What percentage of your calf crop is profit?

[willow bottom]

For the Cow/Calf producers. What percentage of your calf sales every year is profit? 20%? 40%?

I know the answer will differ among producers, but i'm just wondering what others are doing.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

If the tax man ask, it's 0% profit.

 

[Brute 23]

It's hard to do percentages because the price of calves changes.

In general $100 a head is good to me. It can be more or less depending on a lot of factors.

 

[Nesikep]

the twins, when I get them

 

[willow bottom]

It's hard to do percentages because the price of calves changes.

In general $100 a head is good to me. It can be more or less depending on a lot of factors.

So, you're saying on average you profit a $100/head per calf?

 

[Brute 23]

It's hard to do percentages because the price of calves changes.

In general $100 a head is good to me. It can be more or less depending on a lot of factors.

So, you're saying on average you profit a $100/head per calf?

That's the target I measure by. If it's more they over performed... If it's less we under performed.

Our average, over last 15 years, is probably a couple hundred per calf but we have been running really strong the last 5 years or so with prices, rain, and some favorable leases. I know from watching my family over my life time we are running above what I would call an area or industry average, long term.

 

[M-5]

you have to know what your true expenses are to get a fair number . I avg around 200 per calf .

 

[Silver]

I'd be most interested to know what different peoples single biggest expense is. I'm sure it varies from one place to another.

 

[True Grit Farms]

I'd be most interested to know what different peoples single biggest expense is. I'm sure it varies from one place to another.

Hay.

 

[snoopdog]

I'd be most interested to know what different peoples single biggest expense is. I'm sure it varies from one place to another.

Winter feed and fuel in that order.

 

[Brute 23]

My big 4 are cost of land per head, spraying herbicide, labor, and hay. Those make up around 20% each.

 

[Chocolate Cow2]

Winter feed and land payments. Taxes keep going up on everything. Won't be long till there's nothing left over.

 

[Caustic Burno]

you have to know what your true expenses are to get a fair number . I avg around 200 per calf .

Same here it averages 450 bucks to keep a cow standing in the pasture a year. The biggest expense is hay.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

My cost per calf is more like $550-600 each year, with biggest single expense is feed.
My feedlot sold calves averaged $961, but my total calves sold averaged $1400 (including show steers & weaned heifers) and I retained a dozen replacement heifers.
Edit: Cost per COW

 

[Silver]

We put up our own hay, so it's a little tricky to figure out the cost of it. Most of what we do here is related to hay whether it's rejuvenating old hay land, haying, or updating related equipment.
The single biggest expense on the ledger after wages is fuel, seeds, then insurance, after that there is a bunch that are close like truck and machinery expenses, bulls, feed etc.

 

[1982vett]

My big 4 are cost of land per head, spraying herbicide, labor, and hay. Those make up around 20% each.

you have to know what your true expenses are to get a fair number . I avg around 200 per calf .

Same here it averages 450 bucks to keep a cow standing in the pasture a year. The biggest expense is hay.

Mine is depreciation, followed by repairs then fertilizer (for winter pasture) and rent. Hay production will probably take over second spot this year.

 

[Silver]

I suppose I should have listed depreciation, I didn't because it's not a cash out of pocket bill. But it is what keeps the taxman away and shiny equipment in the yard for sure.

 

[gcreekrch]

The dead ones all could have been profit.

Last year despite predators, government and other day to day costs, every cow summered made a $450 profit.

And nobody wants to live our lifestyle.

 

[Stocker Steve]

The dead ones all could have been profit.

Last year despite predators, government and other day to day costs, every cow summered made a $450 profit

real dollars ? ;-)

 

[gcreekrch]

The dead ones all could have been profit.

Last year despite predators, government and other day to day costs, every cow summered made a $450 profit

real dollars ? ;-)

Yes. Canadian dollars but real ones just the same.