out so......only joking

GrasstoMilk · 09-01-2020 11:58am

stanflt wrote: »

Sold 3 fr bulls in Carnaross on monday 70 70 and 65 for a poor lad

He mustn't have been that poor to get 5e less

Reggie. · 09-01-2020 11:58am

whelan2 wrote: »

That rules you out so......only joking

Ohhhh bitchy

whelan2 · 09-01-2020 12:02pm

stanflt wrote: »

Sold 3 fr bulls in Carnaross on monday 70 70 and 65 for a poor lad

Any angus prices?

stretch film · 09-01-2020 12:06pm

whelan2 wrote: »

Any word on prices st the moment?

no prices sorry . had 2 different calf dealers in the yard this week . so question is are the vultures circling or is there a glimmer of light with the whole thing

stanflt · 09-01-2020 12:07pm

whelan2 wrote: »

Any angus prices?

As and he only making 15-20 more

_Brian · 09-01-2020 12:08pm

stanflt wrote: »

As and he only making 15-20 more

Hex for €90-100 ?
What were they like for that money ?

Calf price chitchat

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