Loose nurse cow?

[fnfarms1]

So we have a beef sales thing on the side, very small. Currently sold 6 steers 1/4, 1/2, wholes. Keep steers out of my herd etc. one issue is ppl wanting steering nov-may. My cows calve feb-April so my calves are ready may-august. Considering a nurse cow to put 3-4 calves a year on to fill those offseason spots. This would eliminate 2calving seasons or running bulls year round. However could you run a nurse cow in pen with say 3 calves? Most guys I know turn them on cow 2x a day. I feed once a day now with day job in town. Not looking for more to do.
Could just buy the steers as wealings but we try to keep it all from our place. Thoughts?

 

[Warren Allison]

So we have a beef sales thing on the side, very small. Currently sold 6 steers 1/4, 1/2, wholes. Keep steers out of my herd etc. one issue is ppl wanting steering nov-may. My cows calve feb-April so my calves are ready may-august. Considering a nurse cow to put 3-4 calves a year on to fill those offseason spots. This would eliminate 2calving seasons or running bulls year round. However could you run a nurse cow in pen with say 3 calves? Most guys I know turn them on cow 2x a day. I feed once a day now with day job in town. Not looking for more to do.
Could just buy the steers as wealings but we try to keep it all from our place. Thoughts?

With 2 of ours, we just had 2 calves...the natural and a bought one... on them at a time, and they lived in the pasture with them. One of them got 2 more calves before she went dry. 2 others, the lady was letting the natural calf nurse, then milked the 2 cows, to raise 3-4 more each that way.

 

[Travlr]

So we have a beef sales thing on the side, very small. Currently sold 6 steers 1/4, 1/2, wholes. Keep steers out of my herd etc. one issue is ppl wanting steering nov-may. My cows calve feb-April so my calves are ready may-august. Considering a nurse cow to put 3-4 calves a year on to fill those offseason spots. This would eliminate 2calving seasons or running bulls year round. However could you run a nurse cow in pen with say 3 calves? Most guys I know turn them on cow 2x a day. I feed once a day now with day job in town. Not looking for more to do.
Could just buy the steers as wealings but we try to keep it all from our place. Thoughts?

If you aren't looking for more work then I'd let your buyers know when to expect their meat and stick with your own program. If they don't want to buy when your animals are available I'd cut them loose and find new buyers.

Just tell them you run an operation that is consistent with what is best for the animals so that they are the healthiest and best at time of sale. Get them on a schedule that works for you. The only thing your customers have to manage is space in their freezer and a checkbook. Weighing your efforts against theirs... you have the bigger burden and they need to accommodate you.

 

[MurraysMutts]

So we have a beef sales thing on the side, very small. Currently sold 6 steers 1/4, 1/2, wholes. Keep steers out of my herd etc. one issue is ppl wanting steering nov-may. My cows calve feb-April so my calves are ready may-august. Considering a nurse cow to put 3-4 calves a year on to fill those offseason spots. This would eliminate 2calving seasons or running bulls year round. However could you run a nurse cow in pen with say 3 calves? Most guys I know turn them on cow 2x a day. I feed once a day now with day job in town. Not looking for more to do.
Could just buy the steers as wealings but we try to keep it all from our place. Thoughts?

Depends how big your "pen" is!

They will need confined usually for a couple weeks to bond etc. And the cow will need fed and calves worked with twice a day to begin with at least. I used about a 30x40 pen area with a 10x12 stall to feed and work with the cow/calves if necessary.

After the calves are bonded, I turn my cows out with the herd. Bessie knows the routine and comes when called for feed. Most times! It's all bets off when she comes in heat.

Most will raise 2 at a time on grass fairly easily. 3 or 4 calves and you'll have to feed the cow pretty good.

 

[Twisted]

If you aren't looking for more work then I'd let your buyers know when to expect their meat and stick with your own program. If they don't want to buy when your animals are available I'd cut them loose and find new buyers.

Just tell them you run an operation that is consistent with what is best for the animals so that they are the healthiest and best at time of sale. Get them on a schedule that works for you. The only thing your customers have to manage is space in their freezer and a checkbook. Weighing your efforts against theirs... you have the bigger burden and they need to accommodate you.

99.9% of businesses fail because they do not listen to their customers. Tyson didn't grow by doing whatever he wanted.

 

[Travlr]

99.9% of businesses fail because they do not listen to their customers. Tyson didn't grow by doing whatever he wanted.

Tyson found a way to appeal to the largest segment of the market. Their prices are dependent on economies of scale.

Successful niche marketers find people willing to pay a premium for what they produce. A small operator trying to compete in Tyson's marketplace would take a beating and Tyson isn't interested in niche markets unless they can scale it.

This isn't to say that a small operator shouldn't be looking for ways to satisfy customers... but there are financial trade-offs. Some consumer demands are too expensive.

 

[Twisted]

Some consumer demands are too expensive.

Hence, niche.

The little guy can always beat the big guy with customer service because the little guy has the passion to make it work. People will pay the price for what they want if customer service comes with it.

 

[Hereford2]

What you want in a nurse cow is one that makes 4to6 gallons a day to have 3-4 calves on. I had a jersey and a brown swiss cow that could handle that many calves at peak milk , but they needed anywhere from half to a full 5 gallon bucket of Feed a Day depending on how many calves and the grass quality. Both cows if they only had 2 calves on them they could maintain their weight without grain. Hope that makes sense.

 

[Travlr]

Hence, niche.

The little guy can always beat the big guy with customer service because the little guy has the passion to make it work. People will pay the price for what they want if customer service comes with it.

Sure... so raise your prices to accommodate the extra effort and expenses and see how that goes. Either way it is about compensation for effort made in the production of a product.

You really think most people would not adjust their time frame if they were told it would give them a better product for the same price?

 

[Double R Ranch]

So we have a beef sales thing on the side, very small. Currently sold 6 steers 1/4, 1/2, wholes. Keep steers out of my herd etc. one issue is ppl wanting steering nov-may. My cows calve feb-April so my calves are ready may-august. Considering a nurse cow to put 3-4 calves a year on to fill those offseason spots. This would eliminate 2calving seasons or running bulls year round. However could you run a nurse cow in pen with say 3 calves? Most guys I know turn them on cow 2x a day. I feed once a day now with day job in town. Not looking for more to do.
Could just buy the steers as wealings but we try to keep it all from our place. Thoughts?

The calves wouldn't be from your place/stock that you'd put on the nurse cow correct? Assuming not with your calving season and when they want them. That will be a hefty expense in itself to purchase the calves. Especially beef calves. I don't even bother trying to get beef calves. Too expensive. Then consider the treatment/calf loss that can happen with purchased calves. The feed for the cow is also a consideration if you have to grain her to keep her condition up. Especially in a corral setting. It is a lot of work as others have said for at least the first few weeks. Not really like grafting a calf on a beef cow that's lost her calf at birth. If you get a gem of a nurse cow that will take anything anytime that's a blessing but don't count on finding that right off. I keep two calves on our jerseys and still milk to keep up with the milk until the calves are big enough that they can keep up. I think others don't milk also but we use it for ourselves and don't want to have issues with mastitis. For the most part I am loving having nurse cows/milk cows but I can't see it penciling out for you for this use. Especially with calf prices so high and the initial labor. How would you get the nurse cow bred back?

 

[fnfarms1]

The calves wouldn't be from your place/stock that you'd put on the nurse cow correct? Assuming not with your calving season and when they want them. That will be a hefty expense in itself to purchase the calves. Especially beef calves. I don't even bother trying to get beef calves. Too expensive. Then consider the treatment/calf loss that can happen with purchased calves. The feed for the cow is also a consideration if you have to grain her to keep her condition up. Especially in a corral setting. It is a lot of work as others have said for at least the first few weeks. Not really like grafting a calf on a beef cow that's lost her calf at birth. If you get a gem of a nurse cow that will take anything anytime that's a blessing but don't count on finding that right off. I keep two calves on our jerseys and still milk to keep up with the milk until the calves are big enough that they can keep up. I think others don't milk also but we use it for ourselves and don't want to have issues with mastitis. For the most part I am loving having nurse cows/milk cows but I can't see it penciling out for you for this use. Especially with calf prices so high and the initial labor. How would you get the nurse cow bred back?

I figured I would need to grain her possibly protein tub. Breeding back part is where this comes in, she would be on a fall breeding program so I would use one or both of my bulls then. Never figured I could run nurse cows/calves with herd due to other calves robbing off her.
I agree with making customers conform to my schedule, so far I have and sell out every year. At my current rate I'll be at 8 next year and 10-12 in 2-3years in steer sales. Original goal was 8-10steers/yr, with current growth 12-15 seems possible. Time will tell, local butcher shop gives my number out a lot, definitely seen uptick in business in last 2 years their promoting me. I guess I was seeing these nurse calves as "offseason" cash, not sure if I'd charge more or not. Still in the idea stage.

 

[Twisted]

Sure... so raise your prices to accommodate the extra effort and expenses and see how that goes. Either way it is about compensation for effort made in the production of a product.

You really think most people would not adjust their time frame if they were told it would give them a better product for the same price?

If I wanted to try and build a steady business with income spread throughout the year instead of a one shot deal in the fall, I would definitely try my best to accommodate them, especially if no one else will. I get where most of these customers are coming from. Around Christmas and the end of the year, yearly bonuses come out, and for those with a pile of kids, they get their income taxes back early in the year as well, I would be stupid not to try and take advantage of that.