cost of raising heifer to be bred vs buying bred cow

[stocky]

I think you will have to put alot of time and expense into 300-400 lb calves. As most others have said, even ideal conditions yield heifer calving problems and the heifers first calf will not be worth as much due to needing to sell it early to let the heifer build back up. I agree with Dun, go get good quality Short Solid cows -----8-10 years old. They will last another 5 or 6 calves and give you good calves for your future foundation. I don't know if you have enough cattle in your area to get good cattle at a sale barn or not. Here, with so many sales barns, every week there are several whole herd disposals somewhere in the area. If you dont have good cows availabe at a barn, buy from an individual, but don't pay the same price for a 10 year old cow that should get you a 5 year old. Be very careful of the stories individuals will try to sell you on their cows. There are times you can buy 3 in 1's cheaper than open pairs or even springers. Right now, with calf prices down quite a bit, is a real good time to buy 3 in 1 pairs. When the calves are high, the 3 in 1's are split and the calf sold seperate. Use your initial purchase money wisely, because that purchase is what you will live with for a long time.

 

[alftn]

I think the heifers could be breed a t 21 or 22 mo calf at 30 months and breed to the right small calf bull and there would be no calfing problems or a t least greatly reduced..Breeding a 15 mo old heifer is like a 15 year old girl having a baby, at 21 she will mostly likely do fine...But since cattle business is about money.. we pust everything to the point of breaking, so not to go bust....

 

[uscangus]

I think the heifers could be breed a t 21 or 22 mo calf at 30 months and breed to the right small calf bull and there would be no calfing problems or a t least greatly reduced..Breeding a 15 mo old heifer is like a 15 year old girl having a baby, at 21 she will mostly likely do fine...But since cattle business is about money.. we pust everything to the point of breaking, so not to go bust....

i am not in the rush these heifer, urgently. i would like to build nice heifers and wait for their structure to be develop. then, build the next generation. i don't to rush and have to pull the calf because the heifers are too young. i am willing to wait 15-18 months to breed and by nine months they should be mature to deliver, structurally. the bull that my neighbor has easy calving. thank you kindly for your generous and experience advices..... since i have waited for five years of owning this farm, i could wait little longer to have fun and be proud the heifers that i picked, purchased, raised, bred, and calving. the first calving would be a great joy seeing. :tiphat: :wave:

 

[S&WSigma40VEShooter]

Saw something here recently, I cannot for the life of me remember where that says raising your own heifers is cheaper than buying them from others. I do believe that to be true.

 

[uscangus]

I think you will have to put alot of time and expense into 300-400 lb calves. As most others have said, even ideal conditions yield heifer calving problems and the heifers first calf will not be worth as much due to needing to sell it early to let the heifer build back up. I agree with Dun, go get good quality Short Solid cows -----8-10 years old. They will last another 5 or 6 calves and give you good calves for your future foundation. I don't know if you have enough cattle in your area to get good cattle at a sale barn or not. Here, with so many sales barns, every week there are several whole herd disposals somewhere in the area. If you dont have good cows availabe at a barn, buy from an individual, but don't pay the same price for a 10 year old cow that should get you a 5 year old. Be very careful of the stories individuals will try to sell you on their cows. There are times you can buy 3 in 1's cheaper than open pairs or even springers. Right now, with calf prices down quite a bit, is a real good time to buy 3 in 1 pairs. When the calves are high, the 3 in 1's are split and the calf sold seperate. Use your initial purchase money wisely, because that purchase is what you will live with for a long time.

most of my neighbor are dairyman and they are selling their herd badly. they are loosing about $100 per cow a month. these neighbors are three to four generations. they are dumping hamburger meats or young steer for meat. the question is that it is hard to find a neighbor that you could trust so worthy to start form bred cow to 3 and 1. thank you kindly. :tiphat:

 

[Workinonit Farm]

with 15-17 months to wait until their structures are developed, they will be barely over several months over two years
by the time of calvings.

Their "structures" are not the only concern when it comes to heifers. Not that uncommon for a heifer to 'decide' she doesn't want to be a mother. Not all 1st timers (heifers) have that maternal instinct. Then there are those that do mother-up well, but are just not good mothers in general.

Not all bred cows that are sold are pieces of junk. Dispersal sales can have some decent animals. I also agree with the advice of purchasing 3-in-ones. More bang for your buck.

Katherine

 

[Cowdirt]

I think the heifers could be breed a t 21 or 22 mo calf at 30 months and breed to the right small calf bull and there would be no calfing problems or a t least greatly reduced..Breeding a 15 mo old heifer is like a 15 year old girl having a baby, at 21 she will mostly likely do fine...But since cattle business is about money.. we pust everything to the point of breaking, so not to go bust....

alftn, I know you're an advocate of later breeding of heifers but with rare exceptions I don't see the need for it. If you have the keeping-kind of heifers one just as well let them start earning their keep at 2yrs. Most of the risks associated with first-calf heifers will exist whether they are 24mos old or 30 at calving. JMHO

 

[backhoeboogie]

Saw something here recently, I cannot for the life of me remember where that says raising your own heifers is cheaper than buying them from others. I do believe that to be true.

The only advantage is developing and getting exactly what you want for your foundation, for your pastures, in your climate and not what someone else thinks you need.

 

[alftn]

I will say I am not a large breeder, I also do not make my living from cattle. I ruin them as a business, and think of them as a non- profit organization. I try to have 20-25 cows, a leased bull from time to time, I keep most of my heifers at least a year, and very my cow number to ajust for the heifers coming back into the herd...I band most of the good bull calves, and run them with my heifers on the other farm...appx. 21 ac. of good clover, fescue, and ber. grass. split into 3 lot around a 2 ac. pond.... had cattle on this place since 99, have built great grass, keep the feeders and breeders there....Eat grass fed corn finisher beef,( 2 - 30 mo.old steers now, biggest ever , 30 Nov. kill date) 7 heifers for 08, and 5 09 heifers calves there...along with 7 08 and 09 steers.


I keep the heifers cause they just ride along with the steers, and we eat alot of beef, if the heifers are to my liking I put them into the herd..The 7 08's will go in in Jan..or be culled, either sale barn or as feeders to be killed...I would like to say my cattle are a tax write off....and I use them as such, but the Farms usually make a fair profit.


I raise cattle because I aint a very good hunter, and I am real good at growing grass...most of all I love the land that took a life time to pay for, and I will never have enough of(land). The cows are my lawn mowers and my roast beef sandwichs, I truly love my cows and they taste good, and I believe they are better for me than store bought meats....


Now if I figuraed in land rent and labor, I am in the hole, but since the land is paid for and really cost me nothing, ok taxes, witch are low here,and Labor is of love...I keep my heifers because I can raise better than I can buy....and if you can not raise heifers better then you can buy, you should not be raising cattle...!!!

 

[HOSS]

Along with the advice everybody elase has put up I would be very carefull on bull selection if you decide to go this route. Make sure your friends bull is a low BW bull. If you are only going to have this bull through the month of November I highly doubt that he will cover 40 - 60 head in one month. You will need to leave him in probably 70 to 90 days to cover everything as some may not take on first breeding and will need a second cycle. You could also go with 2 mature bulls.

 

[ScottyB]

Just an estimation, but you are wanting to buy 50 heifers at lets say $500 apiece at 400-600 lbs. That means your budget is around $25000. With heifers you are waiting approximately 2 years plus before you see any cash flow returned to you. If I were you i would buy 25 4-6 yr old black cows that are heavy bred (7-9 months). You can probably get 25 with no problem to equal $25000. That way after 6-9 months of buying these cows you could sale the steers and start culling the cows you don't like and keeping the heifers. In doing this you get good mature cows that are great mommas and you have some more money to build your herd the right way with the least amount of problems.
You get good mommas that aren't wild and there heifers will not be wild and you could have yourself a good quality herd by the time those 50 heifers of your original plan would be calfing.
Thanks, Just my opinion. :tiphat:

 

[S&WSigma40VEShooter]

Just an estimation, but you are wanting to buy 50 heifers at lets say $500 apiece at 400-600 lbs. That means your budget is around $25000. With heifers you are waiting approximately 2 years plus before you see any cash flow returned to you. If I were you i would buy 25 4-6 yr old black cows that are heavy bred (7-9 months). You can probably get 25 with no problem to equal $25000. That way after 6-9 months of buying these cows you could sale the steers and start culling the cows you don't like and keeping the heifers. In doing this you get good mature cows that are great mommas and you have some more money to build your herd the right way with the least amount of problems.
You get good mommas that aren't wild and there heifers will not be wild and you could have yourself a good quality herd by the time those 50 heifers of your original plan would be calfing.
Thanks, Just my opinion. :tiphat:

Good advice at that.

 

[MoGal]

I can't imagine anyone wanting their entire cow herd to be first calving heifers, however, if you insist on going this route, this would be my advice to you.
Get your 60 heifers (everyone is correct you've got to supplement these heifers to grow them out properly).
1) When these heifers get 1 year of age, have your vet do a reproductive breeding exam..... I think Dun has said he uses 160 cm as a reproductive tract score. My vet uses 150 as a guideline. This will help you to cull out the ones who would definitely have problems calving. Any heifer less than 150 cm must be sold.

2) In December, put your bull out with the remaining heifers. Pull him in 45 days and 45 days later have all the heifers preg checked.
Cull all heifers not bred.

3) Take the money from the sale of #1 and #2 and go buy bred short solid cows. Figure out what stage you need them in so they are calving around the same time as the heifers. Of course if you use the salebarn to purchase these cows some may be in late second or early second stage and you have no way of knowing that until they calve. Some of them would be calving later than the heifers.

Your "average" heifer will cycle at 14 months. Just because you wait doesn't mean it will be any easier for her to calve. You will still have some 1st calvers that may take 5 months to breed back after they calve.

 

[Brute 23]

I would buy what ever you get good deals on. A good deal is a good deal no matter if its a bred cow, heifer, bred heifer, ect.. Plus that will have the times they go out of the herd a little more mixed.

We keep replacement heifers because we have grass for them to be raised on.

 

[donaldjohnson]

colorado state uni. has this worked out for you. go to www.csubeef. com . all the guess work is taken out of your question. :banana:

 

[Douglas]

If these low weight heifers were weaned early there is a good chance that they will be low milk producers. I have read a lot about the advantages of weaning early and most experts suggest not weaning replacement heifers early.

 

[MoGal]

colorado state uni. has this worked out for you. go to http://www.csubeef. com . all the guess work is taken out of your question. :banana:

Are you sure that link works? Its telling me it doesn't exist???

 

[dun]

colorado state uni. has this worked out for you. go to http://www.csubeef.com . all the guess work is taken out of your question. :banana:

Are you sure that link works? Its telling me it doesn't exist???

It's the space after the dot. It will work in the quote on this post.
Problem is it just takes you to the site and I don;t have a clue as to how to get to where I should go from there

 

[MShaffer]

http://www.csubeef.com/content/view/84/78/

 

[Stocker Steve]

If these low weight heifers were weaned early there is a good chance that they will be low milk producers. I have read a lot about the advantages of weaning early and most experts suggest not weaning replacement heifers early.

what is low wt. and early?