Setting your goal in the beef cattle industry.

[medicinewoman]

The beef cattle industry is no different then any other industry when it comes to management so you should, as in any other industry, always set a goal and it must be an obtainable goal.

In my cow/calf operation I have my goal set at maximizing my cows to their full potential for maximum profit.
I define a cow's full potential as producing a healthy calf every calendar/fiscal year for 4 years and on about the 5 year producing 2 calves for that calendar/fiscal year.
That is my goal. To produce 6 calves in about 5 calendar/fiscal years, not including any twins.

Have you set your goal? Can you clearly define it?
MW

PS This was some of the new learning I went through, as a required paper, back when I was at the big U so I just thought some of you in the younger crowd would enjoy the challenge and also seeing what you are in for at big U life.
Again there are no right or wrong answers, so lets make it fun.

 

[bigbull338]

i set 2 or 3 goals for my cowherd or maybe more.1.is they breed back on a timely manor on grass an hay.an that they raise a good calf.2.they must milk good enough to raise that calf.3 all my cows need to wean a calf every year.if they dont i start looking at why they didnt.in my book if they dont do these things they are gone.but because of people gripping i might give them another chance.

 

[IluvABbeef]

My main goals are to manage grass first cows/calves second. Grass is what really helps make your profits, not just the cows themselves. You can try to maximize your cows to their fullest potential as much as you want, but the real clincher is what you're feeding them, how you're feeding them, not to mention how/what you're grazing. Feed costs are the biggest factor in profitability in the cow-calf business. I can't make money with my maxed-out cows if I can't feed them in such a way that is low-cost!!

MW, I don't know where you live or what university you went to, but I hope the folks at U you went to taught you about managing grass and low-cost feeding methods (esp. winter feeding).

 

[lynnmcmahan]

My main goals are to manage grass first cows/calves second. Grass is what really helps make your profits, not just the cows themselves. You can try to maximize your cows to their fullest potential as much as you want, but the real clincher is what you're feeding them, how you're feeding them, not to mention how/what you're grazing. Feed costs are the biggest factor in profitability in the cow-calf business. I can't make money with my maxed-out cows if I can't feed them in such a way that is low-cost!!

Some of the best advice I got was from a young Extension Agent that said, "before you become a cow expert you need to become a grass expert." I didn't know at the time how true he was.

 

[cow pollinater]

Since I am also in tune with my grass... as in the kind the cattle eat as that's the only kind I know about... I expect a cow to calve once a year. Period. If she has a second calf in a one year period then my breeding program is out of whack. I want tight calving intervals that come at a specific time about two months before my grass turns green. I have specific dates in mind as to when my bulls should be turned out and when they should be pulled. If any cow is calving early or late then something went wrong.

 

[shaz]

I want to be profitable enough that the kids will have a strong desire to keep the place running after I'm gone. Not sure that's possible.

I tend to be a grass farmer first and a breeding is something I've GOT to improve on.
That said, I should have another 25 years to get it right and enjoy every moment. :drink: :drink: :drink: :drink: :drink: :drink: :drink:

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Since I am also in tune with my grass... as in the kind the cattle eat as that's the only kind I know about... I expect a cow to calve once a year. Period. If she has a second calf in a one year period then my breeding program is out of whack. I want tight calving intervals that come at a specific time about two months before my grass turns green. I have specific dates in mind as to when my bulls should be turned out and when they should be pulled. If any cow is calving early or late then something went wrong.

I totally agree. There are two methods of breeding cows. Leave the bull in year round (only way to "achieve" two calves in one calendar year) and having a set breeding/calving time table. There are many producers on this board that do both methods.
I prefer being in control of when my cattle calve (+ or - 2 weeks ). I calve spring & fall.

 

[medicinewoman]

Here is another goal and we have only one cow.
To produce 1 calf per calendar year on Oct. 1. Each and every year.

I will accept the rule of thumb of 21 day cycling time and a 283 day gestation time with no variations. Twins are excluded.
You my set the cows recuperation time.

Our one cow calved on Oct. 1 2011 and your breeding time begins as you can only breed an open cow.
When would you put your bull in to produce an Oct 1 2012 calf ?
What was your open cow time?

MW

 

[Anonymous]

Anyone seen sirloin lately?

 

[VanC]

Anyone seen sirloin lately?

I think we have a winner. :tiphat:

 

[medicinewoman]

For those of you who think I am a reincarnation of Mr. Sir Loin, again I will say I am not but I can now say I do know who he really is. I am 99 % sure.
On my blog I asked my former students to check in to him. And they did and determined he was not a former student.
The key that gave him away was the nittany and a search of the alumni turned him up.
He has very good credentials and has issued this warning on the alumni board to all other alumni members.

Warning: student plagiarism and the blind leading the blind.
Be very suspicious of any student who uses Cattle Today.com as a source.
Not only have I found students plagiarizing and violating copyright law from this board but I have found it to be a very non-profession board and is nothing more then the blind leading the blind where our students could be beaten into submission to believe as some of those on that board do, which undermines our curriculum.

I have advised my students I do not accept any research or sourcing from this board.

Now I hope that clears that up.
MW

 

[ohiosteve]

Hook, I think you are mistaken. The person we are dealing with here is no other than Dr. Quinn, medicinewoman. My personal goals for my cows are 1) Keep a freezer full of beef
2) Cows will have a calf every year, if not they will help achieve goal #1.
3) Keep my daughter/nieces/nephews/neighbors kids interested in agriculture.
4) Feed nothing except grass and hay I have made.
5) Keep it fun and interesting.
6) Pay for everything out of pocket with no added debt.
I plan on spending the rest of my life striving for these goals.

 

[alisonb]

Now I hope that clears that up.
MW

It definitely does :nod:

 

[backhoeboogie]

My goal is to earn money to supplement my income. Keep ag-exemptions to keep property taxes low. To stay within my alotted budget for the year. To never sell a bale of hay again to anyone but a friend.

 

[Anonymous]

Now I hope that clears that up.
MW

It definitely does :nod:

Crystal

 

[SSGenetics]

Now I hope that clears that up.
MW

It definitely does :nod:

Crystal

Clear..... what a nut :shock:

 

[cmay]

Maximizing production is not the same as maximizing profit. Maximizing profit is my goal. If I tried to maximize the rate at which my cows calved on the grass they have now, they would be either be thin and broken down with a shorter calving life or my feed bill would be through the roof. If I wanted to maximize production, my cows would look like elephants and I would have unlimited grass and hay. That just doesn't work. Maximizing production sounds great, but it just doesn't work.

 

[Anonymous]

For those of you who think I am a reincarnation of Mr. Sir Loin, again I will say I am not but I can now say I do know who he really is. I am 99 % sure.
On my blog I asked my former students to check in to him. And they did and determined he was not a former student.
The key that gave him away was the nittany and a search of the alumni turned him up.
He has very good credentials and has issued this warning on the alumni board to all other alumni members.

Warning: student plagiarism and the blind leading the blind.
Be very suspicious of any student who uses Cattle Today.com as a source.
Not only have I found students plagiarizing and violating copyright law from this board but I have found it to be a very non-profession board and is nothing more then the blind leading the blind where our students could be beaten into submission to believe as some of those on that board do, which undermines our curriculum.

I have advised my students I do not accept any research or sourcing from this board.

Now I hope that clears that up.
MW

So, just so I understand this correctly. You agree that sirloin is an attention hungry, self
Serving, condescending, know it all, clown with zero social skills?

 

[TexasBred]

Anyone seen sirloin lately?

Probably in court and got all the big shots backed into a corner begging him not to take everything they have. :lol2: :lol2: Last I heard tho he was auditing the IRS. :lol2:

 

[TexasBred]

Maximizing production is not the same as maximizing profit. Maximizing profit is my goal. If I tried to maximize the rate at which my cows calved on the grass they have now, they would be either be thin and broken down with a shorter calving life or my feed bill would be through the roof. If I wanted to maximize production, my cows would look like elephants and I would have unlimited grass and hay. That just doesn't work. Maximizing production sounds great, but it just doesn't work.

You still want to maximize production based on what you have to work with. Takes a bit of management.