Spring calves

[Central Fl Cracker]

What time of year do most cow/calf operators send their calves to the auction houses assuming you calved in the spring. Also what target weight do you use when you are ready to sell?

 

[Caustic Burno]

What time of year do most cow/calf operators send their calves to the auction houses assuming you calved in the spring. Also what target weight do you use when you are ready to sell?

Most sell a fall calf crop, being in Fl where carrying wet cows through the winter is not a problem as other regions I would target a fall calving season. Spring calves always bring good money.

 

[Central Fl Cracker]

Caustic
The reason I was asking I have decided to go the stocker route due to cow/calf operations are more involved than the non experience I have. So I guess I would be better to buy spring calves for stockers since they are usually cheaper than the fall calves.

 

[VanC]

If you have decent pasture with decent average rainfall and you don't overstock you could run them practically year round. Buy in the spring, sell in the fall, then buy some more and sell in the spring, etc.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Exactly.

If there's plenty of grass, I'd hold mine and put pounds on them. It is essentially free, when it rains.

Right now I have horse people wanting to pay $80 a bale for coastal Bermuda, in the field. It is hard to say "No" but I have to, unless I sell out what cows I have left. Steers born in the fall were taken from the herd a while back. It is a shame but that is the way it is.

 

[Texan]

The reason I was asking I have decided to go the stocker route due to cow/calf operations are more involved than the non experience I have.

You don't know what trouble is until you go the stocker route with weaned-on-the-way-to-town salebarn calves that have never seen needle or knife and still cost $700 a pop. That's where you'll need the experience.

Bred, solid-mouthed cows that know how to do their job without you will look pretty good to you after you get a big enough dead pile of stockers going.

 

[Caustic Burno]

The reason I was asking I have decided to go the stocker route due to cow/calf operations are more involved than the non experience I have.

You don't know what trouble is until you go the stocker route with weaned-on-the-way-to-town salebarn calves that have never seen needle or knife and still cost $700 a pop. That's where you'll need the experience.

Bred, solid-mouthed cows that know how to do their job without you will look pretty good to you after you get a big enough dead pile of stockers going.

Newbie wanting to play with stockers is a trainwreck looking to happen I have to agree with Texan on this.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

I have to go with the caution - stockers are not easier than cows.

You might ry a few before you sink a wad into the deal. It can be very profitable, but if you really do lack the experience I sure wouldn't do it.

 

[Central Fl Cracker]

I must admit I am lucking the rancher that leases half of our property for cow/calf operations is going to sell me the feeders after weaning. He also runs 100 head on the same property and he will be my new mentor. If ya'll think running stockers versus cow/calf operation is a train wreck then I must be missing something. The cattle business is not rocket science and you just need to read and listen to experienced cattlemen like yourself to gain some experience. I assume you all were newbies at some time. :lol:

 

[Caustic Burno]

I must admit I am lucking the rancher that leases half of our property for cow/calf operations is going to sell me the feeders after weaning. He also runs 100 head on the same property and he will be my new mentor. If ya'll think running stockers versus cow/calf operation is a train wreck then I must be missing something. The cattle business is not rocket science and you just need to read and listen to experienced cattlemen like yourself to gain some experience. I assume you all were newbies at some time. :lol:

Sounds like you know it all and have it all figured out get after it.

 

[Central Fl Cracker]

Caustic
If I knew it all or anything I would not be posting so many questions. You mentioned a train wreck so what problems should I expect doing stockers? And yes I truly value your opinion and read all your post and yes I do have an advantage with a cattlemen that leases part of our property to keep me straight. :lol:

 

[Workinonit Farm]

so what problems should I expect doing stockers?

Keep in mind that I did read where you said that you would be buying your feeders from your neighbor. That is a plus.

To answer, in part, the what problems question. Often when buying stockers/feeders at the sales, one is buying calves of unknown origin and history. Calves that have been weaned on the truck often are calves that have not had vaccinations, deworming, have not been introduced to feed, just to mention a few. In turn, the stress of being weaned "on the truck" combined with what I previously mentioned, makes these calves more prone to health issues, such as scours, respiratory issues such as "shipping fever"/pnemonia, etc. They can be alot more work, trying to get them started on feed, castrating if they haven't beed so already, and just generally dealing with the sicknesses they are prone to. If one is well prepared, has some knowlege how to recognize and treat these problems they can do well with feeders. If one is new at this it can be a real eye-opener if they have never had to deal with these issues.

Katherine

 

[Caustic Burno]

Stocker cattle represent a great opportunity to turn forages into profit for the savvy cattleman. The keysto a successful stocker program lie in four areas: pasture management, cost control, proper marketingand animal management.
Pasture Management
One of the cheapest things you can do to increase weight gain in your stocker calves is to properly fertilize and lime your pastures. Properly fertilized forages contain more of the nutrients that cattle need to gain weight quickly. The best way to go about fertilizing and liming your pastures is to take a soil sample several months before the forage growing season (for example, take a soil sample in the early fall for winter wheat or ryegrass). Based on the results of the soil sample lime and/or fertilize the pasture accordingly. Another important aspect of pasture management is weed control. For every pound of weeds in your pasture there is one less pound of usable forages for your stocker calves. Cooperative Extension agent can help you choose the correct herbicide and advise you on the correct time to apply them to remove unwanted weeds.
Cost Control
Obviously, to make money raising stocker cattle you have to sell the cattle for more than you put in them. Carefully controlling input costs like feed, medication, supplements, etc. and making sure that these items result in added benefits that are worth the cost is crucial. It is beneficial to keep a record of
all costs incurred, not only for tax purposes, but to help you determine your breakeven costs for future years.
Proper Marketing
Raising big, healthy stocker calves means little if you are unable to attain the best possible price for them. The first step in a successful marketing plan is to purchase cattle types that sell well in your area. For example, black-baldie stocker cattle are in high demand while eared-breeds such as the Zebu-crosses are in low demand in sale barns. Pound for pound, black-baldie will more often than not, bring a better
price than Zebu-crosses no matter how good the Zebu-cross cattle. The next step is to find out what the buyers prefer in terms of a final weight. If the buyers in your area
prefer 6 CWT cattle, it will do you no good to keep your stockers on the pastures until they are 8 CWTs.
Proper Animal Management
When processing stocker calves, it makes sense to perform a few management procedures to increase their value. These include castrating bull calves and dehorning any horned cattle, as well as deworming and vaccinating all calves. The mere act of dehorning and castrating will increase the calves' value by
several cents per pound at sale time. Vaccinating and deworming cattle will reduce your death losses and increase productivity because sick cattle don't efficiently gain weight.
Properly matching cattle-types to available forages will also maximize productivity and weight gain. The highest quality forages should be matched up with lightweight calves, while heavier calves can be placed on slightly more mature, less nutritious forages with no loss in production.

 

[Central Fl Cracker]

I truly thank you for your input and advice. There was quite a few items I had not thought about. You obviously know the stocker biz and here I thought you were mainly a cow/calf producer.

 

[Susie David]

Not putting a dog in this fight but it sounds like the neighbor has made a good deal setting up a futures market for his calves. Dmc

 

[backhoeboogie]

I truly thank you for your input and advice. There was quite a few items I had not thought about. You obvously know the stocker biz and here I thought you were mainly a cow/calf producer.

Caustic knows the business indeed. I printed that one out for future "case in point" situations.

The most nickels a cow ever fetched for me came from a baldy. I couldn't believe what she brought.

 

[Bama]

Very good reply from Caustic. Not much more I can add. I do several stockers. Trust me you have to pretty much do what Caustic said. On top of that you may get a load put them in confinement for a month and turn the out with no problems. Next load you do all the same things. Vac's and med's and confinement for a month. Now when you turn them in with the others everbody gets sick. Cattle brought this way bring in bugs that your area hasn't seen. When you start losing several in a day you realize your profits are going down the drain. You have to not only to stay on top of things but on the next hill as well. Purchase price is where I make the most on my cattle. You have to learn not to spend a hundred dollar bill to save three 20's. Its easy to loose 40 bucks this way. You have to know how much it will cost you to put how much gain on them and if you will get the return on that amount. You have to learn exactly how much they are costing you per day and if holding to a higher weight or selling a a lighter weight is your best option. I don't always sell the fattest or best looking cattle but I try to sell at the best return on my money. There's money to be made in stockers, there's also more money to be lost. I wouldn't recommend it to just anyone. As Caustic said its a trainwreck waiting to happen, most of the time the rails are slippery as well.

 

[Central Fl Cracker]

I am buying around 10 calves a year so I don't think he is thinking easy money plus his lease expires in 2 years and if he screws with me he want be getting his lease renewed. :lol:

Bama
Can you buy good calves and still make money or do you have to buy so so calves at a much better price to to do stockers? I understand with you being a savy buyer you probably buy marginal calves and can make money. I hope the question makes since.

 

[Bama]

I make more on marginal cattle that are not at their best. My goal is to make them their best with the least amount of money. Sometimes their best will just be to costly and not have the return so I take them to less than that. A "best" calf looks better but what does it take to get and keep it that way. You have to know what the return is on gettiong them to a certain level. At times its better to take them to the top and at other times it's not. If I was going to buy some and had not been doing it for several years I would only buy the best looking ones. The others are at a higher risk. Better still I would buy good spring calves and run em on grass till fall. I would keep up with everthing as far as daily gain and cost per day of holding them. Then I would sell them in the fall and buy some good fall calves and feed them through the winter and compare all the info to the spring calves. Next spring when you buy you will have a better idea of how much daily gain and at what cost to expect. Stay away from the bad looking ones until you get a few calf crops under your belt. Buying the good calves will still give you some experance on sickness and such. If you buy several lesser calves you will get a LOT of experience at this. Once you learn to control it with healty calves it will be easier to handle on unhealthy calves. I stress again this is a real risky way of doing things. A cow calf operation is much less risky if you buy sound 4 to 5 year old proven good mothering cows.

 

[VanC]

Stocker cattle represent a great opportunity to turn forages into profit for the savvy cattleman. The keysto a successful stocker program lie in four areas: pasture management, cost control, proper marketingand animal management.
Pasture Management
One of the cheapest things you can do to increase weight gain in your stocker calves is to properly fertilize and lime your pastures. Properly fertilized forages contain more of the nutrients that cattle need to gain weight quickly. The best way to go about fertilizing and liming your pastures is to take a soil sample several months before the forage growing season (for example, take a soil sample in the early fall for winter wheat or ryegrass). Based on the results of the soil sample lime and/or fertilize the pasture accordingly. Another important aspect of pasture management is weed control. For every pound of weeds in your pasture there is one less pound of usable forages for your stocker calves. Cooperative Extension agent can help you choose the correct herbicide and advise you on the correct time to apply them to remove unwanted weeds.
Cost Control
Obviously, to make money raising stocker cattle you have to sell the cattle for more than you put in them. Carefully controlling input costs like feed, medication, supplements, etc. and making sure that these items result in added benefits that are worth the cost is crucial. It is beneficial to keep a record of
all costs incurred, not only for tax purposes, but to help you determine your breakeven costs for future years.
Proper Marketing
Raising big, healthy stocker calves means little if you are unable to attain the best possible price for them. The first step in a successful marketing plan is to purchase cattle types that sell well in your area. For example, black-baldie stocker cattle are in high demand while eared-breeds such as the Zebu-crosses are in low demand in sale barns. Pound for pound, black-baldie will more often than not, bring a better
price than Zebu-crosses no matter how good the Zebu-cross cattle. The next step is to find out what the buyers prefer in terms of a final weight. If the buyers in your area
prefer 6 CWT cattle, it will do you no good to keep your stockers on the pastures until they are 8 CWTs.
Proper Animal Management
When processing stocker calves, it makes sense to perform a few management procedures to increase their value. These include castrating bull calves and dehorning any horned cattle, as well as deworming and vaccinating all calves. The mere act of dehorning and castrating will increase the calves' value by
several cents per pound at sale time. Vaccinating and deworming cattle will reduce your death losses and increase productivity because sick cattle don't efficiently gain weight.
Properly matching cattle-types to available forages will also maximize productivity and weight gain. The highest quality forages should be matched up with lightweight calves, while heavier calves can be placed on slightly more mature, less nutritious forages with no loss in production.

While I'm sure Caustic knows the stocker business as well as anyone, you folks know he didn't actually WRITE this, don't you? It was copied and pasted from another site. Doesn't really matter though, it's excellent advice.