My son (8years old). Had a little money burning a hole in his savings account. Instead of the things he had in mind, we went partners on 6 what we call tag backed calves. Calves that sell as singles at the front of the sale. We kept them 6 weeks. We split the cost of the calves, meds, feed, and I gave him his part of the hay. He helped put it in the barn anyway. Kept them 6 weeks, and one day. 5 gained well in excess of 2 pounds a day. One barely gained 1 pound a day. The 5 made it in a graded pen. The knot sold again as a single. He cleared $240 to his part. He had an almost 10% return on his investment in 6 weeks. He's hooked.
Little experiment
- Thread starter Bigfoot
- Start date
A
Anonymous
It's a great way to teach them work, savings, and profit/loss/management.
I've got a deal with dead eye. He helps me with cows, and he gets one calf a year. His choice of he calf. And then he gets to choose what's done with it. Held back to breed, sold, or eaten. It's great motivation for him to see the results of his work.
I've got a deal with dead eye. He helps me with cows, and he gets one calf a year. His choice of he calf. And then he gets to choose what's done with it. Held back to breed, sold, or eaten. It's great motivation for him to see the results of his work.
He's got a cow. She goes a little long between calves for my taste. About 14 months. He needs to sell her, and get a better one. Her upkeep is covered by his chores here. This was a little extra. Btw. They mowed through about 30 good square bales of hay. I figure I had about $40 in fuel with two trips to the yard. Just saying. It ain't a license to print money. My half was small.
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Anonymous
Yep. I've told him what the per head break down is and tell him ill cover the heifers expenses until she calves. And then it's his baby.
denvermartinfarms
Well-known member
Good job. i like these kinds of storys.
He rooted me out. I guess he doesn't need a partner. He finished his 3rd group of 6 head today. He cleared $140 a piece this time. I'm out of town next week. He wants to buy again. Its killing him he doesnt have a driver. His birthday is next Tuesday. He asked his memaw for a ton of 14%.
cross_7
Well-known member
Bigfoot":3do7emx3 said:
Bigfoot that's is awesome
My 2 boys are both grown and never took an interest in cattle.
My daughter is 14 and doesn't like cattle because they as she says they poop everywhere.
If I were closer I'd haul cattle for him just for the enjoyment of watching a kid with my same interest.
You have been blessed :clap:
denvermartinfarms
Well-known member
That is great, if he will keep that up just think where he will be at 18.
He's been keeping them exactly 6 weeks. I've never had that kind of return. His luck will run out soon. There all tag backs, over night stands. A lot of thier gain is off the shrink they lost the first time through. I work them for him. For the most part they have all made it into a graded pen when he sells them. He hasn't had any hay in the last two groups of course. He gets a roll of hay for everyday he rakes. He only has 3 rolls for winter. I'll think of something he can do to get 10.
jedstivers
Well-known member
Don't forget y'all aren't raising cattle, your raising men. Bigfoot and hook your both doing good.
denvermartinfarms
Well-known member
How much of that 14% is he feeding them a day?
denvermartinfarms
Well-known member
You may have said but I don't remember, is he buying steers and how big are you buying them?
It's steers and hiefers. We have 2 yards very close to each other. One is lucky to have 150 head, the other will crowd 2,000 in the fall. He buys at the little sale, and sells at the big. There is something off about every calf. Not health wise of course, but color etc. Cattle are weighed at arrival here, not point of sale. We look for overnighters. Calves brought in the day before, but weighed on sale day----shrunk in other words. He buys any weight that fits the criteria. Keeps them 6 weeks--------there farm fresh after 4. His gains in 6 weeks are impressive, keep in mind he is getting 20-40 pounds of shrink back in a short period. They go the next sale as weaned and shots, make a graded pen most of the time. It's a nice little racket. A grown man couldn't quit his day job to do it, there's not enough volume. We got in it by accident. I was buying breakaway calves for my daughter to rope. When they lost there speed I would sell them. Made a little on most of them. He turned it in to a little enterprise. We never rope his calves. I can't tell that 3 or 4 trips through the chute 3 or 4 days a week slows their growth any, but I feel like its my place to supply the roping cattle.
denvermartinfarms
Well-known member
Buying unweaned calves rather they have already shrunk before they were weighed or not, giving a round of shots and gaining over 2lbs a day is great, and he is putting a lot of value in them to sell them. You said something about this not lasting and I ain't so sure, as long as he don't have a bunch die I think it will work for a long time, sure some bunches will profit more and others less but over a year I think he can keep it up. As far as I am concerned this is the coolest and most interesting thing that has been on this site in a while.
The $100 plus returns per calf will end. I love my kids, and I like to help them. I'm gonna have to siphon some off for feed at some point. School starting will take a lot of the fun out of it. Sale starts at 1:30. My dad could, and probably will buy for him when school starts.
I background two groups a year. There is so much financial risk to backgrounding, I hate for him to think that it's the way to go. For a kid cows and calves are the way to go. He has one pair. When he can do more work with less supervision, I don't care how many he has. He will have to figure out how to get there. Keeping heifers, maybe buying bred cows. I don't know what will suit his style.
Side note
It's been a great learning experience for him, all though the bank is a pain in the butt to work with. He has a little what I call pass book savings account. Putting in and taking out all the back and fourth is a hassle. I'm not big on cash in the house. I lost a house once, and the cash in it. He needs a little checking account. They say he can't have one till he's 13. I'm not sure if that is a law or there policy. Checks are made to him when he sells. I transfer to my account to cover my check when he buys. The little teller that waits on us didn't say anything, but I know she wonders "what's up"
I background two groups a year. There is so much financial risk to backgrounding, I hate for him to think that it's the way to go. For a kid cows and calves are the way to go. He has one pair. When he can do more work with less supervision, I don't care how many he has. He will have to figure out how to get there. Keeping heifers, maybe buying bred cows. I don't know what will suit his style.
Side note
It's been a great learning experience for him, all though the bank is a pain in the butt to work with. He has a little what I call pass book savings account. Putting in and taking out all the back and fourth is a hassle. I'm not big on cash in the house. I lost a house once, and the cash in it. He needs a little checking account. They say he can't have one till he's 13. I'm not sure if that is a law or there policy. Checks are made to him when he sells. I transfer to my account to cover my check when he buys. The little teller that waits on us didn't say anything, but I know she wonders "what's up"
