wheatfarmer
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- Joined
- Dec 30, 2010
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I am completly new to the cattle business and have some questions for you guy. But first a little background. I am a farmer in SE Colorado growing wheat, corn, and sorghum. I have the opertunity to (bid on) rent 320 acres of grass that hasn't had any cattle on it for 3-5 years. This would be a 10 year lease. There is a windmill and has fence but they both need a lot of work. This grass is rated at 94 AUM/year (I think). I have to bid on the grass per AUM, ex. the last renter was paying around the $11 per AUM/year. The lease would start Oct. 1 of 2011.
I have no experience with cattle. My wife knows some as she has a animal science degree, but no real world experience. I am not wanting to spend a lot of time at this from March-November because this is our farming season. I am thinking cow/calf of about 5-10 pairs? Any thought would be greatly appreciated. I will have pleanty of winter wheat and sorghum stocks, maybe some corn stalks to use throughout the winter.
Will I need some kind of corrals (portable or perminate?) to lock up the cattle in the winter if a storm is comming?
Should I buy bred cows and sale the calves or raise them?
What does it cost to vaccinate calves?
I've heard it costs fom $.75 to $1 a day to keep a cow?
I think the is going to be a significant start up cost in this the first year (brand, fence, meds and all the stuff associated with meds, corrals, some kind of chute/working facilities, tanks, etc.).
I am just trying to pencil out some numbers so I know what I can bid on it. Any other costs/inputes numbers would be great.
There is a wealth of knowledge here that is helping a lot.
Thanks for your time.
I have no experience with cattle. My wife knows some as she has a animal science degree, but no real world experience. I am not wanting to spend a lot of time at this from March-November because this is our farming season. I am thinking cow/calf of about 5-10 pairs? Any thought would be greatly appreciated. I will have pleanty of winter wheat and sorghum stocks, maybe some corn stalks to use throughout the winter.
Will I need some kind of corrals (portable or perminate?) to lock up the cattle in the winter if a storm is comming?
Should I buy bred cows and sale the calves or raise them?
What does it cost to vaccinate calves?
I've heard it costs fom $.75 to $1 a day to keep a cow?
I think the is going to be a significant start up cost in this the first year (brand, fence, meds and all the stuff associated with meds, corrals, some kind of chute/working facilities, tanks, etc.).
I am just trying to pencil out some numbers so I know what I can bid on it. Any other costs/inputes numbers would be great.
There is a wealth of knowledge here that is helping a lot.
Thanks for your time.
