Have to make a newbie decision...need some good advice..
4 months ago I purchased a fodder/silo system to start feeding cattle. We are now producing 60-100 pounds of silo per day and storing it. I have raised cattle in college and actually received a full paid scholarship to a university for it, but I was only on the showing side not the profit driven side. LOL I'm confidant I can raise some cattle and turn it into a profitable business.
I am going to start with 10 bottle calves which I have a direct contact with a rancher who crosses his jersey calves with a brangas bull. I have made my check list to check off signs of sickness weakness scours so on. They will have there Enforce 3 and thoroughly checked for scours before I get there. I am only buying black calves no spots or different colors, per rancher he has them. Took a long time and a lot of research to find this rancher. He said he could supply me with 30-40 calves in a 6 month period. We are going to bottle feed for 7-10 days. Then gradually put them on silo. Castration tagging so on will be performed after a 3 week period or when the calf is showing signs of good strength and weight gain. All will be done in-house to cut cost.
We have researched our silo mix which comes with a natural de-wormer and acidosis power. We will only be feeding 10% roughage. We are projecting 3.1-3.8 pounds per day of wight gain. Per this new system actively producing now.
Here are the questions I have;
1. Where can I sale these calves? I don't want to deal with sale barns.
2. Should I put them on a feed lot once they hit 600 pounds and go that direction? Where can I find a feed lot?
3. Can I sale directly to a packing plant? Whats the process or I trick of the trade when dealing with them.
4. I have a buyer right now in another state. Since I am feeding silo he wants to buy when they reach 350 pounds. I guess to put them on a feed lot to finish out.
5. Any ideas? I thought about launching my own meat through our corp / which I have a verbal from a local processor who has a usda number we can piggy back..
Lots of thoughts here. Just need to make the right decision. We all know more profit is good thing.
D
4 months ago I purchased a fodder/silo system to start feeding cattle. We are now producing 60-100 pounds of silo per day and storing it. I have raised cattle in college and actually received a full paid scholarship to a university for it, but I was only on the showing side not the profit driven side. LOL I'm confidant I can raise some cattle and turn it into a profitable business.
I am going to start with 10 bottle calves which I have a direct contact with a rancher who crosses his jersey calves with a brangas bull. I have made my check list to check off signs of sickness weakness scours so on. They will have there Enforce 3 and thoroughly checked for scours before I get there. I am only buying black calves no spots or different colors, per rancher he has them. Took a long time and a lot of research to find this rancher. He said he could supply me with 30-40 calves in a 6 month period. We are going to bottle feed for 7-10 days. Then gradually put them on silo. Castration tagging so on will be performed after a 3 week period or when the calf is showing signs of good strength and weight gain. All will be done in-house to cut cost.
We have researched our silo mix which comes with a natural de-wormer and acidosis power. We will only be feeding 10% roughage. We are projecting 3.1-3.8 pounds per day of wight gain. Per this new system actively producing now.
Here are the questions I have;
1. Where can I sale these calves? I don't want to deal with sale barns.
2. Should I put them on a feed lot once they hit 600 pounds and go that direction? Where can I find a feed lot?
3. Can I sale directly to a packing plant? Whats the process or I trick of the trade when dealing with them.
4. I have a buyer right now in another state. Since I am feeding silo he wants to buy when they reach 350 pounds. I guess to put them on a feed lot to finish out.
5. Any ideas? I thought about launching my own meat through our corp / which I have a verbal from a local processor who has a usda number we can piggy back..
Lots of thoughts here. Just need to make the right decision. We all know more profit is good thing.
D
