Grow out/develop & sell question...

[brihop]

If you were to buy 10 registerable weanling (6 mo old) calves, grow them for one year and sell them at end of that year then would you choose heifer or bull calves? Which do you think would be more profitable? Alternately, I could buy 8-9 heifers and 1-2 bulls and market them as a "starter herd/s" when they're 18 months old.

(My particular opportunity is beefmasters and I'm in Florida. Saying 1 year b/c they'll be on leased land that is for sale, which will probably be sold and lose lease in 1 year).

I'm leaning towards heifers and 1-2 bulls. But what are your thoughts?

 

[Anonymous]

With the acreage the lease is, I'd run stockers and sell at the end. You wouldn't have to supplement much over winter. Implant them and all

 

[denvermartinfarms]

Well, I may not have the right answer since I ain't marketed cattle in floridia, but I would buy 10 200 to 300lb steers and sell them at 800 to 850lbs.

 

[BC]

Well, I may not have the right answer since I ain't marketed cattle in floridia, but I would buy 10 200 to 300lb steers and sell them at 800 to 850lbs.

May not want to get them that big since you are in Florida and it would be hard to find a bunch of 800 pounders there. Another thing to think about is you can not put as many 800 lb yearlings on a double increasing your transportation cost per head.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

Well, I may not have the right answer since I ain't marketed cattle in floridia, but I would buy 10 200 to 300lb steers and sell them at 800 to 850lbs.

May not want to get them that big since you are in Florida and it would be hard to find a bunch of 800 pounders there. Another thing to think about is you can not put as many 800 lb yearlings on a double increasing your transportation cost per head.

Maybe not, that's the way to go around here. If your really set on keeping them a year and letting them get big, you might want to go with heifers.

 

[BC]

Well, I may not have the right answer since I ain't marketed cattle in floridia, but I would buy 10 200 to 300lb steers and sell them at 800 to 850lbs.

May not want to get them that big since you are in Florida and it would be hard to find a bunch of 800 pounders there. Another thing to think about is you can not put as many 800 lb yearlings on a double increasing your transportation cost per head.

Maybe not, that's the way to go around here. If your really set on keeping them a year and letting them get big, you might want to go with heifers.

At home in East Texas, we would get them big, BUT we are just 500 miles from the panhandle of Texas and the feed yards. I agree with Denvermartin - just get heifers. That way you can go as feeders or replacement heifers.

 

[brihop]

well circumstance decided for me, lease came to an end. might look for new lease in FL. will go with AI on reg stock this time.