Hearing 1700 to 1800$ for bred cows at Provost

[ALLFARMER]

Sooooo my 1250$ for light heifers this spring did
turn out a good bet.

[grassfarmer]

Why? did you sell them for $1700-$1800? If you
didn't the speculative value you place on them doesn't
put any money in your pocket. Maybe it lets you put
more of the banks money into your pocket but then
you have to pay interest on that from the proceeds of
running cows on $96 hay and feeding for 217 days.

[ASRG]

I wouldn't worry too much about what they might be worth today, unless you intend to sell them.
I would concentrate on making sure they will make as much money as possible over their lifetime? That means keeping costs down and production up!
Everyone has their own way of calculating costs, but bottom line you have to include what you could make on your land if there wasn't a cow on the place!
For example: If you can sell hay for $60/bale that is what you need to charge that cow. If you can rent out your pasture at $30/month/cow...she has to pay for that!
I realize you were dry up there and you were calving heifers....but you need to get your weaning weights up?

[Mufferaw]

Bred heifer sale last Friday in Saskatoon would have averaged close to $1,200. High price was over $1,500 out of a known breeder - they were also 1,200lbs due to calve in Mar-Apr.

[ALLFARMER]

If I get hit by a bus tomorrow and my family
decides to sell she's getting 1700 to 1800 possibly
an animal.

When ever land, cattle, machinery change greatly
in value I adjust my balance sheet accordingly.

Odviously I work things differently then many guys
on here. What my land would rent out for I really
dont follow....I don't really care. I feel I am
running cattle and that's it period. If Calves
dropped back to $500 I still wouldn't quit. 3 or 4
years ago many producers quit because of
that....today there looking over my fence. I do
consider land value increase as part of my
personal income. The cattle keep the brush
cleared land from regrowing untill I disc or plow it.

I also view with some disdain people who demand
a wage from there farming work. You farm
because it's a chosen way of life. If you want to
punch a time clock get another job. These guys
given 2 bad farming years are the quitters. I'll be
happy to pick there farms bones at the farm sale.

Every time you quit something because it's too big
or too hard you get a little bit smaller.

Dad passed away...no more suffering funeral
Saturday.

[smcgrath76]

AF - Sorry to hear about your dad,
although if he was suffering I am sure
there is comfort in knowing he is in a
better place.

As far as getting paid, whether it is in
an equity increase or cash, I think it
is important. Farming can be and maybe
should be a way of life, but I know a
few folks who have sacrificed their life
to support their farming lifestyle and
no farm is worth that. I know some
hobby farms that have 1500 cows, but the
owner also has the income to do that as
a hobby. Hard work and sacrifice are
great tools, and even subsidizing a farm
as a lifestyle is OK, but there has to
be a limit. For some folks who are in a
hole it may be best to stop digging.

[ASRG]

Sorry to hear about your father....that is never an easy time.
I probably sounded quite critical and that really wasn't my intention. My intention was to maybe provide a different perspective (not necessarily the right one.....just mine!)
I've owned a couple of businesses over my lifetime and have always found if you do the little things right, the big things tend to work out. Cost control and sustainable production are essential to long term success. JMO.

[ALLFARMER]

At the risk of proving Grassfarmers point .... I see
cows at Clyde bring 900 to tops 1200 today.

Thanks for the kind words men.

[grassfarmer]

Condolences AF - we can argue and BS about cattle
on here but at the end of the day it's family that's
important.

[rkaiser]

Yip - All the best Allfarmer. Business of any kind is usually one mans dream and if you are following along with one started by the old fart, good on ya. He will be happy where he's heading; and it seems that you are happy as well.

As for the farming vs making money thing. I agree that is simply a matter of chosing your destiny and your reality. Don't like your job; - get another. Don't think your farm is as profitable as some other guy; - move.

This is a good place for discussion and information sharing but the bottom line is to either be happy or change. We all have options --- thank goodness.

[ALLFARMER]

Thanks again guys

Dad stayed at the farm with us until there was no
other choice then to go into a lodge. A damn hard
day when he had to go in. The last year and a
half he spent asking mom to call me to pick him
up.

[DogPatch]

Heifers and cows at that price in the Alberta markets were all in prime shape, AI'd, synchronized, with a known date, and then put out with the bull. They had a health program to back them up, and an auctioneer that had an interest in them. They would have been preg tested and quaranteed for 30 days, (except for abortions).

Don't assume that the average herd, or an average heifer with an average bull put out will get anywhere near those prices.

[tweaker101]

AF, sorry to hear about your father...atleaset the suffering is over for all in different ways. About farming well everybody has a different spin to what is the right, I think if it works for you and your family run with it...but I think that all my hard work or fun..depends on how you look at it should have some financial rewards at the end of the day. I enjoy doing what I am doing with our farm so I think that it is not work but fun...my regular job(off farm)...not so much fun..LOL

[tweaker101]

We bought more cows this past spring to go along with our expansion plans...we paid $1800.00 for each cow calf pair, I thought it was a fair deal...cows were 3-4 years old and in good shape...and we sold the calves this fall for around $775.00 after all the auction fees and trucking...was it a good deal?

[DogPatch]

Yes. I would say it was a good deal.