I weighed my bulls last week for the second time since they were housed. It has been 69 days, which also was the last day they were weighed.

Performance between weighings was good, but if I take into account that the bulls probably gained very little weight in the first two weeks in the shed and that I spent nearly a month building them up on a high level of meal, then I can satisfy myself that they are achieving excellent performance.

I am feeding them a four-way mix of 30% maize, 25% barley, 20% maize distillers and 20% soya hulls. I had intended to increase the level of maize the closer I got to finishing. However, based on the average daily gain I’m getting at the moment, as well as the fact that the bulls seem to be laying down a decent level of fat, I may just leave well enough alone.

Although I’ll be getting less per kg, I’ll have a heavier carcase to sell

The main issue that I’m trying to figure out at the minute is whether I should aim to kill these bulls under 16 months or let them go over. Although I’ll be getting less per kg, I’ll have a heavier carcase to sell.

These bulls are made up of a mixture of Charolais and Salers. All the Charolais will make 16 months easy enough, as well as a good percentage of the Salers.

However, there are some plainer Salers that will probably end up grading R.

These cattle really won’t benefit from being slaughtered under 16 months, as they won’t get high enough up the grid for the price to compensate for the lighter carcase.

Brexit deadline

In a normal year, I wouldn’t dream of killing them under 16 months. However, this year is very different!

If I feed these cattle on, until I think they are ready to kill and slaughter them under 24 months, then I will be slaughtering them after Brexit.

With a no-deal situation looking more and more likely, who knows what they will be worth by then.

As no one has a clue what’s going to happen after Brexit or if there is even going to be a Brexit, there is of course always the chance that nothing much will change.

Cattle supplies could begin to tighten in a few months and prices could be higher. It's all crystal ball and pie in the sky stuff at the minute.

When you see companies like Dyson withdrawing from the United Kingdom, it’s not overly encouraging.

I’ll probably err on the side of caution and have at least some of them gone before 29 March.

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Farmer writes: finishing beef is like trying to hit a moving target