Anyone exit Suckler system??

Would be Interested to know what system you have planned

The plan is to go calf to beef.

I've held onto all of the weanlings.

Probably won't miss them terribly but some of them were here a long time, a few had Dads name on the cards too which probably hit me more than anything while sorting the cards.

But you are right safety is one of the main drivers of the decision with the young farmers taking more interest, cows with calves and bulls have become more of a worry later. Calf rearing should allow for more involvement for all of them. Distance from house to the yard is a bit far when calving too.

Not necessarily, even if you are business is business. The margin on culls is getting to a stage where you really have to consider it. Neighbours do not pay your bills. Two lads next to me are at it. Never really an issue. Ya I have an extra test every bit and again but there are two dairy farmers that give me exactly the same issue.

A cull killing 320 kgs DW cull was grossing 130-1400 euro jast June. You can buy young culls for 90c to a euro a kg. So a 500 kg cull is landing in the yard for 500 ish euro at present.

Ya they will eat silage and grass but the margins look.too serious to ignore.

Neither of the two lads next to me are classified as feedlots. Ya every 2-4 years they have a single cow go down and are locked up until they get two clear tests.

I agree with part of what you are saying but a 440kg store@2.2/ kg will cost the bones of 1k into your yard a cull will cost half that. As well that store will need to hit 1.7-1.8 K to match the margin

Most lads doing sucklers will not be stocking intensively and culls will eat grass if you have it. You will not need the same quality of grass.

Would I have advocated it a year or 18 months ago, no but the margins have seriously changed.

If they are announced guaranteed not incalf while the mart may not accept any come back the original owner will have to compensate you.

You can make a claim in the small claims court. There is precedence on this after the breeding bull case a few years ago.

All cows should be injected with esturmate this will abort any calf that is less than three months old. I accept there is risks however there is rewards as well

This is the case the farmer won the case but I cannot find it here. We actually discussed it on this forum. He was awarded substantial costs and damages

A cow sold as guaranteed no incalf would have significantly more come back in court and would be a straight forwards case in the small claims court. As I said I next them after about a week on arrival. That reduces the risk to probably the risk to a 8-10 week period.

You must not have sold the cow in the cull cow ring at that rate ,

Taking back a heifer that is in calf and paying for her feeding is the normal practice and I agree the primary producer of the calf does all the hard work

There is a sign up at one of the marts I go to that says , “cull cows are sold for all faults, may or may not be in calf”. Around me there is absolutely no comeback on a cull cow once the hammer is down.

Yes and that sign may free the mart of liability. I have bought bulls online that were not declared in a Bullock ring and the mart sorted it. TBF to marts they do not want to be messing with disagreement over cows. Different marts have different rules.

If a seller declares ''guaranteed not in calf'' that is a legally binding contract. If the cow turns up in calf then the buyer has a comeback on the seller. You might have to go to the small claims court but you will win your case

Cow feeder near home has the scanner man nearly ever month to scan anything in 60 days on to the farm, heifers are sent back to the marts and incalf cows are sent back to be resold and seller is informed, or young dairy cows are sold to dairy dealer. Some marts will get the farmer to pay for keep of the cows and scanning at 60 means they are sorted quick and no big costs.

We have 18 suckler cows and calves (angus). We lost 1 at calving and replaced it.(the calf)

We are thinking of getting out after having a successful calving season. Having said that,Over half needed help and a neighbour helped out alot to get to 17 out of 18. They took a lot of watching .

We have 6 v good cows ,6 fair and 6 poor.

We are going to outwinter them until at least Jan.

The slurry tank would be full if we housed them early.plus space would be tight.

Apart from the sucklers, we have 40 milk fed spring calves and 50 year and a halves, 40 will be gone before to the mart before Dec.

They are not yet put back in calf. Is it best to just put back in calf the 6 best? They are too good for the factory.The rest then we have the option to sell or to factory.

We are not in Scep. Never in any scheme until this year. Joined Acres .Got a Farm Advisor. Has to he paid, but is a knowledgeable fella.Good to have off advice from another circle.