Just want to break even

[JMJ Farms]

You seem like you're pretty sharp. I think it will all work out fine for you. Best of luck to you and yours.

 

[Dueyb]

Now that you all mentioned it. The local high school ag teacher has asked about renting it to put some cattle on it. This could maybe be a decent set up. The only thing I would worry about would be if he would be interested in such a short lease

Yea, land is income producing property. You never need to let it sit idle.

If you can line up a good tenant that will pay a good pasture rental rate then I would go that route since you are starting out. Competition for a pasture the size of yours is typically pretty good. Take a few years to focus on getting the fences tightened up, controlling brush, and improving corrals, water, etc. Since you are working full time, the projects will be more enjoyable if you aren't having to manage the cows too. After a few years, you will have a better understanding of what your goals are and your farm will be in better shape so you can then focus more on the cows. I am in a similar position as you....this is what we have done and is working well so far.

 

[Askme42]

You seem like you're pretty sharp. I think it will all work out fine for you. Best of luck to you and yours.

Thanks a lot.


I'm sure they are out there anyone point me in the direction of a good app or program to keep tract of input costs per head? Or do most of you just create like An excel spreadsheet?

 

[JMJ Farms]

You seem like you're pretty sharp. I think it will all work out fine for you. Best of luck to you and yours.

Thanks a lot.


I'm sure they are out there anyone point me in the direction of a good app or program to keep tract of input costs per head? Or do most of you just create like An excel spreadsheet?

I use an excel spreadsheet for calving records. As for expenses I just make sure I write a check for everything out of my farm account and figure it at the end of the month or year.

 

[Brute 23]

Excel

If you know how to use it you can do just about any thing. You can keep both your costs and cow/ calf records.

 

[Askme42]

Excel

If you know how to use it you can do just about any thing. You can keep both your costs and cow/ calf records.

Been a long time but luckily my mom was a high school computer teacher. Excel was one of the things she taught the most.

 

[JSCATTLE]

I'm doing basically the same thing you are doing in 2008 .. Although I have been around cattle for a lot longer. At one point I had 700 acres leased and bought 200. The last big drought in texas got me .. I still run cows on my land but let the leases go back.. I now have 40 momma cows on about 110 acres of pasture and 90 acres of clear cut/ mixed grasses.. I also have 25 acres at my house that I have cut for hay .. This year I'm turning that into pasture to raise heifers .. Buy just what you will need .. Don't go buy tractors balers etc.. You can run enough cows on your hay ground to buy hay and then some .. Get your working pens and shoot in order before you buy cows.. I use to pasture rope them to dr .. It's not fun doing that by yourself . Soil test your place and get your grass growing the way it should.. I'd start out with 40 or so bred cows .. Work up from there to full stocking rate. That will allow you to work on your place and still make some money .. Leasing won't generate much money .. And if there are gonna be cows on it might as well be yours.. When I sell calves I budget money for hay winter rye grass and taxes .. Anything left goes into a future payment account to pay the land note .. I bought the majority of my cows before prices jumped .. I've been holding 5 heifers year as replacements .. I feed them for a month and then turn them on rye grass until they go back in with the cows. I paid for a cab tractor baler cutter and rake bailing for other people .. Paid my cows off with cow money in 3 years .. This year i was able to put 12000 in future payment for my land note .. That's 2400 short of paying the note for the year ... Oh and I no longer pay 1500 bucks for a deer lease that covers my land taxes .. It's a lot of work .. I work shift work and work about 900 hours of overtime a year .. And I still manage just fine .. Sucks putting out hay in the dark but its only for3 months .. To me its just as easy to feed and tend 80 head as it is 20 ..good luck .

 

[Kell-inKY]

.. Paid my cows off with cow money in 3 years .. This year i was able to put 12000 in future payment for my land note ..

that's inspirational, to me at least

To the original poster: You got a screaming deal on 300 acres if your payment is only 2k a month.

 

[Dave]

I'm doing basically the same thing you are doing in 2008 .. Although I have been around cattle for a lot longer. At one point I had 700 acres leased and bought 200. The last big drought in texas got me .. I still run cows on my land but let the leases go back.. I now have 40 momma cows on about 110 acres of pasture and 90 acres of clear cut/ mixed grasses.. I also have 25 acres at my house that I have cut for hay .. This year I'm turning that into pasture to raise heifers .. Buy just what you will need .. Don't go buy tractors balers etc.. You can run enough cows on your hay ground to buy hay and then some .. Get your working pens and shoot in order before you buy cows.. I use to pasture rope them to dr .. It's not fun doing that by yourself . Soil test your place and get your grass growing the way it should.. I'd start out with 40 or so bred cows .. Work up from there to full stocking rate. That will allow you to work on your place and still make some money .. Leasing won't generate much money .. And if there are gonna be cows on it might as well be yours.. When I sell calves I budget money for hay winter rye grass and taxes .. Anything left goes into a future payment account to pay the land note .. I bought the majority of my cows before prices jumped .. I've been holding 5 heifers year as replacements .. I feed them for a month and then turn them on rye grass until they go back in with the cows. I paid for a cab tractor baler cutter and rake bailing for other people .. Paid my cows off with cow money in 3 years .. This year i was able to put 12000 in future payment for my land note .. That's 2400 short of paying the note for the year ... Oh and I no longer pay 1500 bucks for a deer lease that covers my land taxes .. It's a lot of work .. I work shift work and work about 900 hours of overtime a year .. And I still manage just fine .. Sucks putting out hay in the dark but its only for3 months .. To me its just as easy to feed and tend 80 head as it is 20 ..good luck .

I certainly agree I. The vast majority of the time 80 head are as easy to tend as 20 head. Buy as little equipment as you can. Be cheap when buy equipment but don't buy junk. Nothing to take up time and money like equipment that you are always having to fix in order to use. Everyone's circumstance is different but I quit doing hay back in 1998 because I could buy it as cheap as putting it up. That has worked every year but one. That year hay was hard to find and expensive but the average has more than worked out. Be willing to think a little outside the box. There are ways other than a straight cow/calf or stocker to raise cattle and make money. Keep your pencil sharp and push it regularly. Going to grazing workshops is time and money well spent.

 

[bbirder]

You have received a lot of good advice in this thread. Especially concerning going slow with the capital investments in equipment. I always tell others that "you can't eat a deduction". It takes cash flow and that comes with a lot of hard work. Good Luck!

 

[Askme42]

.. Paid my cows off with cow money in 3 years .. This year i was able to put 12000 in future payment for my land note ..

that's inspirational, to me at least

To the original poster: You got a screaming deal on 300 acres if your payment is only 2k a month.

It'll be a little bit more but not much. $2200-$2300.


Family ground my dad basically gave up his share so it was like putting 25% down.