Cost of boarding a calf & temperment of Jersys?

[Roger/OH]

My son and grandson want to purchase 2 Jersy bull calves. The cost of the calves is $30 each. They will bring them out here and I will probably have to all the work. They promise they will help, but we all know how long that will last. I told them $40 per month per calf. I don't really want them and arrived at this based on no pasture and at the finishing stage. We have do have pasture. Is this reasonable to where I won't lose money? If they slack on the chores, I can and will haul them to the sale barn.
Feed costs at present:
$2 per bale hay 1st cutting
$2.30 per bushel corn
$1.50 per bale straw.
2 bags milk replacer @ $23 per bag
One of trhe first calves I raised was a Jersy bull calf. I did not cut it and it turned mean after about 14 months. Pinned me against the wall several times. Had to carry a pipe with me when feeding. He made the next available opening at the arbitrator. These will be steered. Should I have that problem with them?

 

[msscamp]

Wait a minute! You're son and grandson want to buy 2 bottle babies, so why are you the one who is going to have to feed them? If my son and grandson wanted bottle babies they would be feeding them, I wouldn't! I would provide guidance, and help them with proper nutrition, how/when to feed, health problems/illness, etc, but they would do the work. Should they prove to not be up to the task, the calves would go to the salebarn - period, end of discussion. I would also be willing to help them out with the purchase price (notice I said help, I did not say buy the calves for them), as well but, if the calves were sold because of their inability to live up to the responsibility required, they would also be paying me back/working off their debt to me. I would also be banding/castrating these calves at about a month, maybe 2 months of age depending on their temperament. As far as hay, etc - I pay Dad 1.00/day for feeding my bucket calves along with his calves - .50/day if I do the feeding and use his hay/ground hay. I always buy my own grain when my calf/calves are penned separate from his.

 

[Chuck]

I will probably have to all the work. They promise they will help, but we all know how long that will last. I don't really want them

The way I see it,you've answered your own question. You don't really want to do it, and you don't think they will follow through on their end. Just tell them no. They might be mad, but they'll get over it. It will be easier to do now than putting up with the hassle of doing something you don't want to do and the fight that will happen when you haul them back to the sale.

 

[Roger/OH]

You're a lot more patient that I am - if my son and grandson wanted bottle babies they would be feeding them, I wouldn't! If they proved to not be up to the task, the calves would go to the salebarn - period, end of discussion.

You have it. That will definitely part of the agreement. Winter is approaching. I work a continous operation schedule it is 8pm before I get home. Don't like comming home and have to wade through snow in the dark to do my chores, They will be required to do the chores on my work days or their calves will go to the salebarn. May give some $ credit based on their help.

 

[dj]

Are you asking if your going to have trouble with the calves or the son and grandson?(just kidding)
Along with the calves they should bring a bander and cheerio bands, wormer, nurse bottles, thermometer, feed bucket, some t-posts and wire panels. You didn't mention your facilites and maybe you have all these things but if they want to do this they should learn the costs. Who will be mixing the milk replacer and getting their feet stepped on twice a day? Who will giving the shots and purchasing any medications needed? Your coming into winter but the calves should be well along by the time bad weather gets here? At $40 per month your getting what $1.03 a day pretty cheap babysitting wages in my opinion. Good Luck, stick to you guns about hauling the calves if the boys slack off.

 

[stocky]

Roger, you are probably doing this out of the goodness of your heart, so keep telling yourself that after you get those calves. I think 40 dollars per calf per month is a little light. I think it will cost that much in milk replacer, alone. I havent raised bottle calves, except out of necessity until I could put it on a cow, in several years. Milkmaid might be the best person to ask about actual cost. Good Luck

 

[msscamp]

You're a lot more patient that I am - if my son and grandson wanted bottle babies they would be feeding them, I wouldn't! If they proved to not be up to the task, the calves would go to the salebarn - period, end of discussion.

You have it. That will definitely part of the agreement. Winter is approaching. I work a continous operation schedule it is 8pm before I get home. Don't like comming home and have to wade through snow in the dark to do my chores, They will be required to do the chores on my work days or their calves will go to the salebarn. May give some $ credit based on their help.

I re-worded my post, because I felt I didn't phrase it very well. That having been said, I would sit down and figure out what it would cost you to provide feed for these two critters, charge that + a reasonable profit and tell them what it's going to cost them/day for feed - after all, if you weren't putting this feed to these animals wouldn't that be the case? That is the way it's always been done here. There are no free rides in life for the majority of us, and the sooner that lesson is learned the better off the learnee (for lack of a better word) is. Not to mention the fact that, if they live up to the responsibility, they will have a much bigger sense of accomplishment knowing they didn't get any breaks, than they would knowing things were hedged in their favor. If I sound harsh, I'm sorry, it is truly not my intent.

 

[msscamp]

You're a lot more patient that I am - if my son and grandson wanted bottle babies they would be feeding them, I wouldn't! If they proved to not be up to the task, the calves would go to the salebarn - period, end of discussion.

They will be required to do the chores on my work days or their calves will go to the salebarn.

As previously stated - they would be required to feed THEIR calves 7 days a week. If they had something come up, I would be willing to feed once in a while - but feeding calves is part of the deal when one opts to get calves. I've had bucket calves most of my life and it was a rare day that Mom or Dad had to feed for me.

 

[aplusmnt]

I could see letting your son or grandson run a feeder calf to eat or even to sale. But a Bucket calf is way to much work to do for someone else. If you got the pasture and they want one to eat, let them throw a 400 lb steer out there, but I would not mess with a Bucket calf for my kids that are currently living at home let alone grown ones living elsewhere.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

Put it all in writing.

Especially the part about after you end up feeding them more than X times they are going to the sale and you are keeping costs out of any profit (not likely).

Your milk replacer sounds cheaper or smaller bag than mine. Last I bought was 50 lbs and it was $52. That lasted a little over a month for one calf.

 

[msscamp]

Milk Replacer is a $1/pound here.

 

[msscamp]

Roger, you are probably doing this out of the goodness of your heart, so keep telling yourself that after you get those calves. I think 40 dollars per calf per month is a little light. I think it will cost that much in milk replacer, alone. I havent raised bottle calves, except out of necessity until I could put it on a cow, in several years. Milkmaid might be the best person to ask about actual cost. Good Luck

Thanks, Stocky - I forgot to add that they would be buying their own milk replacer, too. If that is not feasible, I would be reimbursed upon sale of the calves.

 

[Alice]

My son and grandson want to purchase 2 Jersy bull calves. The cost of the calves is $30 each. They will bring them out here and I will probably have to all the work. They promise they will help, but we all know how long that will last. I told them $40 per month per calf. I don't really want them and arrived at this based on no pasture and at the finishing stage. We have do have pasture. Is this reasonable to where I won't lose money? If they slack on the chores, I can and will haul them to the sale barn.
Feed costs at present:
$2 per bale hay 1st cutting
$2.30 per bushel corn
$1.50 per bale straw.
2 bags milk replacer @ $23 per bag

How old are these calves? $23 per bag milk replacer? Is that like two 25# bags, or is that the cost of the milk replacer you are looking at per 50# bags? I pay $50 for 50#s.

They're gonna pay $30 per calf...they've got to be babies, right? If the milk replacer you are thinking about is only $23 per bag, then it's not good milk replacer, I wouldn't think...unless you got a real deal somehwere, and if you did, I want in on it.

Now, if this milk replacer isn't 20% fat and 20% protein, then you are in for real trouble, I think. And, depending on where these calves come from, let's say like the auction, then even with 20/20 milk replacer you will still have a challenge. So, better figure in the cost of electrolytes, probios, antibiotics, spectam scour medicine, or whatever scour medicine you prefer, and a tube apparatus.

If I've made the wrong assumption, and these calves are older calves, like 6 weeks to 2 months old, and they are getting them for $30 per calf, I want in on that deal, too, 'cause I'd have them weaned and eating dry calf feed within a few weeks.

Alice

 

[rkm]

If my son and grandson [any of them], wanted me to help them with anything, and I could do it, I would. No questions asked. I would certainly not ask for a written contract with my grandson.

 

[Alice]

If my son and grandson [any of them], wanted me to help them with anything, and I could do it, I would. No questions asked. I would certainly not ask for a written contract with my grandson.

My oldest grandson is 12 and is the treasure of my heart, so rkm, I see where you are coming from with that one. ;-)

When he's gone to the auction with me he'll say something about getting himself a calf...and I say, "Where are ya' gonna keep it?" And he'll say, "Well, here." And I'll say, "Well, ya' know it's gotta be fed...and it'll be your calf...so, how ya' gonna manage that, living about 60 miles from here?" Thank goodness he's a smart kid.

Alice

 

[dun]

In addition to Alices post, besides the protein and fat persentages, it has to be milk and milk byproducts, not that soy/vegetable protein crap. A young calf can starve on a full belly with that stuff.

dun

 

[mcdowedd]

Where did you find $30 jersey calves?

 

[HOSS]

I hope your grandkids are not hoping to make money on these calves. At 40 bucks per month the hope of any profit goes out the window. Jersey calves here sell for about 60 cents per pound at the sale. A 500 pound bottle fed Jersey calf is getting to be nearly a year old. 10 months x 40.00 = 400.00 in cost just in baby sitting fees. Looks like someone just lost 100 bucks on the calf. I would reccomend reconsidering.

 

[MrGale]

take it from experience....cut em EARLY as a Jersy Bull must be kin to my ex wife...nasty and proud of it !!!!

 

[dun]

take it from experience....cut em EARLY as a Jersy Bull must be kin to my ex wife...nasty and proud of it !!!!

Had no idea you were married to my ex

dun