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<blockquote data-quote="farmerjan" data-source="post: 1413236" data-attributes="member: 25884"><p>Have to agree that the better way to get started is to buy some feeders, raise them up, sell halves on a couple and mostly your beef will be "free", in your freezer. Right now the cow/calf business is at best a break even, and at worst a losing proposition. Not counting the headaches and problems with trying to get some bred and calving. To realize a bit of a return on your place, the feeders will be a little bit of an easier learning curve, take less time to get to kill size, and still give you a slow down type of lifestyle and teach the kids responsibility. Plus, once you get some real-life DAILY experience, then you could look for something like cow/calf pairs. I would get 4 or 6 steers, get them raised up to kill size and sell a couple of halves, then get say 4 more steers and maybe 2 cow/calf pairs. WHATEVER you do DO NOT START with heifers. Get a couple of cows, maybe at a dispersal sale, that KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. This is experience telling you. Get your feet wet with a couple of cows that can calve and take care of their babies. You can still have problems but they will hopefully be "easy" problems. Once you get a couple of years and calving seasons under your belt, then if you want to go to heifers, well, at least you know what to expect if everything goes as planned.</p><p></p><p>I am not trying to discourage you and I agree that raising your own beef and making a little is a good and reasonable goal. Most of us aren't in it to make a fortune, but lately it would be nice to just make it even out. But when I kill a beef and have a freezer full of beef then I know it is worth it just to know where my meat has come from and the taste is far beyond the stuff in the store. </p><p>Don't burden yourself with cows and calvings right off the bat. Realize that you have conception, then 9 months pregnant, then 7-9 months to weaning, then another 12-18 months feeding, before you get a beef in the freezer. So 2 1/2 to 3 years from start to finish. Not counting having to get that cow bred back when her calf is 2-4 months old so she will again calve in 12 months to continue the cycle. A feeder in the 500-600 lb size will finish out in 12-18 months more, and the hard part of getting that calf on the ground and going, is done. That is why I said do a couple of years of feeders then add a couple cows as well as continue the feeders. </p><p></p><p>Most of us figure that it takes a minimum of 3 years to pay for a cow with the value of her off spring....that is no dead calves, breeding back and calving every 12 months, everything going right. That's break even, then she might start to make a little money, if calves are bringing a minimum of $5-600 per head at weaning. If you are running some feeders, they are a little less likely to die or get sick as a baby calf can do, they will be ready to eat and start gaining weight, they won't have trouble calving or prolapse or get mastitis or refuse to mother and feed their new calf.....</p><p>Feeders aren't fool-proof...but the odds are a little more in your favor for "fewer" problems.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="farmerjan, post: 1413236, member: 25884"] Have to agree that the better way to get started is to buy some feeders, raise them up, sell halves on a couple and mostly your beef will be "free", in your freezer. Right now the cow/calf business is at best a break even, and at worst a losing proposition. Not counting the headaches and problems with trying to get some bred and calving. To realize a bit of a return on your place, the feeders will be a little bit of an easier learning curve, take less time to get to kill size, and still give you a slow down type of lifestyle and teach the kids responsibility. Plus, once you get some real-life DAILY experience, then you could look for something like cow/calf pairs. I would get 4 or 6 steers, get them raised up to kill size and sell a couple of halves, then get say 4 more steers and maybe 2 cow/calf pairs. WHATEVER you do DO NOT START with heifers. Get a couple of cows, maybe at a dispersal sale, that KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. This is experience telling you. Get your feet wet with a couple of cows that can calve and take care of their babies. You can still have problems but they will hopefully be "easy" problems. Once you get a couple of years and calving seasons under your belt, then if you want to go to heifers, well, at least you know what to expect if everything goes as planned. I am not trying to discourage you and I agree that raising your own beef and making a little is a good and reasonable goal. Most of us aren't in it to make a fortune, but lately it would be nice to just make it even out. But when I kill a beef and have a freezer full of beef then I know it is worth it just to know where my meat has come from and the taste is far beyond the stuff in the store. Don't burden yourself with cows and calvings right off the bat. Realize that you have conception, then 9 months pregnant, then 7-9 months to weaning, then another 12-18 months feeding, before you get a beef in the freezer. So 2 1/2 to 3 years from start to finish. Not counting having to get that cow bred back when her calf is 2-4 months old so she will again calve in 12 months to continue the cycle. A feeder in the 500-600 lb size will finish out in 12-18 months more, and the hard part of getting that calf on the ground and going, is done. That is why I said do a couple of years of feeders then add a couple cows as well as continue the feeders. Most of us figure that it takes a minimum of 3 years to pay for a cow with the value of her off spring....that is no dead calves, breeding back and calving every 12 months, everything going right. That's break even, then she might start to make a little money, if calves are bringing a minimum of $5-600 per head at weaning. If you are running some feeders, they are a little less likely to die or get sick as a baby calf can do, they will be ready to eat and start gaining weight, they won't have trouble calving or prolapse or get mastitis or refuse to mother and feed their new calf..... Feeders aren't fool-proof...but the odds are a little more in your favor for "fewer" problems. [/QUOTE]
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