The calves won't get to 600 pounds on the cows. A huge part of the equation making this work is the kill value of the cow. We ship the cows direct to the plant the middle of August. Later than that the kill cow market will start to slip as more cows start coming to town. The calves all get weaned the day we ship the cows. The calves will be in the 500-300 pound range. About 4 or 5 days in the corral to get the bawl out of them. Then out on irrigated meadow hay field regrowth. When that grass runs out they will go to town. That is generally some time in October. Another thing that makes this work is the fact that from about mid April until they are all gone we feed zero. Just range land pasture.
That's well thought out. I like feeding zero and have never seen paying money for feed pencil out well.
I fully realize that many words in the English language have changed their meaning or use. So what is a "dude"? A person who goes to a "dude ranch" to pretend to be a cowboy for a few short days. So to call someone who actually is or has been a cowboy for real in life, calling them a "dude" is a pretty big insult. Again many people use words in one way that others take an entirely different way. No offense taken or meant, just pointing it out.
That's so odd. I could've sworn I read that post earlier and it said DAVE not DUDE
Geeze... I'm probably guilty of that. I've been around urbanites so much that I speak it without thinking.
Aren't you on a big holiday there Dave? I know I am, doing what I do, I think we are similar ages.
HJoliday. There is another one of those terms that mean different things to different people. To me a holiday is a specific day, like Chirstmas. I know for some it is a term used for a vacation. A big holiday? And we being of similar age...... Do you mean we are both retired? I am 71 and retired. Although being retired and owning a ranch is a true oxymoron.
Yes, I am 72 and similarly retired. I own over 1000 acres and never stop working on it and running my cattle. I love every minute of it. I consider I'm having one big holiday.
Don't forget also that meanings are often different in different countries....even when both speak the "same language"... a bloke here is not what they think in @wbvs58's country .... and I agree with holiday meaning a specific day but so many refer to it as a vacation...or to having a good time and I think the @wbvs58 really enjoys his "retirement" on his ranch... hence having a "holiday"...
Yep, I will be 72 in just about 2 months. I have 1,200 acres deeded plus 2 BLM allotments for about 70 pairs. I enjoy the work I get to do althought there are sometimes when I stack up 5 or 6 twelve plus hour days in a row that I will flop down at the end of the day and think I am supposed to be retired.
My secret is big mornings and late lunch then I coast a bit of an afternoon ( I was going to say arvo but I find with regional differences people don't know what I mean)
My problem is a lot of the time I am working with men much younger than me. Today I was out changing the irrigation at 6:00. Back in the house downed a light breakfast and drove down to the corral at 7:30. We gathered 80-90 pairs into the corral. Ran the cows through the chute to brand and ear tag. Then had to pair them up. Only about 10% were marked as pairs. Sorted the pairs to go two different directions. Hauled 51 pairs about 10 miles to summer camp (2 trips on a nasty steep road going into and out of there). No lunch, nothing to drink. Got home at 4:15. Drank about a quart of lemonade and ate a sandwich. Kicked back in the recliner and took a nap. These guys do that everyday. They are 52, late 30's, and 24. I have a bit of a problem keeping up.
You are doing DAMN FINE for that....
Dave, I know what you mean, it is for that exact reason that I decline a lot of help from others. I can get a lot done but I have to work at my own pace, start when I want to, knock off when I want to. My wife Pam works well with me. I just have to stop her from throwing herself under the tractor, catching a falling beam that we may be putting up, putting herself in dangerous position with cows with new born calf. She is a nightmare when it comes to safety. If something is falling her natural instinct is to try and catch it rather than get out of the way. I have to have eyes in the back of my head to watch out for her. Fortunately I can predict what she is going to do and prewarn her.
This is not others helping me but the other way around. Long story. When I bought this place 5 years ago I leased it to B. Working on getting more money for the lease I told him A: I was a poor old retired guy on limited income. B: That I could help out on doing things like the irrigation. This has morphed into much more. He calved out 1,600 this year so he has a much bigger operation than I ever had. I am his unhired hired man. The first year I bought 24 light heifers with the intent to feed them over the winter and sell in the spring mainly for tax purposes. Sometime that winter he told me I could just run them and sell them with his stocker heifers. It worked for both of us. That next winter he was talking about running some one and done cows. That has worked into a partner deal. I buy them and feed them his hay and they run on his pasture. He takes care of all the cowboy stuff in handling them. We split the profit or loss. I also go to the sales buying for him. Mostly it works out great. I make some money and it gives me something to do. Occasionally I end up with a longer day than I would prefer but that hasn't killed me so far.
I kinda stepped in a pile on that one huh. I see what you mean. You suppose that's where the word came from? A dude ranch?
