AggieStudent20
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- Dec 25, 2018
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Hi everyone. I'm an ag student who is currently studying for a bachelor's in Agribusiness :cboy: . In about two years I'll have the opportunity to have my own enterprise on the family farm (115 acres). My issue is I'm still not sure what to start out as. My family wants to do a normal cow calf operation as they did before; however, I'm sure this isn't the most sustainable/profitable thing since we're a smaller farm. I have currently thought of a few ways to start out in the cattle business. We have a good lot system and about two barns we can feed in. My goals are with any enterprise is to feed as little hay as possible, rotate pastures effectively, cover crop for gain and enhance soil fertility, and minimize inputs such as feed and fertilizer. Here are my ideas.
1. Stocker Cattle
I know a few reputable farmers who wean their calves (mostly Angus, Hereford and Charolais) at around 500 pounds. My idea was to purchase these calves and get them to around 700-800 pounds and sell them as yearlings. This way we're not dealing with cows or bulls and we would just simply be utilizing our forage. I would like to run two rotations of stockers a year if possible. If prices go down I could breed the heifers and sell them as bred and I could finish the steers.
2. Nurse Cows with Bottle Calves
Another idea I had was to purchase cull dairy cows and rotate calves off of them. This way I don't have the cost of milk replacer or the labor in bottle feeding. I'd just have to graft the bottle calves (which my family has experience in). I always see bottle calves for sale in my area so I don't think I would have to worry about supply as much. I would just have to purchase calves at a decent price. I would then sell the weaned calves at around 600 pounds.
3. Pastured Veal with Nurse Cows
I would purchase Holstein bull calves in the area, graft them on to cull dairy cows, let them gain until 300-400 pounds and have them harvested at that weight as veal. I've been reading up on this and have heard there is profit if it is done right. My only issue is who I would sell the calves to. I currently have no interest as being a farmer's market vendor as the ones in my area are not that big.
Any suggestions/help would be greatly appreciated from anybody who has experience in any of the three enterprises would be very much appreciated. I'm very much a newbie and want to learn as much as possible.
1. Stocker Cattle
I know a few reputable farmers who wean their calves (mostly Angus, Hereford and Charolais) at around 500 pounds. My idea was to purchase these calves and get them to around 700-800 pounds and sell them as yearlings. This way we're not dealing with cows or bulls and we would just simply be utilizing our forage. I would like to run two rotations of stockers a year if possible. If prices go down I could breed the heifers and sell them as bred and I could finish the steers.
2. Nurse Cows with Bottle Calves
Another idea I had was to purchase cull dairy cows and rotate calves off of them. This way I don't have the cost of milk replacer or the labor in bottle feeding. I'd just have to graft the bottle calves (which my family has experience in). I always see bottle calves for sale in my area so I don't think I would have to worry about supply as much. I would just have to purchase calves at a decent price. I would then sell the weaned calves at around 600 pounds.
3. Pastured Veal with Nurse Cows
I would purchase Holstein bull calves in the area, graft them on to cull dairy cows, let them gain until 300-400 pounds and have them harvested at that weight as veal. I've been reading up on this and have heard there is profit if it is done right. My only issue is who I would sell the calves to. I currently have no interest as being a farmer's market vendor as the ones in my area are not that big.
Any suggestions/help would be greatly appreciated from anybody who has experience in any of the three enterprises would be very much appreciated. I'm very much a newbie and want to learn as much as possible.