At the mart...

Calf prices have seen a considerable increase last week ,wh heifers 7/8 weeks making 260 up from €200-220 ,light 3 week old wh making up on €120 .Does anyone know are the shippers exporting these type now .The best prices since the start of the year anyhow

All breeds of calves were exported this year, its all down to price
 
I heard from a very reliable source today that exporters will be starting to buy weanlings next week to fill a 30000 order for Turkey in the coming months. They have told marts to start pushing advertising in order to get cattle in for it. If the factories are deliberately dropping prices now in order to leave cattle cheap in the back end then it could very well back fire on them.
 
I heard from a very reliable source today that exporters will be starting to buy weanlings next week to fill a 30000 order for Turkey in the coming months. They have told marts to start pushing advertising in order to get cattle in for it. If the factories are deliberately dropping prices now in order to leave cattle cheap in the back end then it could very well back fire on them.

For the suckler men it will be needed, first weanling sales held around here prices back 100 to 150 a head and that's only what the manager is saying.
 
I heard from a very reliable source today that exporters will be starting to buy weanlings next week to fill a 30000 order for Turkey in the coming months. They have told marts to start pushing advertising in order to get cattle in for it. If the factories are deliberately dropping prices now in order to leave cattle cheap in the back end then it could very well back fire on them.
it will all depend on the price thats available in turkey, last i heard, it wasnt over strong. hopefully a decent weanling trade can be found from somewhere
 
it will all depend on the price thats available in turkey, last i heard, it wasnt over strong. hopefully a decent weanling trade can be found from somewhere
Heard the dame as you , The price is nothing fancy but it will put a floor under the trade for lighter weanlings
 
We have bought a few loads of quality weanling heifers out of the west over the last few Autumns, typically at a price of €650-800. They'll have to fall back substantially from this price if we are to bother this year. I hear a lot of lads talking the same way.
 
We have bought a few loads of quality weanling heifers out of the west over the last few Autumns, typically at a price of €650-800. They'll have to fall back substantially from this price if we are to bother this year. I hear a lot of lads talking the same way.

We can't afford to sell heifers at 650. It makes more sense for us to cut down on cow numbers and bring weanlings on into 18 to 20 months on grass. Everything has been kind this summer bar the price. Plenty of fodder. Cattle have done well on grass. A lot that I have talked to have the same plan as us. I can't see the marts around here being over run with suckler bred weanlings. Maybe cull cows all right.

A friend of mine sold limousin store heifers during the week. They would be u grade. They were 520 to 580kg and came into 1110 to 1180. No point in selling a 250kg heifer for 650 or 700 if they can be got into that sort of money under 20 months. Plenty of dairy bred weanlings about if lads want cheaper cattle.
 
We can't afford to sell heifers at 650. It makes more sense for us to cut down on cow numbers and bring weanlings on into 18 to 20 months on grass. Everything has been kind this summer bar the price. Plenty of fodder. Cattle have done well on grass. A lot that I have talked to have the same plan as us. I can't see the marts around here being over run with suckler bred weanlings. Maybe cull cows all right.

A friend of mine sold limousin store heifers during the week. They would be u grade. They were 520 to 580kg and came into 1110 to 1180. No point in selling a 250kg heifer for 650 or 700 if they can be got into that sort of money under 20 months. Plenty of dairy bred weanlings about if lads want cheaper cattle.
And we can't afford to buy heifers at €750. I understand that it's not fair to expect weanling producers to sell their stock at a loss but it's also not fair to expect beef producers to make a loss either. The market has a lot to fall from €1180 for 580kg before it makes sense for a beef man serious about making a small margin. And I believe it will. Plenty of jex bull calves about for free too but they don't make sense either.
 
The trade for nice quality suck calves 10 weeks old and runners is very strong with the last month .I see a good few fattening units who never bought any stock this summer but have banked up silage .These men are really talking down the trade for weanlings ,they normally get there own way but me thinks the exporters might have a say .Talking to purcells man at local mart all he would give was €1.80 for good quality dairy bred hereford bulls 10 months(might have been suckled) so 330 kg was only making €590 ,now in contrast i would have seen similar good quality herefords 10 weeks calves old averaging over €370
 
And we can't afford to buy heifers at €750. I understand that it's not fair to expect weanling producers to sell their stock at a loss but it's also not fair to expect beef producers to make a loss either. The market has a lot to fall from €1180 for 580kg before it makes sense for a beef man serious about making a small margin. And I believe it will. Plenty of jecx bull calves about for free too but they don't make sense either.
Certainly in this area, there has been a huge fall in suckler numbers this last 12 months. With plenty of silage around andess cattle around I can't see too many being sold at a loss this October. The message from discussion group meetings around here is that we shouldn't have to make a loss just so that the next man can make something. Better to cut cow numbers and keep the young cattle on. Feed lots will buy them anyway.
 
So what's the long term plan for beef... the small lads with jobs keep plucking away with there few suck calves or cows... the bigger lads have to withstand this for another bit prices go back up for a bit hovering around the e4 a kilo give everyone a false sense ur going well and pull plug again... the form with the beef lads is bad at the moment...
I will admit I'm not making a whole pile out of the farming but getting the yfg top up and disadvantage grant it's keeping things tipping away... that fine tho ive still interest in it I'm young fit healthy...
 
Certainly in this area, there has been a huge fall in suckler numbers this last 12 months. With plenty of silage around andess cattle around I can't see too many being sold at a loss this October. The message from discussion group meetings around here is that we shouldn't have to make a loss just so that the next man can make something. Better to cut cow numbers and keep the young cattle on. Feed lots will buy them anyway.
It’s probably the most sensible decision, it’s what I’d do if I was a suckler farmer anyhow, produce what the factory feedlots require as farmer finishers are going to be scarce in the future. Hopefully feedlots continue to pay a fair price for stock once they have a stranglehold on the market.
 
hopefully feedlots continue to pay a fair price for stock once they have a stranglehold on the market.

Its the same thing to sell em at a loss whether it's a farmer or a feed lot that's buying. The mart doesn't discriminate. Highest bidder wins no matter what.
 
There is very little profit in any section of beef farming to take these price cuts, so looking at each other to solve this is pointless.
Outside the farm gate is the problem.
Couldn’t agree more, there’s been too much of one sector of farming being pitched against each other of late which is counter productive. A viable suckler sector is essential to this country, particularly in areas where other farming enterprises might not be possible. But a viable suckler sector depends on a viable beef finishing sector and at current beef prices both are in jeopardy.
 
So what's the long term plan for beef... the small lads with jobs keep plucking away with there few suck calves or cows... the bigger lads have to withstand this for another bit prices go back up for a bit hovering around the e4 a kilo give everyone a false sense ur going well and pull plug again... the form with the beef lads is bad at the moment...
I will admit I'm not making a whole pile out of the farming but getting the yfg top up and disadvantage grant it's keeping things tipping away... that fine tho ive still interest in it I'm young fit healthy...

Medium plan for for us will be to cut numbers of suckler cows. We calved over 60 this year in total. 45 to 50 might be a more realistic target and keep a finger in a couple of pies - sell some weanlings, bring some to stores, and slaughter some. The way things are gone this year, the pie just isn't big enough in the suckler game for everyone to get a slice. Selling weanlings below cost just sucks the life out of us. We can bring a good % of them to a level where we can achieve the top 20% price at sales. Where we lose is with calves of a different breed, colour, off a heifer etc. We have no option but to cross a certain % of our better cows to breeds suitable for future breeding and its inevitable that 50% of these are bulls. Selling something that we know is of good breeding and will make a very good animal for a poor price just because of his breed (Non CH) or his colour (mousey brown), is where money is lost for us. There can be €200 in the difference as a weanling, but they will kill just as well as the yellow Charolais. We have tried to hold on to most of these types of animal this year for to finish ourselves.

At the end of the day, we can't blame finishers for not buying our cattle if the end price is not available from the factories. The problem lies with the factories, not with the suckler breeders or finishers. We have been stripped to the bone for the last 10 years on price. One good year has been followed by 3 bad ones consistently.
 
Medium plan for for us will be to cut numbers of suckler cows. We calved over 60 this year in total. 45 to 50 might be a more realistic target and keep a finger in a couple of pies - sell some weanlings, bring some to stores, and slaughter some. The way things are gone this year, the pie just isn't big enough in the suckler game for everyone to get a slice. Selling weanlings below cost just sucks the life out of us. We can bring a good % of them to a level where we can achieve the top 20% price at sales. Where we lose is with calves of a different breed, colour, off a heifer etc. We have no option but to cross a certain % of our better cows to breeds suitable for future breeding and its inevitable that 50% of these are bulls. Selling something that we know is of good breeding and will make a very good animal for a poor price just because of his breed (Non CH) or his colour (mousey brown), is where money is lost for us. There can be €200 in the difference as a weanling, but they will kill just as well as the yellow Charolais. We have tried to hold on to most of these types of animal this year for to finish ourselves.

At the end of the day, we can't blame finishers for not buying our cattle if the end price is not available from the factories. The problem lies with the factories, not with the suckler breeders or finishers. We have been stripped to the bone for the last 10 years on price. One good year has been followed by 3 bad ones consistently.

Is it really paying you to keep going in fairness all the driving and the hours...be different it was all in one place . I know you are building for the future but is there really a future in beef/ sucker farming on a small scale
 
Is it really paying you to keep going in fairness all the driving and the hours...be different it was all in one place . I know you are building for the future but is there really a future in beef/ sucker farming on a small scale

Certainly pays better than keeping suckler cows and selling weanlings (A lot of beef finishers don't like to hear that). Like yourself, there's a yf payment on it and disadvantaged area payment. We have some property rented out there too. Put it all together and our head's are above water and I enjoy farming. That's the minimum to keep us at it but possibly the maximum that we will ever average out of it too.
 
It's been a while. Sold some of our lighter simmental store bullocks today. Happy enough. 2.20/kg on average. Best was 455kg and 1045 euro. Also had some Belgian blue store heifers. Averaged 2.30/kg. Best was 465kg and 1140 euro.

Cows were a poor trade. Dairy bred stock was poor enough too.
 
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It's been a while. Sold some of our lighter simmental store bullocks today. Happy enough. 2.20/kg on average. Best was 455kg and 1045 euro. Also had some Belgian blue store heifers. Averaged 2.30/kg. Best was 465kg and 1140 euro.

Crows were a poor trade. Dairy bred stock was poor enough too.
You couldn't give them away mucky :tt2::laugh:. Only messing, I assume you mean cows :Thumbp2:
 
Any of ye got any view or experience on mart numbers this last few weeks?

Local marts that would traditionally be having weanling sales with numbers up to 400 head at the end of september/early october are really struggling to cross 100 animals in total in the last 2 weeks and indeed for the week ahead. Around us should really be moving quite strong with numbers because of poor ground conditions and the amount of rain that we have had in recent weeks.

How are the big marts like Ennis doing for numbers?

Store marts appear to be keeping up with traditional numbers but there are a good few dairy stores in it rather than beef bred.
Our AI man tells us that his cow service numbers are down 30% in 2019. The cows are there, but they are not being bulled. He speculates that lads will fatten them over winter and sell them off in spring and that they will hold on to this years weanlings for feeding next summer.

I don't think the government are going to find any difficulty reducing the number of suckler cows.
 
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