If it were easy......

[Dave]

As they say if it were easy everyone would do it. This morning when I fed in saw that one of the bred cows I bought on Thursday slipped a big calf last night..... it happens. Now to figure out the route to lose the least amount of money on her.

 

[MurraysMutts]

That's a rough one isn't it?

Do ya sell now and save what she would eat? Get her fat and hope for the best? 6 of one, half a dozen of the other

 

[uplandnut]

That sucks.

 

[gcreekrch]

Just remember that the first loss is the best one. If she is thin let her slide.

 

[coachg]

Cow prices inching back up . If you got the hay or grass put some weight on her and carry her back to the sale barn .

 

[Dave]

At $3 a day to feed a cow and about 90-100 days until grass she goes back to the sale. She would go Wednesday but she has to clean out first, so next week. I will lose some money but not a bunch. And as Gcreek said, the first lose is generally the lowest one.

 

[TexasRancher]

Sorry for your loss. I wouldn't sweat the small financial loses...cattle and land are what's important...and just living the experience being connected to the land and animals. Most farmers and ranchers/ families make their BIGGEST handsome financial gains when they exit and sell their land....that is, after they sell their cattle too. Generational farms passed-down are the best...but we're all rich with a back-up plan. It's nice working under those (wealth) conditions even though we lose some money some years.

 

[Dave]

Sorry for your loss. I wouldn't sweat the small financial loses...cattle and land are what's important...and just living the experience being connected to the land and animals. Most farmers and ranchers/ families make their BIGGEST handsome financial gains when they exit and sell their land....that is, after they sell their cattle too. Generational farms passed-down are the best...but we're all rich with a back-up plan. It's nice working under those (wealth) conditions even though we lose some money some years.

I have been at this long enough that one slipping a calf doesn't bother me. Not in to her much more than the purchase price. I hadn't even branded or ear tagged her yet. If you haven't lost any, you haven't owned many. I thought about the words in the Gambler song, Not every hand is a winner, not every hand is a loser......