i have about 160ac. run a few head of cattle...i was thinking of buying bottle calves and raiseing them up to say 400-500 pounds and sell for profit, but now sell in a few months,bull holstiens seem to ne selling right now for about 50-75 a head..do you guys think there is a profit to be made? any help would be great! thanks
raising calves for profit
- Thread starter medic_941
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
*Cowgirl*
Well-known member
If you're looking for profit in the beef business, I'd stay away from dairy calves.
Where would you be getting the holstein bull calves? If you are getting them from the auction barn...oh my gosh!
You would have to be able to buy a whole bunch at once ...not just 2 or three...and have the facilities for them to make any money at all right off the get go. You have to remember that these calves are likely not to have had the benefit of colostrum. You have to give them shots when you get them home...and put in one big supply of probios. You have to have a vet that will give you an open prescription on whatever you might need. You have to remember that "dead" is written all over them.
I'm sorry...been there, done that. Holstein bull bottle babies are the most fickle calves in the world. And, they don't seem to grow out of it. At any time respiratory infections can set in. Why? 'Cause of the lack of colostrum.
Holstein bull calves from the sale barn, or heck, even from dairies, are jerked up and sold the minute they hit the ground.
If you are prepared to work your tail off...watch them like a hawk...keep an endless supply of medicine and electrolytes on hand...feed them 4 times a day instead of 2 when, not if, they scour, oh man.
Where do you live...that doesn't matter. If you live where it gets super hot in the summer, forget it. And, if you don't have enough land to rotate/move the pens, forget it. And if you think you can raise them in those little, tiny wood hutches forget it.
And, if you want to try it, please, please, please, don't sink too much money into it right off the get go. Start out with no more than 10...make sure you have pens that keep them separated and allow for them to be able to move around more than just a few steps...and can be moved to clean ground real often. Make sure that they can stay warm in the winter and real, real shaded in the summer. Jeez Louise, I could go on and on.
Alice
You would have to be able to buy a whole bunch at once ...not just 2 or three...and have the facilities for them to make any money at all right off the get go. You have to remember that these calves are likely not to have had the benefit of colostrum. You have to give them shots when you get them home...and put in one big supply of probios. You have to have a vet that will give you an open prescription on whatever you might need. You have to remember that "dead" is written all over them.
I'm sorry...been there, done that. Holstein bull bottle babies are the most fickle calves in the world. And, they don't seem to grow out of it. At any time respiratory infections can set in. Why? 'Cause of the lack of colostrum.
Holstein bull calves from the sale barn, or heck, even from dairies, are jerked up and sold the minute they hit the ground.
If you are prepared to work your tail off...watch them like a hawk...keep an endless supply of medicine and electrolytes on hand...feed them 4 times a day instead of 2 when, not if, they scour, oh man.
Where do you live...that doesn't matter. If you live where it gets super hot in the summer, forget it. And, if you don't have enough land to rotate/move the pens, forget it. And if you think you can raise them in those little, tiny wood hutches forget it.
And, if you want to try it, please, please, please, don't sink too much money into it right off the get go. Start out with no more than 10...make sure you have pens that keep them separated and allow for them to be able to move around more than just a few steps...and can be moved to clean ground real often. Make sure that they can stay warm in the winter and real, real shaded in the summer. Jeez Louise, I could go on and on.
Alice
For the last several years I've fed mostly holstiens thru the feedyard. They are the most consistant cattle you can put in the yard. Some people ask me why do you make that statement that is simple. Dairy is a breed that hasn't been exposed to weekend hobby farmers with $40,000.00 pickups and hub cap belt buckles. None of these hobby people have bred a dairy cow to a Highland yak or a dexter or a miniture hereford or murrey grey or anything crazy like that. They are still thier own breed. The ADG doesn't vary much from one set to another. Corn was cheap and I made money. They need to be bought very young and very light in order to get a high yielding high grading carcass. Calves that have been on hay or grass to long will not yield well or grade well regardless how much corn you give them afterwards. Go figure they are a dairy breed. However if they are started on a high energy grain diet early enough and fed that way their entire life they will yield and grade as well as any other breed. You will just have a larger carcass.
Anyone that has fed holstiens thru a feedlot will be looking for small calves on high energy diets. You might be able to buy those bottle calves cheap enough but the problem I see will be this. It will take alot of corn to make a good quality carcass on a holstien. As everyone knows corn is high the only way to make a holstein work right now will be a very very cheap calf and even then I can't see it working. I think alot of holstiens will again be fed a forage diet resulting in more pounds of lower quality meat resulting in a lower sale price and that will trickle right down to the calf price. I truely believe we will again see dairies giving away bull calves or knocking them in the head with a hammer. I hope not but it looks real bad on paper. If they are give aways you maybe can make money but those bottle calves are alot of work and the death loss can be very scary. I will be willing to bet money they will not die on you until you get atleast a half to two thirds of a bag of milk replacer in them. That is how my brother and I got started in the cattle industry. I've been down that road it worked for us but the corn was cheap for the next guy buying them thats not the case anymore. I'm not saying you can't make money feeding dairy calves because they have made me the most money per head of any cattle I've ever fed I'm just saying you might not be able to make money under the current conditions.
Anyone that has fed holstiens thru a feedlot will be looking for small calves on high energy diets. You might be able to buy those bottle calves cheap enough but the problem I see will be this. It will take alot of corn to make a good quality carcass on a holstien. As everyone knows corn is high the only way to make a holstein work right now will be a very very cheap calf and even then I can't see it working. I think alot of holstiens will again be fed a forage diet resulting in more pounds of lower quality meat resulting in a lower sale price and that will trickle right down to the calf price. I truely believe we will again see dairies giving away bull calves or knocking them in the head with a hammer. I hope not but it looks real bad on paper. If they are give aways you maybe can make money but those bottle calves are alot of work and the death loss can be very scary. I will be willing to bet money they will not die on you until you get atleast a half to two thirds of a bag of milk replacer in them. That is how my brother and I got started in the cattle industry. I've been down that road it worked for us but the corn was cheap for the next guy buying them thats not the case anymore. I'm not saying you can't make money feeding dairy calves because they have made me the most money per head of any cattle I've ever fed I'm just saying you might not be able to make money under the current conditions.
Running Arrow Bill
Well-known member
IMO...
Bottle Calfs Raising is one step up from raising a human infant.
Both require 24/7 care, watching, feeding, etc.
;-)
Bottle Calfs Raising is one step up from raising a human infant.
Both require 24/7 care, watching, feeding, etc.
;-)
thanks for the info...i have raised bottle calves if the past...have the place and space needed for it...i would rather raise beef then holstiens but they are2-3 times higher..is it worth it to but one beef when i can buy 3 dairy calves? i know beef well gain more wieght faster but would it be enough to off set a 3 to 1 margin? im not looking to but alot due to money..just maybe 10 or so...
I know that many people doing just what you are proposing say to count a 50% loss as a rule of thumb, so the 3-1 may not be that realistic.
Personally I think finding a really good source for healthy calves is th eonly way to do it.
I got screwed the first time I tried to do it, but have since found a better source for the calves. Im still paying 50 each for them, but they have been on momma for at least a week before I get them. Or will have been when I get them.
Personally I think finding a really good source for healthy calves is th eonly way to do it.
I got screwed the first time I tried to do it, but have since found a better source for the calves. Im still paying 50 each for them, but they have been on momma for at least a week before I get them. Or will have been when I get them.
3MR":20eec1zf said:
Only $50 each after having been on momma a full week? Now, that's another story. Throw me in that briar patch!
Are you having any trouble getting them to take the bottle after they've been nursing their momma?
Alice
is it not the same risk that the beef claves are gonna die? or are they easier to raise?from what i have seen you cant tough a beef calf for 50 bucks in this area....so for the moeny what is the best way to go?
I have found beef calves to be a much hardier animal, even ones raised on the bottle.
I do think their is money to be made in Dairy bottle calves, but their is a significant risk. Thats why I think you need to really research who you are getting the calves from. I learned this the hard way. Fortunately I didnt have an arm and a leg invested.
I do think their is money to be made in Dairy bottle calves, but their is a significant risk. Thats why I think you need to really research who you are getting the calves from. I learned this the hard way. Fortunately I didnt have an arm and a leg invested.
shorty
Well-known member
I have been starting holstein bull calves for years , I get them from local daires . when the feeder price is good we sell them as feeders if not we feed them out for slaughter, we never got rich doing it but we never lost onit . It is a lot of extra work.
im not looking to get rich..would be nice!! but i know this is not how its gonna happen...just looking to raise a few..like 10...and sell then but more..i have 160 ac. have 17 head on it, but need some more...have the land might as well have the cattle
medic_941":33plq19t said:
If you are looking to raise ten, then fine. Just make sure you don't put another ten on the same ground you raised those ten on. I'm being serious here...especially if they are holstein bull babies bought from the auction barn.
Alice
backhoeboogie
Well-known member
If you are truly serious about it, AND YOU HAVE THE TIME, get yourself some nurse cows. Jersey cows make nice ones. 160 acres will support 10 of them easily and you could put 20 calves on those 10. With plenty of forage on that land, the cows will need very little supplement if the grass is good.
There is a lady here in this county who does that. She cycles calves through regularly and she has done it for a while. There are cases where a cow dies and a registered calf needs a teat. She will raise that calf for a fee and she is well known and trusted amongst breeders for this. She has been at it for a while and knows all the ins and outs. She is pretty much prepared for anything and this is about all she does.
She said the hispanics were competing with her heavily on the dairy bull calves at the dairy sales. She buys a lot of splits on the cutter and canner markets and there are one or two dairy folks who work with her.
It may take you a while to build up your reputation but I read in this very forum where folks have twin heifers with one being rejected and such (I've been there myself). I read about folks losing cows. They will likely pay you a nominal fee to let that calf nurse off of your cows if it is a registered animal.
It is not a bad deal if you can get direct with a dairy. They will eagerly dump Free Martins and such. You will have to be ready to go get that calf each time the time comes. If they don't have to haul it to the sale it will be a win win situation for you both. You can store first milk in the freezer and be prepared etc.
There is a lady here in this county who does that. She cycles calves through regularly and she has done it for a while. There are cases where a cow dies and a registered calf needs a teat. She will raise that calf for a fee and she is well known and trusted amongst breeders for this. She has been at it for a while and knows all the ins and outs. She is pretty much prepared for anything and this is about all she does.
She said the hispanics were competing with her heavily on the dairy bull calves at the dairy sales. She buys a lot of splits on the cutter and canner markets and there are one or two dairy folks who work with her.
It may take you a while to build up your reputation but I read in this very forum where folks have twin heifers with one being rejected and such (I've been there myself). I read about folks losing cows. They will likely pay you a nominal fee to let that calf nurse off of your cows if it is a registered animal.
It is not a bad deal if you can get direct with a dairy. They will eagerly dump Free Martins and such. You will have to be ready to go get that calf each time the time comes. If they don't have to haul it to the sale it will be a win win situation for you both. You can store first milk in the freezer and be prepared etc.
travlnusa
Well-known member
We have done very well with dairy bull calves.
I buy them in late fall after 2-3 killing freezes. That gets rid of most of the flies, etc.
They do very well for us in the little wood hutches.
We sell then to the end user. As corn goes up, we charge more.
I buy them in late fall after 2-3 killing freezes. That gets rid of most of the flies, etc.
They do very well for us in the little wood hutches.
We sell then to the end user. As corn goes up, we charge more.
