farmerjan
Well-known member
I used to figure that 3 calves came out even with all expenses paid (plus value of the cow) and the 4th was the profit.... that is with dairy (holstein) or dairy x (black ang/hol cross) type calves... bringing less than straight beef calves but cost less to start usually.... that was also including all grain for the cow and what the calves would eat.....
When I was switching them off and raising 6 or more, I could really make some money on them but it took alot of extra time and effort to have the calves in the barn and bringing the cow in to them... and it got to where I just didn't see the big return for all my time and effort. With 3 to start then putting on an extra to finish up the later part of her lactation, she could go out with the calf once they were bonded and much less time and work.
No I didn't "figure" in the cost of the pasture since I would keep the cow anyway, as if she was a beef cow... and I would steal enough milk from her for the house on top of it.....
But when I was running 4 cows at a time in the barn... with 3 calves each and sometimes 4 on 2 of them, then the second batch of calves were nearly pure profit after feed costs while they were nursing them..... and you could switch the calves around to take advantage of the cow with more milk and things like that. It was wild when they would come in the barn and get the calves all sorted out for a week or 2, but they would quickly find their "preferred" momma.....and the cows liked their grain so it worked pretty good.
When I was switching them off and raising 6 or more, I could really make some money on them but it took alot of extra time and effort to have the calves in the barn and bringing the cow in to them... and it got to where I just didn't see the big return for all my time and effort. With 3 to start then putting on an extra to finish up the later part of her lactation, she could go out with the calf once they were bonded and much less time and work.
No I didn't "figure" in the cost of the pasture since I would keep the cow anyway, as if she was a beef cow... and I would steal enough milk from her for the house on top of it.....
But when I was running 4 cows at a time in the barn... with 3 calves each and sometimes 4 on 2 of them, then the second batch of calves were nearly pure profit after feed costs while they were nursing them..... and you could switch the calves around to take advantage of the cow with more milk and things like that. It was wild when they would come in the barn and get the calves all sorted out for a week or 2, but they would quickly find their "preferred" momma.....and the cows liked their grain so it worked pretty good.
