Plain cattle vs fancy cattle

Discussion in 'Stock Talk' started by horsch, Nov 10, 2019 at 5:26 PM.

  1. horsch

    horsch Member

    Mar 20, 2013
    hills of leinster
    Query for the experts

    Going to buy in weanlings over the next few weeks

    And generally I buy a good aa or Whitehead
    But wondering should I be looking at the charloais limo cattle instead

    I know I would have bigger weights at factory but I know it will cost more to achieve that so what people’s views on the matter which way is more profitable
  2. nashmach

    nashmach Well-Known Member

    Feb 22, 2010
    Wexford, Ireland
    Are you weanling to beef?

    Try a pen/shed and see how you go? You'll have more money tied up but my hunch is your margin per head will be similar / only slightly higher.
    jcb411abuser likes this.
  3. jcb411abuser

    jcb411abuser Well-Known Member

    Dec 19, 2010
    As Nash says I'd imagine the margin to be similar. They will cost more to buy, it will take more to feed them but you'll get more meat per kilo of feed, but for what extra you'll buy them at it'll end up similar.
  4. muckymanor

    muckymanor Well-Known Member

    Apr 15, 2014
    From the continental weanling perspective. They will usually finish heavier. They will usually grade better. They are often more in demand at times of high kill numbers. They will finish very well off grass - one of the members here posted some exceptional kill out figures last week from grass fattening alone. Is there a right and wrong? Are the lads fattening dairy bred weanlings making more than lads fattening continental bred animals? I don't think so. I think any difference comes from a lad's farming system. How he manages grass, how he manages herd health, the quality of his land and therefore the amount of grass that it grows etc.
    nashmach, 6600 and WestCorkBoy like this.
  5. WestCorkBoy

    WestCorkBoy Well-Known Member

    Apr 23, 2015
    I agree it's about the farmer, and his management more so than the type of animal and the most important thing value, you often see something out of the ordinary like Angus X continental or even shorthorn X continental weanlings selling poorly because very few have it in their head to buy them they are too dear/kg for the dairy cross weanling man and the wrong breed for the the limousin /Charolais man, this applies to anything involving trading cattle, do up budgets for a range of animal types from freisans to BB have figures written down and when you see value selling you ll recognise it maybe where others won't, you rarely make money in cattle painting by numbers, think for yourself & know your costs.
  6. Farmerbigballs

    Farmerbigballs Well-Known Member

    Sep 5, 2015
    South east
    Both work at a price but there are distinct advantages to beef dairy cross. Less money tied up in your enterprise. They won’t be bawling for their mammies, melt like butter in the sun and a lot less Stress related pneumonia
    They will follow you from field to field and are less likely to try and kill you at some point..
    Bcl and nashmach like this.

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