Did some calculations this morning on the cost of
tractor feeding the cows versus bale grazing type
systems and would be interested to hear others
perspectives and costs.
Our system once we are feeding is silage and/or hay
and/or straw. Cows and weaned calves are all fed out
on pasture with moveable feed bunks/rings and
windbreaks as this serves the joint purpose of intense
land/grass improvement as well as feeding.
So there is a tractor - I've allowed $30k every 10
years to buy it, own it, insure it , maintain and repair
it and assume a zero value at the end (I think this is
probably a higher figure than it need be) The entire
tractor cost is allocated to winter feeding in this
example.
cost per animal/per day fed 7.5c.
Fuel cost to feed the cattle 3.5c/day/per animal fed.
Cost of running gas heat in a quonset to keep 1
tractor, 1 truck, 1 dog and a few small calves warm
1.5c/day/animal fed
Silage wagon - buy it, repair it, maintain it and
depreciate to zero over 15 years (although after 12 it
still works as good as it ever did) @1c/day/animal.
Inventory of feed rings depreciated to zero after 10
years (about right) windbreaks and feed bunks
depreciated to zero after 20 years (probably only
need new wood by then) Total cost @1.5c/day/animal
fed.
Total 15c/day.
Now for the biggie - labor. Feeding 100 animals/hour
giving the feed hauling I'm doing and charging
$20/hr works out to 19c/day/animal fed for a grand
total of 34c/day/animal fed.
I'd like to see figures for bale grazing type systems
with the cost of their tractor ownership factored in
if you have one - even if it sits in the shop most of
the winter there is still a substantial cost to
ownership.
Thinking through these figures I don't see the
advantage to incurring greater wastage through a
bale grazing system other than the labor element.
But how real is the labor cost factor?
It doesn't matter too much to me if it takes 3 hours or
1 hour to feed the cows as I'm not doing an off farm
job in the 2 hours I might save by changing the
system. If you save time by moving fence on bales
once a week versus daily feeding but spend more
time sitting in the house reading you aren't really
making any more money are you? It's a lifestyle
choice and nothing wrong with that.
I'm more inclined when planning systems to use just
the cash costs - tractor, diesel etc and not add in
labor. Then at the end of the year decide when we
made $xxx how well i'm getting paid for my time.
That doesn't mean I'm working for free or not
counting my time. I'm just not adding it in at $20 an
hour for this one small component of the overall
business.
Any thoughts?
tractor feeding the cows versus bale grazing type
systems and would be interested to hear others
perspectives and costs.
Our system once we are feeding is silage and/or hay
and/or straw. Cows and weaned calves are all fed out
on pasture with moveable feed bunks/rings and
windbreaks as this serves the joint purpose of intense
land/grass improvement as well as feeding.
So there is a tractor - I've allowed $30k every 10
years to buy it, own it, insure it , maintain and repair
it and assume a zero value at the end (I think this is
probably a higher figure than it need be) The entire
tractor cost is allocated to winter feeding in this
example.
cost per animal/per day fed 7.5c.
Fuel cost to feed the cattle 3.5c/day/per animal fed.
Cost of running gas heat in a quonset to keep 1
tractor, 1 truck, 1 dog and a few small calves warm
1.5c/day/animal fed
Silage wagon - buy it, repair it, maintain it and
depreciate to zero over 15 years (although after 12 it
still works as good as it ever did) @1c/day/animal.
Inventory of feed rings depreciated to zero after 10
years (about right) windbreaks and feed bunks
depreciated to zero after 20 years (probably only
need new wood by then) Total cost @1.5c/day/animal
fed.
Total 15c/day.
Now for the biggie - labor. Feeding 100 animals/hour
giving the feed hauling I'm doing and charging
$20/hr works out to 19c/day/animal fed for a grand
total of 34c/day/animal fed.
I'd like to see figures for bale grazing type systems
with the cost of their tractor ownership factored in
if you have one - even if it sits in the shop most of
the winter there is still a substantial cost to
ownership.
Thinking through these figures I don't see the
advantage to incurring greater wastage through a
bale grazing system other than the labor element.
But how real is the labor cost factor?
It doesn't matter too much to me if it takes 3 hours or
1 hour to feed the cows as I'm not doing an off farm
job in the 2 hours I might save by changing the
system. If you save time by moving fence on bales
once a week versus daily feeding but spend more
time sitting in the house reading you aren't really
making any more money are you? It's a lifestyle
choice and nothing wrong with that.
I'm more inclined when planning systems to use just
the cash costs - tractor, diesel etc and not add in
labor. Then at the end of the year decide when we
made $xxx how well i'm getting paid for my time.
That doesn't mean I'm working for free or not
counting my time. I'm just not adding it in at $20 an
hour for this one small component of the overall
business.
Any thoughts?