Question for the board

[jallen]

Trying to unroll it and not feed in rings for starters. Not to mention doing it in the dark most of the time. Believe me, there is plenty.

I'm kicking around ways to lessen my input costs and labor hours related to my cows. I'm considering selling out this fall when my calves are ready to wean. I've got 15 cows and my bull, so sell 15 pairs and the bull. My hay expense each year is 2400 plus a lot of labor I wish I could get rid of. The plan would be to rebuy in the spring with some heavy breds that need to eat in a bad way. Resell in the fall when the calves are ready. Somebody tell me why this is a bad idea??

I'm wondering where all the labor comes from with 15 cows and a bull and putting out a roll of hay ever 3 days.

 

[jallen]

And like I said. I like to hunt and stay gone for 5-6 days at a time. Hard to feed cows without wasting a bunch of hay putting out that much at a time.

 

[Ol' 243]

Sounds kinda like a pawn shop operation to me. I kinda like seeing what I can produce over time, whether it be cows or anything else. Quality in, quality out. To each their own I guess.

 

[jallen]

Call it what you want. I have a ton going on everyday and have limited daylight in winter. If I don't care for operating that way I will go back to how I'm doing it now once I get a house built. I do t retain anything at all as it is now. I'm just not set up very well to retain in the first place. Cows are a hobby for me, I enjoy having them around but not at the expense of my sanity. I already train dogs on the side for a few people. 10 dogs, 15 cows and a full time job an hour from home equals zero free time ever. Ive got to find a way to give myself a break at times. Time will tell how it goes.

Sounds kinda like a pawn shop operation to me. I kinda like seeing what I can produce over time, whether it be cows or anything else. Quality in, quality out. To each their own I guess.

 

[js1234]

If so much is on your plate and you want to be gone more, why do you need a cow hobby at all?

 

[jallen]

I like having cows around. I'd get bored in the summer if I didn't have them to check in in the mornings. They help with the tax man and keep the grass cut too.

If so much is on your plate and you want to be gone more, why do you need a cow hobby at all?

 

[boondocks]

I like having cows around. I'd get bored in the summer if I didn't have them to check in in the mornings. They help with the tax man and keep the grass cut too.

If so much is on your plate and you want to be gone more, why do you need a cow hobby at all?

Know anybody local that you could let run one or two in with yours in exchange for some help, esp when you want to get away? (this is regardless whether you sell out in the fall or not. After all, sometimes things come up in the summer, too...)

 

[True Grit Farms]

Know anybody local that you could let run one or two in with yours in exchange for some help, esp when you want to get away? (this is regardless whether you sell out in the fall or not. After all, sometimes things come up in the summer, too...)[/quote]

That's a good idea, except for someone else has access to your property. The more people you add the more problems you'll have. I have private property and try to keep it that way.

 

[jallen]

No not really. I've got one neighbor that would have been a good candidate but he sold out and seems to want nothing to do with it now. I guess another option is to get rid of some dogs. They a way bigger pain than cows ever tried to be. Plus I like my cows better than some of these I'm training right now. It will be tough to sell out. One minute it seems like s good idea then an hour later sounds crazy to even consider. After all, I did just buy a tractor with FEL to make putting hay out easier on me, as well as graveled my hay barn floor. Maybe the dogs should go.

I like having cows around. I'd get bored in the summer if I didn't have them to check in in the mornings. They help with the tax man and keep the grass cut too.

If so much is on your plate and you want to be gone more, why do you need a cow hobby at all?

Know anybody local that you could let run one or two in with yours in exchange for some help, esp when you want to get away? (this is regardless whether you sell out in the fall or not. After all, sometimes things come up in the summer, too...)

 

[Dave]

If you're running 15 head now and storing hay for winter, you'd probably be able to run 20-30 on a seasonal basis.. I'd consider overstocking slightly and selling calves when they're 5-6 months old, and perhaps as many cows as needed so that the fall forage holds out, then sell the rest of them in the fall.. Having weaned the calves they should put on some more fat... Only problem is there's always lots of cows for sale in the fall and the price will reflect that.

You'll always be at the mercy of the markets, and there may be times when it's not going to pay as well as you'd hoped, other times it might be better than expected, you just have to prepare yourself for that.

I always did the opposite. I wean the calves by putting the cows on the truck. Then sell the weaned vaccinated calves 45 days later for a premium.

 

[Nesikep]

I tried selling the calves after I weaned them for a while last year, I don't think the premium paid for the shrinkage.. perhaps other markets are different.. I want to keep my cows, so selling the cows first didn't even cross my mind