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Jinglebob

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How many on here, would change what they are doing, if it was proven that you could make more money, with less work?

I'm still talking about running cattle, whether cow/calf, yearlings or whatever and basicly doing the same job you are doing right now. How many would change their operation?

Just curious.
 
Does less work equal less risk? I would like to and like to think we are moving that way. . Running yearlings was different work for us and we did that for the first 50 years we ranched. Because of our lease we have to own our own cattle. I switched to cow calf for the gratification of seeing what I could raise compared to buying others and growing them out.
 
I'd keep doing what I'm doing. It would be nice not to worry as much if we are going to make all the payments but then it is kinda a challenge to make it past the bills with a big "WHEW" we did it. We have a friend that always said she married her husband because he was such a big challenge and she was never one to back down from a challenge. That probably is true for ranchers and farmers also.
 
I would get rid of the farming end of this in a heartbeat. There is nothing better than sittng on a horse and working amongst your own cows. Unfortunately I only own a small portion of the cows I have here the rest I've run for the same guy for three years now. On the other side of it I couldn't pay the lease and the bank without the farming part. Oh well I just feel really good that I get to do what I want to do where I want to do it at. How many other people can say that about what they do.
 
Well I did it when I was dead broke...now not so broke, its better! Age will be my limiting factor, not try. I love the cow/calf business, wouldn't do anything else, for any amount of money. :D That is just a fact!
 
I would just sit here with my head in the sand and keep on doing the same damned thing!
 
Not all change is good, but change is necessary if there is to be any progress. You must differentiate between what is good change and what it not. That being said, only a damned fool, and one who doesn't care much for his/her family wouldn't want to make a change for the better.
 
Jinglebob said:
How many on here, would change what they are doing, if it was proven that you could make more money, with less work?

I'm still talking about running cattle, whether cow/calf, yearlings or whatever and basicly doing the same job you are doing right now. How many would change their operation?

Just curious.
Click to expand...
 
"There ain't no such thing as a free lunch."

"For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction."

"All is not gold that glitters."

There are always trade-offs, to every high-fangled new idea. Last year at this time, I was strongly considering selling all of our cow/calf pairs. We did sell a hundred. The more I tossed this idea around, the less it appealed to me. For one thing, if we sold all of our cattle, I'd either have to take in someone else's cattle or quit ranching. Our cattle are gentle and respect fences. If we took in cattle, there's no telling what kind of renegade fence-crawling obnoxious bovines would be involved. Then I'd always be at someone else's beck and call, and would have to toty to their every demand. Wondering if their money would come through would be another worry. Guess I'll do like jigs, and just sit here with my head in the sand and keep on doing the same old thing.

"Don't fix it if it ain't broke." :???: :? :wink: :)
 
Change us good, if it fits my objectives. :lol:

Take what works, and fits your program, and forget the rest.

I would never consider a small grain operation, or anything like that to "improve" our operation. Light soil, time, and machinery would be a few reasons why. Just one example. Even if it penciled. No way.
 
Soap what would it do to a operation to calve out in May early June,backgound calves and run the cows thru the winter grazing. Maybe run fewer cows and graze longer if possible.. What about running fewer cows and keeping the yearlings over the next summer? I have been thinking about this. Hard to change when in a comfort zone of familalarity
Guess working with what you have and what you know is probably the best. .
 
Big Muddy rancher said:
Soap what would it do to a operation to calve out in May early June,backgound calves and run the cows thru the winter grazing. Maybe run fewer cows and graze longer if possible.. What about running fewer cows and keeping the yearlings over the next summer? I have been thinking about this. Hard to change when in a comfort zone of familalarity
Guess working with what you have and what you know is probably the best. .
Click to expand...

You still have to watch the cows, no matter when you calve. The majority of our calves are born in March and average weighing just over 600 pounds by the middle of October. The six-weight calves at that time were bringing a little more per pound, than they are now.

As I typed this, the night man needed help with a cow calving with one foot back. I assisted, and we helped the cow deliver a nice rambunctious live calf. What happens to those kind out on green grass and blue sky, with the meadow larks doing the checking? I'll bet we've had at least ten backwards calves this season. They are no big problem when the cows are under close scrutiny, but they'd probably be a complete write-off otherwise. For sure the calf would be born dead, and there's a good chance the cow would not survive either.

This time of year there is nothing better to do than watch calving cows. When spring comes, it's nice not to have to stay home all the time to check cows. The weather tonight is terrible, but even the neighbors that start to calve the first of April are getting a few early ones now. We've had pretty good weather, except for a few days when we were just getting started. I'm glad our cows have slowed down now during this storm. One friend's calving due date was March 15th. He's hitting a pretty good lick right now, and I don't envy him.

We really don't mind calving early. Calves that have a month advantage can weigh pretty good by mid October. It is nice to load them on the trucks, sell them for a fairly good ticket, and be done with the problems that are involved by wintering a bunch of yearlings.
 
Soapweed said:
Big Muddy rancher said:
Soap what would it do to a operation to calve out in May early June,backgound calves and run the cows thru the winter grazing. Maybe run fewer cows and graze longer if possible.. What about running fewer cows and keeping the yearlings over the next summer? I have been thinking about this. Hard to change when in a comfort zone of familalarity
Guess working with what you have and what you know is probably the best. .
Click to expand...

You still have to watch the cows, no matter when you calve. The majority of our calves are born in March and average weighing just over 600 pounds by the middle of October. The six-weight calves at that time were bringing a little more per pound, than they are now.

As I typed this, the night man needed help with a cow calving with one foot back. I assisted, and we helped the cow deliver a nice rambunctious live calf. What happens to those kind out on green grass and blue sky, with the meadow larks doing the checking? I'll bet we've had at least ten backwards calves this season. They are no big problem when the cows are under close scrutiny, but they'd probably be a complete write-off otherwise. For sure the calf would be born dead, and there's a good chance the cow would not survive either.

This time of year there is nothing better to do than watch calving cows. When spring comes, it's nice not to have to stay home all the time to check cows. The weather tonight is terrible, but even the neighbors that start to calve the first of April are getting a few early ones now. We've had pretty good weather, except for a few days when we were just getting started. I'm glad our cows have slowed down now during this storm. One friend's calving due date was March 15th. He's hitting a pretty good lick right now, and I don't envy him.

We really don't mind calving early. Calves that have a month advantage can weigh pretty good by mid October. It is nice to load them on the trucks, sell them for a fairly good ticket, and be done with the problems that are involved by wintering a bunch of yearlings.
Click to expand...


Even tho we calve in the fall, when the meadowlarks are thinking about leaving, same with the bluebirds, we still check our cows, the meadowlarks don't. It's a lot less work, the weather is nicer and we as a family aren't snapping at each other. We still band the calves, tag them and give them their Alpha 7 shot, write everything down in the calving book so I can put it on the computer. I wouldn't change this for the world. Besides, we retain ownership to get feedlot data on our cattle, so we don't have to sell 600 wt calves to make money. If you really think about it, figure out what you are getting per calf on a 600 wt price vs 850 wt price vs 400 wt price. Soap, you prolly know all this stuff, just had to jam it in anyway :lol:
 
Soapweed, I am not weighing in on the time of the year to calve debate, but I do think that a VERY high percentage of the later born calves that have malpresentations, are born just fine. We don't really ever mess with footback problems or backwards calves around here on cows. When we didn't have straighbred angus, we saw a few more, but we were watching them just a bit closer then too. Maybe they are the ones we find dead occasionally, but I really think in your case you see them just because you are keeping an eye on your cows. We just have them and never know about it.

Just my thoughts.
 
Jinglebob said:
How many on here, would change what they are doing, if it was proven that you could make more money, with less work?

I'm still talking about running cattle, whether cow/calf, yearlings or whatever and basicly doing the same job you are doing right now. How many would change their operation?

Just curious.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't mind changing if it were as you say. Of course, there wouldn't really be less work because a guy would allways find something to work at.
Say...... your not talking about a marketing board are you??????
 
If the risk factor was the same.........yeah sign me up who can't use more funds and less work? :wink:
 
I've given this question much thought. I guess if what we are doing is working, why change? We can tweak what we are doing as we go along without making drastic changes. Everyone has their own comfort zone that makes them happy.

I remember a few years back when the talk was about low-cost producers and Soapweed said (and I agree) something to the effect if he had cows and couldn't take care of them so that he could enjoy seeing them fat and happy, he wouldn't care to be in this business.

So money isn't everything. Satisfaction is. Different people get satisfaction from different things. To some it might be money, to others like Soapweed, it is caring for the animals trusted to you. If it costs a little more to do that, so be it.
 

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