$350 bred cows

[Jake]

Not really sure how to take those last comments but anyways... The cows weighed 1112 avg and brought .32 cents. Since we aren't blessed with excess pasture they would have had to leave around grass time. Putting weight on an old cow takes a lot of feed this time of year and if you split the pairs in the spring and get .30-35 cents out of the cow and $100-150 for the young hereford calf there isn't exactly that much profit in them. Sure "sell them as pairs" but the likely hood of an old hereford pair going back to the farm in this region is slim to none.

I'll agree if you can run them part way through the summer and get the calf to weigh up some and the cow fleshed up it would be easier to turn a profit. But when your not set up for absorbing 10 cows with an uncertain grass season ahead not as safe a bet as some make it out to be. If your cards line up right there's a lot of profit to be made, turn the wrong card over it's a lot of excess work for a break even.

 

[SRBeef]

Not really sure how to take those last comments but anyways... The cows weighed 1112 avg and brought .32 cents. Since we aren't blessed with excess pasture they would have had to leave around grass time. Putting weight on an old cow takes a lot of feed this time of year and if you split the pairs in the spring and get .30-35 cents out of the cow and $100-150 for the young hereford calf there isn't exactly that much profit in them. Sure "sell them as pairs" but the likely hood of an old hereford pair going back to the farm in this region is slim to none.

I'll agree if you can run them part way through the summer and get the calf to weigh up some and the cow fleshed up it would be easier to turn a profit. But when your not set up for absorbing 10 cows with an uncertain grass season ahead not as safe a bet as some make it out to be. If your cards line up right there's a lot of profit to be made, turn the wrong card over it's a lot of excess work for a break even.

Yes, as I tried to qualify above, the profit only works if you have hay to get them to grass and grass to get them to summer. I agree that planning on selling them as pairs is risky. Selling a cow for hamburger is not risky and will get your initial investment back. Selling a 400 lb calf at 1.10+ in July is not too risky and where the profit is. If you can't get them both to mid summer without spending a lot of money then this is not a good plan for you.

Money is not free. This is really just a way of selling and turning a profit on your HAY & GRASS, IF you have excess right now until midsummer. The cattle are just the marketing vehicle for that hay and grass.

If many people in your area do not have the hay and grass to get them to summer then this is why they are selling so cheap. jmho.

Jim

 

[stockman12]

yep, the key to making this work is if you have the grazing for these....if you do you could get a hefty return......if no grazing, well......

 

[calbeef]

Where are you? set me up on that and I 'll breed that hereford to a black beefmaster.

 

[HEREFORD ROADHOG]

When are buyers going to be looking at the quality of the animal rather than its hide color?

I would challenge anyone to tell the difference between a steak from a good Hereford steer and a steak from a good Angus steer when both have been fed out the same. jmho.

Jim

I agree completely ! I raise & sell Herefords & everyone tells me its the best meat they can buy. :nod:
Jake ,sorry but you missed a good deal there. You would have had the calves nearly for free after re-selling the cows after a few months.Also if you can't get more than 100-150 for weaned calves you need to find a better market, week old holstein bucket calves bring that much around here. :frowns:

 

[Jake]

When are buyers going to be looking at the quality of the animal rather than its hide color?

I would challenge anyone to tell the difference between a steak from a good Hereford steer and a steak from a good Angus steer when both have been fed out the same. jmho.

Jim

I agree completely ! I raise & sell Herefords & everyone tells me its the best meat they can buy. :nod:
Jake ,sorry but you missed a good deal there. You would have had the calves nearly for free after re-selling the cows after a few months.Also if you can't get more than 100-150 for weaned calves you need to find a better market, week old holstein bucket calves bring that much around here. :frowns:

You have a much better market for holstein bucket calves than we have out here. They aren't worth more than 50-75. Very rarely will you see a hereford bucket calf bring over $100 unless there is nothing else there and somebody is really needing a calf to graft.

 

[backhoeboogie]

You have a much better market for holstein bucket calves than we have out here. They aren't worth more than 50-75. Very rarely will you see a hereford bucket calf bring over $100 unless there is nothing else there and somebody is really needing a calf to graft.

Exactly Jake. Angus splits have been that way here too. I buy splits and put them on the nurse cow. Some as low as $70. Then it costs about 70 cents a day per calf pro-rated on the lot. I explained what I paid for the calves in this very forum and someone (don't remember who) insinuated I was lying. It almost made me want to scan the slips but what the heck. Consider the source. Aint no reason for me to lie in the first place.

I'd put that hereford calf of my nurse cow for about 3 months and make a few nickels.

When I retire, I may run a dozen nurse cows. Lots of work but much more lucrative than just commercial cattle. Now if everyone starts doing that, calves are going to go through the roof.

 

[alexfarms]

Not really sure how to take those last comments but anyways... The cows weighed 1112 avg and brought .32 cents. Since we aren't blessed with excess pasture they would have had to leave around grass time. Putting weight on an old cow takes a lot of feed this time of year and if you split the pairs in the spring and get .30-35 cents out of the cow and $100-150 for the young hereford calf there isn't exactly that much profit in them. Sure "sell them as pairs" but the likely hood of an old hereford pair going back to the farm in this region is slim to none.

I'll agree if you can run them part way through the summer and get the calf to weigh up some and the cow fleshed up it would be easier to turn a profit. But when your not set up for absorbing 10 cows with an uncertain grass season ahead not as safe a bet as some make it out to be. If your cards line up right there's a lot of profit to be made, turn the wrong card over it's a lot of excess work for a break even.

Jake,
I am curious as to what type of deal you were looking into buying? If you didn't have extra grass, how were you gonna make buying cows work? What would have been a better "deal" for your situation than $350 3rd trimester cows?

 

[Jake]

I buy stocker calves for the most part. The ocassional set of cows if the money is right on the right type of cattle. I most generally try not to buy trader cows just because of the multiple risks involved. I prefer to keep my cowherd closed and turn calves. The topic was more or less just started because I was shocked that those cows were worth so little. Never ceases to amaze me around here how everybody know better than you do how to run your operation.