Calf price chitchat

richie123

straight wrote: »

If that's the case why are they making 700 euro + 15 - 18 months later with little else put into them....

Go to any mart in the country the biggest buyers are Larry's men with acres of sheds and land.
Ordinary men but with decent contracts.larry has his garunteed supply.
He makes up for it then by buying off the average farmer who can't get sense.
Farmers with feedlot status because of huge hardship with tb.(no contract) the worst of both worlds.cant sell privately or to the mart.
Factories has them by the balls.

Good loser

straight wrote: »

I might. I'd say my hourly rate would increase. If I could find some eejit to rent my dairy farm off me for 300 euro per acre, I could buy calves for my out farm and get some cushy 39 hour week in the council or something.

Your weeks would be shorter but you would not make the money you're outlining.
The examples you gave are untypically good for calf feeders/rearers.

The IFJ showed an example of a dairy calf/beef system there a few weeks ago - in Tullamore from memory. The returns (profits) were miserable - that's finishing the stock before second Winter.

That's virtually impossible with Fr bulls; in 25 years rearing Fr bulls I can only ever remember finishing two before the second Winter. Also at 2.5 years generally half them are P grade.

The business has been quite stable for the last 4 years.
Also remember we haven't got into the Brexit prices yet.

Bass Reeves

Good loser wrote: »

Your weeks would be shorter but you would not make the money you're outlining.
The examples you gave are untypically good for calf feeders/rearers.

The IFJ showed an example of a dairy calf/beef system there a few weeks ago - in Tullamore from memory. The returns (profits) were miserable - that's finishing the stock before second Winter.

That's virtually impossible with Fr bulls; in 25 years rearing Fr bulls I can only ever remember finishing two before the second Winter. Also at 2.5 years generally half them are P grade.

The business has been quite stable for the last 4 years.
Also remember we haven't got into the Brexit prices yet.

I have finished a good few fresian bulls 5+ years ago. From 20-24 months if you got them to 350kgs you would have nearly all O=/+. Below that weight fat score was the issue. You have p's/O- if they were JEX's. At 30 months you have a good spattering of R's at over 400kgs dw. . At the time you get the base for O's but no QA unless U16 months. Then they only wanted over 24 months if beef was scarce, I started to give up on bulls from that on. After the horse meat debacle I got out completely

I had a rig that I got away as a bullock this year R-3+ he killed 390 kgs

Albert Johnson

DukeCaboom wrote: »

It's great to see a twist like that. Time & tlc are king.

On another note a 3 week old Red hex bull calf in skibb today €410.

I'm not begrudging anyone a twist but I'd say that example was an exception as opposed to a rule. I've often considered buying a few of those smaller, backward type lad's and letting them lie until they come into cattle. However I'd know a few lads that do similar and it's not always that straight forward.

When you take into account the time required, bad thriver's due to a less than ideal start to life and the occasional few that go to God. Plus those sort of stock aren't as easy bought as they once were, the online job has left it that anyone can gamble a chancey one at small money especially if they look better on camera than in the flesh. One particular man I know can make a right job out of those stock but he has great land and works from home as an accountant. He'd throw a fist of meal to those real backward types 3 times a day to keep there stomachs right and get them thriving. All those things take time.

I carried a butty AA weanling bull 220kg to the mart tonight for an elderly neighbour. He was June 20 born and out wintered, running with the cow's and getting a pick of hay and whatever fell out of the sky down on top of him. He was never dosed only tagged and tested. I said he'd be worth at punt at €450, he opened at that and finished at €580. Whoever bought him will have a good many trips made to him before he's worth €800.

Bass Reeves

Watching Macroom and Dingle today just for a while. Prices are definitely softening. A lot of calves bought for 5-10 euro. Not just JEX and FRX type calves but Friesians as well. Macroom was selling bunches of 3-6 calves together. Definately harder to move Jex and FRX calves. No appetite for them. Very few strong calves. Camera is better in Macroom. It's too far away in Dingle. Some of the cheaper calves are good value. Saw HE calves making only 220 on Macroom, loads of AA's were making as much as HE at times.

How long before negative bids are accepted

weatherbyfoxer

Bass Reeves wrote: »

Watching Macroom and Dingle today just for a while. Prices are definitely softening. A lot of calves bought for 5-10 euro. Not just JEX and FRX type calves but Friesians as well. Macroom was selling bunches of 3-6 calves together. Definately harder to move Jex and FRX calves. No appetite for them. Very few strong calves. Camera is better in Macroom. It's too far away in Dingle. Some of the cheaper calves are good value. Saw HE calves making only 220 on Macroom, loads of AA's were making as much as HE at times.

How long before negative bids are accepted

there softening alright..still abit to go doe..no angus or hereford under a month worth over 150

liosnagceann75

Anybody know why Gortatlea has moved their calf sale to Monday which clashes with Castleisland?

cute geoge

Mundy has it in his head to close all other marts in Cork,Kerry and Limerick .

liosnagceann75

cute geoge wrote: »

Mundy has it in his head to close all other marts in Cork,Kerry and Limerick .

That's what an Uncle of mine said as well

liosnagceann75

Where should a fella send his calves on a Monday Castleisland or Gortatlea?

DukeCaboom

Calves were alot dearer there in gortatlea than Bandon last Monday.

Interesting how next Monday will go, shippers basically walked out of macroom today they are so choked.
Haven't even collected a good few calves they've already bought in the country.

whelan2

DukeCaboom wrote: »

Calves were alot dearer there in gortatlea than Bandon last Monday.

Interesting how next Monday will go, shippers basically walked out of macroom today they are so choked.
Haven't even collected a good few calves they've already bought in the country.

No boats for the last week

DukeCaboom

whelan2 wrote: »

No boats for the last week

Ya I know, they were gambling earlier in the week they get out today.

cute geoge

How do the shippers manage big numbers when they can't sail surely it must be a nightmare mixing calves and calves getting sick

DukeCaboom

cute geoge wrote: »

How do the shippers manage big numbers when they can't sail surely it must be a nightmare mixing calves and calves getting sick

I know the lads who feed for one shipper. Could be feeding 900 calves this weekend.
They're toppers at there job.
Basically give over 2 months of there lives, no pint no match no women.

older by the day

DukeCaboom wrote: »

I know the lads who feed for one shipper. Could be feeding 900 calves this weekend.
They're toppers at there job.
Basically give over 2 months of there lives, no pint no match no women.

I wonder what do the veal farm pay per calf at the end. It's interesting how can they make a margin

DukeCaboom

older by the day wrote: »

I wonder what do the veal farm pay per calf at the end. It's interesting how can they make a margin

Volume volume volume that's all there working off.
I wouldn't wish that life on my worst enemy.

Gawddawggonnit

older by the day wrote: »

I wonder what do the veal farm pay per calf at the end. It's interesting how can they make a margin

Most veal farms are tied to the veal processor. The processor can give ‘grants’ of up to €250k for the construction of veal houses, and you sign a 15yr contract with them...

It’s very common for the processor to supply the calves, feed etc. You really end up just being their worker (slave?).
In fairness the processors do need to control the supply coming in for keeping a regular steady supply to the trade.
It’s run on the same basis as the poultry trade.

New calf houses are being kept full here and the ones that are paid for are being left idle.

My poultry houses are going to be empty until the foreseeable future. Mahooosive hit on farm income for us because it’s by far the most profitable enterprise we have, and has been extremely lucrative.

older by the day

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

Most veal farms are tied to the veal processor. The processor can give ‘grants’ of up to €250k for the construction of veal houses, and you sign a 15yr contract with them...

It’s very common for the processor to supply the calves, feed etc. You really end up just being their worker (slave?).
In fairness the processors do need to control the supply coming in for keeping a regular steady supply to the trade.
It’s run on the same basis as the poultry trade.

New calf houses are being kept full here and the ones that are paid for are being left idle.

My poultry houses are going to be empty until the foreseeable future. Mahooosive hit on farm income for us because it’s by far the most profitable enterprise we have, and has been extremely lucrative.

Why are they left empty

Gawddawggonnit

older by the day wrote: »

Why are they left empty

Restaurants are closed with a year.

Every office/industry/farm/etc worker goes for lunch at the local restaurants every single day. The lunch, 3-5 course, is paid by the employer. Going out for a meal in Ireland is a bit of an occasion, but here it’s part of the work routine and results in them being the major users of veal, duck, chicken etc. Veal consumption is down by 37%, duck by 33%, rabbit by 70%, and chicken by 9%, and no sign of any let up for 2021...
Those figures were from last October so could’ve gotten worse since.

White Clover

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

Restaurants are closed with a year.

Every office/industry/farm/etc worker goes for lunch at the local restaurants every single day. The lunch, 3-5 course, is paid by the employer. Going out for a meal in Ireland is a bit of an occasion, but here it’s part of the work routine and results in them being the major users of veal, duck, chicken etc. Veal consumption is down by 37%, duck by 33%, rabbit by 70%, and chicken by 9%, and no sign of any let up for 2021...
Those figures were from last October so could’ve gotten worse since.

3 to 5 course meal for lunch every day!!
How long is a typical iunch break?
I'll have to consider moving to France!!

mr.stonewall

White Clover wrote: »

3 to 5 course meal for lunch every day!!
How long is a typical iunch break?
I'll have to consider moving to France!!

That's why they have the 35 hr week, now i see it. 7hr working day and 2hrs eating

Sacrolyte

mr.stonewall wrote: »

That's why they have the 35 hr week, now i see it. 7hr working day and 2hrs eating

And an hour to sleep it off

Bullocks

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

Restaurants are closed with a year.

Every office/industry/farm/etc worker goes for lunch at the local restaurants every single day. The lunch, 3-5 course, is paid by the employer. Going out for a meal in Ireland is a bit of an occasion, but here it’s part of the work routine and results in them being the major users of veal, duck, chicken etc. Veal consumption is down by 37%, duck by 33%, rabbit by 70%, and chicken by 9%, and no sign of any let up for 2021...
Those figures were from last October so could’ve gotten worse since.

What are they eating at home ?
Does it pay at all to export french chicken ?

Bass Reeves

White Clover wrote: »

3 to 5 course meal for lunch every day!!
How long is a typical iunch break?
I'll have to consider moving to France!!

The 3-5 courses would often be handy enough as portion size per course would be small.. You forget that in warmer climates it nigh on impossible to carry out physical work from midday to 4 pm. It was more or less where the expression '' it was only mad dog's and Englishmen go out in the midday sun''

Reggie.

Bass Reeves wrote: »

The 3-5 courses would often be handy enough as portion size per course would be small.. You forget that in warmer climates it nigh on impossible to carry out physical work from midday to 4 pm. It was more or less where the expression '' it was only mad dog's and Englishmen go out in the midday sun''

Sure there's air con in the cabs I bet

deise toffee

What would Norwegian red x Friesian bull calves be worth? First time I have a few of them this year.

Bass Reeves

deise toffee wrote: »

What would Norwegian red x Friesian bull calves be worth? First time I have a few of them this year.

Saw one online in castleisland today on line. He was 25+ days old I think. Looked a fine big long calf but a bit narrow. I think he made 60 euro.

Friesians were sold in bunches of 4-6, most lots varied from 12-20 days, 1-2 good ones 1-2 middling ones and two young ones. Selling around the 45 euro mart. Go into any mart on LSL, and open up mart and go into cathelog. On the day of the mart you can click on and see the actual sale and calves.

HE and AA were crazy over 14 days 300 euro

4ever

Should all calves being sold online be weighed?

Brought home a blwh bull today who cost 275 but really wasn't worth that. He looked decent in the camera but he's well handy in real life. I find it very difficult to judge them on the camera size wise

Niallers87

deise toffee wrote: »

What would Norwegian red x Friesian bull calves be worth? First time I have a few of them this year.

Actually saw a bunch of 5 or 6 of them coming into the ring in kilmallock and they made about 80 euros i think

Bass Reeves

4ever wrote: »

Should all calves being sold online be weighed?

Brought home a blwh bull today who cost 275 but really wasn't worth that. He looked decent in the camera but he's well handy in real life. I find it very difficult to judge them on the camera size wise

Phone camera is hard to judge calves with. Labtop or tablet is better

4ever

Bass Reeves wrote: »

Phone camera is hard to judge calves with. Labtop or tablet is better

Bought on a laptop. 10kgs is a big difference in a calf and difficult to spot on the cameras. They should just be weighed and that would remove doubts.

alps

How accurate are mart scales? For larger cattle, is it + or - 10kg?...would want to be bang on for calves..

Timmaay

I'm in the middle of a tb test here (reading on fri), I got cards today for calves under 6wks old, that I didn't test, I put them numbers into the agfood eligibility thing, and its saying I can move them now, which I didn't think I could during a tb test? Is that likely to change between now and like friday?

Bass Reeves

alps wrote: »

How accurate are mart scales? For larger cattle, is it + or - 10kg?...would want to be bang on for calves..

You would want a special scales for calves. Sensetivity is 5 or 10 kgs on most mart scales. It would need to be accurate to 0.5 kgs

Anto_Meath

I see Carnaross mart is weighing calves, they are using the scales they use to weigh the lambs

whelan2

Timmaay wrote: »

I'm in the middle of a tb test here (reading on fri), I got cards today for calves under 6wks old, that I didn't test, I put them numbers into the agfood eligibility thing, and its saying I can move them now, which I didn't think I could during a tb test? Is that likely to change between now and like friday?

If they weren't tested and you are currently clear work away

Mooooo

whelan2 wrote: »

If they weren't tested and you are currently clear work away

I'd say he'd have to wait till test read on fri. If he goes down and they moved twud be a **** show

whelan2

Mooooo wrote: »

I'd say he'd have to wait till test read on fri. If he goes down and they moved twud be a **** show

No if they weren't tested it wont matter. I did it last year. Between testing and reading.

farisfat

whelan2 wrote: »

No if they weren't tested it wont matter. I did it last year. Between testing and reading.

All animals in your herd the day of the test have to be tested.

tanko

farisfat wrote: »

All animals in your herd the day of the test have to be tested.

Are you sure, i thought if they're under six weeks old testing is optional?

DukeCaboom

See there today in fermoy the calf weight is up with its price.
Must be the sheep marts are better set up for it.

Mooooo

tanko wrote: »

Are you sure, i thought if they're under six weeks old testing is optional?

It is but as far as I was told anyway, if in the middle of the test no animal can leave the herd?

RedPeppers

4ever wrote: »

Should all calves being sold online be weighed?

Brought home a blwh bull today who cost 275 but really wasn't worth that. He looked decent in the camera but he's well handy in real life. I find it very difficult to judge them on the camera size wise

Can’t see why the calf weight wouldn’t be displayed? Sold fr bulls last week, weights up for buyer to see

Base price

Anto_Meath wrote: »

I see Carnaross mart is weighing calves, they are using the scales they use to weigh the lambs

I stand corrected but I think they are only showing the weights for FR bull calves, well that was the case last week. It's handy considering they (Viastar) are buying FR bull calves for shipping.

Base price

Mooooo wrote: »

It is but as far as I was told anyway, if in the middle of the test no animal can leave the herd?

I always thought the same unless it died and went on the knackery lorry.

Anto_Meath

Base price wrote: »

I stand corrected but I think they are only showing the weights for FR bull calves, well that was the case last week. It's handy considering they (Viastar) are buying FR bull calves for shipping.

I only noticed it on the FR alright, but I looked back on the screen shot I put up here two weeks ago for the SPx heifer that made over €400 and I see they have the weight up for her, but they might not have it up for every calf. I did notice on Monday they didn't have it up for the runners which I that would have been handy.

whelan2

Mooooo wrote: »

It is but as far as I was told anyway, if in the middle of the test no animal can leave the herd?

Only if it was tested and is missing for the reading. A couple of years ago I had a cow did the splits and another the vet put down with a heart condition between testing and reading. I had to write a letter to the department explaining on animal welfare reasons they were put down.

Timmaay

whelan2 wrote: »

Only if it was tested and is missing for the reading. A couple of years ago I had a cow did the splits and another the vet put down with a heart condition between testing and reading. I had to write a letter to the department explaining on animal welfare reasons they were put down.

Had the same here last year, a cow dropped dead between the test and reading, knackery took the cow away, my vet didn't really care, and I heard nothing from the department. But yeh I think I'll wait, I don't want to like sell them and suddenly the permit won't go through.

White Clover

DukeCaboom wrote: »

See there today in fermoy the calf weight is up with its price.
Must be the sheep marts are better set up for it.

Fermoy is a very progressive mart in fairness.