Smaller cow math vs. Longer calf ownership ?

[Stocker Steve]

The small cows per acre benefit has been beat to death. Now a few suppliers of the modern harder keeping/higher growth genetics have come back with - - yaaa small cow math per ACRE works - - but why don't you benefit by just retaining your existing high growth calves rather than starting over by flipping your cow herd? :cowboy: Have you been retaining growthy calves and have numbers on how well it worked?

 

[RanchMan90]

The small cows per acre benefit has been beat to death. Now a few suppliers of the modern harder keeping/higher growth genetics have come back with - - yaaa small cow math per ACRE works - - but why don't you benefit by just retaining your existing high growth calves rather than starting over by flipping your cow herd? :cowboy: Have you been retaining growthy calves and have numbers on how well it worked?

Watching futures boards it doesn't pay much from feeder to packer stage :2cents:

 

[Stocker Steve]

Watching futures boards it doesn't pay much from feeder to packer stage :2cents:

Cow/calf doesn't pay much either...

 

[RanchMan90]

Watching futures boards it doesn't pay much from feeder to packer stage :2cents:

Cow/calf doesn't pay much either...

No sir. Looks like flat water water in the stocker segment with weaned calves costing as much as feeders. Haven't seen that in recent history.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

"weaned calves costing as much as feeders"
???? A "weaned calf" IS a "feeder", isn't it? I'm confused.
Size of cow has been beaten to death. It all boils down to environment.

 

[Ky hills]

"weaned calves costing as much as feeders"
???? A "weaned calf" IS a "feeder", isn't it? I'm confused.
Size of cow has been beaten to death. It all boils down to environment.

Here in KY weaned calves are referred to as feeders also, but are often called stockers in other places.

 

[Nesikep]

Heaven forbid you just call them what they are so it makes sense.

 

[Stocker Steve]

No sir. Looks like flat water water in the stocker segment with weaned calves costing as much as feeders.

Real beef producers don't care about that price or marketing stuff-- it's all about putting on more pounds! ;-)

 

[Dave]

The prices here longer calf ownership pencils. The last report had calves below 650 to be off a penny and ones over 650 up 6-8 cents. They have 500-600 steers at $1.44-$1.55 and 700-800 at $1.42-$1.53. Figuring a 5 weight at the high price and a 8 weight at the low end it adds $361 in value to add that 300 pounds.

 

[Stocker Steve]

My spring calves came off stockpiled pasture today. Most looked like furred up bears and will be way too big to go back to grass next year. Damn modern genetics.
I have some discounted grain for them. Local corn prices are very weak. COG should be less than U$S 0.60. So I have to pencil out how long to keep going, before selling them and buying back some calves for grass.

 

[Brute 23]

Heaven forbid you just call them what they are so it makes sense.

You can't sound smart like that because then every one would understand.

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

The cow man down the road always told me that the best time to sell calves was when I needed the money, no matter what they weigh, and without factoring in any futures data. So far, he's been right every time.

 

[1982vett]

Watching futures boards it doesn't pay much from feeder to packer stage :2cents:

Cow/calf doesn't pay much either...

It’s a conspiracy....... :shock:

 

[Stocker Steve]

The cow man down the road always told me that the best time to sell calves was when I needed the money, no matter what they weigh, and without factoring in any futures data. So far, he's been right every time.

But I need money all the time... :help:

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

The cow man down the road always told me that the best time to sell calves was when I needed the money, no matter what they weigh, and without factoring in any futures data. So far, he's been right every time.

But I need money all the time... :help:

Then give up on all this fancy schmmancy market analysis, buy a couple hundred momma cows, and run a bull year round. You can thank me later.

 

[RanchMan90]

I was referring to price per lb being the same on weaned calves (5 wts) and feeders (7-9 wts)

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Just confusing terminology. When does a weaned calf become a feeder. To me, a weaned calf is a feeder calf as soon as it is weaned.

 

[RanchMan90]

Just confusing terminology. When does a weaned calf become a feeder. To me, a weaned calf is a feeder calf as soon as it is weaned.

I consider a 7-9 wt a feeder or yearling that goes to a feedlot, weaned calves would be called calves or stockers. Varies with geography I suppose. Is there much stocker phase in the Northeast?

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Very, very little. Our weaned calves are 6-700# (some up to 800). You really don't want to background a calf like that.
I lived in Kansas many years ago (left in 78), and average ww was much smaller and there was a LOT of back-grounding. That was one of the biggest problem with the Simmental breed in the early years. People still back-grounded them and grew MORE frame, so by the time they finished on the feedlots, they were 1600-1700#.
We have lush grass/clover grows native all summer. It is GREEN here all year, just buried under the snow 1/2 the year. LOL
I have been on this farm since 1978 and we have never plowed up a pasture. We have frost seeded clover maybe 4 times in all those years.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I have been on this farm since 1978 and we have never plowed up a pasture. We have frost seeded clover maybe 4 times in all those years.

Seems too easy. Must be some rocks down there for you?