how much average to raise a calve

[ranching mn]

(And the best time to sell it)
Hey I been looking into getting into the cattle business as a side job, I work for a farmer who has around 80 head, so I aint all the way a newb, but I am looking into information on how much it would cost to raise a bottle calve and when to sell it. I live in sw mn, and I would be feeding hay and grain.

 

[ohiobeef]

Ask the farmer you work for. There are too many variables to give you a good estimate.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Rule of thumb I use it cost a 1.50 a day to maintain a cow.
Some years its lower some a little higher. I would think a bottle calf would be higher.
Milk replacer is not cheap as well as Calf feed and the time in the little devil.

 

[tom4018]

(And the best time to sell it)
Hey I been looking into getting into the cattle business as a side job, I work for a farmer who has around 80 head, so I aint all the way a newb, but I am looking into information on how much it would cost to raise a bottle calve and when to sell it. I live in sw mn, and I would be feeding hay and grain.

We have raised several bottle calves. Usually try to sell at about 550 pounds. The last few we have raised have averaged about $400 in expenses per calf. Your cost will vary depend on feed cost in your area.

 

[ranching mn]

Thanks yall for helpin out a little! I will for sure ask my boss. So how long about does it take to raiee to that wieght? About 500 550 lbs?

 

[tom4018]

Thanks yall for helpin out a little! I will for sure ask my boss. So how long about does it take to raiee to that wieght? About 500 550 lbs?

Figure roughly 2 pound per day gain.

 

[ranching mn]

Thanks yall for helpin out a little! I will for sure ask my boss. So how long about does it take to raiee to that wieght? About 500 550 lbs?

Figure roughly 2 pound per day gain.

Thanks tom! Definitely looking into it a lot more. But one more thing is
Breeds. I can get calves really cheap from Dairies ,
But are these jerseys and such good for reselling or would I profit better from
Something else? Thanks a heck of a lot

 

[tom4018]

Thanks yall for helpin out a little! I will for sure ask my boss. So how long about does it take to raiee to that wieght? About 500 550 lbs?

Figure roughly 2 pound per day gain.

Thanks tom! Definitely looking into it a lot more. But one more thing is
Breeds. I can get calves really cheap from Dairies ,
But are these jerseys and such good for reselling or would I profit better from
Something else? Thanks a heck of a lot

The dairy breeds can be bought cheaper but don't sell for as much. I have not done a lot of dairy or dairy cross calves but the ones I did not gain quite as good. Others might say different but if you can average a $100 head profit you are doing pretty good.

 

[ranching mn]

So where would I get them beef bottlers?
I know of numerous Dairies that I could get
Calves from, and they calve all year, so I guess the
Only way to get a bottler is if the mama dies or some thing?
Thanks Tom your a great help!!!

 

[tom4018]

So where would I get them beef bottlers?
I know of numerous Dairies that I could get
Calves from, and they calve all year, so I guess the
Only way to get a bottler is if the mama dies or some thing?
Thanks Tom your a great help!!!

They sell baby beef at the stockyard, guess a lot of it depends on how many you want. We never did over 6 or 8 at once. Probably never bought over 4 in one day. You can do dairy but I don't think the profit is quite as much as beef. Takes about the same amount of money to raise either one. A lot depends on your market to sell them, some areas are a lot better with the dairy calves.

 

[ranching mn]

Sweet thanks! I will check out the sale barns int he area.
I think it would definitely be more profitable to raise beef but would the initial
Purchase cost be more than the profit I would gain?
Thanks again for your help.
Db

 

[Dave]

If you are raising dairy calves I would take Holsteins over Jerseys. At sale time the Holsteins will beat the jerseys by a pretty good margin.

 

[backhoeboogie]

So where would I get them beef bottlers?
I know of numerous Dairies that I could get
Calves from, and they calve all year, so I guess the
Only way to get a bottler is if the mama dies or some thing?
Thanks Tom your a great help!!!

They sell baby beef at the stockyard, guess a lot of it depends on how many you want. We never did over 6 or 8 at once. Probably never bought over 4 in one day. You can do dairy but I don't think the profit is quite as much as beef. Takes about the same amount of money to raise either one. A lot depends on your market to sell them, some areas are a lot better with the dairy calves.

Here the ring man will split calves off of aged pairs. Someone brings in an old or older cow and there is not much bidding. They'll split the cow off and sell the calf as an idividual. Try to get one about a week old but some times you just have to take what you can get. Depends a lot on how many aged pairs there are at the sale.

A week old beef calf has had colostrums and is on his way. That is what I generally buy to graft to nurse cows. I try to stay below $250 and keep my cost to $1 a day for each calf. Wean them and put them on pasture. Sell them at around 500 lbs. That is my rule of thumb but sale timing and other things can cause a variance.

 

[Son of Butch]

50 lb bag of milk replacer @ $80 = $1.60 lb
1 lb of milk replacer per day is the rule of thumb [8 oz twice a day]
$1.60 x 42 days = $67

A 80 lb calf gaining 2 lbs per day for 210 days [7 months] 210d x 2 = 420 lbs + 80 lbs = 500 lbs
2.25 lbs per day 2.25 x 210 = 473 lbs + 80 lbs = 553 lbs

 

[ranching mn]

Man sun of a butch! Thanks a lot I had it pretty good calculated
But that milk replacer quote helped out a lot!!!
Thanks a lot :Cboy:
Sb

 

[ranching mn]

Oh yeah and what are 5wt calves going fer?
Db

 

[tom4018]

Baby calves here are bringing $400 give or take. Wish you could buy them here for $250.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Oh yeah and what are 5wt calves going fer?
Db

Depends on what they are.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Rule of thumb I use it cost a 1.50 a day to maintain a cow.

Do you have any labor or overhead in this?

 

[backhoeboogie]

Baby calves here are bringing $400 give or take. Wish you could buy them here for $250.

At $400 and kill prices, they ought to split them all.