Baymule
Herd Master
Rain blowing through here on Saturday. It's so dry, we sure need the rain. Hopefully enough rain can soak in for you to help replenish the deep moisture in the ground. Sometimes mud can look just downright pretty! 
Farmerjan's journal - Weather
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farmerjan
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Temps got down to 28 overnight... the ground was much "firmer" last night when we came out of the sale and came home. Mid 40's today, and sunny so it will continue to melt... next 2 days will be a bit warmer... but nights will be in the 20's which is NORMAL....
Looks like @Baymule will get the rain and send it east; it looks like the most of the storm will stay more south of us. We are forecast to get up to maybe a half inch but the southern part of the state is supposed to get more like 3/4 inch or more. We will take what we can get.
The 2 cull cows we took, did pretty good. My older charolais x cow, weighed under 1000 lbs, but was in good flesh... and DS's weighed 1200 and also did good... they both brought about 1.50 /lb... so like 1400 and 1800.... years ago we would have gotten 300 to 600.... There were alot of cull cows there... mostly dairy cattle. It is hard to believe there are that many dairy farms to have that number of cull cows... week after week... and this is one of 2 sale barns there, and this stockyard has 2 sales a week.
There were not many cows in the bred cow sale... a couple of nice pairs with 200 lb calves, cows were big, 1500 lbs good flesh... DS ran them a bit, he really liked them... they brought 4900/pair.... a few others, most were in the 3-3500 range... Several were bred cows and none were under 2,000... one nice pair of bwf first calf heifers, that brought right about 3900 each...
We both agree that with the dry conditions, it won't hurt us to NOT expand any... if we find a bargain, then fine... if not, being down in numbers for a couple years is not going to hurt us... be better for the pastures to be a little undergrazed... Prices are such that we don't need max numbers to "make it"...
Plus we are buying/have bought some hay as a hedge against the dry conditions... I think DS said we have bought about 150 rolls "ahead" .... and we do not make as much as we used to... lost some farms over the years to places changing hands, a few we let go as traveling to them was just not a smart thing to travel so far to them... and younger more "hungry" guys come along and "take" some places... offering more money to landowners... sometimes it works, often it has not and have had landowners come back and ask us to take them over again... mostly we don't.... and with owning more land, we don't have to rent/lease so many places or travel so far. Plus, DS doesn't have the same "drive" to get bigger anymore... I think he has sorta found his "sweet spot" at 125 momma cows and then buying some of the undervalued bull calves that we work through the chute and then add in to our "groups" of steers to sell down the road.
Plus, found out that the farm that we bought the bull from, and have gotten to be friends with one of the brothers that are the owners, more... and who helped us sell our other bull..... just found out that they are losing a good sized farm that they run a group of cows on... and they are probably going to sell a group of breeding/bred cows in their fall sale... We may very well try to buy a couple of them... They are being squeezed out by a very wealthy "newcomer" to their area, the last several years, he's been buying up some farms around, and is not well liked in the area... but has more money than anyone else, and especially heirs of farm owners, are selling out to this guy...
It is going on all over, and to bigger more established farmers with more "reputation" than we have. Any of their "older mature" cows would be a real plus to our operation... the thing is, many farmers do not want to buy these older cows.. so often can be bought for some better prices... more in our price range...
Well, time to get something to eat, and decide what to get on first... Need to go to town and get more of the protein tubs... Want to put some next door at Grants for them, and one more round up at Snyders... the ones I put in there awhile back, are about gone...
We got the heifers moved out of the last pasture yesterday, put them at doug's farm in with the 8 he had put back with the bull after the vet check... they all need to be preg checked the end of March or April... that will be 45 days minimum.... their bull was taken out and put in the bull lot, and the new younger bull in there with the 8, will come out in the next day or 2. DS said when he goes out to feed, he will get them out in the lane, and then sort the bull off from the cows and move him up the lane to the bull lot... The rest of the bulls need to come out from the other pastures too... that will happen as the weather allows.... We have one limping next door to me at Grant's pasture... so when we can get the 2 bulls in there, into the catch lot, they will come to doug's and then see if we can figure out what the lame/limp is due to... That is the next oldest bull, it might be time for him to go too.... With the prices being what they are.... might need to replace him. DS is going to call around and see if the original owner has an older bull he wants to sell...he sells a few bull every year..... this one is a limousin/angus cross... called a "Lim-Flex" and he has put some nice calves on the ground... we have some of his daughters now in the herd... with all the heifers we kept over the last 2 years.
Well, time to eat and get going... Sun is coming up over the hill. Got another load of clothes to go out on the line...
Looks like @Baymule will get the rain and send it east; it looks like the most of the storm will stay more south of us. We are forecast to get up to maybe a half inch but the southern part of the state is supposed to get more like 3/4 inch or more. We will take what we can get.
The 2 cull cows we took, did pretty good. My older charolais x cow, weighed under 1000 lbs, but was in good flesh... and DS's weighed 1200 and also did good... they both brought about 1.50 /lb... so like 1400 and 1800.... years ago we would have gotten 300 to 600.... There were alot of cull cows there... mostly dairy cattle. It is hard to believe there are that many dairy farms to have that number of cull cows... week after week... and this is one of 2 sale barns there, and this stockyard has 2 sales a week.
There were not many cows in the bred cow sale... a couple of nice pairs with 200 lb calves, cows were big, 1500 lbs good flesh... DS ran them a bit, he really liked them... they brought 4900/pair.... a few others, most were in the 3-3500 range... Several were bred cows and none were under 2,000... one nice pair of bwf first calf heifers, that brought right about 3900 each...
We both agree that with the dry conditions, it won't hurt us to NOT expand any... if we find a bargain, then fine... if not, being down in numbers for a couple years is not going to hurt us... be better for the pastures to be a little undergrazed... Prices are such that we don't need max numbers to "make it"...
Plus we are buying/have bought some hay as a hedge against the dry conditions... I think DS said we have bought about 150 rolls "ahead" .... and we do not make as much as we used to... lost some farms over the years to places changing hands, a few we let go as traveling to them was just not a smart thing to travel so far to them... and younger more "hungry" guys come along and "take" some places... offering more money to landowners... sometimes it works, often it has not and have had landowners come back and ask us to take them over again... mostly we don't.... and with owning more land, we don't have to rent/lease so many places or travel so far. Plus, DS doesn't have the same "drive" to get bigger anymore... I think he has sorta found his "sweet spot" at 125 momma cows and then buying some of the undervalued bull calves that we work through the chute and then add in to our "groups" of steers to sell down the road.
Plus, found out that the farm that we bought the bull from, and have gotten to be friends with one of the brothers that are the owners, more... and who helped us sell our other bull..... just found out that they are losing a good sized farm that they run a group of cows on... and they are probably going to sell a group of breeding/bred cows in their fall sale... We may very well try to buy a couple of them... They are being squeezed out by a very wealthy "newcomer" to their area, the last several years, he's been buying up some farms around, and is not well liked in the area... but has more money than anyone else, and especially heirs of farm owners, are selling out to this guy...
It is going on all over, and to bigger more established farmers with more "reputation" than we have. Any of their "older mature" cows would be a real plus to our operation... the thing is, many farmers do not want to buy these older cows.. so often can be bought for some better prices... more in our price range...
Well, time to get something to eat, and decide what to get on first... Need to go to town and get more of the protein tubs... Want to put some next door at Grants for them, and one more round up at Snyders... the ones I put in there awhile back, are about gone...
We got the heifers moved out of the last pasture yesterday, put them at doug's farm in with the 8 he had put back with the bull after the vet check... they all need to be preg checked the end of March or April... that will be 45 days minimum.... their bull was taken out and put in the bull lot, and the new younger bull in there with the 8, will come out in the next day or 2. DS said when he goes out to feed, he will get them out in the lane, and then sort the bull off from the cows and move him up the lane to the bull lot... The rest of the bulls need to come out from the other pastures too... that will happen as the weather allows.... We have one limping next door to me at Grant's pasture... so when we can get the 2 bulls in there, into the catch lot, they will come to doug's and then see if we can figure out what the lame/limp is due to... That is the next oldest bull, it might be time for him to go too.... With the prices being what they are.... might need to replace him. DS is going to call around and see if the original owner has an older bull he wants to sell...he sells a few bull every year..... this one is a limousin/angus cross... called a "Lim-Flex" and he has put some nice calves on the ground... we have some of his daughters now in the herd... with all the heifers we kept over the last 2 years.
Well, time to eat and get going... Sun is coming up over the hill. Got another load of clothes to go out on the line...
Ridgetop
Herd Master
Seems like a god plan to stay smaller with a possible drought coming. If any bargains come along you will have room and feed for the newcomers. We won't be going to the national show in Duncan this year. I have decided to keep with what we have and cull anything that did not breed this year or did poorly. I have a couple older ewes that will probably go. That will make room for some of the really nice ewe lambs Junior gave us. DH wants to buy the rest of the hay from our 30 acre second cut from Cody. He has so much hay stored up that we told him to leave it here and we might buy more of it. It didn't grow tall due to the drought last summer, but was very thick so the sheep like it. After the last drought several years ago when everyone was scrambling to find hay, he had to bring it in from Oklahoma. It was expensive and he doesn't want to have to do that again. Of course, that was just before cattle prices shot up so now everyone has lots of hay and fewer cows to feed. It is why we want to put in a hay barn so we can store a year ahead like you said was the best thing to do. We already store the alfalfa in the side barn near the jugs - more effcient for feeding since all we use it for is lactating ewes and the creep. By putting up a hay barn, we can store the rolls, as well as have some cover for the tractor and other machinery
I have learned from you over the years! Thank you!
I have learned from you over the years! Thank you!
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farmerjan
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Noon time Friday... Been a slow morning... I did some stuff yesterday...another load of clothes out on the line. They will all come in this afternoon, in a bit. Sun is out nice.
It was down to 21 but up to mid 40's now... Light breeze.
Got to pack last night's samples... nearly 50.... I got there a little before 5, set up and then waited for them... as usual... Started milking 6:10... done by quarter to 9... did computer work, then meters finally finished washing and left at 10 of 10... got home around 11:30... They will have another 10-12 fresh heifers in a couple weeks, and they will be going to FL..... they sold 40+ cows, a year ago. He is thinking they will be quitting milking within a year... he's pushing 70. The guy in Fla milks several hundred... all jerseys I think... and this farmer has been working towards getting all the heifers bred in groups so that there are at least 10-15 to go at a time... No one in the family wants to take it over... son has a good job with VDOT as a mechanic... daughters are married and not on the farm... sad but the way of the small farm here in the east... Milk prices being what they are, I certainly don't blame them... and as we get "more mature"... we get tired of the hard work all the time... especially a dairy farm where there is no break unless there is someone else to do the work for a few days... even if you go seasonal and don't milk for a month or 2, there are always animals needing feeding and such...
These "late nights, and I don't get going as fast... especially with still not feeling where I want to like a year ago... and that is more this d#@&%d tick disease than "old age"... it has drug me down more than I wanted to even think about...
Going to go to town and get the protein tubs today so I can get them out in the pastures in the morning before it warms up... Tonight supposed to get down again below freezing so will firm up the ground. Didn't get there yesterday.... and it is supposed to rain Sunday so want them out tomorrow.
It was down to 21 but up to mid 40's now... Light breeze.
Got to pack last night's samples... nearly 50.... I got there a little before 5, set up and then waited for them... as usual... Started milking 6:10... done by quarter to 9... did computer work, then meters finally finished washing and left at 10 of 10... got home around 11:30... They will have another 10-12 fresh heifers in a couple weeks, and they will be going to FL..... they sold 40+ cows, a year ago. He is thinking they will be quitting milking within a year... he's pushing 70. The guy in Fla milks several hundred... all jerseys I think... and this farmer has been working towards getting all the heifers bred in groups so that there are at least 10-15 to go at a time... No one in the family wants to take it over... son has a good job with VDOT as a mechanic... daughters are married and not on the farm... sad but the way of the small farm here in the east... Milk prices being what they are, I certainly don't blame them... and as we get "more mature"... we get tired of the hard work all the time... especially a dairy farm where there is no break unless there is someone else to do the work for a few days... even if you go seasonal and don't milk for a month or 2, there are always animals needing feeding and such...
These "late nights, and I don't get going as fast... especially with still not feeling where I want to like a year ago... and that is more this d#@&%d tick disease than "old age"... it has drug me down more than I wanted to even think about...
Going to go to town and get the protein tubs today so I can get them out in the pastures in the morning before it warms up... Tonight supposed to get down again below freezing so will firm up the ground. Didn't get there yesterday.... and it is supposed to rain Sunday so want them out tomorrow.
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farmerjan
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Friday eve... it was a decent sunny day, not real warm but not bad... Nearly 50 and 60 when the sun hit the recorder.... light breeze...
The snow is melting but not near as fast as it did on Tues and Wed... That's okay as it is soaking in when it melts slower... It ought to be mostly gone by the time we are due to get some rain on Sunday... Tomorrow is forecast to be mostly sunny but then clouds coming in late afternoon and into the overnight. The temps are supposed to be a bit warmer tomorrow... after the chill down and light freeze again this eve.
It is down to 30 now...
I got the samples packed, the laundry brought in off the line.... Went out to the chickens... did waterers and put feed in...
GUESS WHAT... got 2 leghorn eggs today... 4 hens in there... WOW.... so that was a surprise... And the NH pullet is laying... well, I guess it is the same one, I need to band them so I can tell... and of course, my little faithful langshan hen laid... every other day like clockwork...
So, now at least I will be able to eat eggs a little more often... going to hard boil most of the 18 that I bought in the grocery store, as they ought to peel easier...
I went to town, dropped off the sample shipment... went to the feed store and got 8 protein tubs... 2 pallets... but we had to slide them off the pallets to be able to use the tiedown to reach across the 8... I need to get a longer one to keep in the little tool box there on that truck... Was barely able to catch the strap to ratchet it.
Stopped and filled the truck with the "better diesel" there at the one place... 50 cetane which is higher than most places... 40 is common. The higher cetane the better it burns, more power, and the better the mileage.
Went to TSC while in town. Had to replace my calendar... I lost my "new one" that is pocket sized (small cell phone size)... that I keep my schedule and DS's dr appts etc... luckily I remember all the farms scheduled for this month... I think it came out of my pocket of my zip up sweatshirt...
So, I have to get DS's dr appts from him again... but it could be worse... Luckily, they were clearing off the calendar racks, and I found a duplicate of the one I had before... and they were half price... they throw them away once they take them down...... such a waste...
Picked up a candle for cheap too... I went there for the calendar so it was a good stop for me... didn't stay long...
Got home right at dark... I didn't bother to try to get the truck back into the spot I normally park it as I will go and put out the tubs in the morning while the ground is still hard... It is supposed to get up into the 40's before 10.
Then rain for Sunday... maybe as much as an inch but I suspect a little less... and then temps next week into the 50's and 60's... so if we get much rain it will be muddy with the last of the snow melting... all the shaded areas that do not get much direct sun, will still be melting off. The rain will melt it faster.
Got the 1st of the "spring" 2026 calves born today... Cow had twins last year and raised them both... and she bred back before everyone else... It is from the old bull that DS took to the guy 2 hrs north so he would go directly to slaughter... there are 3 more that should be due to him.... DS put him in with 5 to breed and 1 didn't settle... she was one of the 2 we sold Wed night... she had been with another bull after him and she was old... so that 's okay... I hope for DS sake that he gets one or 2 heifers out of the 4 that he settled... the cow that has the broken pelvis is also one of the 4 he got settled... I'd really like for her to have a heifer... she's a good old cow. Last years' calf is a steer that will be getting sold soon...
I am thinking that I am going to let the jersey out loose next week after we get this rain... Couple more days to get her set that she has to come in to the pen to eat and feed the calves. I am not going to let them out with her yet since the one is so much smaller... Keep the black steer in also.. he is getting around a little better... might just get him through this bad infection and all, get this leg healed... it is slowly healing from the inside out... he may never walk 100 % but he is limping less now...
I am tired and going to take a shower, wash my hair, and go to bed. I have to get up and leave by 4 on Sunday morning... so need to get into bed and get some sleep tonight, so I can go to bed a little earlier tomorrow night. Plus, I need to get up and get going in the morning to take those protein tubs to the 2 pastures while the ground is harder and before the sun gets it all muddy/slick again.
The snow is melting but not near as fast as it did on Tues and Wed... That's okay as it is soaking in when it melts slower... It ought to be mostly gone by the time we are due to get some rain on Sunday... Tomorrow is forecast to be mostly sunny but then clouds coming in late afternoon and into the overnight. The temps are supposed to be a bit warmer tomorrow... after the chill down and light freeze again this eve.
It is down to 30 now...
I got the samples packed, the laundry brought in off the line.... Went out to the chickens... did waterers and put feed in...
GUESS WHAT... got 2 leghorn eggs today... 4 hens in there... WOW.... so that was a surprise... And the NH pullet is laying... well, I guess it is the same one, I need to band them so I can tell... and of course, my little faithful langshan hen laid... every other day like clockwork...
So, now at least I will be able to eat eggs a little more often... going to hard boil most of the 18 that I bought in the grocery store, as they ought to peel easier...
I went to town, dropped off the sample shipment... went to the feed store and got 8 protein tubs... 2 pallets... but we had to slide them off the pallets to be able to use the tiedown to reach across the 8... I need to get a longer one to keep in the little tool box there on that truck... Was barely able to catch the strap to ratchet it.
Stopped and filled the truck with the "better diesel" there at the one place... 50 cetane which is higher than most places... 40 is common. The higher cetane the better it burns, more power, and the better the mileage.
Went to TSC while in town. Had to replace my calendar... I lost my "new one" that is pocket sized (small cell phone size)... that I keep my schedule and DS's dr appts etc... luckily I remember all the farms scheduled for this month... I think it came out of my pocket of my zip up sweatshirt...
So, I have to get DS's dr appts from him again... but it could be worse... Luckily, they were clearing off the calendar racks, and I found a duplicate of the one I had before... and they were half price... they throw them away once they take them down...... such a waste...
Picked up a candle for cheap too... I went there for the calendar so it was a good stop for me... didn't stay long...
Got home right at dark... I didn't bother to try to get the truck back into the spot I normally park it as I will go and put out the tubs in the morning while the ground is still hard... It is supposed to get up into the 40's before 10.
Then rain for Sunday... maybe as much as an inch but I suspect a little less... and then temps next week into the 50's and 60's... so if we get much rain it will be muddy with the last of the snow melting... all the shaded areas that do not get much direct sun, will still be melting off. The rain will melt it faster.
Got the 1st of the "spring" 2026 calves born today... Cow had twins last year and raised them both... and she bred back before everyone else... It is from the old bull that DS took to the guy 2 hrs north so he would go directly to slaughter... there are 3 more that should be due to him.... DS put him in with 5 to breed and 1 didn't settle... she was one of the 2 we sold Wed night... she had been with another bull after him and she was old... so that 's okay... I hope for DS sake that he gets one or 2 heifers out of the 4 that he settled... the cow that has the broken pelvis is also one of the 4 he got settled... I'd really like for her to have a heifer... she's a good old cow. Last years' calf is a steer that will be getting sold soon...
I am thinking that I am going to let the jersey out loose next week after we get this rain... Couple more days to get her set that she has to come in to the pen to eat and feed the calves. I am not going to let them out with her yet since the one is so much smaller... Keep the black steer in also.. he is getting around a little better... might just get him through this bad infection and all, get this leg healed... it is slowly healing from the inside out... he may never walk 100 % but he is limping less now...
I am tired and going to take a shower, wash my hair, and go to bed. I have to get up and leave by 4 on Sunday morning... so need to get into bed and get some sleep tonight, so I can go to bed a little earlier tomorrow night. Plus, I need to get up and get going in the morning to take those protein tubs to the 2 pastures while the ground is harder and before the sun gets it all muddy/slick again.
Baymule
Herd Master
Do you ever keep a bull calf as a replacement?
My son went with a friend to the sale a week ago, prices were high, even for the scrawny skinny cows. His friend bought nothing. He's keeping heifers back. He had some cows age out, a few that were crazy, you know how it goes. Can't buy replacement heifers so he will just save his own.
My son went with a friend to the sale a week ago, prices were high, even for the scrawny skinny cows. His friend bought nothing. He's keeping heifers back. He had some cows age out, a few that were crazy, you know how it goes. Can't buy replacement heifers so he will just save his own.
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farmerjan
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@Baymule ... I wrote a "book" and then accidentally erased it... 
.
Hate that...
Long story short... we have kept a couple bulls over the years... Roscoe... the spoiled one GF made into too much of a pet... has no respect for anyone... not mean, just does what he wants... when he wants... also had one several years back we kept.
When you figure in the cost of keeping a calf, and then having to deal with keeping him apart from heifers, as they are too young/small to go in the bull lot with the bigger bulls when weaned... it mostly is not worth it.. We can buy better genetics more times than keeping one, and then do not have to deal with any possible breeding a sibling issue either... Still, many times we will keep a bull calf intact and not band when they get worked, and see how they grow... can always band when they come off pasture and get weaned...
Spending 5-10,000 for a bull, ready to breed, is not pocket change... but we also tend to keep bulls for many years... not replacing 3 years down the road like some do. We have enough places to be able to not put a bull back on his daughters when we keep replacements. Many do not have that ability when they have 20-30 cows and then want to keep heifers.
Yes, even the thin and old cows are bringing totally unheard of prices. We do not buy replacement heifers... we will buy some cows on occasion. Used to buy the "one and dones".... old cows that we can get a calf out of, calf will bring what the cow costs, then the salvage value of the cow is a little profit... Can't do it now...
Did not see any bring under 2500 the other night... and that was one that looked like she might die before she had her calf... Most were in the 3500 and up range. DS ran the 2 pairs, cows that were almost too fat but had nice calves on them... all the way to 4900/ a pair, and quit... Cull cows are worth in the 1500 range... so paying more than twice that for a bred cow is a real risk... paying more than 3500 for a cow with a calf by its side is maybe going to make you break even at the end of this year.... IF calf/weaned feeder prices stay up.
Raising a heifer up is a good way to have replacements that you know something about... their lineage, and they are accustomed to your place, your situation. It costs at least 1000/yr to raise a calf up... so you are going to have at least 2500 in her by the time she has a calf ready to wean and sell... that's 2 1/2 yrs... Are the prices still going to be up there at that time????
Right now it takes 2-3 cull cows to buy a replacement heifer... but it has ALWAYS been that way... when they were bringing 5-800 for a cull and a replacement was costing 1500-2000... or when they are bringing 1500-1800 for a cull now and a replacement costs 3500-4500....
It is just a whole lot more to put out at one time.... When DS bought those 4 cows with calves this past spring... because the calves would match ours... it was a lot to swallow... 3400/pair... BUT the calves were 200 lbs or so, past the "get sick easy" stage... all were steer calves... They are weaned and will go in one of the groups he is going to sell....worth 2-2500/each... So we have about 1000 in each cow... which considering what they ate out at pasture... would about break even if we sold them as culls. BUT.... they are all bred back so will give us another calf next year if all goes well...
Keeping a heifer as a replacement, means you will have about 2500+ in her when you get her first calf to weaning to sell... if calves are still selling good, that is a plus... if the cattle market falls off in the next 2 years. it will take longer to pay for them...
There is no right way...
If the cattle market takes a dive like it did back in 2016-17?, cattle were high in the spring... in 6 months the same size and weight calves that brought 1500 in the spring were worth 7-800 that fall...
The cattle market follows cycles... 8-12 year ups and downs...
The time to buy or keep heifers is when the prices are starting to fall/bottom out.... they will hit their most productive years, and their best retained value when the cycle is starting back up and topping... then you sell them as they age out... if you buy/retain when the prices are high now, and the cycle follows patterns... they will be most productive when the return is at the lowest...
We are retaining replacement heifers... not near as many as we did a couple years ago... because we are trying to keep our numbers fairly stable.... and retained replacements will fit our farming style... better than bought in ones, usually...
.Hate that...
Long story short... we have kept a couple bulls over the years... Roscoe... the spoiled one GF made into too much of a pet... has no respect for anyone... not mean, just does what he wants... when he wants... also had one several years back we kept.
When you figure in the cost of keeping a calf, and then having to deal with keeping him apart from heifers, as they are too young/small to go in the bull lot with the bigger bulls when weaned... it mostly is not worth it.. We can buy better genetics more times than keeping one, and then do not have to deal with any possible breeding a sibling issue either... Still, many times we will keep a bull calf intact and not band when they get worked, and see how they grow... can always band when they come off pasture and get weaned...
Spending 5-10,000 for a bull, ready to breed, is not pocket change... but we also tend to keep bulls for many years... not replacing 3 years down the road like some do. We have enough places to be able to not put a bull back on his daughters when we keep replacements. Many do not have that ability when they have 20-30 cows and then want to keep heifers.
Yes, even the thin and old cows are bringing totally unheard of prices. We do not buy replacement heifers... we will buy some cows on occasion. Used to buy the "one and dones".... old cows that we can get a calf out of, calf will bring what the cow costs, then the salvage value of the cow is a little profit... Can't do it now...
Did not see any bring under 2500 the other night... and that was one that looked like she might die before she had her calf... Most were in the 3500 and up range. DS ran the 2 pairs, cows that were almost too fat but had nice calves on them... all the way to 4900/ a pair, and quit... Cull cows are worth in the 1500 range... so paying more than twice that for a bred cow is a real risk... paying more than 3500 for a cow with a calf by its side is maybe going to make you break even at the end of this year.... IF calf/weaned feeder prices stay up.
Raising a heifer up is a good way to have replacements that you know something about... their lineage, and they are accustomed to your place, your situation. It costs at least 1000/yr to raise a calf up... so you are going to have at least 2500 in her by the time she has a calf ready to wean and sell... that's 2 1/2 yrs... Are the prices still going to be up there at that time????
Right now it takes 2-3 cull cows to buy a replacement heifer... but it has ALWAYS been that way... when they were bringing 5-800 for a cull and a replacement was costing 1500-2000... or when they are bringing 1500-1800 for a cull now and a replacement costs 3500-4500....
It is just a whole lot more to put out at one time.... When DS bought those 4 cows with calves this past spring... because the calves would match ours... it was a lot to swallow... 3400/pair... BUT the calves were 200 lbs or so, past the "get sick easy" stage... all were steer calves... They are weaned and will go in one of the groups he is going to sell....worth 2-2500/each... So we have about 1000 in each cow... which considering what they ate out at pasture... would about break even if we sold them as culls. BUT.... they are all bred back so will give us another calf next year if all goes well...
Keeping a heifer as a replacement, means you will have about 2500+ in her when you get her first calf to weaning to sell... if calves are still selling good, that is a plus... if the cattle market falls off in the next 2 years. it will take longer to pay for them...
There is no right way...
If the cattle market takes a dive like it did back in 2016-17?, cattle were high in the spring... in 6 months the same size and weight calves that brought 1500 in the spring were worth 7-800 that fall...
The cattle market follows cycles... 8-12 year ups and downs...
The time to buy or keep heifers is when the prices are starting to fall/bottom out.... they will hit their most productive years, and their best retained value when the cycle is starting back up and topping... then you sell them as they age out... if you buy/retain when the prices are high now, and the cycle follows patterns... they will be most productive when the return is at the lowest...
We are retaining replacement heifers... not near as many as we did a couple years ago... because we are trying to keep our numbers fairly stable.... and retained replacements will fit our farming style... better than bought in ones, usually...
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farmerjan
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Went up kinda early 8 or so... it was 26 overnight... Ground was still quite hard... took the tubs to the pastures. The heifers at snyder's still had some... so am going to take and put the 4th one over at grants pasture... so they will have 5 and snyders got 3 new ones... But the cows were all up at the fence so I didn't go back in there... I will see about going in where it is not too wet later.
DS had taken silage to both grants and snyder's... in anticipation of some real wet ground with the coming rain.
I am going out to see if I can get the feed for snyder's ... Maggie, nurse cow; out of the explorer onto the truck bed... that backache makes lifting up high real difficult... then I can take it up and throw it off the back into the barn to put in the cans.... before it gets too muddy up there...
Came in and ate a sandwich... used some rye bread that I had and have not been able to stop coughing and all this clear mucous ... guess I won't do that again... makes my chest hurt and trouble breathing... instantaneous.... D%$&#..... total allergic reaction .... boy my chest hurts to cough... breath wheezing..... These reactions usually last an hour or more, so I am finding....
Going out to get the feed done... want to get the chicken feed over in the can also... the feed bin with the other chicken feed down at DS green barn is in alot of the more "shaded/protected" spot so still alot of snow there... not climbing over it yet...
DS had taken silage to both grants and snyder's... in anticipation of some real wet ground with the coming rain.
I am going out to see if I can get the feed for snyder's ... Maggie, nurse cow; out of the explorer onto the truck bed... that backache makes lifting up high real difficult... then I can take it up and throw it off the back into the barn to put in the cans.... before it gets too muddy up there...
Came in and ate a sandwich... used some rye bread that I had and have not been able to stop coughing and all this clear mucous ... guess I won't do that again... makes my chest hurt and trouble breathing... instantaneous.... D%$&#..... total allergic reaction .... boy my chest hurts to cough... breath wheezing.....
These reactions usually last an hour or more, so I am finding....Going out to get the feed done... want to get the chicken feed over in the can also... the feed bin with the other chicken feed down at DS green barn is in alot of the more "shaded/protected" spot so still alot of snow there... not climbing over it yet...
I wonder why the rye bread bothered you, or was it the filling/meat?Came in and ate a sandwich... used some rye bread that I had and have not been able to stop coughing and all this clear mucous ... guess I won't do that again... makes my chest hurt and trouble breathing... instantaneous.... D%$&#..... total allergic reaction .... boy my chest hurts to cough... breath wheezing.....
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Same container of chicken salad so I doubt it was that... have no idea on the rye bread... I will have to try another experiment ... eat some of the chicken salad with no bread... just to see if for some reason it is causing the problem...
Then try the rye bread with something like tunafish?...
I will make some tuna and eat with no bread... then try some with a small piece of the rye bread... ???
It was an immediate and very pronounced reaction...
It did last about an hour or 2..... Got the 3 bags of chicken feed into the cart and pulled over to the chicken feed cans... got 2 emptied in and the other left in the bag in the other can with the scratch feed... I was so out of breath.... hurt to take a deep breath... REALLY WEIRD.... by the time I got it all done, filled the feeders and water in both automatic waterers, it was starting to "stop".... at least the coughing and clear mucous I had to keep clearing my throat from... still have a tightness... but I can breathe again...
I did not get the feed for the cow on the truck, nor did I take the other protein tub into the pasture... It is wet out there with the snow melting still... water is sitting on top since the ground is hard from the prolonged freeze... it is not soaking in very fast. Really do not want alot of rain on top of this... but then I am not the one making these decisions.
So the feed is still in the back of the explorer... staying dry... probably will take it up in buckets... feed the cow out of one bucket, and dump a bucket or more in the can everytime... if the ground stays wet, that will be the best way to get it up there.... not ideal, but it is what it is... I wish it had been on the truck to take this morning but it wasn't. At least I do not need to worry about the one protein tub on the truck... can get it off anytime the ground is firm enough to go in there... we will have some more colder nights where it will get hard for a bit.
So, got the 2 trays of sample bottles in the car ready to go, to test in the morning..
Going to get a little of the chicken salad left, to try plain...
Might just make some spaghetti for supper and lay off for the night.... so I can sleep and get up to go to work... Experiment tomorrow...
Then try the rye bread with something like tunafish?...
I will make some tuna and eat with no bread... then try some with a small piece of the rye bread... ???
It was an immediate and very pronounced reaction...
It did last about an hour or 2..... Got the 3 bags of chicken feed into the cart and pulled over to the chicken feed cans... got 2 emptied in and the other left in the bag in the other can with the scratch feed... I was so out of breath.... hurt to take a deep breath... REALLY WEIRD.... by the time I got it all done, filled the feeders and water in both automatic waterers, it was starting to "stop".... at least the coughing and clear mucous I had to keep clearing my throat from... still have a tightness... but I can breathe again...
I did not get the feed for the cow on the truck, nor did I take the other protein tub into the pasture... It is wet out there with the snow melting still... water is sitting on top since the ground is hard from the prolonged freeze... it is not soaking in very fast. Really do not want alot of rain on top of this... but then I am not the one making these decisions.
So the feed is still in the back of the explorer... staying dry... probably will take it up in buckets... feed the cow out of one bucket, and dump a bucket or more in the can everytime... if the ground stays wet, that will be the best way to get it up there.... not ideal, but it is what it is... I wish it had been on the truck to take this morning but it wasn't. At least I do not need to worry about the one protein tub on the truck... can get it off anytime the ground is firm enough to go in there... we will have some more colder nights where it will get hard for a bit.
So, got the 2 trays of sample bottles in the car ready to go, to test in the morning..
Going to get a little of the chicken salad left, to try plain...
Might just make some spaghetti for supper and lay off for the night.... so I can sleep and get up to go to work... Experiment tomorrow...
