The cost of keeping a spring-calving cow this winter is £140 less than last year due to the falling price of straw and feed.
As arable farmers struggle to get over £120/t for feed barley or £10/round bale at recent auctions, livestock producers are heading for a cheaper winter.
The SAC Farm Management Handbook states that a suckler cow will use between six to nine round bales for a 180-day winter.
The recent price drop brings the bedding cost down £60/head. A further £35/head is saved if the cow is fed on 5kg/day of straw, which equates to 3.5 bales/winter.
Growing cattle will typically use around 0.3-0.5t of straw, which equates to between two and three round bales, making this year £30/head cheaper.
Finishing cattle need closer to three quarters of a tonne, or four round bales, making their winter £40/cheaper.
Cheaper feed
Growing cattle fed on a typical diet of 2.5kg/day of barley, or 450kg for half a winter, could see a reduction in feed of costs of £20/head. Finishing cattle on an intensive 9kg/day of barley will cost £36/head less than last winter. More savings below:
Cows – £60 in bedding and £35/cow in feed straw if on 5kg of straw for around 120 days.Growing cattle – £30 in bedding straw and £20-£25 in barley.Finishing cattle –£40 in bedding straw and £36 in barley.
The cost of keeping a spring-calving cow this winter is £140 less than last year due to the falling price of straw and feed.
As arable farmers struggle to get over £120/t for feed barley or £10/round bale at recent auctions, livestock producers are heading for a cheaper winter.
The SAC Farm Management Handbook states that a suckler cow will use between six to nine round bales for a 180-day winter.
The recent price drop brings the bedding cost down £60/head. A further £35/head is saved if the cow is fed on 5kg/day of straw, which equates to 3.5 bales/winter.
Growing cattle will typically use around 0.3-0.5t of straw, which equates to between two and three round bales, making this year £30/head cheaper.
Finishing cattle need closer to three quarters of a tonne, or four round bales, making their winter £40/cheaper.
Cheaper feed
Growing cattle fed on a typical diet of 2.5kg/day of barley, or 450kg for half a winter, could see a reduction in feed of costs of £20/head. Finishing cattle on an intensive 9kg/day of barley will cost £36/head less than last winter. More savings below:
Cows – £60 in bedding and £35/cow in feed straw if on 5kg of straw for around 120 days.Growing cattle – £30 in bedding straw and £20-£25 in barley.Finishing cattle –£40 in bedding straw and £36 in barley. 
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