A few calves for interest so.
We’re wintering less this past couple of years. Myself and the the oul lad had a bit of a row about me finding myself working half the time on the farm out of charity. Last year the cattle bought in the spring averaged 250 apiece for 5 months grazing and the odd dose. This year we bought the spring stock earlier due to having too much silage. I think buying them that bit earlier will add at least 100…on account of getting in a few weeks before the professional class start looking for cattle. There seems to be better value in buying cattle at around 500 kilos than 350. Everyone seems to be looking for a fancy bullock at 3-350
This is it, lads with jobs paying too much just to fill the trailer. If they were depending on it they wouldn’t spend half as much.
I try and get 290-320kg at around 700 quid, and hold onto them until finishing. Anything from 350+ kg goes mad money down here. You lads get alot more finishing price as you’re the one market with England. Where I’d be getting €3.80 a kg dead weight you would be getting €5 plus, more power to ye!
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News to me!!
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You need to keep them watered as well, jaysus tis fierce dry out there and it only April.
The farm manager does all the fiddley bits in between. You’re slowly morphing into JP… 
Ford 4000?
1/2 ford 4000 and 1/2 rust. It sat in the barn since last September and fired up in a few seconds. Great oul yoke
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You were right on this. Apparently the calves came from Munster and farmers paid a few quid to this lad to take them away.
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No offence but I didn’t think this was correct,
Very sad whatever the story is. He shouldn’t be allowed near an animal again if he can’t prove his innocence.
Depends what part of the country you are in, and what type freisian bull calves you have I suppose. I know for a fact 2 week old freisian bull calves were sold for between €100-130 this spring within 20 miles of that farm.
You are absolutely right about the lad who took them in though. The guards should be involved really, and it wouldn’t be the first time at that door.
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What breeds and how much on average are you giving for them ones you finish off the grass?
If I was buying weanlings in October, they’d be CH or LM, light enough at 300-330kg and paying 700-800. Kept for 2 years and should be getting 1500-1600 for them if market was good.
If Stores in October, combination of HE, LM, Dealer maybe. They’d be a mixed bag as I get an agent to buy them and I tell home what price range rather that specific breed. In 2019 I told him not to pay more than €950 and they were a mix of good and shite as you’d expect. Last year I went up to €1150 avg, stores were alot dearer anyway, and they are nearly all LM and good quality.
On average beef makes a euro a day while you have them.
I was buying cattle yesterday to put onto the grass. There were top class limousine cattle at around 430 making 1250-1300 Stg… similar cattle at around 600 were making around 1300. Pure madness. I’d be amazed if they turned much of a profit
I bought 8 good lim/ch cattle averaging 450 and 1000. The average was skewed a bit by a recently nipped limousine bull and a cracking Flekvieh (450 at 810)…maybe everyone else there knew something about Flekviehs that I don’t?
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It’s pure luck in reality?
I know lads who’ll clear more with middling Whiteheads or Hereford’s than those with lovely looking Simental’s or Charolais.
If you’ve the ground to graze and the housing to winter it makes a big difference I suppose.
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7 grand looking bucks 
Tell him lift the mower too please 
Grand quiet lads he says. We weren’t sure would he get any this year. Got a small job done on the ticker back in January but he’d be lost without a few around the place.
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His nephew cut the lawn for him
I’d say he’s fuming