Come drought or rain, a cattle operation can match forage output when you have a security web of disposable animals.
My final column targeted on the right way to use livestock to handle forage manufacturing swings. It defined the concept of disposing of an animal to scale back mouths to feed in winter. It prompted a reader to ask: Which animals work greatest on this system?
To be clear, disposable livestock should not inferior; they’re alternatives so as to add worth. Disposable merely means they are often rapidly moved off the farm with out damaging your core enterprise mannequin — momma cows.
We’ve closely invested in genetics for generations. That’s why drought is so devastating if our solely selection is to pay $100 per bale for hay or dump a few of our core enterprise. What if we might rapidly scale back the mouths to feed with out being pressured to promote the way forward for our herd?
Select your cattle correctly
Flexibility is essential whether or not holding or promoting cattle to handle the swings of forage from surplus to deficit.
Contemplate the choices with these teams:
Stockers:. Including stocker calves to the grazing platform permits stocking price to fluctuate rapidly. Sale barns are stuffed with calves ready to point out up on the precise time you want them and depart when grass progress slows.
The thought of bringing in new animals can appear daunting. However we have already got a built-in stocker enterprise — our calf crop.
At weaning, you’re confronted with a selection: Promote calves or wean and develop them greater. How a lot greater is all the time relative. With an abundance of grass, take into account including 150 to 250 kilos. With present feed costs, the worth of acquire is unbelievable for extra weight, particularly from an affordable supply similar to grass.
In my house state of Missouri, that’s one purpose producers are switching to fall calving. When the spring flush arrives, they’ve a built-in second enterprise by merely rising calves greater.
Alternative heifers. Most producers retain heifers to exchange 15% of the cow herd annually. However what about heifers not saved for alternative? Are you certain you’re choosing the proper ones?
Why not retain most of your heifers with a low-cost improvement program together with a really brief breeding season? Let Mom Nature choose probably the most fertile heifers.
The worth of acquire is nice sufficient that you could be be stunned by the profitability of heifers. If you find yourself with further bred females, even higher. They’ve added extra worth to the operation and will be offered earlier than calving.
Open cows. Cull cows are one of many few animals that enhance in value per pound as they get heavier. Relying on the time of 12 months and accessible forage sources, including situation to open females earlier than promoting can add important worth.
Relying on age, they will also be bred and moved to a different calving window. Should you breed them, be sure to withstand the temptation to allow them to keep in your herd. Market them as bred females and preserve your calving season brief.
Freezer beef. Shoppers wish to purchase native. Market disruptions from the pandemic created great alternatives for producers to promote halves and wholes to neighbors or clients throughout the nation. Many producers are including freezer beef to their grazing platform and worth to the operation.
Contract cattle. You could be reluctant to usher in another person’s livestock to your farm, however including a custom-grazing enterprise — cows or stockers — can construct in flexibility. You resolve after they present up and after they depart. Including custom-grazed dry cows throughout your spring flush can flip that further grass into money with minimal effort.
Decide
Nonetheless you select to include disposable livestock in your operation, the flex to match stocking price with what Mom Nature offers can scale back winter feed prices and enhance profitability.
Satirically, producers usually discover disposable enterprises add extra worth to their operation than the cow-calf herd. However when it turns dry, it’s straightforward to you place wheels below the disposable livestock with out having to dump the core manufacturing manufacturing facility you’ve spent generations creating. It’s really a win-win.
Tucker is a College of Missouri Extension ag enterprise specialist and succession planner. He will be reached at [email protected] or 417-326-4916.
