Extra grass

[RoanDurham]

Had a friend ask me what she should do with the extra grass she has on her place. They downsized in the past and now have more much more grass than they can handle. I wasn't quite sure what would be the most profitable right now so I figured I'd ask you guys. One stipulation was that she wanted to sell whatever she bought before winter. If you had extra grass would you:

1) buy heavy breds, calve them out and then sell the pair in the fall

2) buy open heifers, breed and sell late fall

3) ?

 

[dun]

We're just renting out pasture for much the same reason.

 

[WalnutCrest]

3) hay the ground and sell the hay.

 

[WalnutCrest]

4) custom graze someone else's cattle

5) skinny culls to fatten up ... maybe run a bull with them for a while and try to get some pregnancies out of out, too.

 

[RoanDurham]

The pastures are grown up but it's not hay quality. We talked about fattening older cull cows. That might b ls as safe of bet as any. Any other ideas?

 

[BC]

3) hay the ground and sell the hay.

With reduced cattle numbers, who is going to buy and what is going to eat the hay? Too many around here already doing what you suggest.

Roan, there are options like older pairs or making steers out of big headed, big, nutted bull yearlings. I think you are too late in the season to buy older, heavy bred cows. Not enough time to calve out and grow a calf before fall. In addition, that older cow may not have enough teeth to eat and maintain her flesh and then you have a thin packer cow to sell. Here in East Texas, we see some of these bull yearlings that I mentioned. They will upgrade and will look a lot better fat and a steer. A man told me that you have to have vision to buy those kind of yearlings. Been watching him do it for years now. If you go that route, I want an invite to when you serve calf fries.

 

[RoanDurham]

Good idea. What would those yearling bulls weigh? What could you see paying for them in our area?

 

[BC]

Thecalves weigh from 450 to 700 and cost $750 to $975. The pairs weigh 900 to 1300 and cost $900 to $1400. Here are some pictures of some calves and thin pairs my friend bought over the last couple of weeks. Fat will cover up a multitude of sin.

 

[cloud9cattle]

I would buy thin boners marked open vaccinate them and turn them out with a cheap bull. Take them back when its time to stat feeding hay. Have them checked you should be able to sell some breds. Grant it this proably isnt the most ethical pratice but should make you a nice return.

 

[John SD]

We're just renting out pasture for much the same reason.

I like Dun's answer best.

I've never been one to get "in and out" and try to outguess the cattle market. Especially at this time of record cattle prices, things can go downhill by this fall.

IMO there is a lot of similarity between investing in livestock and investing in the Wall Street stock market. In the short term, a person can possibly make a killing. OTOH, in excess a person could go broke.

My strategy for both livestock and Wall St stock is to buy quality, hold for the long term, and likely be financially rewarded down the road.

I have 60, possibly a few more pairs coming soon for summer. On average, it takes 15 acres to graze a pair for a 5 month grazing season.

Calves will be gone in late October or early November. Depending on weather, cows will possibly stay until after Christmas.

I always tell the guy to use his own judgement and take the cows home when he thinks it is no longer worth it. 4" of light snow is not a problem for grazing cows but the pasture is tough to get to if wind drifts the road shut. When it's cold enough to make the 12' tire tanks ice over, the ice has to be chopped every day.

Pasture "here" brings in around $30/AUM. I don't charge for bulls which are pulled after breeding. My renter takes care of the fence with supplies I provide. I pay the electric bill for the water system.

When calves are on the cows, each month is paid in advance. After the calves leave, pasture is paid at the end of the month. Works for us.

Renting out the pasture might not be as lucrative as owning cattle right now, but OTOH with reliable renters who pay on time your friend won't go in the hole either. Your friend will have some nice cash flow going through the grazing season. :2cents:

 

[BC]

Ny suggestion was not get in and out just to buy a few extra animals to consume the extra grass this year. An old successful cattleman told me this years ago - "When you have extra grass, buy yearlings and turn them out with your cow-calf pairs. When you gather your cattle, you have more pounds to sell."

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

We have several friends that buy stockers when the grass comes on, then leave them on until the fall when the grass stops growing. It takes care of the grass, they get their cow fix (they like seeing animals in the pastures), and no care over the winter.