When do you throw in the towel?

[Jogeephus]

Don't mean to whine but we haven't had more than 1 inch of rain in nearly 6 months. I thought last years drought was bad but that was a walk in the park compared to this year. I have never, ever seen it this dry. Weatherman said it was going to be beautiful for the next two weeks!

So with my whining out of the way, what do you do? If it continues like this come winter I will have no hay and there probably won't be any that can be bought at an affordable price.

What I've done so far is, fencing woodland areas where the cows can get some browse but even the bushes are beginning to wilt some.

Moved some of the cows and their calves to another place. Carrying capacity during summer is usually 5 cows to the acre. Now I'm guessing its 2.5 acres to the pair.

Planted a good bit of millet on another place in the event we get a soaking rain. If we get a shallow wetting, it will sprout and die just like the 50 acres I sprigged two months ago.

Considering selling calves off now rather than preconditioning them - hence another loss - and doing some heavy culling. Even with all this I don't know if this will work. My gut is wrought and the pressure is beginning to bother me. I don't want to liquidate but when do you think its time to just throw in the towel and regroup? Or are there any other economical options that will work?

Sorry for such a long one and I apologize for not having a keg of beer for my pity party.

 

[Frankie]

The economic gurus say sell them all and buy back when it rains. Of course, they recommend selling earlier, before prices totally tank. I know it would be tough to do that and we never have, but as a business decision, it's really the only one you can make. Good luck.

And when it finally rains, like it has here, you will be so grateful. We have more grass than cattle this year.

 

[Lammie]

I hate it when some city weather guy says that the weather will be beautiful when it is a fact that there is a drought. It's all about ratings. People want to know that Junior's soccer game won't get rained out. Never mind how bad the farmers and ranchers are hurting.

Around here, they do the opposite. Whenever it sprinkles the networks have reporters everywhere standing by the road in their slickers talking about every detail of the "storm". The NBC affiliate even has a Hummer that they drive around after rain. If there is a storm, then let's talk about it. If it rained, go to the real news.

 

[KNERSIE]

sorry to hear about your dilemma, up until last night we've had less than 2 inches since September 2006, we had almost two inches since last night and things look bright again for the future. If its a case about survival in a drought, there are quite a few feeding strategies to keep cows in the condition to breed back and carry the calf full term, PM me if you need help in this regard.

 

[Green Creek]

It's not a pity party if it's the darned truth. Last year we had to cull hard, really hard to get through the winter with enough feed. We squeaked through and now we are dealing with half a hay crop due to a very hard late freeze and army worms. Seems like cattlemen can't catch a break. Your situation sounds much worse and you have our sympathy, not that it helps. A decision like you are up against is a heartbreaker.

 

[AngusLimoX]

Considering selling calves off now rather than preconditioning them - hence another loss - and doing some heavy culling.

Sorry for such a long one and I apologize for not having a keg of beer for my pity party.

Been the drought route , just gotta say think of the future - calves sell early, before the rush. Then cull till it hurts, and remember the hurt will be there for years, depending on what you had built up.

Our drought was 2005 and still filling out forms why I should be considered a farm because no calves in 2006????

And I'd take Knersie up on his offer, I think the man knows what he is talking about.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Don't mean to whine but we haven't had more than 1 inch of rain in nearly 6 months.

Go three more months (9 total with an inch), then get 2 inches, followed by 17 days of triple digit temperature and a bunch of 90 degree days to evaporate it all away, then 4 more months with very little and you'll be where I was in '05.

Doggone it I hate it for ya'll. Hate to see anyone go through that. Let's hope none of ya'll get completely burned out.

 

[GMN]

Don't mean to whine but we haven't had more than 1 inch of rain in nearly 6 months. I thought last years drought was bad but that was a walk in the park compared to this year. I have never, ever seen it this dry. Weatherman said it was going to be beautiful for the next two weeks!

So with my whining out of the way, what do you do? If it continues like this come winter I will have no hay and there probably won't be any that can be bought at an affordable price.

What I've done so far is, fencing woodland areas where the cows can get some browse but even the bushes are beginning to wilt some.

Moved some of the cows and their calves to another place. Carrying capacity during summer is usually 5 cows to the acre. Now I'm guessing its 2.5 acres to the pair.

Planted a good bit of millet on another place in the event we get a soaking rain. If we get a shallow wetting, it will sprout and die just like the 50 acres I sprigged two months ago.

Considering selling calves off now rather than preconditioning them - hence another loss - and doing some heavy culling. Even with all this I don't know if this will work. My gut is wrought and the pressure is beginning to bother me. I don't want to liquidate but when do you think its time to just throw in the towel and regroup? Or are there any other economical options that will work?

Sorry for such a long one and I apologize for not having a keg of beer for my pity party.

Farming is a up and down roller coaster ride for sure. I look at it this way, if you can honestly say you could live your life doing something else and be happier than you are now, it would be good to quit. If you can't say that, I would find a way to maybe downsize, and ride the rough out until the good comes along again.

GMN

 

[Caustic Burno]

Cull and cull hard wean calves at four months, we went through this in 99-2002 here. Don't overgraze as this just sets you back even further. Put the cow money in T-Bills or tax free Muni's until it turns around.

 

[Bez>]

Answer to the question - you come close - then you say - *&^%$ it!! I will not be beat.

You want cost cutting and feed alternatives you PM me - I am away on deployment for at least another month - but I got some answers for you - it just might be a day or two before you get a response from me.

Suck it up!

This is just a test of your will.

Bez>

 

[NamVet_Farmer44]

I believe it was 2002 when I was hit pretty hard by drought...I weaned calves early then put em straight on a high grain finishing feed...weaning the calves early let me sell my cull cows during late spring while they was still in decent condition and at a better price than fall...I also palpated the cows about 40 or so days after the breeding season and culled most of the open cows...then I just started culling in order of what I thought to be my least productive cows

How bad are your pastures now?...worst thing I ever did was overgraze during a drought...because when it did rain...it wouldn't grow worth a darn anyways...I would of rather spend extra money on feed than ruin my pastures that way...are you already rotationally grazing?

The best thing in this situation would have been to have a plan before the conditions got too bad

And don't think twice about weaning them early...it might be a loss but it'd be better for you to feed the calves than to have to keep on feeding the cows so they can produce for the calves too

I hope everything comes out alright

 

[Susie David]

We're planning on loading the barns with first cutting alflafa this year, we're way down on rain and if this continues there won't be a second cutting. Up here we usually get rain every week until early July then its dry until early October.
Plan on breeding everything as planned but may cull in fall, this is the first year in a long time that we sold heifers and pairs.
Just my two bits worth....DMc

 

[hurleyjd]

Jogeephus I had the same problem in 2005. I sold all of the replacement heifers, I really hated to. All I kept was the cows and heifers that would be calving in the next 6 months. Even at that you will be onto at least a year before you see any return. You cannot feed yourself out of a drought. I had heard the statement made that with so many people selling that when the drought ended and everyone tried to get back in that it would be to costly. Well we have had rain and cattle are cheaper than they were last fall. I think I would think of selling until my herd matched my hay stack.

 

[Jogeephus]

Thanks for all your advice. Gonna smoke this thing over tonight and come up with a plan based on your suggestions. Just got in from fencing off some more woods and am about beat. In about two more good days, I'll have about 130 additional acres fenced in that I can use a relief zone but if we don't get the rain its just gonna be a temporary fix. My wife says I'm stubborn and hard-headed but I'd rather pull the pin than raise a white flag. I gotta at least try, so thanks again for your suggestions.

 

[GMN]

Thanks for all your advice. Gonna smoke this thing over tonight and come up with a plan based on your suggestions. Just got in from fencing off some more woods and am about beat. In about two more good days, I'll have about 130 additional acres fenced in that I can use a relief zone but if we don't get the rain its just gonna be a temporary fix. My wife says I'm stubborn and hard-headed but I'd rather pull the pin than raise a white flag. I gotta at least try, so thanks again for your suggestions.

Does that mean that your wife would like you to quit? Or that she herself would like to quit?

GMN

 

[Beefy]

I CANT WAIT FOR HURRICANE SEASON.

 

[GMN]

I CANT WAIT FOR HURRICANE SEASON.

Does that mean you wish a strong wind would come and blow your cows away?

OR

Did you send them a packing yourself already-lol?

GMN

 

[Beefy]

i have had cows out everyday since last monday (and i'm not talking like one or two). i'm doing just the opposite of mr. Joe, trying to fence them out of the creek. there is no water in it, i mean none! never before. of course there is fence all in it but do the cows care? --no. to make matters worse they have also discovered a corn field. lucky for the corn farmer, since the corn sure as heck wasnt going to make any money.

i am trying to convince dad that we, collectively, all need to sell at least 100 head but he thinks we should feed them... :roll: apparently he orderd some "pellets" which i guess is range cubes but i dont know since i dont believe in feeding anything but grass and minerals. sounds like a real money loser to me but i cant talk to him.

i may just have sell some anyway whether he likes it or not.
on the only bright note there is, we got the irrigation moving today. so bring on the winds and the rain and whatever you got! *shaking fist in the air*

 

[GMN]

i have had cows out everyday since last monday (and i'm not talking like one or two). i'm doing just the opposite of mr. Joe, trying to fence them out of the creek. there is no water in it, i mean none! never before. of course there is fence all in it but do the cows care? --no. to make matters worse they have also discovered a corn field. lucky for the corn farmer, since the corn sure as heck wasnt going to make any money.

i am trying to convince dad that we, collectively, all need to sell at least 100 head but he thinks we should feed them... :roll: apparently he orderd some "pellets" which i guess is range cubes but i dont know since i dont believe in feeding anything but grass and minerals. sounds like a real money loser to me but i cant talk to him.

i may just have sell some anyway whether he likes it or not.
on the only bright note there is, we got the irrigation moving today. so bring on the winds and the rain and whatever you got! *shaking fist in the air*

Have you ever thought of being a stand up comic, I'm sorry but i couldn't help but chuckle a little bit, esp. over the fist shaking thing :lol:

Gail

 

[Earl Thigpen]

I guess I was there last year and the year before. Came real close to selling all of them and pretty much startin over. And I guess there's something to be said for doin' that. You get a chance to get all your infrastructure fixed (fences, barn(s), hay barn built, land cleared and/or rejuvenated, etc) and start fresh with the type of cattle you really always wanted.

Then we got a little rain in October and all of a sudden I had about 75 bales of hay on the ground. Thought I could make it through the Winter - just hangin' on. Didn't quite make it with the hay but the cattle pulled through just fine.

It's a tough decision but sometimes you just gotta bite the bullit and do what you think is right - for you. For me, I am just too bull headed to admit that mother nature was kickin' my butt to give in. So far it's worked out - this time.