Vette, Opportunity is Knocking

[Jogeephus]

Vette, I've gotten to know you over the last five years or so and in that time I don't think it rained in your area more than maybe six times yet you've been able to cope with the drought situation quite well from what I've seen. In light of this, I think there is a place for you on the consulting circuit in Georgia, Florida and Alabama cause I don't think we've had more than two rains since January and unfortunately I'm looking for some ideas of how to cope with this. I've considered even trying mob grazing on corn but with it tasselling around about my knees I just don't think this would work. Ankle deep wilted millet that has never seen a rain isn't cutting it either. Thank God for bahia. So I must ask, if you have any inclination to earn some consulting money you might consider coming this way cause I know plenty of people that would pay to know your magic. Of course if you have no magic to share you could just accompany us to the sale barn and we could just dump our cattle before the bottom falls out then we could go sit on the river bank and get smashed and discuss the finer details improved pastures and grazing strategies. Or we could just drink and maybe kick a cat or something.

 

[Isomade]

I won't be as much help as Vett on the drought, but I can kick the s#!t out of a cat.

 

[1982vett]

Jogee...The basis of my magic these days is to stop digging in that hole and leave it be. Two rains since January? Dang you always have all the good luck. Well maybe I got you beat this year since we've had two fer 2" since an inch of snow in February. Not sure how to advise as I've finally capitualted my optimism....I guess you watch and wait till all them hurricanes being promised start doing their thing (Texans east of I 45 and north of I 10 shouldn't hold their breath on that one) but really the onlything that has worked for me is to match your cow numbers to the amount of grass you have with a months worth of grass in reserve. For me that has gone from 3 acres per cow in 2007 and the ability to make hay to 7 acres per cow today and no chance of making hay. For the pocketbook...save your fertilizer, feed and fuel money...don't waste it by being optimistic (got bit on that one for the last dam time!) Your river bank idea is probaably the best advice you could give yourself. It's hard to see that early on...If you remember some of our discussions about selling down to what the land can support without all the expensive inputs of time, fertilizer, fuel and work we had three years ago...Should have listened to myself then, could have done a lot of fishing since then.

Sucks don't it....I'd say the best return on efforts put forth would be to make sure the drinks be in aluminum cans....

Isomade...leave the poor stupid cat alone....it can't help it's a dumass cat. lol,,,

 

[highgrit]

Jogee, bahia grass gets a bad rap here. But after this year some tif 9 is in the future. Bahia sure seems to grow better in drier weather than the bermuda grasses.

 

[Jogeephus]

Jogee, bahia grass gets a bad rap here. But after this year some tif 9 is in the future. Bahia sure seems to grow better in drier weather than the bermuda grasses.

I agree completely. During optimal growing conditions it is often outdone by other things but I've equated it to the energizer bunny cause it just keeps going and going no matter the conditions.

IF I could get one inch of rain the worm would turn cause I've got a beautiful stand of wilted millet that just needs a drink. I'm sure for it not to be dead the root system has got to be at least 2 feet in the sand and it would jump IF ONLY.

I still have hay but I wonder now why I burned those hayfields last year rather than bailing them. :bang: But then again, feeding cattle during the season where the cows should be earning their keep isn't very smart either.

Don't know what to do. Will probably sell off some calves and maybe cull some mammas. I have several that need culling and I have some really nice heifers I could easily keep for replacements.

Surpisingly, the cows are still in very good condition in spite of things of course I do see one or two who have shown me they are not cut out for life without bag feed and supplement.

Its frustrating. If this keeps up my dream of opening up an anvil repair shop may come about sooner than later.

Good thing is there are plenty of cats around so I'll make do somehow or another. :lol2:

 

[1982vett]

Jogee, remember these from 2009?

That millet is some tough stuff...

I'd bet most everyone would be surprised how good their herd would look if they culled 30%. That's a pretty deep cut and getting rid of all those marginal cows that did what was needed at one time - have a live calf and wean it - really doesn't cut the mustard anymore. All she does now is keep the number of head you want where you want it. Those need to hit the road now with fat cow prices like they are....they are fat now aren't they? Then you have to adjust and allow for an adjustment in operation income from calves....going to be 30% less next year IF calf prices stay as they are now...going to hurt more if they go down....but with fewer cows to feed thru the winter you don't have to force the ground to grow forage - takes a calf more or less to buy a ton of fertilizer...not to mention equipment, fuel, labor... Extending the life of equipment nowadays is a pretty big savings in itself.

I think this is the way to go for folks like you and me that don't expect a few head of cattle to pay all the bills...expecting them to pay their way and provide a reasonable return for the investment costs and risks is still a must....that's why I've cut the herd 60% since these pictures were taken....Had I not been so dam optimistic back in February I would still be waitnting to throw fertilizer out this year and wouldn't have wasted that money again.

Well, I do still have a optimistic streak down my back...I ran a disc acros 17 acres to have it ready to seed to something...probably kleingrass if the rains show back up as predicted next month.... Haven't formuated an opinion on that yet, guess my mind has been on other things but I nailed the rain schedule last fall. But maybe I've made a prediction thru actions when by selling 30% of the herd I carried into this year... :?

Probably in pretty good shape till August.

 

[Jogeephus]

The first picture is about where I am now with millet. Yep, I'm not going to fool myself and am going to look at dumping some. I like cattle but I'm not going to pay to own them and I might as well do it now before everyone starts dumping them. People down this way are going to be hurting in all sectors of agriculture. You know things are wrong when you envy someone whose house has been flooded but we've been there too and as I remember we had some of the prettiest ryegrass I've ever seen that year.

 

[1982vett]

Just another thought...we were alwasy told to expand, get bigger in more efficient...as the law of large numbers usually proves...at some point it just doesn't work anymore. Smaller and efficient give you more time to repair those anvils which is just as important as working yourself into a grave.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

The first picture is about where I am now with millet. Yep, I'm not going to fool myself and am going to look at dumping some. I like cattle but I'm not going to pay to own them and I might as well do it now before everyone starts dumping them. People down this way are going to be hurting in all sectors of agriculture. You know things are wrong when you envy someone whose house has been flooded but we've been there too and as I remember we had some of the prettiest ryegrass I've ever seen that year.

I made the mistake with our last drought of hanging on to my cattle i was stubborn about the time and work invested in them,,,, they sufferd pretty good from it, lost alot of condition,,,, plus went into the winter with half of my normal hay amount... even after good rains its a long recovery that even effects things you take for granted

 

[RD-Sam]

Jo, I know someone in north Ga that has hay that could be had reasonable. He also was looking for some cows, a guy just came by maybe 10 days ago and bought his whole herd, cows, calves, and the bull. Maybe you two could do some trading on hay and cows. :idea: He is about to start cutting hay this season too, so he should have plenty to go around, transporting would be the only downside.

 

[Jogeephus]

Thanks Sam but I still have hay and probably could carry them all till this thing breaks but the way I see it is I'll be spending my profit just to keep them in hay whether its mine or if I buy it from someone. I still have three pastures that haven't been grazed in three months and luckily these are all bahia and look pretty decent but it won't take long for them to mow them clean. The good thing is I split my calving season into fall and spring so I have some pretty decent calves that could go then I can cull some cows and reduce the numbers where I can still make my per acre goal on income and not hurt me too much assuming it rains in the next few months. This too would reduce a lot of stress on myself and the cows and this is worth a lot to me.

What sucks is, we have high commodity prices but no water.

 

[JSCATTLE]

Water is my problem too. Two of the places I lease don't have wells . None of the ponds have water and the creeks are so low they have stopped running . Just had a well drilled on my place today because the other one went dry . I have plenty of hay to get by just no water . And prices are dropping on the cattle.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Jogee...The basis of my magic these days is to stop digging in that hole and leave it be. Two rains since January? Dang you always have all the good luck. Well maybe I got you beat this year since we've had two fer 2" since an inch of snow in February. Not sure how to advise as I've finally capitualted my optimism....I guess you watch and wait till all them hurricanes being promised start doing their thing (Texans east of I 45 and north of I 10 shouldn't hold their breath on that one) but really the onlything that has worked for me is to match your cow numbers to the amount of grass you have with a months worth of grass in reserve. For me that has gone from 3 acres per cow in 2007 and the ability to make hay to 7 acres per cow today and no chance of making hay. For the pocketbook...save your fertilizer, feed and fuel money...don't waste it by being optimistic (got bit on that one for the last dam time!) Your river bank idea is probaably the best advice you could give yourself. It's hard to see that early on...If you remember some of our discussions about selling down to what the land can support without all the expensive inputs of time, fertilizer, fuel and work we had three years ago...Should have listened to myself then, could have done a lot of fishing since then.

Sucks don't it....I'd say the best return on efforts put forth would be to make sure the drinks be in aluminum cans....

Isomade...leave the poor stupid cat alone....it can't help it's a dumass cat. lol,,,

I agree with Isomade in kicking the cat! Vette raining here right now matter of fact.
Your right on the numbers I used to think nothing of a cow per acre here revised that since 2005 to a cow to 2 acres.
The main thing is bahia is king here, cuss if you want but it dang sure grows.

 

[LRTX1]

While i'm no genious, and we are probably not experiencing the severity of drought that others are, I have done some things this year that has kept me from feeding hay...so far. My neighbors have been feeding hay almost non-stop since winter, I don't know their stocking rate compared to mine, but I think they are similar. I started rotating pastures on a weekly basis and planted some Tif 3 Millet. I got lucky with a little rain (.7") right after the planting of the millet. Got 3" about 3 weeks ago and most of that ran off as it came down so fast. Without the millet and pasture rotation I believe my cows would either be sold or eating hay right now. I feel for you guys that are in a real drought, not just a bad dry spell like we got here.

 

[Jogeephus]

Millet is some good stuff if it gets its minimal needs. Mine is about shin high but its weak looking and swivelled cause its never seen a drop of rain since I planted it. If I could just get 1 inch of rain I know it would jump.

 

[circlew]

I put my millet in the ground and I haven't got anything up yet. Tomorrow will be a week. But no rain just 95+ temps. The rain will come just got to figure out how much more I need to pay the preacher! :lol2: :lol: :banana:

 

[LRTX1]

This is my first go with millet. I think I got lucky with rain when I planted it. It got its roots down pretty good and is still growing, not as much as I think it should but it is growing. I planted it at the end of March and have grazed throuh it twice already. Hopefully I can turn them loose on it again in about 14 days from the last grazing.

 

[JHH]

Sure wish I could send some rain to you guys. It just keeps raining here. Another 2 inches yesterday and night before.Sure looks similar to 2010 and wet. I will pray for ya.

 

[Jogeephus]

We have some chances of rain this week so maybe it will come. If only I had some hay on the ground I know it would.

 

[1982vett]

I agree with Isomade in kicking the cat! Vette raining here right now matter of fact.
Your right on the numbers I used to think nothing of a cow per acre here revised that since 2005 to a cow to 2 acres.
The main thing is bahia is king here, cuss if you want but it dang sure grows.

Don't think there was a clound in the sky all day yesterday...Was definitly hot enough to kick off some afternoon thunderboomers if their was a little moisture in the air.