I get this notion every year, usually in February. Ten inches of snow on the ground, and it rained all day long. Reasonably sure I have enough hay to make it, but I went ahead bought 60 rolls from a neighbor today. I don't want to sound lazy or work brittle, but I get this feeling on the rough winter days. It would be so nice to sell all my cows, and buy steers in the spring and sell em in the fall. Very little hay to deal with. No mud. No calves to pull, the list goes on and on. I background a few every year, so I've got a good idea what I'd be getting in to. I'm sure when the sweet grass comes out this spring, and baby calves are running with their tails over there back instead of shivering, I'll be singing a different tune----------Anybody else ever get crazy notions like this?
Forsaking cow/calf for stockers
- Thread starter Bigfoot
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Nesikep
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We delayed our calving from the norm (Feb around these parts) to mid March,.. that's eased the stress of it a lot.
For me, if I didn't have cows, I might as well just sell the place and go work, I'd get no satisfaction from buying and selling stockers. I'd say you should try delaying calving until better (typical) weather before you get rid of the cows altogether... Also, with the high initial cash outlay for feeders you have to deal with now leaves you pretty open should the market fall,... At least when you raise cow/calf you have a little protection there since you don't have to put as much on the table every time.
For me, if I didn't have cows, I might as well just sell the place and go work, I'd get no satisfaction from buying and selling stockers. I'd say you should try delaying calving until better (typical) weather before you get rid of the cows altogether... Also, with the high initial cash outlay for feeders you have to deal with now leaves you pretty open should the market fall,... At least when you raise cow/calf you have a little protection there since you don't have to put as much on the table every time.
Stocker Steve
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Stockers used to take twice as many $ per acre to stock compared to cows.
Stockers have the potential to increase gross margin per acre, but the risk goes up also.
To make serious $ you need to buy them in the winter... but you can take the fall off and go hunting !!! :banana:
Stockers have the potential to increase gross margin per acre, but the risk goes up also.
To make serious $ you need to buy them in the winter... but you can take the fall off and go hunting !!! :banana:
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Bigfoot
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Stocker Steve":1fjznwn1 said:
It had occurred to me, while playing with some numbers, it might be best to buy them before grass greens up. That would kinda defeat the purpose of selling my cows though.
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
Stockers are bad news in a declining market.
Pre sell them or buy LRP if you make the switch.
Pre sell them or buy LRP if you make the switch.
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Bigfoot
Well-known member
Stocker Steve":3es55tjt said:
On an established herd of moma cows, make a little profit, or break even are your two choices. Seldom do you out right lose money. The opportunity is definatly there to lose on stockers. I could take them in for what ever they gain, but I don't like the thought of tending to someone else's cattle.
Nesikep
Well-known member
Dun, I guess your climate goes from miserable cold to miserable heat a little faster than us up here then?... Breeding May-june works well for us, july does get hot by most anyone's standards, but the couple stragglers usually breed OK too
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Bigfoot
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Hijacking my own thread--------IMHO putting your bull in May 15th, and taking a chance of a calf being born on snow is less of a risk than trying to get a cow to stick in late June or July. Plus I like my replacement heifers to come early. They stand a better of chance of fitting in my breeding window.
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
Bigfoot":28vdwzki said:
You need to move 600 miles north to avoid the heat !
I ran into the vet from the clinic in our small town at the store today. Asked him if he had had anyone with calving problems in the bad weather, said one and then mentioned he put his own bull in August 1st. For me it always seemed hard to get them to breed that time of the year. Also heard of a few people losing several in this mess.Bigfoot":3u1igjpy said:
We used to start breeding May 20 making the calves due around the dirst of march. The past 2 winters were so mild we started a little earlier last year. This winter all bets are off. Calves are being born in ice/snow barely above freezing temps. I'm too old for this crap and it isn;t fair to the wife to have her try to do all of the choirs in this weather.Bigfoot":jffk1u43 said:
Nesikep
Well-known member
I wouldn't go as far as breeding in july/august around here as a routine.. it's often around 100F for those months, but june is a good time for us.
This year I wish I had all the calves on the ground already.. its been ideal weather.. no wind, no frost, hardly any rain, no mud.. As luck would have it we're probably going to get all that when they start calving mid march!
This year I wish I had all the calves on the ground already.. its been ideal weather.. no wind, no frost, hardly any rain, no mud.. As luck would have it we're probably going to get all that when they start calving mid march!
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Bigfoot
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This weather blast I'm in is very unlike anything I've seen before. We normally 10-12 inches of snow, and sub zero weather in late February. Maybe, occasionally some snow, but it won't hang around long.
Angus Cowman
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Go to fall calving then just feed hay no calving
redsimangus
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We calve on pasture the last couple years and in my opion that's the way to go. No sickness calved easy calves grow like crazy and all of the cows calved in 2 weeks to the day. We are trying to move to April or maybe start late march but if I would WAAAAAAY rather calve in may instead of February around here
Where is around here?
jedstivers
Well-known member
Either calve in sept/oct and have wheat and or ryegrass to graze or feed a little DDG's to the cows or go to stickers and buy puts on them. You have a floor on them them. You can make that floor the amount of money you will have in them and their feed or the amount you hope to profit in it too.
You should be in a good area for byproducts. I really like calving in the fall and grazing oats/wheat/ryegrass. I'm going to pure ryegrass though next year.
You should be in a good area for byproducts. I really like calving in the fall and grazing oats/wheat/ryegrass. I'm going to pure ryegrass though next year.
