> It depends which side of I35 your
> land is on. If it is east of I35
> you would be able to run about 1
> cow per 2 to 3 acres; on the west
> side you could raise less cows,
> mabe 1 cow per 3 to 5 acres. So
> for forty acres of grass east of
> I35 you would be able to support
> about 16 cows at an average of 2.5
> acres per cow. For a cow/calf
> program your annual cow maintence
> costs would be about $350 to $450
> per cow per year with proper
> management. Management practices
> would include cross fencing the 40
> Ac. into smaller paddocks to allow
> the grass time to regrow between
> grazing; grass needs about 30 days
> rest to recover. With your cow
> costs per year averaging $400 per
> cow that would require $6400 per
> year to feed and manage the herd.
> your expected income today might
> be 16 cows producing a 90 percient
> calf crop with good management
> would produce 14 calves, half
> bulls and half heifers. Assume you
> keep the calves on the cows until
> they reach 500 lbs., about six to
> eight months. You might wean the
> calves and put them on a
> preconditioning program for 45
> days and sell them to a order
> buyer or throught the local sale
> barn, announcing the
> preconditioning program, they may
> bring about .85 to 1.00 per lb.
> for the bulls and .80 to .95 per
> lb. for the heifers. The 7 bulls
> would gross an average of $3237.50
> and the heifers would average
> $3062.50. Your possible average
> gross income would be $6300. Now
> you have not considered the cost
> of the cows or any death loss and
> already you have loss $100. Also
> if you don't live nearby feeding
> in the winter may be a problem.
> You might do better with stockers
> (weaned calves weighting about 500
> lbs) and put them on grass until
> they reach about 750 lbs. you can
> run more of them and if you only
> graze them during the growing
> season you would not have to worry
> about feeding in the winter.
> Better than that learn how to grow
> grasses and contract to graze out
> other peoples calves. Your
> inveatment would be less and you
> may have an advantage to make
> money.
> The beef business offers a good
> tax write off on your income taxes
> and if you are large enough you
> might even make a few dollars.
> Good luck, Harry
Another though, you may want to just grow hay for the cattle producers in the area and sell it by the ton or bale. The better the hay the higher the price you can charge. Contact your local extension office for information on all of this. Good luck again,
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