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We have been busy lately making the old cow shed into a new slatted house. This means that no longer do we need to clean them out with the four prong pike and barrow every day. The cattle are in now for the winter. I can't believe how easy it is. The tractor puts in the a bale and we spread it about with a pike. They are eating barley silage and straw in the above photographs. Yes I know the straw is piked much too close to the head feeder.
Cattle are making savage money at the moment. The only thing is the small cattle are also making big money. So if you sell your cattle you can't really afford to buy any replacements. How can can this be so? Dear cattle in a recession. Me not understand?
When we were making the new slatted shed. I kept thinking me or my son would get hurt. We didn't though. Oh no! We took down the scaffolding last week and guess who split his finger open with a scaffolding plank? Yeah it was me!
Number one son made (cut and weld) the head feeders and gates. Not bad for a 16 year old eh?
Looks like a really professional job on the head feeders, sure that boy's got real engineering talent.
ReplyDeleteAnd a nice easy job of feeding.
And no mucking out, just need a slurry pump and spreader tank now?
What you going to do with all the spare time? Leading kale?
No, there doesn't seem to be any sense or reason in the sale price of livestock, as you say, to sell dear means buying dear. Doesn't matter what you get through the auction, the price seems to stay high in the butchers. Sell the biggest two and feed the others? Then hope to buy some cheaper later in the winter? A crystal ball would be nice to have.
He's done a great job, Cumbrian. Just hope he doesn't emigrate with the other 300000 poor souls who have left Ireland in the last few years. My father went to England during the 'black fifties'.
ReplyDeleteI still have plenty of farm work like weeding and spreading muck on the veg plot. I wouldn't like to live in the countryside without cattle. It can very boring at times. Especially with no public transport or a pub.
I am told the livestock boats are running again. I don't agree with the live exporting of cattle. Especially places like Libya. They don't kill cattle humanely like they do in Britain and Ireland.
Will probably try to buy some in January when farmers are hard up after Christmas. Thanks for the advice!
Didn't realise so many people want out of Ireland, understandable I suppose if there's nothing there for them, but sadly just accelerating the desolation of the rural areas and more derelict buildings.
ReplyDeleteSure you'll have plenty to keep busy with, how did the kale weeding go?
No, I often wondered about the wisdom of exporting live animals for meat, seems such a waste of effort and cost, not to mention discomfort for the animals.
A carcase would be so much lighter, easier and cheaper to transport, and far more humane than some of the ritualistic slaughter practices in some countries.
Don't know where from or what breed, but there used to be a regular Irish cattle boat docked in Silloth, I think it's stopped now though.
Good thinking, a lot of people could probably do with a lift after the Christmas and New Year celebrations and expenses, anybody with space and plenty fodder might be able to pick up a few bargains. Best of luck, looking forward to reading about the January auctions.
Yes Cumbrian, It does accelerate the desolation of rural areas. Governments seem to have a policy of only providing infrastructure in the towns and cities. A lot of the young people have gone to Australia and Canada. They are starting to only allow people under 45 with a recognized trade in their countries. I think we live in a post industrial society and there will never be manufacturing again. China seem to export everything to Europe.
ReplyDeleteI got tired weeding the Kale. It's growing very well and the Red Shank seems too be dying off.
The EEC actually subsidises the boats that take the live exports. I suppose the seas will get roughsoon and they will stop the boats until spring. Then the prices will probably drop and we will curse ourselves for not selling them. It's all swings and roundabouts on a farm.
Thanks!
Yes, sad, we were once the world power-house of engineering and innovation, now it seems we're regressing into a third world country, living on past reputation. Agreed, I don't think we'll ever be a world leader again, anything we make seems to be owned by foreigners, and an awful lot of stuff comes from China.
ReplyDeleteIt's getting harder to emigrate as well, what were once our colonies are now dictating who can be allowed in. Australia for example used to require a criminal record to be sent there, now you'll not be admitted if you have one.
Maybe a pity we in the UK don't have a similar immigration policy?
Pleased to hear the kale's growing well, sure the cattle will enjoy it, you still going to try folding them over it?
First time I knew the EEC subsidises the cattle boats, I still can't make sense of exporting live meat, it must cost a fortune compared to carcases. Or am I missing something?
I believe Brazil is a bigger economy than the UK. China is supposed to be starting making cheap small cars. No doubt with recycled metal? I have bought lots of cheap and nasty tools made in China. You can't make something good, cheap!
ReplyDeleteI will try to fold the Kale with the battery electric fencer strip grazing the field. If the weather gets really bad. I will just harvest it a fertilizer bag full at at a time.
Just been reading: Compassion In World Farming website. I have signed up for their email newsletter. Apparently it takes 9 days to transport live cattle to Libya.
Reading a letter in a farming newspaper today. Calves were being sold at an Irish mart for 813 Euros. The writer asks how can the buyer make any money when they have dosed and fed it. Unbelievable.
Thanks for your comment!
Yes, "Made in China" used to bring to mind cheap, nasty, not really up to the job, etc. But I think in more recent years their economy has really started to take off, and lots of branded goods are made / assembled in China. For example, Mrs likes to do cross-stitching as a hobby, and needs a bit of concentrated light / magnification on some of the more delicate work; I buy head strap things, complete with 4 lenses, bright little light including batteries, a useful piece of kit, cost £9, delivered, from China. I even gave my computer whizz-kid one, he was impressed and uses it for the intricate jobs repairing computers ( a hobby of his).
ReplyDeleteChina seems to be buying up an awful lot of things globally as well, not bad for a third world country whose economy was based on cheapo stuff and take-away curries.
Perhaps we ought to go to China and open English take-aways?
9 days in the hold of a ship, must be Hell on earth, I've never seen a cattle boat inside, but they can't be very pleasant. I'm sure there must be a reason for it, but it still escapes me.
813 Euros for a calf? Maybe time to send a couple of your big stirks to market?
China does make some good branded items. So does India. Western Europe seems to be a consumer based rather than manufacturing.
ReplyDeleteI have always believed in Keynesian economics. Rather like the 1945 Labour gov't that rebuilt Britain. When you build houses you create a demand for manufacturing. Even the lady selling the bacon butties to the builders is making some money. People buy new houses(or social housing) and they want to decorate and furnish them accordingly. Keynesian economics says that if you don't have a demand you get recession. It's all bubble and burst. I suppose it's like Newton's law of Physics:
"What goes up. Must come down. "
English take aways in China. That is a good idea. We could do with some English pubs in Ireland. Serving real ale and traditional regional pub food.
I see the EEC signed up a trade agreement with Canada yesterday. Canada and the EEC can sell and export milk products and meat to each other. Hope it's not live exports.
I have read that they live export because we have the grass and they have the cheap grain to finish them.
It was 813 Pounds for a calf at Ballymena market.
Butcher came and looked at cattle last night. We have only got one ready. They pay dead weight only. Says we should feed them nuts until January. Number one son's heifer is the one that's ready. They say the day you buy. Is the day you sell. Meaning a cheap animal only makes a cheap price at market. My Friesian cross bullocks are only worth 1.50 a kg. They are charging 11 Euros for stewing beef in the supermarket.
Thanks!
Yes, the construction industry / housing market is a pretty good barometer of the economy, sadly it went too far and too fast, resulting on the big bust and stagnant market we now have.
ReplyDelete1.50 per kg, and the cheapest cut 11 in the supermarket, who's making the big bucks? And it's not all stewing beef, I've seen prime cuts at £24 per kg.
French prices cheapest cut is ribs, a cut we don't see in UK, at least I haven't, a short length of rib with a couple of inches of meat attached, excellent for long slow cooking and very tasty, 3.99 Euros per kg. Best cuts I noticed up to 18 per kg, not 100% sure which part of the beast, the French butchery is based on the muscle structure of the animal, not the bone structure, so some cuts are not so easily identifiable.
There building boom was the same in Ireland. Banks lent money for mortgages of 3 and 400000 Euro. the banks when bust and property prices have dropped dramatically. Yet the banks won't loan people money any more. Britain and Ireland have followed Japan into negative equity.
ReplyDeleteIt makes sense to buy a full or half heifer from a butcher or farmer. I will save far more money eating one of my own cattle.
Didn't know the French base the muscle structure instead of bone structure. I know they prefer the lean continental meat with very little fat. They also kill animals who are 7 years old. They like their meat mature. The sound like they know their food and wine.
๐๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฉ๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ง๐ฒ ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ค๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ/ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฉ๐๐ฌ / ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐ซ. Kham. ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง๐๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง (๐๐๐๐๐๐) ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ก๐จ๐ฉ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ข ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง ๐๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฌ๐๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ฌ. ๐ข ๐ฌ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ก๐๐ ๐จ๐ง-๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ช๐ฎ๐ข๐ซ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข ๐ ๐จ๐ญ ๐ ๐ญ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ซ. Kham ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ ๐จ๐ง ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐๐-๐ ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ข ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ซ. Kham ๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ข ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ . ๐ข ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ฆ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ง ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฉ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ง๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฉ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฒ! ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ฆ, ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ฏ๐ข๐ (UPS ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐)๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ ๐จ๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฌ! ๐ข ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ข๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ก๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ (๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐) ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐! ๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ ๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ข ๐๐ฆ ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฒ ๐ง๐จ๐ฐ! ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ง ๐ข ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ๐จ ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฆ ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ง ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฏ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ ๐ฆ๐! ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฉ, ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ง ๐๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐ก๐ข๐ฆ ๐จ๐ง dr.khamcaregiver@๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ฅ.๐๐จ๐ฆ ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ๐ฌ-๐๐ฉ๐ฉ +๐๐๐8159922297 ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ง ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐จ๐ฎ๐๐ก ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก him on his website: drkhamherbalhealingcenter.wordpress.com/
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