Dairy farmers in North Hesse receive only a few euros per calf and are glad that someone takes them at all. On the other hand, animal prices are rising.
On Saturday, Waldeckische Landeszeitung (HNA) prepared a price comparison for calves for the public, for which calves become unnecessary: they are cheaper than guinea pigs.
The essence of the report from the region is that the price of calves, according to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture (BMEL), averaged 8.49 euros per female in the second half of the year.
Farmer Wolfhager Helmut Florke even reports a price of 5 euros, which he recently received for a bull. They say that in some cases, others even received only 1 euro, or they could not find anyone who could buy an animal.
Cloning of cow embryos to obtain the desired individuals began in the 80s.
According to BMEL, supply in 2019 was much larger than demand. There were also regional marketing restrictions. Another reason is the decline in exports to the Netherlands, which have been an important market for many years.
The Kassel District Farmers Association performs the calculations: a calf sold within 3 weeks costs 150-200 euros for feed, working hours, stable costs and insemination of the cow.
This amount does not yet include any profit, spokeswoman Stephanie Wittich said. In addition to diseases, the lack of feed in recent years and developments in the global market are also causing lower prices.
Ultimately, prices are also an indicator of how much consumers are willing to pay for meat. Meanwhile, dog food costs as much as meat as food.
Direct speech: “A pig costs more than a calf,” Helmut Fleurke continued in an interview with Waldeckische Landeszeitung. Pork prices rose due to the swine fever, but there were practically no piglets left in the region.
- We previously reported that a cow garden is planned to be created in Germany.
- After an atypical case of mad cow disease, Brazil halts beef exports to China.
- The main genetic characteristics of cows for improving milk production have been identified.
- We also wrote that Dutch cows will provide work for Stavropol farmers.
- There will be fewer cows in the EU, but more milk.
