What do I do with the Bulls

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mnmtranching

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First of all I paid to much for these bulls. When I buy bulls I plan to use them 4 yrs and get at least 100 calfs per bull.

I am almost out of pasture, got hay to feed the herd for 1 month, and hay is expensive. There's no Winter grazing up here and 07 pasture starts last week of May, so I've got a long feeding season.

I'm going to start hauling cows to market, none are culls. So I want to keep as many as I can. What do I do with these bulls, a yearling and a 2 yr old. The breeding is about over and I won't need the bulls until June. All thoughts welcome.

mnmt
 
MnMt,

Go back and re-read your post and I believe you have answered your question. It's a tough position to be in but let me recap:

1) Breeding is almost over.
2) almost out of pasture
3) got hay to feed the herd for 1 month
4) hay is expensive
5) no Winter grazing up here
6) 07 pasture starts last week of May
7) I won't need the bulls until June

I know you don't normally sell the bulls for the winter but why would you keep the bulls for 9 - 10 months when they will be doing nothing but eating grass and hay that you don't have.

In my opion, finish up breeding season and sell the bulls. The money you will save by not feeding them for 9-10 months will probably make up for the losses you will have of selling them now and buying new bulls when you need them.

It's a tough decision to make but the logical answer is already apparent in the way you presented the facts and asked the question. Good Luck.
 
Let's look at what it cost you not to sell the bulls.
I would say that it takes just a much to winter a bull as it takes to winter a pair or almost as much as it takes to winter two heifers.
If you sell a pair and keep the bull then you have the lost income of a calf. I will guess the value of the weaned calf at about $700.

If you are lucky and sell cow and a young calf, they should bring $900 if it is a good cow.
You can sell a 2000-pound bull for $1500
Now it depends on what you paid for the bulls but I suspect they are not over $3000

So if you sell a pair for $900 but you lose the income of the calf then you are up $200 and then buy a replacement for $900 in the spring you are out $700. So I would say that it cost you about $700 to keep the bull over the winter.
If you sell the bull for $1500 and buy another in the spring for $3000, it will cost you $1500 to keep the pair.
It looks to me that you would come out a head to keep the bull. But if you have, this trouble every year you would be better to sell cows down to a number that you r land will support. And keep only enough bull to cover those cows.
 
Thanks, good advice, We don't have this problem with dought every year. I did I pay to much for the bulls. 3500. for one and 2850. for the other. I picked out the ones I wanted and thats what I had to bid to get them. But like I mentioned I was thinking 4 yrs. Thats why I'm having this problem, I have two other yearling bulls that I don't have that much money in that are going on the next load. I've got 28 good doing calves out of the two year old, the yearling has been doing a good job. I don't know, but I would hate to replace them with 1500.$ bulls next spring. I also want to keep as many cows as possible.

mnmt
 
Mnmt,

Is there anyone in your area that fall calves? They may be willing to lease your bulls over the winter; you won't have to feed them and can maybe make some money on them. Of course there is the concern of std's but if they have a good herd health plan I won't think it would be a problem.

Chris
 
You could try to sell them private treaty or at a bull sale. You would probably get more money for them that way then at the regular auction.
 
Mnmt,

Check your inbox, I tried to sent you a pm, but I'm not sure if it worked or not.

Chris
 
i loan my bulls out to neighbors who only have a few cows and don't want to own a bull. i use mine for 60 days in the winter and 60 in the spring. it works good for me ...But make sure they are healthy and well taken care of. i go check my bull every few days, even take him some feed so he would come to me.
 
mnmtranching":2f896wqd said:
First of all I paid to much for these bulls. When I buy bulls I plan to use them 4 yrs and get at least 100 calfs per bull.

I am almost out of pasture, got hay to feed the herd for 1 month, and hay is expensive. There's no Winter grazing up here and 07 pasture starts last week of May, so I've got a long feeding season.

I'm going to start hauling cows to market, none are culls. So I want to keep as many as I can. What do I do with these bulls, a yearling and a 2 yr old. The breeding is about over and I won't need the bulls until June. All thoughts welcome.

mnmt

If they are commercial bulls you can always get more. The cost to keep them plus their sale value will buy new ones next year. ;-)
 
Gov. Pawlenty just announced that CRP has been approved for emergency grazing. Farmers who choose to graze will have their payments reduced by 10%. 5 counties affected are Marshall, Pennington, Red Lake, Clearwater, and eastern Polk county.
 
well i know some people who rent out there bulls to people who got heifers they want to breed. They usually send the bull to the heifer and pick up a month or two later with a paycheck
 
Thanks for all the good advice, Still haven't made a decision. I'm going to sell 2 yearling bulls in a week or so at the salebarn [back baldies] the two registered bulls I may leave on the pasture all Winter and rough them though on some meadow hay or something, won't cost much.

The CRP cutting will help, I don't think there's a lot there. If they open Eastern ND for haying it will put a lot of marginal hay on the market as there is lot of acres in ND. I'm in Hubbard Co it hasn't openend yet but will soon. I really can't think of any CRP grass within at least 20 mi however. We have a good deal of CRP but most people around here plant trees. I'm going to sell cow/calf pairs to buy hay. My late calving cows go first.
These cows with calves should be bred to calf in April.

mnmt
 

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