The Best Way?

[aplusmnt]

Not sure how deep you are in to Ark, but if I was going to limit myself to only Registered Cattle. In the climate you probably have I would give a long hard look at Red Angus, or Simmental Red and Black.

If I was not already started on the black baldy route I would go Red Baldy if I had it all to do over again.

 

[allenfarms]

Man I really like what I see looking into the polled Herefords!

 

[dun]

You wont necesarrily need a squeeze but you'll for sure need a good headgate. One with panels that you can remove on the side for doctoring if necesarry is nice. Of course a squeeze takes care of all that but your looking at 5 times the money. Go to a couple of registered sales before you spend any money. Look at different breeds, even those you don;t think you're interested in. You will start to get a feel for what sells and what doesn't. When you decide on a breed, join your state breed association. Be ready to spend fairly large dollars to get the good quality bloodlines.
Although it goes against the "flush them as yearling" mindset, look at those older cows, 7-10 or so. Usually you can buy them cheaper, they've got good bloodlines and still habe some good calves left in them. Talk to the consignor and then talk to the consignors competititors to get a fell for his reputation.

dun

 

[allenfarms]

What is this about flushing, that you can know more about a heifer/cow at a younger age. I am old school I guess, but there are so many different and new ways to breed and stuff I am not very educated on this new stuff.

 

[allenfarms]

I am also curios to know what breed offers the biggest market in my area and nationwide.

 

[rattler]

think i would look at every thing before i settled on one breed take your time dont get in no big hurry.Some of the gerts that i have worked with have been high strung Herf,s
are a good choice.

rattler

 

[KenB]

Well with all the posts on the board a lot of them have mentioned Beefmaster, another breed that I have looked at. So what are your thoughts of them. Obviosly I will need to invest in something that I can sell. And from what I understand, their temperments are good.

To answer your question Rattler, yes I am all set up since I purchased and existing turkey farm that also ran cattle. I am farm born and raised, my folks run a 1100 acre mixed breed with registered Char Bulls. That is all I have ever known.

I might be best to stick with Chars. I would love to raise Gerts or Beefmaster, but like ya'll said, gotta sell em to someone.

It looks to me that the knowledge of your folks would answer most of the questions that you are asking.

 

[Caustic Burno]

We are getting our chains yanked here or this is a kid.

 

[allenfarms]

HAHAHA I think not, They are very closed minded, and we are in 2 Very different businesses. They are also very old fashioned. They have only recently ran Reg. Bulls. First and foremost, I am a Turkey Grower, I am looking to run a SMALL cattle operation ON THE SIDE, and like I said I would like something different.


Caustic Burno stated.......

"We are getting our chains yanked here or this is a kid."

***What an ignorant statement. As if you actually believe someone invest this much time into their research. Ecspecially a child. Honestly, get real.

 

[Caustic Burno]

HAHAHA I think not, They are very closed minded, and we are in 2 Very different businesses. They are also very old fashioned. They have only recently ran Reg. Bulls. First and foremost, I am a Turkey Grower, I am looking to run a SMALL cattle operation ON THE SIDE, and like I said I would like something different.


Caustic Burno stated.......

"We are getting our chains yanked here or this is a kid."

***What an ignorant statement. As if you actually believe someone invest this much time into their research. Ecspecially a child. Honestly, get real.

Wouldn't be the first time to have a Hill Creek.

 

[allenfarms]

Allenfarms: I watched a dehorning process at the vet one day and it wasn't pretty. With all the time it took, it had to be a pricey operation.

Yes I have seen a couple myself, not pretty, the worst beller ever, besides a hog getting castrated, I seen and old timer one time put this big ole boar in the back of a truck, back under a tree; he had his front legs tied and took a rope to each back foot tying each apart to an overhead limb. Then he just cut the sack and removed the testes and that Hog squeeled so loud! Man I was just a kid too It was the worst thing I ever saw.

On another note, what ever I decide, I would like it to be Polled.

 

[3MR]

I think a small operation can make money. Dont get wrapped up in the theory that the cows have to pay for everything. They only have to help.

As long as the cows are putting change in your pocket that wouldnt otherwise be there then you are doing good.

ie: Chickens + cows = bills paid + 50 cents in your pocket

Versus

Chickens + Cows = bills paid - 50 cents.

Thats an interesting theory. When you don't expect the cows to pay there way thats a losing propostion. Why invest in them?
.

They are paying there way, they just arent paying for for everything on the place. After looking at my equation I see it wasnt done very well.

My point was; you have to consider all income and assets. For example if you allready have land and lets say a tractor, and you would have the land and the tractore, for whatever reason regardless of the cows, then you dont have to count the cost of them when determining income and output for the cattle. At most you would count possible additional depreiation of the tractor associated with the cattle operation.

Does that make any better sense?

 

[milkmaid]

But you missed the part about my turkey farm, it pays all expenses, every last one of them is run through it I have no payments, taxes, bills, feed, whatever, It is all run through the Turkey farm, which I figured that in my position It would enable me to do ALOT better and that it would be different than a normal joe doing the same thing w/out the turkey farm's money coming in. We run through almost 200,000 birds a year. So I have all the equipment, litter truck, "LITTER" etc.
Shouldn't this make a HUGE difference. Plus the place makes 100 round bales a year. And still runs cattle all year.

Hope you aren't planning on feeding that stuff to the cows.

 

[allenfarms]

I think a small operation can make money. Dont get wrapped up in the theory that the cows have to pay for everything. They only have to help.

As long as the cows are putting change in your pocket that wouldnt otherwise be there then you are doing good.

ie: Chickens + cows = bills paid + 50 cents in your pocket

Versus

Chickens + Cows = bills paid - 50 cents.

Thats an interesting theory. When you don't expect the cows to pay there way thats a losing propostion. Why invest in them?
.

They are paying there way, they just arent paying for for everything on the place. After looking at my equation I see it wasnt done very well.

My point was; you have to consider all income and assets. For example if you allready have land and lets say a tractor, and you would have the land and the tractore, for whatever reason regardless of the cows, then you dont have to count the cost of them when determining income and output for the cattle. At most you would count possible additional depreiation of the tractor associated with the cattle operation.

Does that make any better sense?

Yes it makes perfect sense to me, that's what I have been trying to explain all along,
Sorry everyone for not making it clear....

I have the tractors and land already it's even fenced and crossfenced. I have a working pen, ALL MY EXPENSES ARE RUN THROUGH THE TURKEY FARM.
Now knowing this how will his affect my situation to run 20 -30 head of registered stock. They won't require much feed at all on this place cuz of great pasture and 100 round bales a year to help in winter.

 

[3MR]

You arent very likely to cover feed cost on 20 hd.. But, hey, I've never made a nickel and I'm still here.

One cow doesnt eat any more feed than one cow in a herd of 100

One cow eats bulk feed just as readily as the one in 100.

If you cant make money on one cow then you most certainly arent going to make money on 100. (Baring exigent circumstances)

The only variable between 1 and 100 is equipment, and he has stated he already has that. Besides, the cows dont care if you are using a beat up old truck or a brand new one.

Just my 2 cents

 

[dun]

Whether you count it or not, that hay you baled and the grass in the pasture has value therefore is part of the cost of raising the cattle. If you used to sell the hay and now feed it, that's a cost that is figured against the cows. When people talk about a profit they include all costs in the equations. But it's all in the bookeeping. If you look at it any other way it's just a hobby like any other except you get more fun out of it and something to eat.

dun

 

[allenfarms]

Whether you count it or not, that hay you baled and the grass in the pasture has value therefore is part of the cost of raising the cattle. If you used to sell the hay and now feed it, that's a cost that is figured against the cows. When people talk about a profit they include all costs in the equations. But it's all in the bookeeping. If you look at it any other way it's just a hobby like any other except you get more fun out of it and something to eat.

dun

To tell you the truth it get's complicated if you look at it like that. See I spread My litter on a neighbors hay fields and he cuts and bales my hay. You scratch my back I'll scratch yours kinda deal. haha. See I have a Litter spreader truck on the farm and use it to fertilize my own fields as well as his. It came with the farm and so did this negotiation so i am just sticking with it.

***And also "no I do not plan to feed litter to my cattle"! ;-) Actually I have never heard of that around here! We just use it for Fertilizer.

 

[3MR]

Whether you count it or not, that hay you baled and the grass in the pasture has value therefore is part of the cost of raising the cattle. If you used to sell the hay and now feed it, that's a cost that is figured against the cows. When people talk about a profit they include all costs in the equations. But it's all in the bookeeping. If you look at it any other way it's just a hobby like any other except you get more fun out of it and something to eat.

dun

To tell you the truth it get's complicated if you look at it like that. See I spread My litter on a neighbors hay fields and he cuts and bales my hay. You scratch my back I'll scratch yours kinda deal. haha. See I have a Litter spreader truck on the farm and use it to fertilize my own fields as well as his. It came with the farm and so did this negotiation so i am just sticking with it.

***And also "no I do not plan to feed litter to my cattle"! ;-) Actually I have never heard of that around here! We just use it for Fertilizer.

Your litter therfore has value. it would be equal to what you would have to pay to have your hay cut and baled. If you are feedign all the hay to your cows you would have to subtract that value as an operating cost.

What I wouldnt do is subtract the value of what you could otherwise sell the hay for from the Gross income.

Think of yourself as a grass farmer. Cattle might not make you the most money on the grass, but it shouldnt cos tyou any either.

Just becasue you could have made more money doing something else, doesne mean you subtract the difference from what you did make on the cattle. This is what many people preach and it will allways be a loosing proposition. If it made sense Walmart would be out of business.

 

[backhoeboogie]

See I spread My litter on a neighbors hay fields and he cuts and bales my hay. You scratch my back I'll scratch yours kinda deal. haha. See I have a Litter spreader truck on the farm and use it to fertilize my own fields as well as his. It came with the farm and so did this negotiation so i am just sticking with it.

You can sell that hay, if it is any good, for a lot of nickels, especially right now. That is a sure thing. Money in the bank.

 

[la4angus]

Well I certainly don't intend on hauling registered Gerts to any sale barn around here.

Where do you plan on hauling them. The farther away the sale barn is, the more it will cost.
If you sell them at a sale in South Texas, they just may not loose as much money as selling close to hoime.

Maybe you should check with PLB Cattle and see about buying some good Brangus. Then you will have some bulls to sell anywheres in your area or even a little farther north.