Re: Cattle prices


"Derry Argue" <home@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:Xns96DBB75A6A282derryadviegundogscou@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> "Jim Webster" <Jim@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
> news:dh3op5$2vg$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:
>

> >
>
> That sound sensible.
>
> I was in the mart a couple of months ago and there were some Highland
> cattle. Cows and calves and obviously off very poor ground as the yardsman
> saw me looking at them, gave a big grin, and threw me a remark, "Some
> bargains there!". I think he was probably being facetious as even through
> all that hair the ribs were sticking out like fence railings! I didn't see
> them sold...if they survived that long.
>
> Time for another visit. Prices at that time for decent stirks was pretty
> horrific. Should be plenty of cheap fodder around too. Would I need to
give
> them any hard feed? We get cold and we get wind but rainfall is around 27
> inches p.a.
>

I'd play it by ear to be honest. If they are in decent condition and appear
to be growing and not getting worse they shouldn't need a lot. Cold and dry
shouldn't be too much of a hardship, but a couple of pounds of feed a day
does mean that they regard you as on the side of the angels when it comes to
moving them about. I'd look for something cheap and cheerful. Don't know
what you could get up there.

Thinking about it, in your area brewers/distillers grains/draff should be
cheap, and while not dry feed, if you could tip it and *** it somewhere
where it is held, then that could be a cheap feed. If you have a lot of
cattle then feeding it would be hard work, but with a handful, 5lb a head
either end of the day (10lb total,) would be the equivilent of just over a
2lb a day. If you have a vehicle to run it to them in. Put it in a plastic
dustbin in the back of a pickup or something.

Jim Webster


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