cow leasing

[dwilliams]

Just want to get some feedback on winter feeding cows on a cash lease basis (ex. dollars/day/head)

[cowman]

It completely counts on what you are feeding them. If it's straight hay figure it at $130/ton or 6.5 cents/lb. It takes about 30 lb. hay= $1.95. Throw in 5lbs. of straw at 1.5 cents=$2.025/day for feed. Then there has to be some money for a tractor/truck, electricity for the waterer, and some wages for the operator. Also salt and mineral and some return on fences,corrals, cattle sheds etc.
Now you figure on at least 200 days this year and we're looking at close to $500/cow. Not a very pretty picture is it?

[dwilliams]

To Cowman, thanks for the info. A neighbor asked us if we would keep his 4 cows for the winter. We were thinking about $2.00/head/day. Your explanation makes perfect sense and is right in our ballpark figure also.