Placing cattle in feed yard.

[Scotty]

I have always sold my calves at local sale until two years ago. Now I have been weaning and selling at a special sale. MY question is are any of you puting cattle in feedlots. I have been researching and found alot but wanted some feed back from people I feel are in my shoes.(most of you) I have found most want you to let them buy cattle for you or buy their cattle. What are the risks involved. I know this is a greater risk but are the rewards worth it. If its not to much trouble could one or more tell me every thing I might need to know.

Thank you much.

Scotty

 

[3-B Farms]

i too would like some info on feedlots. would it be too much of a risk to try it with maybe 5 or 6 head.

 

[Scotty]

That is one of the same questions I have. I wanted to put around 25 head. Most of the feedlots advertise pen sizes as 50 to 300 head.

Scotty

 

[dun]

There is at least one feedlot in MO that will comingle your stuff with other small batch sizes. Don't recall the name just off on. I'm sure their are others that will also. Just contact them, the smaller ones that advertise as custom feeders would probably be your best bet. The folks that tried it put 25 head in and were really unhappy with the results. They figured the feeder had hosed them pretty well. They joined out marketing group and couldn't believe that their calves didn't grow or grade any better then they had at the custom feeder.

dun

 

[TheBullLady]

The Ranch to Rail program that is sponsered by Texas A & M is a very good place to start. They'll take as few as 5 head, or as many as you'd like to consign. The imporant thing about this program is you get tons of feed back on how your calves perform. Feed conversion rates, cost of any sickness, rate of gain, etc. They send you an update every couple of months. Then when they are processed you'll get all the carcass information as well. Very interesting stuff.

Once you've determined how well your cattle will do, and how much of a profit or loss you'd acheive by feeding them out yourself, it's easier to make the determination to sell them at the auction barn or retain ownership.

There are quite a few feed lots in Texas that will take smaller lots.. the one in Gonzales, Cactus Feeders, will do so. They just group them at their facility with other smaller lots.