How' the fall run doing?

[cswilson]

Well Mr. Kaiser get elected and change it-spouting off at everybody and anybody is getting kind of old. By the way what's story on tag 44 bull at Vermillion Test.

[rkaiser]

When I find a group that has my similar interests in the health of the family farm and support for those who help pay my bills - the cow calf folks -, I will likely run for some position. For now though, Mr. Wilson, you will just have to ignore my anoying posts - cause I ain't gonna shut up.

You would like one of the only bulls out at Vermillion that I don't personally own. LOL ----

44 belongs to some good freinds down at Pincher Creek who we set up with a herd of cows and the herd sire of 44. 48 also belongs to Mike and Cindy Drake. These two bulls were on a bit different feed regiment than our bulls and are carrying a bit more weight. Went through a yearling trial at Cattleland last year and saw a bit of grain over the summer as well. Ours saw 4 pounds of barley with their silage last winter and nothing but grass up til Sept 25th this fall.

That being said, 44 is a good looking animal, as is 48. Lots of depth of rib and plenty of testicle. Maybe a touch coarse for the show man type, but should be a beef producer. Maybe we can run into each other up at Vermillion one day, and you can hear me spoat off in person.

Chow Randy

[whiteface]

I wouldn't mind hearing you spout off in person, Randy, where the hell have you been anyway...jail? or just running around chasing jail bait. I know, I know, I'm too old and used up for you now...LOL!
I'm running around chasing rent checks today and making my husband one happy camper...
maybe I can get him to chase me later tonight...
put all that money in my bra and help keep the old girls up!
Waaay more info than any of you wanted but comic relief always worked for me when stress comes knocking. I appreciate all for their comments and keeping it civil. Even you Wilson, I got a chuckle out of your-toungue-in-cheek-but-still-to-the-point-no-backing-down posts with a sense of humor instead of an attitude. That kind of banter always works for me.
Grassfarmer, I appreciate also that you do see the point of view that us land wealthy, cash poor suckers are going through and I do know that you are able to find a couple of sources of quality feed for less money than most of us. I wish you all the power. I wasn't able to do it...rather capitalized on people wanting houses more than they wanted forage or cattle for that matter. Hope you all have a great day!

[Horse]

If you can rent a 1/4 and graze it for less than 1$/day I bet you wont get it next yr I dont let anyone in and ruin my grass by over grazing it but there are those that will take advantage whenever they can.

[cowman]

Grassfarmer: Sorry if I came across a bit arrogant...its one of my failings!
I understand you see things differently than me. It takes all kinds to make the world go around!
I actually believe guys like CsWilson have the best idea. Live in the sticks, run a tough operation...bottom line is they can produce calves cheaper than most of the rest of us?
My neighbor( a man who made his money in the construction business) claims he rented out his pasture for $65/acre. Good tame planted pasture seperated into 40 acre parcels for $65/acre. I think they were Weillor and Williams steers but not 100% sure.
So figure it out...640 acres...$41,600? Not bad for doing nothing...and spending nothing(not quite right of course as he has the cost of fence, taxes and water)?
I don't think anyone should put the cost of land and rising values into this equation? Land ownership and actual return on investment of the cattle enterprize should have nothing in common? I sure never bought that last quarter for 3K/acre with the thought cows were going to pay for it!
I sincerely doubt rent is going to go down in central Alberta? Too many boys with just too much money?

[grassfarmer]

You misunderstand me Horse - I could pay for renting a quarter at less than a $ a day by increasing the management not overgrazing it. Most of the land in these damper parts west of Highway 2 could produce twice as many AUDs per acre by simple management and fence moving. You could produce twice as many AUDs and still leave it in better shape, with more carry over and litter than "conventional" grazing.

[grassfarmer]

I can see feed and possibly rental rates going down near me Cowman. I see in the paper today a local 300 cow herd for sale. They were a pasture rental, feed buying outfit. My immediate area has now lost it's only feedlot and one of it's three feed buyers. Leaves me and the buffalo guy to pick up available feed grown in the area by old producers that have already sold their cows. It's kind of like we have our own little "captive market" for feed around here.
Interestingly the herd for sale were described as Jan-March calving, 15-1600lbs weaning 800lb calves.... maybe that's not the way to go afterall eh?

[cowman]

grassfarmer: Times change...situations change? In the mid ninties that 1500-1600 cow calved in Jan/Feb definitely paid...not so today? I doubt anyone would argue that?
Not sure if the smaller cow, Apr/May calf works today...but that is where we are? Sure is a lot easier?
Char/ Sim genetics replaced by Angus...that is just how it is?
Hey I'm no different than anyone else, I'll go where it seems to work?
The boy is all gung-ho on buying some black bulls and who am I to say that isn't the way to go? They are his cows and it is his decision.

[cswilson]

ohh I assumed they were all run under the same deal-I looked at him when the goat roping was on at the high school rodeo -I couldn't stay long I hate to miss a minute of nanny flipping lol.There was one red bull looked pretty good too but it was a crappy day out-I'll check them out when it's warm and sunny and they're feeling more like bulls.

[cswilson]

Live in the sticks too funny-I'm five minutes away from a heated swimming pool-18 hole golf course-bowling alley-hockey rink-20 minutes away from a huge park with great fishing and swimming-we have paved streets and a rich family in town got a colour tv last year. Some people gots their own mail boxes and them tellerphones that u can visit on-we even got them Komputers-kind of rural heaven I think. Maybe central Alberta is becoming the urban sticks I don't see a better quality of life there just a more benevolant government purse.

[coppertop]

even got the inside biffy too cswilson ???
Sorry, couldn't resist !

I spent the afternoon fighting traffic in Edmonton on the Yellowhead, and it is sure nice to be back to my little home in the sticks !!!! And the further away town stays the better !!!

[cswilson]

We got that when I was 16 it was a pretty major event lol.Like I said I wouldn't trade my part of the world-the 50 miles of bush you drive through getting up here scares off the timid lol.

[coppertop]

I get such a kick out of my 'city friends' always asking when I am going to sell this farm and move into a nice little condo in town or GOD FORBID in Edmonton or Calgary.
Tough for them to understand that living out here, chasing my cows, walking with my dog and enjoying peace and quiet is what I choose. I see all the little pink stucco 55 condo's in town and all the folks that live their heading over to the drop in centre for coffee EVERY morning, and of course they never miss the FARMER"S MARKET on Wednesday. Rest of the time they spend in their little sitting room, bored silly !!! Of course there is the park model in Yuma for the winter...10'x40' of heaven !!!!!! To each their own, but give me the fresh air and open spaces anyday !

[rkaiser]

And thus the name here on agriville "coppertop". Those long walks don't include a cap most of the time I presume.

Had a fellow call me copperdome this summer instead of chrome dome.

[sagewood]

Well, have been away from the discussion for a while, but boy oh boy you folks have had a good one. Interesting reading from all angles (except the American Interest--some of his claptrap does not even dignify a response). Anyway, my thoughts on cows/income/dog walking--yes--I too get great joy from getting out of bed in the a.m. and just looking at the cows, walking through them, checking the pasture--whatever--something to be said for loving the job you do. I have always said that one has to love agriculture to stay in it--otherwise it is just a darn long, hard, dirty job. That being said, in my over 30 years of raising cattle, I have always made profit--sometimes small--but profit none the less. My cattle have for several years been the thing that carried the grain part of the business. When I switched to just hay and cattle and got rid of the grain portion, I had some very, very good years of income. Then of course, the neighbors saw what I was doing and several of them left the grain and switched to hay production along with cattle--my market is somewhat limited these days re the hay..but I still can sell it at least for a break even price and the rest goes into the cattle, who always pay back. Whatever the Americans are doing will always affect us north of the 49th, however, with the outbreak of all their diseases in lettuce and spinach of late, I see a lot of people who want to source their food locally--our Canadian cattle have always done better b/c of the cooler climate and here in Ab. the strength of our short grass (for those of us who have native pasture). We can out grow thos U.S. cattle and for my taste--there is nothing like Alberta beef--I have had enough of the corn-fed stuff to know that I don't care for it. So I will hang in with my cattle through the ups and the downs, until such time as my body tells me that I cannot continue to work load--until that time--it keeps me alive and kicking and I enjoy it--profit or break even...I enjoy talking cattle and listening to others opinions of the industry--keep the faith boys and girls!