Author Topic: introducing... (Read 3059 times)

TheCaptain · « **on:** April 27, 2013, 10:11:34 am »

Fudge and Shortie - two little bull calves (Jersey and shorthorn X) saved from the Knacker Man!!!

Dan · « **Reply #1 on:** April 27, 2013, 05:58:13 pm »

Excellent! For the freezer?

F.CUTHBERT · « **Reply #2 on:** April 27, 2013, 06:54:57 pm »

It's incredible than anyone is still shooting bull calves with the prices cattle are making. I am sure there has to be some demand for them although Jerseys must be near the bottom of the list.

TheCaptain · « **Reply #3 on:** April 28, 2013, 09:19:53 am »

Dan, we'll see how we go - more of an experiment (and as a massive favour to the Polish farm manager down the road). We open to a couple of nurseries so they're more of an 'attraction'; IOW what we don't make on them 'meat-wise' we make via other means to make the farm sustainable (if that makes sense!). Reading some of the American sites regarding Jerseys is really interesting - some of them go for a $1, some are the most expensive cattle you can buy. It all depends on which state you live in!

We had 200 shot down the road a couple of weeks ago, and the farm where Betty came from has his shot at two days and sold for skins. I know those supplying to Waitrose are not allowed to shoot their bull calves. It's a ridiculous practice.

Mammyshaz · « **Reply #4 on:** April 28, 2013, 08:42:12 pm »

Very cute.

TheCaptain · « **Reply #5 on:** April 28, 2013, 09:17:25 pm »

when I say 'we' I didn't mean 'me'!!!! I meant there was a farm down the road....

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #6 on:** April 30, 2013, 12:26:47 am »

If I was a dairy farmer I would prefer to shoot my bull calves than have them sent through a mart and fetch £11 for 5, as I saw recently. Goodness knows what sort of a life they may be headed for at that sort of price.

I applaud Waitrose's heart but, as with so many issues, the truth of the matter varies greatly from the townie's imagined scenario.

sabrina · « **Reply #7 on:** April 30, 2013, 07:55:42 am »

In this day and age no calf should be shot. Why can't dairy farms rear their own calves for rose veal if there is a market for it. With the price of milk being so low would this not be another way to make their farms pay.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #8 on:** April 30, 2013, 08:49:45 am »

With the weather as it is, it is hard enough getting housing and fodder together for the mainstream business! Yes milk prices are low per litre but dairy cattle produce 7000 litres per year, or more - so perhaps £1600-£2000 revenue per cow per year. The best suckler cattle can't compete with that - so rearing Jersey bull calves simply isn't in the same league.

On a dairy farm, all waste management is likely to be centred around slurry; calves are best reared on straw, which means a different kind of muck, different systems, capital equipment, handling facilities, etc, etc.

So whilst it suits some dairy farms to rear their own bull calves, and heifer replacements too, you can't expect them all to do it.

You can now get sexed semen, which a lot of the dairy farmers have tried - but it seems to be less effective than the unadulterated stuff. Plus you always need a bull to follow on, and it's not 100% anyway, so there will always be dairy bull calves.