# Down Sizing



## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

I made the tough decision 2 weeks ago that downsizing was inevitable. Being declared a disaster area due to the drought, I can defer the capital gains until next year.

Was able to place some nice full mouth cows to individuals. Culled the rest by their condition or teeth. I am feeding half of what I was. It was still hard to see gentle momma cows go. I tend to hang on to them too long.

This summer was a challenge. No pasture, small hay yields, low cattle prices. Fed hay all summer when the cows should have been on good grass. Have 2 tons of winter ryegrass and black oat seed that I have not planted and need it more this year than ever. We are still in a D4 drought.

Sold 26 weaned/vaccinated calves that did well.

My wife says I do too much for one person. She may be right. Just grew up working and finding a way to make it work.


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## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

We went through a bad drought last year. I had enough hay inventory to pull through. One thing I was telling guys who were being forced to downsize but really didnt want to cause of all the work to rebuild the herd again. Keep all but the worst of your heifer calves, than sell that many or more older cows. Can breed the heifers in the spring, but durning the winter they will eat about 2/3 of what the cow eats saving some hay. Than you will start off with a younger herd again.

I also find myself keeping old cows too long. Than they die on the farm and I get nothing more from them. Sometimes just better of not thinking about , I will just keep her one more year.


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## carcajou (Jan 28, 2011)

A month ago i replaced the heifers i sold in our drought last year. Felt lost around here till these girls showed up. I feel for ya.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Tim/South said:


> My wife says I do too much for one person. She may be right. Just grew up working and finding a way to make it work.


I know the conversation......old habits are hard to break. I am very near retiring to the "farm only" now and I look very much forward to that day. I would like to know how it is to make hay and not be on the run.

Regards, Mike


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

hog987 said:


> I also find myself keeping old cows too long. Than they die on the farm and I get nothing more from them. Sometimes just better of not thinking about , I will just keep her one more year.


Guilty here as well of keeping the old ones too long, find it best to ship a few here and there when the wife ain't around.


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## Swv.farmer (Jan 2, 2016)

I use to keep them till they were dead with olld age now when they turn 6 with a calf on them especially if they are nice fancy cows I move them to some one else's hers at that age with a good calf they bring a premium.


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

Swv.farmer said:


> I use to keep them till they were dead with olld age now when they turn 6 with a calf on them especially if they are nice fancy cows I move them to some one else's hers at that age with a good calf they bring a premium.


You're a lot better manager than I! I figure if they're alive and can give me a calf, I keep them. I'd like to be able to cut the ties at 6 years old, but I've got 10 year old cows that give me calves, so that's just money I'd left on the table I figure.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

It is just hard to sell a cow that raises a good calf every year.

I know the age of most of the cows. I check teeth every year on the ones I am not sure of.

I keep a few heifers every year. The plan is to cull a cow for every heifer the year the heifer is to calve.

Here are some of my bred heifers.

Another picture of the new feed troughs. Bought 3 of them to feed brewers grain.


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## Swv.farmer (Jan 2, 2016)

That's what I do is for ever cow I cull I have hefier calving.
Those are the same troughs I have I love them they a a lot better than the plastic and thin metal ones.


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

hog987 said:


> We went through a bad drought last year. I had enough hay inventory to pull through. One thing I was telling guys who were being forced to downsize but really didnt want to cause of all the work to rebuild the herd again. Keep all but the worst of your heifer calves, than sell that many or more older cows. Can breed the heifers in the spring, but durning the winter they will eat about 2/3 of what the cow eats saving some hay. Than you will start off with a younger herd again.
> 
> I also find myself keeping old cows too long. Than they die on the farm and I get nothing more from them. Sometimes just better of not thinking about , I will just keep her one more year.


Grandma never would let us sell the old cows... she figured they'd given us enough calves and if she gave us one more, well, she'd paid for herself and deserved to live out the remainder of her life in peace and become buzzard bait in the back 80 somewhere...

Later! OL J R


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## Swv.farmer (Jan 2, 2016)

I've had some I would have liked to kept good keepers good mother skills raised a good fast growing calf but it's all about the finance not the romance.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Tim/South said:


> Another picture of the new feed troughs. Bought 3 of them to feed brewers grain.


Well they won't be pushing those all over the pasture....nice looking outfit.

Regards, Mike


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

I know its not an easy thing to do, but I've learned that things like this are blessings in disguise

Very good looking bred heifers


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## Supa Dexta (May 28, 2014)

6 is too young. They are just starting to turn a profit then. Then the yrs that follow are where the money is made.


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

U of M's Dr Allen Bridges had a breakdown of year of profitability at a seminar I went to a few years back. I think he had it at 5 years for payback on a raised heifer. Seemed a little long but entirely possible.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

stack em up said:


> U of M's Dr Allen Bridges had a breakdown of year of profitability at a seminar I went to a few years back. I think he had it at 5 years for payback on a raised heifer. Seemed a little long but entirely possible.


I can see where his figures may be close.

I figure the second calf from a raised heifer has me making money.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Supa Dexta said:


> 6 is too young. They are just starting to turn a profit then. Then the yrs that follow are where the money is made.


Not if you get the right money for them.


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## Swv.farmer (Jan 2, 2016)

8350HiTech said:


> Not if you get the right money for them.


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## Swv.farmer (Jan 2, 2016)

That's right that is when a nice cow and calf pair will bring top dollar.


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## Waldo (Apr 29, 2016)

I love raising cattle,put the time in with them and the rewards are there.when you lose money with cattle is jumping in and out .so it's a hard decision in a drought to cull,and it's usually the old girls that have had the good calves that get the chop first


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