Not every small commercial start up herd needs to have a breeding plan that will carry them into the next decade. For many, a plan that carries them through the marketing of the next calf crop is adequate. After a few years, when they are more in tune with the market they are trying to reach and a determination of where they really want to go with their herd is plenty of time to start long term plans. An early decision of entering one segment of the market may turn out to not be the desirable segment to enter for one reason or another. Experience is the best teacher, making decisions based on beginners intuition is not the way to be profitable or to stay in the business long term.
A different view
- Thread starter dun
- Start date
Jogeephus
Well-known member
I think it would take the average beginner several years to actually understand the wisdom of your words.
ALX.
Well-known member
dun":10du20j6 said:
When you say segment dun, do you mean cow/calf, backgrounding, finishing, custom sales ,or combinations thereof ? We already established we are talking commercial, correct?
The problem with cattle is, the decisions you do/don't make now, may ( likely will ) affect you for years later.
rockridgecattle
Well-known member
ALX.":3w59frpj said:
I am a firm believer that what choice you make for a cow now will affect maybe not so much this calf crop but the next and the one after that. JMO
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rockridgecattle":2yf7femj said:
Up to a point that is right. If you don;t retain heifers, one of the decisions that needs to be made, thenyour next calf crop is a learning experience. That experience will help to hopefully keep you from blindly following a path that was determined without sufficient knowledge/experience.
SRBeef
Well-known member
As a newcomer to cattle I am amazed at the time frames involved. It takes a couple years to have something to sell and it seems like it takes a couple years to change plans...patience required. I decided to try a small herd about three years ago with a good neighbor's encouragement & help.
By the time you get fences, water, corral/working facility, hiefers/cows, bull, hay, calves and finally yearlings there is a lot of startup time and cost involved. Seem like about ANY change takes a couple years to really be implemented.
But it does seem to be worth the effort. I learn something new about every day.
By the time you get fences, water, corral/working facility, hiefers/cows, bull, hay, calves and finally yearlings there is a lot of startup time and cost involved. Seem like about ANY change takes a couple years to really be implemented.
But it does seem to be worth the effort. I learn something new about every day.
Angus/Brangus":3e93ok72 said:
The point is that a "startup" basicly lacks the knowledge/experience to know what plan to use for the distant future. Frequently a single source of information and maybe the breed association thrown in for good measure is what is used to make some decisions. Not getting saddled with a particular mindset until knowledge is gained on where they really want to head, and how to manage what they have or what's involved.
I guess I'm either fortunate or unforunate depending on the view point that I have in the past and still do get to spend time and help folks get started.
When we started, we had everything except experience ~ we read books, talked to cattle people, watched the sales. Now we know all we need to know and are ready to jump in ~ yes? :nod:dun":3841e0e8 said:
No! What a crock! We made a bad decision on breed and on marketing ~ we were running on no experience, "beginners intuition", and the advice of a breed association blowing sunshine up their own cattle. Experience taught us we had made bad decisions, but not FATAL ones. We reprioritized and made adjustments in breed, and marketing as well, and have started in a different direction. We would not have made it based on the decisions we made going in (regardless of all the homework we did ahead of time), and it was not an enjoyable experience to have and work with our cattle. Still we make adjustments as we gain experience. Still we look at new opportunities to diversify.
If what the rest of you are saying is so, then we would have had to consider ourselves "locked into" bad decisions, made without experience, and forced to work with them until we got discouraged and quit.
MistyMorning
Well-known member
I'm liking this discussion, thanks dun for tossing it out there.
I'm assuming your point is directed towards the small operator starting up am I correct?
I'm assuming your point is directed towards the small operator starting up am I correct?
MistyMorning
Well-known member
dun":39co0e7u said:
oops, I think it's past my bedtime! :lol2:
hillrancher
Well-known member
When I started with cattle 30+ years ago it appeared just buy cattle that had 4 legs and go for it. (wrong)
When I started watching the market and started trying to produce what the buyers were wanting, that was when I stated to at least breaking even.
Geographic location you must consider. I cannot do as the folks in Texas or Canada. When I started keeping and breeding cattle, that fit my terrane, cold winters and hot summers it made a big difference.
My cattle do not stay in the water in summer and melt away in the winter as the did when I started.
As any other business you have to tailor your operation to your buyer wants.
When I started watching the market and started trying to produce what the buyers were wanting, that was when I stated to at least breaking even.
Geographic location you must consider. I cannot do as the folks in Texas or Canada. When I started keeping and breeding cattle, that fit my terrane, cold winters and hot summers it made a big difference.
My cattle do not stay in the water in summer and melt away in the winter as the did when I started.
As any other business you have to tailor your operation to your buyer wants.
grannysoo
Well-known member
Starting out small and from my viewpoint, taking your time has several advantages. I started out small with 1 bull and 4 cows. I didn't have to worry about what direction I was going in. The first couple of years, I learned that I did not know how to build a fence, did not know how to properly worm, did not know that minerals were necessary, did not know. etc. etc. etc. The first thing I learned was that everything that I thought I knew was pretty much worthless.
That being said, the first couple of years were a learning experience and gave me time to figure out which direction that I wanted to go. If I had started out with more cows, I would have quit long ago.
I learned my cows and my cows learned me. 5 years ago, my little herd looked pretty pathetic. You should see those fat and sassy girls now. Things and times change and we must change with them as needed.
That being said, the first couple of years were a learning experience and gave me time to figure out which direction that I wanted to go. If I had started out with more cows, I would have quit long ago.
I learned my cows and my cows learned me. 5 years ago, my little herd looked pretty pathetic. You should see those fat and sassy girls now. Things and times change and we must change with them as needed.
ALACOWMAN
Well-known member
the bull selection now, if you retain heifers , will be with you years down the road.. so if i only maintained a herd on a simi serious or any level. bull selection would be criticalAngus/Brangus":1p6uo6nr said:
backhoeboogie
Well-known member
The worst scenario I have seen is bad land. Horse trader real estate agents convince folks that they can make the land work. The land will look okay on a wet year.
The next scenario is too little land and no room to expand. Overstocking is a terrible plan.
Things we grew up with and take for granted are learning experiences for those who have never seen it.
The next scenario is too little land and no room to expand. Overstocking is a terrible plan.
Things we grew up with and take for granted are learning experiences for those who have never seen it.
ALACOWMAN
Well-known member
your right about that,, a feller bought a place down the road from me, next to a creek that will usually flood a couple times a year, every year . been there couple years now.. but due too the dry weather and drought he aint exsperanced it yet. although warned by the seller, he has built a 20.000 dollar vinyl fence, and new barn right in the trouble spots. its good to live on a place a few years if you not familiar with the area. before putting any pernamant stuctures up..... if possible.....backhoeboogie":18c6682p said:
