Cows VS. Steers

[Tin Man]

I am thinking about selling all my cows, buying steers in the spring grazing them to late fall then selling them. this way I could sale all my hay also I have poeple calling all the time wanting hay. so do yall think I would be ahead by doing this. thanks

 

[jkwilson]

Could work. You'll be buying calves when everybody is buying and selling when everybody is selling, and if the weather goes to heck and grain prices take off, it can be difficult to get close to your money back. Many people do it that way.

It might be even better to buy calves in the fall and winter them on stockpiled forage and hay from a first cutting if that works for you. Playing the numbers a little better and saving machine hours harvesting hay.

 

[stocky]

It will work well some years, some years you will lose money on the cattle and the hay. You will be buying steers when they are the highest and selling them when they are the cheapest. You will be at the mercy of the total hay supply as far as at what price you can sell your hay. Some people who do this sell their steer in August before the price breaks and then buy a fresh supply in October-December, at whatever point the price is cheaper. WIth this, they sell part of their hay and feed part of their hay. Or if you don't buy fall steers, you will have alot of stockpiled grass (if it is fescue) for the early spring when you buy your spring steers. Overall, with steers, I think you are better off most years to buy in Oct-Dec and sell in July-Aug.

 

[tncattle]

I did that this past spring to fall and sold before Labor day, of course prices were good so it worked out really well. AS of now I've only got a 28 acre pasture but it's a very rich one that is all river bottom with a really good set of grasses. If I have adequate rain I can run as many as 30-35 just weaned calves from spring to fall. I actually pull them off in time for the grass to grow about another 3-4 weeks and start them in the spring around April 15 after the grass has really set to growing. If I winter anything it would just be too hard on the pasture long term.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I am thinking about selling all my cows, buying steers in the spring grazing them to late fall then selling them. this way I could sale all my hay also I have poeple calling all the time wanting hay. so do yall think I would be ahead by doing this. thanks

Easy, but not much profit.
So what is your goal?

 

[1982vett]

Easy, but not much profit.

Are you saying their is a large profit somewhere out there to be made? :lol:

 

[Stocker Steve]

I am buying light calves now during the fall run, putting them on mixed hay and corn by products, till they go onto a leased pasture.

 

[bigbull338]

if i was you id keep what i got.buying steers is risky no matter what time of year.most times you buy high an sell low when they are ready to sale.an you could loose your shirt doing it.the hay market will go bust sooner or later.

 

[tncattle]

I am thinking about selling all my cows, buying steers in the spring grazing them to late fall then selling them. this way I could sale all my hay also I have poeple calling all the time wanting hay. so do yall think I would be ahead by doing this. thanks

Easy, but not much profit.
So what is your goal?

I made a good profit and didn't feed anything except to get them to come into the corral when needed. I also bought straight off the farm for less than market value because the farmer wanted to avoid shipping costs and sale barn fees. I then sold straight off the farm for market value. If you out some effort into the buying & selling part you can do better than you think. Obviously every situation will vary but that's my $.02.

 

[cypressfarms]

I am thinking about selling all my cows, buying steers in the spring grazing them to late fall then selling them. this way I could sale all my hay also I have poeple calling all the time wanting hay. so do yall think I would be ahead by doing this. thanks

As others have pointed out, you'd be buying when (historically) the prices are high and selling when (historically the prices are low. If your hay is in that much demand, why not sell all the cows and just deal in hay? You'd have no upkeep costs of any animal, you'd never have to worry about cattle prices, and hay never gets sick and needs medecine...

 

[Jogeephus]

Why not look at doing it with heifers? If the market is where you want it to be you could always breed them and sell bred heifers at a breeder sale or just use them to start over.

 

[Tin Man]

Thanks for all the help and info. still dont know what I am going to do yet.

 

[BC]

The buy in the spring and sell in the fall to avoid having to buy feed looks good on paper but as others have said you are buying on a "grass fever"market and selling when the market is typically lower. You need to look at changing your buying time. Buying right before and after Christmas has worked for me. Fed hay and enough protein to keep them alive until ryegrass kicked in gear in March and then grazed bermuda until end of July. Make a cutting of hay and overseed ryegrass and get ready to start over.