Cost of pasture grazing
- Thread starter drl
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There is no comparison. Pasture is always cheaper. We only feed hay from Dec.-March when grass isn't growing. How's about listing your location and a bit more information about what you are wanting to do.drl":1szqwp45 said:
I live in Wisconsin. We have about 150 cows that I am looking to do rotational grazing with. I have a chunk of land of about 150 acres that is rather hilly so it is some hay, corn, and about 25 acres pasture at the moment. Just looking to see how much it would save us in cow feed costs to compare how much it makes in corn (about 70-80 acres corn).
Kingfisher
Well-known member
I heard they got 3 inches up near Dallas. Did you get any?Isomade":2ox3ncl2 said:
Not a drop. :cry2: I was running a little under stocked before I culled some late/non breeders last month, I still haven't replaced those and it looks like I won't be able to this year.Kingfisher":2w54ypv1 said:
Bonsman
Well-known member
Isomade,
I thought you were getting some rain in the Eastern part of the state........ We had almost two inches in April and May combined. But with the hot wind it is gone.
OP pasture is always cheaper. But the cost of pasture is hard to determine. Do you include the cost of land? Quality alfalfa is running over $200.00 a ton and it is only going up.
I thought you were getting some rain in the Eastern part of the state........ We had almost two inches in April and May combined. But with the hot wind it is gone.
OP pasture is always cheaper. But the cost of pasture is hard to determine. Do you include the cost of land? Quality alfalfa is running over $200.00 a ton and it is only going up.
hayray
Well-known member
Last time I calculated it was about $.25/day for grazing and $.75/day for hay feeding.
Jogeephus
Well-known member
It costs nearly nothing to run my cattle on bahia pastures but these are only good for 8 months out of the year. I collect the surplus forage and bale for the lean months. Can't grow fescue so this is the cheapest option. Do use rotational grazing. With commodity prices as high as they are it would be hard for me to justify pulling cropland out and replacing crops with cattle. Only reason I haven't pulled the cows off and started farming the land again is I don't need the income cause taxes would eat me alive.
kjonesel
Well-known member
A magazine which also has a website is "Hay and Forage" you may want to look into it and subscribe online. Here in southern Indiana I put up hay off my pastures and one pasture I haven't gotten a fence around it yet and with the rain we have received we will cut the orchard grass again in about 3 weeks before I pasture it. When I cut my hay this time of the year I cut it at least 4 inches tall so that if it turns off dry it doesn't kill the grass. Back to your question I would always pasture if in doubt, the cows always do better on it.
Lucky_P
Well-known member
Another good publication is GRAZE magazine - http://www.grazeonline.com/
Jim Gerrish has some good stuff, as well - http://www.americangrazinglands.com/
Some folks here may recommend Stockman Grass Farmer - but I won't.
Jim Gerrish has some good stuff, as well - http://www.americangrazinglands.com/
Some folks here may recommend Stockman Grass Farmer - but I won't.
JustSimmental
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The days of using permanent pastures around here are long over. We graze millet from May until Labor Day or 110 days. We "limit graze" them 3-4 hours per day (calves). We normally put 6-8 700 wt calves per acre. 30 acres of Millet (irrigated):
Seed: $15/acre x 30 = $450
No fertilzer cost $0/acre
Irrigation $168/month x 4 months = $672
Total cost on 30 acres of Millet is ~ $1122.00
1122.00/120 days = $9.35/180 calves = 5 cents per head per day
Cows go onto irrigated pasture all summer which we estimate costs about 3 cents per head per day
Seed: $15/acre x 30 = $450
No fertilzer cost $0/acre
Irrigation $168/month x 4 months = $672
Total cost on 30 acres of Millet is ~ $1122.00
1122.00/120 days = $9.35/180 calves = 5 cents per head per day
Cows go onto irrigated pasture all summer which we estimate costs about 3 cents per head per day
drl":33hyde65 said:
Stocker Steve
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JustSimmental said:
hayray
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Lots' of numbers left out of this calculation on pasture costs. No way you feed for $.05/day.
JustSimmental
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Impressive - - but even with free labor we need to add the what it cost you not to rent this land out, plus fencing, irrigation depreciation, mineral, taxes, insurance, ect...
1. Why do I need to include what it might cost me "not to rent it out"-- I don't rent my land out--I use it. I do have some farm ground I rent out to a young farmer for $1/yr-- just trying to do my part to help the young farmers-- you want me to count that dollar?
2. Fencing is minimal-- I use polywire on a plastic reel-- roll it out / tighten it up; step in a plastic posts every 40 ft.
3. Irrigation is/has depreciated already.
4. Mineral -- I feed High Mg Mineral year round--anyway.
The others I do not count is the "cost to graze"-- neither does anyone else-- that I know of.
Taxes--- pay that anyway whether you have 1 cow or 200.
Insurance --lol --- noooo
JS
1. Why do I need to include what it might cost me "not to rent it out"-- I don't rent my land out--I use it. I do have some farm ground I rent out to a young farmer for $1/yr-- just trying to do my part to help the young farmers-- you want me to count that dollar?
2. Fencing is minimal-- I use polywire on a plastic reel-- roll it out / tighten it up; step in a plastic posts every 40 ft.
3. Irrigation is/has depreciated already.
4. Mineral -- I feed High Mg Mineral year round--anyway.
The others I do not count is the "cost to graze"-- neither does anyone else-- that I know of.
Taxes--- pay that anyway whether you have 1 cow or 200.
Insurance --lol --- noooo
JS
In Wisconsin on decent farmland pastures with average rainfall you can run 1 cow/calf pair per 1-1.5 acres from May through October. With lower clay soil you have to watch moisture to avoid pugging it all up. Your 25 acres of pastures won't last more than a month with 150 cows. Stop growing corn and buy it. Look up the Wisconsin grazing conference. Good info and networking for beginners.
Are you grazing dairy or beef cattle?
Are you grazing dairy or beef cattle?
novatech
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You deduct everything that cost you money, including unearned income.(rent)JustSimmental":89du63l5 said:
agmantoo
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Not exactly the answer to your question but with rain I can produce feeder calves from ~100 head of brood cows and market the feeder calves at ~550 lbs for around 25 cents per lb of gain of out-of-pocket expense. (Fuel, fertilizer, seed, machinery maintenance, property tax, utility, medicine, hauling, minerals, fence maintenance). There is no hired labor. The herd is fed exclusively from rotational grazed pasture forage year round, 1.4 acres total allocated land per cow/calf, no grain.
novatech":3nkddpht said:
Actually, the unearned rental income is an opportunity cost, but you do not deduct it from the income you make in using it in another fashion. IYou would simply compare the money you could make by renting the land out versus the money you make by grazing it. Also, depreciation is an accounting term that does not actually affect cash flow.
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
To separate the enterprises, the land operation needs to charge the cattle operation rent.
Some folks are making good money on "free" grazing, and then lose money on the land tax and interest.
Some folks are making good money on "free" grazing, and then lose money on the land tax and interest.
