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My experience with preconditioning
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<blockquote data-quote="marksmu" data-source="post: 709281" data-attributes="member: 9219"><p>I am new and have never done this before, so this may be a dumb question - but it relates to the topic of preconditioning. If you wean in a pen, hay and supplemental cubes, vaccinate at the time of release from the pen - what is your advantage other than immediate cash, to selling a steer calf at 550-600lbs, as opposed to keeping it on until its say 900-1000lbs?</p><p></p><p>If you have excess grass, is there a disadvantage to this? Will a steer calf at 900-1200lbs bring less in the ring because its been on grass as opposed to a feedlot? I have argued this with local people in my area who say I am crazy to keep steer calves past weaning...but I don't have the extra cash to buy more at the moment, I have too much grass, and I figure I can keep the added profit from the weight gain over the winter. </p><p></p><p>The 2 scenarios I see are this, and please correct me if I am wrong.</p><p></p><p>1) Sell the calves at 500-600lbs - get somewhere between $500 and $600 - use that money to buy bred heifers - for me say 19 calves at $550 = $10,450. Bred heifers I am looking about $800-$1000 for good quality heifers from private sellers (Im not ready for the barns yet) That would put me at 20 heavy bred cows (existing), 10 bred heifers (new) 2 bulls. Summer time Herd total 32 give or take another 9 months or so till my next calf crop is ready to be sold. </p><p></p><p>2) Keep the calves - sell at 1000-1200 lbs for about $900-$1100. That s a sale price of $19,000. Added cost to me - 3 bales a week at $30/bale for 3 weeks. 2 bags of cubes per week at $5.50/50lbs = total added cost $270 hay and $33 cubes - shots/worm, etc $15 head - $285 = total cost $588. Im looking at 19,000-588 = $18412 or a difference of $7962. </p><p>Take the $18412 and buy cow/calf pairs - pairs are about $1000-$1200....so I get 18 pairs....new summer time herd total 20 heavy bred cows(existing), 18 pairs (36), 2 bulls for a herd total of 58- and no risk of birthing losses. That's 16 head more and only $588 added expense....</p><p></p><p>This scenario involves added risk of loss yes, and you need the extra grass, but if you have all of that, and its free because it is otherwise going to waste in the field....what is wrong with scenario 2?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="marksmu, post: 709281, member: 9219"] I am new and have never done this before, so this may be a dumb question - but it relates to the topic of preconditioning. If you wean in a pen, hay and supplemental cubes, vaccinate at the time of release from the pen - what is your advantage other than immediate cash, to selling a steer calf at 550-600lbs, as opposed to keeping it on until its say 900-1000lbs? If you have excess grass, is there a disadvantage to this? Will a steer calf at 900-1200lbs bring less in the ring because its been on grass as opposed to a feedlot? I have argued this with local people in my area who say I am crazy to keep steer calves past weaning...but I don't have the extra cash to buy more at the moment, I have too much grass, and I figure I can keep the added profit from the weight gain over the winter. The 2 scenarios I see are this, and please correct me if I am wrong. 1) Sell the calves at 500-600lbs - get somewhere between $500 and $600 - use that money to buy bred heifers - for me say 19 calves at $550 = $10,450. Bred heifers I am looking about $800-$1000 for good quality heifers from private sellers (Im not ready for the barns yet) That would put me at 20 heavy bred cows (existing), 10 bred heifers (new) 2 bulls. Summer time Herd total 32 give or take another 9 months or so till my next calf crop is ready to be sold. 2) Keep the calves - sell at 1000-1200 lbs for about $900-$1100. That s a sale price of $19,000. Added cost to me - 3 bales a week at $30/bale for 3 weeks. 2 bags of cubes per week at $5.50/50lbs = total added cost $270 hay and $33 cubes - shots/worm, etc $15 head - $285 = total cost $588. Im looking at 19,000-588 = $18412 or a difference of $7962. Take the $18412 and buy cow/calf pairs - pairs are about $1000-$1200....so I get 18 pairs....new summer time herd total 20 heavy bred cows(existing), 18 pairs (36), 2 bulls for a herd total of 58- and no risk of birthing losses. That's 16 head more and only $588 added expense.... This scenario involves added risk of loss yes, and you need the extra grass, but if you have all of that, and its free because it is otherwise going to waste in the field....what is wrong with scenario 2? [/QUOTE]
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