Looking for insight on change over from Cattle to Farming

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C-Ranch

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Sep 4, 2015
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Location
SE Idaho
I'm looking for some insight from those who have ran cattle for a long time and then for whatever reason sold the cows and just raise hay or whatever. For some insight, my family has never not run cattle. Been as small as 20hd way back in the beginning early days to as many as 250hd. Currently we sit at 150hd and have cut back due to low cattle prices, drought, and as of late high feed costs. My son & wife think it's time to sell the cows and just farm due to various reasons but mainly to lack of being able to find help working cattle, age, and the expense of running equipment all winter (feeding, etc.). This would be big change and brings a lot of unknowns. I like cattle and that's what has paid the bills most years. I'm curious is there enough $$ in just hay/grain/silage? I normally sell a little hay but mainly feed it through the cattle, replacements, & feeders etc. If it came down to it, Ideally I'd like to keep 25-30hd of our best young fall calvers and sell all the winter calvers. My reason for keeping a few is well, I like them and we also sell meat and would like to keep that going. Wife and son think they should all go..🤷Lol....All land and pasture currently used for cattle during the summer would be leased out and we'd most likely lease the fall hay fields for two months Nov/Dec...So from those of you that have made this same transition I'd like to hear your story (thoughts) good or bad.
 

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