Alright Hobby Boys

[Crowderfarms]

Warpaint with metal prices where the are today I would be scared to build a barn. I built a 30x30 six years ago labor and wiring for 6000 bucks that wouldn't even cover material cost today.

Dang CB, A 30X30?? That's a Hobby man's sized barn aint it?

 

[Caustic Burno]

well mr burno wants it down to brass tacks.i spend less than $100 a cow on everything.feed hay minerals.as well as fuel an repairs.now i have no idea what the reg cows will cost.when i start that.

You must be running the most effeicent operation in the US that counts all cost with upkeeping a cow? I have my Big Chief tablet and red crayon ready to take notes.

 

[OklaBrangusBreeder]

My actual, out of pocket costs for 2005 (per my tax return) were about $180 per mother cow....

- $72/head Hay = I raise my own bermuda grass, cost was about $18 per bale including fertilizer and custom baling (I mow and rake, a neighbor charges for the baling). 4 bales per head gets them through the winter fine in my part of the country.
- $45/head = Fertilizer & Winter wheat/pasture mix planting.
- $55/head = Range Cubes
- $8/head = Fuel/equipment maintenance.

* Didn't have any vet/med costs last year on my breeding stock (lucky year).
* No fencing/barn costs. Invested in those too many years ago to bother including anymore.
* I/family own the land. I didn't include any cost of land in my amount as I view that asset (land) as an investment of its own which appreciates in value over the years.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Warpaint with metal prices where the are today I would be scared to build a barn. I built a 30x30 six years ago labor and wiring for 6000 bucks that wouldn't even cover material cost today.

Dang CB, A 30X30?? That's a Hobby man's sized barn aint it?

Got tired of the hay equipment outside needed some place for the bailer and cutter and for the wife to fill with more junk.

 

[Caustic Burno]

My actual, out of pocket costs for 2005 (per my tax return) were about $180 per mother cow....

- $72/head Hay = I raise my own bermuda grass, cost was about $18 per bale including fertilizer and custom baling (I mow and rake, a neighbor charges for the baling). 4 bales per head gets them through the winter fine in my part of the country.
- $45/head = Fertilizer & Winter wheat/pasture mix planting.
- $55/head = Range Cubes
- $8/head = Fuel/equipment maintenance.

* Didn't have any vet/med costs last year on my breeding stock (lucky year).
* No fencing/barn costs. Invested in those too many years ago to bother including anymore.
* I/family own the land. I didn't include any cost of land in my amount as I view that asset (land) as an investment of its own which appreciates in value over the years.

Good list you are still leaving off taxes, insurance, and I am thinking, ya'll smell hair burning.

 

[bigbull338]

burno ive always operated like that.its nothiing new to me.my cattle do their growing on grass an hay.they arnt pampered or babied.

 

[backhoeboogie]

burno ive always operated like that.its nothiing new to me.my cattle do their growing on grass an hay.they arnt pampered or babied.

You had to have been outside the drought affected zones.

 

[OklaBrangusBreeder]

Good list you are still leaving off taxes, insurance, and I am thinking, ya'll smell hair burning.

* You mean property taxes? I don't pay the taxes. Dad covers those. All I do is help in the chores that he doesn't like to do anymore due to his age. I'm not sure what the taxes on the place I use is....
* Insurance? I don't have any. I do have an umbrella liability policy that I've had longer than I've been farming. So I allocate the cost of that to the rental properties for which I originally got the policy. I guess I "self insure" on everything else.
* Again, based on what my Schedule F shows on my tax return, the above ARE my costs.

 

[Dave]

I figured it a little different. I used the total expense divided by the number of calves sold, so I have always used my cost to produce a calf rather than the cost to keep a cow. I haven't sat down and figured it for last year but the year before it was a hair over $350 per calf. I cull ruthlessly, one mistake and a cow is gone, period. I don't feed grain, they get by fine without it. It is cheaper for me to hire my hauling than to own a trailer. I very rarely call the vet and when I do I pay close attention so I can do whatever he is doing myself next time. I have a neighbor who says he doesn't call the vet because if he can't save the cow himself the vet probably wont either so he just shoots the cow and saves the vet bill. This is true at times and a person needs to know when these times are. I soil test and use chicken manure rather than commercial fertilzer where I can.
Way out here in the Northwest we don't have those $1.50 calves that others are enjoying so to come out ahead a person has to watch costs. But one benefit I do have is cheap pasture rent. I can rent lots of pasture cheaper than owning it.
i am looking at getting a new tractor (at least to me). I really hate spending this much money but the Oliver 550 is getting to need some repairs and the dang Oliver dealer is never open when I need parts.
Dave

 

[bullred]

Warpaint with metal prices where the are today I would be scared to build a barn. I built a 30x30 six years ago labor and wiring for 6000 bucks that wouldn't even cover material cost today.

Just built a new 42X60 pole barn about 6 months ago. All in cost was just shy of $15K.

Dang Red I would need a bandaide from where I fell and hit my head. Old Massey is a 70 model scared to even thinking about replacing it, think I will go wash it and change the oil instead.

I'll tell you Caustic, starting up an operation nowadays ain't cheap. I'd be embarrassed to tell you how much I spent last year to get back into the cattle business.

 

[shutskytj]

my taxes at 5000 does include my house but not any of the land I file all my land under farm land we also are taxed on our barns and all outbuildings do you guys get taxed on your barns as well and houw much everything is worth on the property because of it?

 

[shutskytj]

Well I guess I was wrong I just called my wife our property taxes with the house and barn are 6,800 a year

 

[bigbull338]

no i was in the drought zone as well as other ppl.an only had to buy 25 bales of hay.but thats b/c i was gambing on it raining.an sold off 310 rolls of hay.an had carry over hay as well.so i ended up spending less than $500 on hay.but wont gamble that tight again.

 

[lakading]

Total costs per cow/calf unit $382.

Sell most calves at weaning.

Steers averaged 561# this year @ 164 days old. Net $336.

Market heifers averaged 424# @ 123 days old. Net $190.

Also sell a few bulls each year.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Warpaint with metal prices where the are today I would be scared to build a barn. I built a 30x30 six years ago labor and wiring for 6000 bucks that wouldn't even cover material cost today.

Just built a new 42X60 pole barn about 6 months ago. All in cost was just shy of $15K.

There are several company's around here that will build a 40x60 barn thats roof only for less than 8.000 i built my own 40x80 10 years ago for 4.000 that was with some shopping . had the advantage though of rough cut lumber

 

[CowCop]

~
Cost per cow, here--is $369.56.

It will go up another $1.29/day *if* the cows are NOT on pasture by May 1st. Last year they weren't out on pasture until May 15th because we had an "extended" mud season. ( the "5th" season in Vermont )

It would be MUCH higher if I was to figure in ALL the busted tractor parts during haying season into MY herd costs.
But the tractor parts are my boss's costs, not mine.

Fencing and fuel hit us bad last year. Several high windstorms knocked a few hundred trees down on the fences just a few weeks after we had retightened and replaced them.

We had a round bale cost of $17.00 in July and $19.00 by Sept 1st. We sell for $30.00

A few cost savers for us:

We sell our bull after breeding season to cut costs/damage/ and space.

We only had the vet out ONCE last year to preg check the entire herd and remove a pair of mystery horns.
He also vaccinated ALL our caves for free since he was buying most of them.

We early weaned our calves in September, instead of November. Had a lot less animals to contend with for 2 months.

The herd was in better condition by December 1st to go into winter.

Was also able to hay an extra field, since we didn't need it to graze all the calves and mommas.

We got 15% more hay last year than usual, and it was the BEST hay we have made in 4 years.
( lots of rain in May, makes a full barn of hay... )

We wintered a minimum of replacement heifers thru the winter.

I seriously doubt my costs per cow will ever be this low again.

Respectfully submitted,

 

[S.R.R.]

cost - If owning land in america is important - and I agree totally - and land usually appreciated - do you credit the bovine for maintaining the land. Weed control. reduced taxes - free fertilizer. tools for educating offspring.

Bovines don't maintain anything destructive beast, I would get the same ag break growing timber.

I have to disagree with you on that Caustic. The first Highlands I got turned my land from over grown brush and weeds into acceptable pasture in only a few years. I wish I had some before and after pics to show you it was impressive. Now grant it not all breeds of cattle would have do such a good job.

 

[Diehard40]

Reg. small herd. 423.00 per cow.

Well an honest man. A little high you are probablly over compensating on something.

I would say registered herd that is probably close to it, depending on level of feeding

 

[Diehard40]

I'm pretty sure mine falls around $250/cow/yr

 

[ALACOWMAN]

cost - If owning land in america is important - and I agree totally - and land usually appreciated - do you credit the bovine for maintaining the land. Weed control. reduced taxes - free fertilizer. tools for educating offspring.

Bovines don't maintain anything destructive beast, I would get the same ag break growing timber.

I have to disagree with you on that Caustic. The first Highlands I got turned my land from over grown brush and weeds into acceptable pasture in only a few years. I wish I had some before and after pics to show you it was impressive. Now grant it not all breeds of cattle would have do such a good job.

caustic is right to a point you can take a 100 acre pasture and go any where on it and set a fence post. its like a magnet to cows they will have it knocked over are push out of line. what they can't break they sht on. ;-)