Dairy Calves 2024

Will it effect farm to farm sale of calves?

Well I don't like it and 'we' don't like it either.

As far as calf welfare is concerned the quicker calves leave dairy farms imo the better for the calves. They're going from people that don't want them to people that do. In the grand scheme of things the sooner that transfer is effected the better.

Anyone breeding animals has to take responsibility for them and has to accept the financial consequences if they breed an animal that isn't wanted. The reality is no one wants a bull calf with Jex or Frx breeding that are under 50 kgs at 3 week old. These types of animal cost more to feed for beef than they will ever return.

If the calves are good enough how could there be a drop in live exports?

I agree with what your saying about JE and FRx bull calves but they don't go for export.

@Anto_Meath - I've posted about it years ago here on F&F about JEx/FRx beef cross calves. Unfortunately over those years the quality of the cow's has diminished where you have more extreme Jersey and Kiwi breeding in some cows nowdays. It's been going on for years firstly with Angus, Hereford, Shorthorn, Simmental and in the last few years with Aubrac & Parthenaise (which is the best breed crossed with JE due to the colouring), Belgian Blue, Galloway & Belted Galloway, Droimeann, Irish Moiled, British Longhorn, Waygu, Speckled Park etc, etc. Many an unsuspected farmer has been caught out buying calves which look pretty in the ring on the day but will never cover their costs of feeding.

DAFM need to ensure that ALL marts selling calves/cattle show ALL the details that are on the blue card (I think it should be our right as TAX payers) including the Dam's breed, days in herd, number of movements, the calves weight and I'd also include a suckler pair's weight on the scale. Unfortunately some marts pick and choose what information they display on the mart and online board.

The irony of course is that many of the people who decry these animals are willing to spend nearly 40% of their direct payments to produce "quality cattle".

The better the animal, the bigger the loss sometimes.

AFAIK Brussels hasn't yet issued legislation regarding calf slaughter. Many posters on here know that I have no issue with poor quality calves been slaughtered at approved DAFM plants cause it's better than the faith that some of them have to endure when bought through marts. IMO - veal is veal, chicken is chicken, lamb is lamb, fresh and frozen kid/goat is highly sought after here, Bambi is venison etc and their ain't any age restrictions on their slaughter age.

200 is very cheap. And they will get people to do it for that provided the semen cost.

And to think wagyu was held up and protected by the Japanese for so long.

And now look how cheap people on this side of the world have made it.

This is why farmers in this part of the world can't have nice things. 😏 Commodify everything.

Fair point, but how do you define 'bought correctly'?

Also, do you need 350kg?

You need to be getting close to 350kgs dw which over the year could range between €1,500 - €1,800 for base price plus QA on an animal.

Bought right is the million dollar question. That depends on how each individual farmer runs their farm.

@Grueller feed meal will usually pay with a suckler bred animal as it will help up them a grade or two &help get them away under 30 months. U need to get every cent from the factory that you can.

Afaik it's the Kobe beef which is protected, the waygu can only come from that prefecture of Japan, fed a certain way and carcases are all graded according to marbling etc. And only allowed be sold as Kobe of making the grade. The wagyu around here is only the genetics sent off really

I was watching a recent video from Kaz - Farm Vet Films (he is a friend of Cammy/ the Sheep Game) where he was working on some Wagyu cattle on his girlfriends farm and he wasn't that complimentary about them.

What is Seamus Scallans latest video about, is he saying that he wont buy calves off farmers who don’t buy milk powder off him?