looking for some feedback

[Mark Reynolds]

Definitely. I'd considered going ahead and planting cool and warm season stuff together in one go if I try this.

From some of the info I've consumed, seems the soil magic happens when you're using 10 or more species. I'd definitely be throwing all kinds of stuff in.

Haven't had the best luck planting stuff here, but haven't had a prepared bed either. It's been drilling into pasture. Not going to try that again, it was pissing money into the wind.

Woa! slow down! you can plant two annual crops of forage on the same tract of land per year (I know of instances where this is done) but one is a warm season mix and the other is a cool season mix. Don't mix the two. That would be a freight train wreck.

Bed preparation is a definite must. Contact a seed company that can at least tell you the quantities of seed from what species to put together. There is a well known company in the south that does this and if you look up Dave Brandt (he is missed) you will find another company in Ohio.

Planting annuals into an existing stand of perennial grasses for forage is something that can be done and is actually a cost sharable practice with the NRCS right now (CIN 810). Specifically, a mix that I'm seeing used frequently is annual rye, oats, forrage raddish and crimson clover; planted into Bermuda grass

 

[Mark Reynolds]

@Mark Reynolds

Summer Grazing Mix - Best Forage

Summer Grazing Mix is a warm season, annual mix of BMR sorghum x sudangrass, cowpeas, mung beans, hybrid pearl millet, buckwheat, annual sweetclover, sunn hemp, forage turnip, and sunflower. Suggested seeding rate is 35 lbs./acre. Available in a 50 lb. bag Seed will be shipped by late March...

www.bestforage.com

At the bottom of their page it says "not uncommon for gains of 3+ pounds per day." Given... they're trying to sell something. But seems it's possible. All ducks would need to be in that row.

Still, 2.5 would be fine too. But 3 pounds would sure be awesome.

Uh-huh, I wonder how 'common' they mean by 'not uncommon'. I'm never impressed when something is a very good thing and someone adds hyperbole to it to take it over the top, as if it needs to be made to look better. All this does is sets someone up for disappointment. And by disappointment, I mean the user isn't going to be happy with a 2.5 daily gain when they were expecting over 3.

 

[mwj]

Their website (on the checkout/deposit page says it would be between 400-440 lbs for a whole beef.

It seems to be a stretch if the meat is boneless. Could you post a screenshot of the product description.

 

[greybeard]

No real description mwj, outside the hyperbole that all these kinds of operations state.

WHOLE BEEF DEPOSIT

$1,000.00
Local customers only. Reserve a whole beef, est. 400-440 lbs of beef. Cut & wrap and free delivery to Big Horn & Park County.
Total price $3,850 (grain-finished)
Total price $3,950 (100% grass finished)
Next butcher date for 100% Grass-Fed, Grain Finished Beef is 11/2023
Next butcher date for 100% Grass-Fed & Finished Beef is 3/2024
Deposit is refundable up to 24 hours prior to butcher date.
Cut sheet will be emailed to you the week prior to the butcher date to confirm cuts. We can hop on a call to go over any questions you have at that point as well."

https://www.thebeefbox.com/local-store

https://www.thebeefbox.com/local-store/whole-beef-deposit

From their 'local store/shop' section:




Description when 'sirloin steak" is clicked upon:

SIRLOIN STEAK

$15.00
These steaks are hand-cut 1 1/4 inches thick and dry-aged for over 21 days. Each steak comes individually vacuum-packed. Price is by the lb.
* All beef is grass raised and finished
* All beef is free from antibiotics or added hormones.
Delivery Options:
Free Delivery to Burlington and Cody Wyoming.
Free pickup at Cody Farmers Market on Saturdays from 9 am and 12 pm. (13th & Beck Ave)
Pickup at the ranch by appointment only.
Delivery is available to all other parts of Big Horn and Park County, cost depends on the distance from Burlington.

 

[mwj]

It made my head hurt when looking at there sight. At those prices you would be much better off to buy at a local farmers market. The dried stuff would be a tiny market.

 

[greybeard]

The dried stuff would be a tiny market.

'Niche market' mwj..Niche. That's the new buzzword. People that want to pay their prices for their products.

I don't know if it's a good deal or not but I DO know what my wife would say if I told her I paid nearly $10/lb for 80/20 ground beef.

 

[Mark Reynolds]

'Niche market' mwj..Niche. That's the new buzzword. People that want to pay their prices for their products.

I don't know if it's a good deal or not but I DO know what my wife would say if I told her I paid nearly $10/lb for 80/20 ground beef.

View attachment 38940

View attachment 38941

Would you live to report back to us what she said?

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I would think if you took some really growthy calves like mine, put them on a holding ration and just grew frame, I think they would easily gain 3#/hd/day - if you were wanting a forage test to look good. It would be a waste of time and winter money, but could easily be done.
About the "dried beef" program. I don't know how much chunks of meat I would want - especially expensive CHUNKS of meat.

 

[Mark Reynolds]

I would think if you took some really growthy calves like mine, put them on a holding ration and just grew frame, I think they would easily gain 3#/hd/day - if you were wanting a forage test to look good. It would be a waste of time and winter money, but could easily be done.
About the "dried beef" program. I don't know how much chunks of meat I would want - especially expensive CHUNKS of meat.

Yep, that would do it. Now publicizing those results and then the 'real' producer expecting the same results would result in the 'real' producer being disappointed just the same as I suggested with 2.5 lb/day gains, but you are right, the results wouldn't exactly be doctored or trumped up that way.