denoginnizer
Well-known member
Looks to me like right now there is more profit in raising stockers than in a cow calf operation . Any body else noticing this trend?
Things are changing FAST and to survive one most go with the FLOW !! :tiphat:Susie David":25mf9pho said:We have culled down to a handfull of cows & heifers and plan to put a few stockers on the payroll for next spring and fall production beef. With the hay prices falling like they have we could rebuild the herd but that will put retirement back a few years and quite frankly, I'm getting tired of the winters up here and am looking to cut back on the operation. Folks are not buying beef like they have in past years. My biggest seller at the farmer's markets are dog bones...sell sixty pounds a weekend. People are treating the mutt but hold back on buying a steak for themselves instead buy a couple pounds of ground beef.
Will most likely buy a few bred cows at the sale barn this December when prices are the lowest and some steers if the price is right and the animal is from a good producer. I figure that from conception to slaughter it costs about thirteen hundred dollars to raise a good grass finished steer...yeah, grass finished, our customer base is pretty choosy about their beef and we accomodate. At these prices going to a stocker operation would save some froghides. Alot of decisions to be made this fall, any open gals in Sept will be gone and this will be a big factor in our plans.
And thats my two bits...asked for or not. Dave Mc
brandonm_13":2qty9ia5 said:but I think a mixture of cow/calf and stockers may be best.
If you plan on running stockers on forage you don;t want to have to be feeding them hay over the winter. Spring born calves would have to be overwintered and that's a losing propsition unless you have really top quality winter forageDouglas":32e01b8f said:What do you think about splitting the difference. Cutting you herd in half and keep the calves twice as long. That way you don't have to deal with someone else's problems.
dun":jwy9rz0u said:If you plan on running stockers on forage you don;t want to have to be feeding them hay over the winter. Spring born calves would have to be overwintered and that's a losing propsition unless you have really top quality winter forageDouglas":jwy9rz0u said:What do you think about splitting the difference. Cutting you herd in half and keep the calves twice as long. That way you don't have to deal with someone else's problems.
Stocker Steve":1676x6ah said:Depends. Bankers are not quite as keen on stockers. They see the potential to lose a bunch of money in a couple months if you do not have some type of risk protection.
HerefordSire":2qsgke11 said:Stocker Steve":2qsgke11 said:Depends. Bankers are not quite as keen on stockers. They see the potential to lose a bunch of money in a couple months if you do not have some type of risk protection.
I didn't know that. I was thinking the risk was less with stockers.
brandonm_13":2ucco30n said:There are almost too many variables to count including:
purchase price
cost of inputs(fencing, minerals and/or feed, electricity, fuel, etc.)
death loss
cost of medications/vet bills
weight gain
sale price