Changing Direction

[Bestoutwest]

It is with a heavy heart that I have decided to change direction. I have run a very small cow/calf type operation for the past 8 years, and the "if I didn't have bad luck, I'd have no luck at all" saying applies. It has been an uphill battle, but since we had access to our own hay field and it's a hobby, we kept going with the "maybe next year will be our year" mantra. Last year we AI'd everything, and they came up open. Lost a cow, and had two others that were supposed to have calves have medical issues that prevented them being fruitful. Sold them off, buried the other one, and stupidly bought another (this was before we decided to give up). That one had a calf, the other two we had have proven to be open. I'm going to slaughter everything I have and will make double going to the sale with them.

I have beat myself up about this, so please...be nice.

I'm going to change to running weaned calves on my place, let them eat all the grass they want through the spring, summer and fall, and then take them back when I run out. I will be keeping 2 over the winter so slaughter later b/c I can afford that much hay and it will be worth more to do that than to take them in.

The guy that hays my field is 78, and probably done. I've got another guy that could possibly do it, but with land prices as they are folks are selling out and moving all the time. There's no way I could afford to buy the equipment, and hay is at $300/ton here.

So, help me out. Give me advice. Tell me the good, the bad and ugly of running weaned calves. To grain or not to grain? Bring them all in together, or make a couple of groups of similar sizes? Steers over heifers? I won't have them long enough to do heavy bred heifers (nor will I have access to a bull).

When selecting calves what do you look for? Would you buy all the same size? What is the "optimal" size, younger vs older? How would you select which ones to keep? Those that don't fit the group going back to town, smallest in the group, largest in the group?

When they hit my place they'll go from trailer to chute for brand, vaccinations and dewormer. Anything else?

 

[Mrcopier]

It is with a heavy heart that I have decided to change direction. I have run a very small cow/calf type operation for the past 8 years, and the "if I didn't have bad luck, I'd have no luck at all" saying applies. It has been an uphill battle, but since we had access to our own hay field and it's a hobby, we kept going with the "maybe next year will be our year" mantra. Last year we AI'd everything, and they came up open. Lost a cow, and had two others that were supposed to have calves have medical issues that prevented them being fruitful. Sold them off, buried the other one, and stupidly bought another (this was before we decided to give up). That one had a calf, the other two we had have proven to be open. I'm going to slaughter everything I have and will make double going to the sale with them.

I have beat myself up about this, so please...be nice.

I'm going to change to running weaned calves on my place, let them eat all the grass they want through the spring, summer and fall, and then take them back when I run out. I will be keeping 2 over the winter so slaughter later b/c I can afford that much hay and it will be worth more to do that than to take them in.

The guy that hays my field is 78, and probably done. I've got another guy that could possibly do it, but with land prices as they are folks are selling out and moving all the time. There's no way I could afford to buy the equipment, and hay is at $300/ton here.

So, help me out. Give me advice. Tell me the good, the bad and ugly of running weaned calves. To grain or not to grain? Bring them all in together, or make a couple of groups of similar sizes? Steers over heifers? I won't have them long enough to do heavy bred heifers (nor will I have access to a bull).

When selecting calves what do you look for? Would you buy all the same size? What is the "optimal" size, younger vs older? How would you select which ones to keep? Those that don't fit the group going back to town, smallest in the group, largest in the group?

When they hit my place they'll go from trailer to chute for brand, vaccinations and dewormer. Anything else?

Others can give you advise on the types to look for but your plan is pretty solid as far as I can see. The future is uncertain in all aspects of business right now.

 

[shaz]

Why keep any over the winter? Cattle are are really good business until you feed hay

 

[sstterry]

One of my neighbors does this and he is happy not having to get out in the Winter.

 

[Texas PaPaw]

Might consider buying what I call "last calf heifers" in the early spring. These are old, mostly broke mouth heavy bred cows. Calve them out and raise calves thru summer then sell whenever run out of grass but no later than labor day because they always get cheaper between Labor Day and Thanksgiving. Have figured out that you don't get to be an old bred cow if you didn't properly do your job as a younger cow. Should be able to buy these old breds for about packer price. Let fall grass stockpile for late winter/early spring grazing. Buy whenever you have enough stockpile to carry them until spring grass. Have been doing this myself for several years and has been fairly profitable. Think this also what Dave in Oregon does.

 

[moses388]

I like all the ideas listed, but I wonder about the fences. Others may know better than me... Will a few content old cows be easier on fences than a group of bawling, homesick feeder calves? Maybe that's not an issue for Bestoutwest.

 

[wbvs58]

Sounds like a good plan. Buy a uniform group of quality steers that look like they have a bit of growth in them. Pay someone to buy them for you if you are uncertain of what to buy (we won't go into how much this should cost) but look for quality. Quality will reward you when you cash them in.

Ken

 

[Bestoutwest]

I like all the ideas listed, but I wonder about the fences. Others may know better than me... Will a few content old cows be easier on fences than a group of bawling, homesick feeder calves? Maybe that's not an issue for Bestoutwest.

I have a dry lot that has a super juicy Hotwire for them to learn the ropes. But this is also something to think about. Thank you.

 

[Bestoutwest]

Why keep any over the winter? Cattle are are really good business until you feed hay

To raise for the freezer. I can make enough money that it will be worth it.

 

[sstterry]

(we won't go into how much this should cost)

I read that thread.

 

[Travlr]

It is with a heavy heart that I have decided to change direction. I have run a very small cow/calf type operation for the past 8 years, and the "if I didn't have bad luck, I'd have no luck at all" saying applies. It has been an uphill battle, but since we had access to our own hay field and it's a hobby, we kept going with the "maybe next year will be our year" mantra. Last year we AI'd everything, and they came up open. Lost a cow, and had two others that were supposed to have calves have medical issues that prevented them being fruitful. Sold them off, buried the other one, and stupidly bought another (this was before we decided to give up). That one had a calf, the other two we had have proven to be open. I'm going to slaughter everything I have and will make double going to the sale with them.

I have beat myself up about this, so please...be nice.

I'm going to change to running weaned calves on my place, let them eat all the grass they want through the spring, summer and fall, and then take them back when I run out. I will be keeping 2 over the winter so slaughter later b/c I can afford that much hay and it will be worth more to do that than to take them in.

The guy that hays my field is 78, and probably done. I've got another guy that could possibly do it, but with land prices as they are folks are selling out and moving all the time. There's no way I could afford to buy the equipment, and hay is at $300/ton here.

So, help me out. Give me advice. Tell me the good, the bad and ugly of running weaned calves. To grain or not to grain? Bring them all in together, or make a couple of groups of similar sizes? Steers over heifers? I won't have them long enough to do heavy bred heifers (nor will I have access to a bull).

When selecting calves what do you look for? Would you buy all the same size? What is the "optimal" size, younger vs older? How would you select which ones to keep? Those that don't fit the group going back to town, smallest in the group, largest in the group?

When they hit my place they'll go from trailer to chute for brand, vaccinations and dewormer. Anything else?

Nothing wrong with being flexible. I've never backgrounded calves so I'm not the one to give advice there, but I've played the buy/sell game enough to comment on that. I'd suspect the best way to maximize a future return would be to buy from a single source with consistent breeding so you can sell a lot/unit of uniform steers/heifers when it comes time.
Don't be fooled by thinking black hides will make you more money. Anything with a black hide will cost more at a light weight just as anything else will and sometimes there is a bargain to be had regardless of color or type. A load of Holsteins might make you as much money as anything else if you buy and sell them right. The difference between cost and return is where your profit is. The ability to time the market and anticipate changes is essential. Any time you spend in the sale barn is valuable as a learning tool if you can stop being distracted.

 

[Ky hills]

Sounds like a good plan to me. My parents ran calves like that,
I have done it similar too, except I turned the groups over around 6 months and bought right back in.
I would try buy them as uniform as possible, being able to sell a large group together is beneficial.
Most times I would have the vets at the stockyards work them. We have done it ourselves when we got them home too.
Then there is the big debate, a lot of people will give them Draxxin when receiving them. I usually will have the vets or I give it to them.
Also very important to keep them up in a fairly secure smaller area for a few days, otherwise if they are just off of cows they will go everywhere and walk and run themselves sick. I am an advocate of feeding them a receiving ration too for a little bit, and then switch over to whatever you would normally feed them.
Some people put out self feeders for their calves, I always just gave them a little supplemental feed depending on quality and amount of grass available.
I've ran both heifers and steers. I'd say go with steers.

 

[Dave]

Think this also what Dave in Oregon does.

Actually Best and I are fairly close to each other.

Best do you go to Caldwell or Vale? Think about heavier heifers for the locker beef rather than holding them over the winter. The old one and done cows work well for me. But you will need to feed for a while as you need to buy them in mid winter. Buy later results in too small of calves come sale time. I averaged paying about $850 for heavy BM cows in February to mid March. BM pairs right now at $1,350+. Of course those are this year's prices which are subject to change in coming years. And you need to have the cows gone by the first of September. Cull cow prices drop faster in the fall than calf prices. Buying light bull calves and cut outs from the larger groups has worked well for me too.

 

[KAstocker]

Nothing wrong with giving up on cows to raise calves. It helps to be able to put together sizable groups of calves. And it's a lot easier to do that with stockers than cows.

After you figure out what you are going to buy, probably best to call the sale barn and ask for an order buyers contact information. Unless you want to buy yourself. I have almost always bought myself just because I enjoy learning the sale barn game.

Just go ahead and start. You will learn something with each group of calves.

 

[uplandnut]

Do you have anyone that can help you get your feet wet doing this? I have a hunch you can loose just as much money just as fast with certain groups of stockers as what you were loosing already.

 

[Bestoutwest]

Actually Best and I are fairly close to each other.

Best do you go to Caldwell or Vale? Think about heavier heifers for the locker beef rather than holding them over the winter. The old one and done cows work well for me. But you will need to feed for a while as you need to buy them in mid winter. Buy later results in too small of calves come sale time. I averaged paying about $850 for heavy BM cows in February to mid March. BM pairs right now at $1,350+. Of course those are this year's prices which are subject to change in coming years. And you need to have the cows gone by the first of September. Cull cow prices drop faster in the fall than calf prices. Buying light bull calves and cut outs from the larger groups has worked well for me too.

I use Caldwell. I am going to look at Emmett as well and see how they do. I looked a few years ago and they seemed to have lower prices than in Caldwell. Don't know if it was a quality thing or if the big guys didn't want to drive over there.

 

[Bestoutwest]

Do you have anyone that can help you get your feet wet doing this? I have a hunch you can loose just as much money just as fast with certain groups of stockers as what you were loosing already.

We do cutting horses, and the lady we train with has an order buyer that helps her. I'm hoping they'll extend some help my way even if I have to pay a little for it. I'd rather spend a little money than lose a lot of money.

 

[Rancher]

Why keep any over the winter? Cattle are are really good business until you feed hay

Unless you make your own hay

 

[snoopdog]

Nothing wrong with being flexible, we've went from stockers to cow/calf , to hay production, and back again, a couple of times. Buy calves off the farm, from your neighbor, give him avg price, weigh the load. Your gonna get the "my calves bring top dollar" conversation. The math works when you point out yardage and commission, get your ducks in line and you can do good. Don't be afraid of good heifers.

 

[Bestoutwest]

Today I started my journey. Took one to slaughter for some customers. Weighed in at 842# hanging, grass fed. I made out pretty well on that deal. Her son gets slaughtered this fall at about 19 months, he'll be grained. I'll make a decent chunk of change on that cow. Just sucks, but it's what it is I guess.