Dry lotting cows

[Engler]

I've got access to some super cheap feed next fall. Would it be completely crazy to totally dry lot cows 365 days/year or close to it? I'm not talking about feedlot situation with 200-300 square feet/head more like 25ish pairs on 5 acres. I've put a pencil to it, and on paper it looks like a more cost effective or at least even way to raise cattle.

I know that fuel and labor cost will play into profitability. Also I expect to have more disease pressure from being in that close of quarters. Furthermore I'd need more equipment or rather burn up equipment more quickly-feeders, mix wagon... Additionally I assume that the life expectancy of the cows will go down a bit.

Here in the land of corn and soybeans (and with the in-laws that I work with) pasture is a four letter word, so finding more grass to run more cows is going to be hard.

What am I missing? Any thoughts, comments or concerns are welcome and appreciated.

 

[dun]

Friend of mine has been doing it for years in IL. Since he is a bean and corn farmer he has most of the equipment. His biggest problem isn;t as much disease as MUD.
Almost forgot to mention that in some areas all dairys are run that way

 

[grannysoo]

His biggest problem isn't as much disease as MUD.

I agree that mud is going to be your big problem. What are you going to do with all of the manure? Do you have a lagoon that you're going to put it into? If so, how are you going to get rid of it from there? Mud/manure brings on its own set of problems.

We have several dairys in our area and they get pretty nasty. Seems they are always removing manure to the lagoon (which they pump out onto the hayfields). When we get even a slight rain, it's as slippery as eel snot at those places.

 

[bigbull338]

back in the early 70s we thought about dryloting our dairy cows like you.but todo we wouldve had to put out big creep feeders.an keep them full of feed.we was going to keep 100 cows on 5acs.but that wouldve been real tight.i think you might want to up your drylot to 7 or 8acs.itll work if you have enough cheap hay an feed year round.but if you dont youll go bust fast.

 

[blacksnake]

I would be careful with the cheap feed. Depending on what it is and how consistent the quality is, you may run into some nutritional defiencies or even overload on some.

 

[Stocker Steve]

If you have good quality feed you could do better by feeding calves rather than cows.
If you ave fair quality feed and local by products you could be better by feeding calves rather than cows.
If you really have to have cows, you could wait till freeze up, buy culls, graze/feed stubble for 90 days, and then let the in laws plant corn in the "lot."