How many run cows for a living?

[circlew]

I have an opportunity to rent 80 acres to go along with the 40 I have now. My grandfather also told me he was thinking of getting out and he wanted me to take over the place. He wants to rent it to me and sale his cows and hay equipment. He has 180 acres, a 60 acre hay field, a 10 acre hay field (no fence), 80 acres of pasture, and 30 acres of pasture/hayfield across the road from the 80 acre pasture. Got to talk money on both places when I get back home this weekend. I have 30 brood cows now and could run another 70 or 80 easily. All three places are within 10 minutes of each other. My question is could I make enough profit to handle all of this? I have always wanted to be able to farm for my share of the living. Thoughts and/or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[highgrit]

No better time than the present to try. Your young and have the want to, don't know any reason you can't make it.

 

[Isomade]

Unless you are going to live in a tent and eat beans for every meal I don't see any way you can make a living on 130 cows even if they were all paid for.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

How many head to you reckon it would take ISO? I've often wondered.

 

[Isomade]

Depends on the lifestyle you want to live, and you dang sure can't base it on today's calf prices. In 3 months those same prices could drop by 40 cents/lb, on 120 500# calves that's a drop of $24,000. Personally until I owe nothing to anyone and have 350 mamas I wouldn't try it.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Unless you are going to live in a tent and eat beans for every meal I don't see any way you can make a living on 130 cows even if they were all paid for.

Need to sell all the bulls for $7,000 and up :banana:

 

[Isomade]

Let me just add that everyone's situation is different. If I was single, and had no kids that depend on me or a wife that had a good job I might lower that number. I don't know Circlews situation, but I still would not try it if I owed on cows.

And I don't run cows for a living so I should probably stop running my mouth. :lol:

 

[circlew]

Thanks for all the replys. I am blessed enough to have a wife who has an excellent job. I've always wanted to run cows for a living. My goal is 200 to 250 mommas. Might even throw in some chicken houses someday. I was just tossing these thoughts around in my head and I was looking for some unbiased answers. So thanks and keep it coming.

 

[1wlimo]

I think the number of cows is like asking low long a piece of string is. Rent, will put the number up, but if you do not need to make hay, you will need less.
How much cash and what sort of machines you like will make a big difference

 

[Bigfoot]

I would really really hate to dash someones dreams, but it would be hard to make a living with that number. Even if every cow, the land, and the equipment was free and clear. I especially wouldnt walk away from a good paying job to try it.

 

[wbvs58]

If you have a supportive wife then 120females would possibly be a good start, always looking for more land to increase that number. In Australia, the minimum stand alone farm seems to carry 300-350 females but you would need minimum debt. If you could purchase a run down block and clean it up and sell it after several years to move onto something bigger and better, using capital gains to help improve your equity would be the way to go. Just don't get too attached to any place.
Ken

 

[Dave]

I know some people who are doing real well with 300 pairs. Others not so good. It depends on your cost of operating, debt load, and life style. On the other hand I think you can easily run a 100 cows while holding down a job for a living so everything you make off the cows goes back into growing bigger.

 

[Alan]

Probably the worst time in my short years to get into cattle, do yourself a favor an look at the cattle prices right now. A few years ago I sold calves for 46 cents a lb (46.00 cwt) now they are $1.20 a lb plus may be why you can find land. So in short a heifer that would have cost you $500 a few years ago now cost $1200 or so. Rent on top of buying cattle, tough living, no living for someone starting out.

JMO,
Alan

 

[JSCATTLE]

Until the drought I had 120 head . Still worked my day job . I think I could make it by my self with 75 head . Land cows tractor baler etc would have to be paid for . And I'm sure I would have to bale fOr others and do odd jobs . But I can live in a 30 by 30 metal building . I pay more of a note and 8 times the taxes on the house I live in than I do on 200 acres of farm land . The things we do for women lol .

 

[Aaron]

Can it be done? Yes.

Can you do it? Depends on the numbers your playing with in terms of expenses and debt.

A friend of mine suffices with 60 cows. Bachelor in a teeny-tiny house and no frills on 640 acres, running older equipment. Retains his own heifers, so his gross income is typically around the 30-35k mark selling yearlings and cull cows. Will be higher with the higher prices.

 

[user1]

If you want it, I mean really want it, it can be done. The more you really want it the easier it is. don't let pessimists discourage. But garner all the info you can.

 

[jilleroo]

In our sort of country, my husband always says you need a thousand cows per family to make a good living, pay a mortgage and maybe go ahead a little if you get a run of seasons. We are drought-prone here in the outback so need to allow for those years when the cows must be agisted away, or sold off. They most often need to be supplemented during winter/spring when the grass loses its protein value. Freight and fuel are big costs to us. We pay at least $7 a gallon (would that be right wbvs?) for diesel and use about $3000 worth a month.
So it all depends how much you can cut down your costs and what sort of lifestyle expectations you have.

 

[1982vett]

Oh hell....I'm going to just say NO.....

 

[Stocker Steve]

Can it be done? Yes.

Can you do it? Depends on the numbers your playing with in terms of expenses and debt.

A friend of mine suffices with 60 cows. Bachelor in a teeny-tiny house and no frills on 640 acres, running older equipment. Retains his own heifers, so his gross income is typically around the 30-35k mark selling yearlings and cull cows. Will be higher with the higher prices.

but does he have any toys ?

 

[B&M Farms]

I have an uncle that gets by pretty good with about 150 head of mamas. He also has two grandsons that work with him every summer custom baling alot of hay for others and his own. I dont think he would tell you he could make it on the cows alone.