Would you have bought them or run

[DCA farm]

Pair I bought on a $500 gamble


Worked them put them out on good grass and ended up selling the heifer calf for $520 I also sold the cow she never did breed back I got $600 for her she mouthed a 5 year old day I sold her

 

[farmerjan]

We buy cattle like that often... if we have grass and such, or if we should have alot of hay..... the thing is, how long did you have them before you turned them over? That is what determines if you made a good deal or not. If you had the extra grass, then it wasn't taking away from any of your own cattle. So what do you figure it costs to keep a pair.... We figure about $500-550 a year per pair. In that case, if you had them a year, the calf paid for the cost to keep the pair, and the cow made you $100 for the year. If you turned them over sooner, then they made you a little more money.
There are different thoughts on it, but you need to figure what it costs you per pair per year; and then decide. I would say that was a decent deal, and if you turned them over sooner, then yes, it was worth it.

 

[DCA farm]

We buy cattle like that often... if we have grass and such, or if we should have alot of hay..... the thing is, how long did you have them before you turned them over? That is what determines if you made a good deal or not. If you had the extra grass, then it wasn't taking away from any of your own cattle. So what do you figure it costs to keep a pair.... We figure about $500-550 a year per pair. In that case, if you had them a year, the calf paid for the cost to keep the pair, and the cow made you $100 for the year. If you turned them over sooner, then they made you a little more money.
There are different thoughts on it, but you need to figure what it costs you per pair per year; and then decide. I would say that was a decent deal, and if you turned them over sooner, then yes, it was worth it.

Bought them may 2018 sold heifer Nov 2018 sold cow may 2019 was hoping the cow was pregnate but when I had vey check them he said no I even paid the $7 at barn to have her checked again prior to selling just in case. The heifer was a survivor I didn't honestly think she would amount to much but she surprised me wish I would have taken a picture right before I hauled her.

 

[DCA farm]

We buy cattle like that often... if we have grass and such, or if we should have alot of hay..... the thing is, how long did you have them before you turned them over? That is what determines if you made a good deal or not. If you had the extra grass, then it wasn't taking away from any of your own cattle. So what do you figure it costs to keep a pair.... We figure about $500-550 a year per pair. In that case, if you had them a year, the calf paid for the cost to keep the pair, and the cow made you $100 for the year. If you turned them over sooner, then they made you a little more money.
There are different thoughts on it, but you need to figure what it costs you per pair per year; and then decide. I would say that was a decent deal, and if you turned them over sooner, then yes, it was worth it.

Do you put them on feed or just grass and hay when you buy them in this shape.

 

[elkwc]

I have found when I buy an outside cow and put her on the Vita Ferm Concept Aid it improves the rate of breed back. It has increased our overall conception rate.

 

[Dave]

I buy those kind all day long. The difference is I wouldn't care if she bred back or not. She would have got shipped in the fall. For me by far the most expensive time of year to keep a cow is over the winter. I wouldn't have fed her over the winter hoping she was bred.

 

[DCA farm]

I buy those kind all day long. The difference is I wouldn't care if she bred back or not. She would have got shipped in the fall. For me by far the most expensive time of year to keep a cow is over the winter. I wouldn't have fed her over the winter hoping she was bred.

When do you start and stop feeding hay

 

[farmerjan]

Whenever we buy cattle like that they are put on either grass or hay only. They need time to adjust, too much feed will mess up their digestion, and if a bit thin, often they need to get "filled up" so their rumen gets to working. That is best accomplished with hay for a few days then turned out on grass. The cow would have been preg checked when the calf was shipped, and if not well along in pregnancy, she would have gone too. I agree with Dave that there is no point in feeding a cow through the winter especially not knowing if she is pregnant.
By feeding the cow for a year, you basically didn't make a penny on her and the calf you made maybe half of what she brought. So yes you made a little, but unless the cow put on weight, and HAD A GOOD MOUTH, SO FAIRLY YOUNG, to where you were really wanting to keep her, then mostly all those pairs are "one and done" cattle. You hope to get a decent calf raised up to sell and the cow will flesh out and bring a little better price in the pound pen.

 

[Dave]

I buy those kind all day long. The difference is I wouldn't care if she bred back or not. She would have got shipped in the fall. For me by far the most expensive time of year to keep a cow is over the winter. I wouldn't have fed her over the winter hoping she was bred.

When do you start and stop feeding hay

Depending on weather I generally would start in November and stop mid to late April. Cows I am thinking about keeping get preg checked in October, maybe even September. Opens leave on the next bus to town. For the most part the one and done cows get shipped the end of August before the kill market starts its annual slide downward.