Cost of keeping a cow?

[smcgrath76]

Forage - you are right on there. We have
worked pretty hard at trying to drive fuel
use out of our business as much as
possible. We haven't saved as much as we
had hoped the last few years as the price
has stayed down, but I think it is going
to go up long term. I know some folks
that must spend an awful pile per cow on
diesel fuel...

[ALLFARMER]

Forage that's the way we run the books here.

I have lost money every year farming.....on paper.
Yet at the same time have a farm worth over 2
and a net worth well past 1

Some times the time your spending counting
pennies your loosing dollars.

[grassfarmer]

Wow, that's scary Allfarmer if I understand you
correctly - you have a debt load of several hundred
thousand dollars on a 120 cow operation? If that's
basing your farms worth on speculative land values
that could go sideways in a hurry if interest rates rise
or land values drop.

[bucket]

SF3

What was your high tech methodology that you used to come to that conclusion in July?

Its funny that we dumbshit farmers can banter on agriville and come to those conclusions by looking at our crops and noticing aster yellows, disease, flower blasting, and a wind storm but it doesn't mean shit unless some university grad making calls in Novemeber at supper time asking what is the numbers for the farm. Then its official.

This number may get smaller yet as statscan will have a tough time finding the usual half million tonnes in June or July 2013.

13.3 mmt for 2012 and lower acres for 2013. All things considered I think 2013 production will barely make 13.5 mmt.

[ASRG]

I've put this out here before (usually get abused for it!).....but will again.

For easy figuring I'll base this on 100 cows.

100 cows produce 94 calves (6% loss-opens/dead calves)
47 strs. X 600 lb X $1.42= $40,044
47 hfrs X 570 lb X $1.30 = $34,827
avg gross on 100 cows =$74,871 ($748/cow)

Costs:
winter feed/bedding- 200 days X $1.40 = $280 $20 bedding = $300
pasture-165 days X $1 = $165
machinery cost to feed $20
TOTAL FEED/bedding= $485

Salt and min $20
fence/corral repair $15
breeding $35
vet/ID $20
selling costs/trucking $25
Int on $1400 cow/year (3.5%)= $49
Depreciation on cow ($1400-salvage $1150-over 9 calves)=$39
cow death loss 1.5% = $21
TOTAL COST/cow $709

NET/cow ($748-$709)= $39

On the 100 cows $3900. On 300 cows=$11,700.

Walmart greeter $10/hr X 40 hr =$400 X 50 wks= $20,000.

[ASRG]

bucket...oops?

Back to cost and cow economics. I put this out before (usually get abused for it!).....but here we go..will base it on 100 cows for ease of figuring:

94% calf crop (opens/dead calves)
47 str X 600lb X $1.42 = $40,044
47 hfr X 570 X $1.30 = $34,827
TOTAL GROSS/cow $748.71

Total costs:

winter feed $1.40 day X 200= $280
bedding $20 = $300
pasture 165 days X $1 =$165
mach. cost for winter feeding $20
TOTAL FEED $485

vet/ID $ 20
salt & min $ 20
fence/corral repair $ 15
Breeding $ 35
selling costs/trucking $ 25

int. on $1400 cow (3.5%) $ 49
depreciation ($1400 to $1150 over 9 calves)= $28
cow death loss(1.5%) $21
TOTAL COST $698

Net/cow($748.71-$698)= $50.71

100 cows $5,071
400 cows $20,284

Walmart greeter $10x40 hrs=$400x 52 wks= $20,800!

[grassfarmer]

Depends what you want to do with your life I guess -
Walmart greeter - I don't think so.
On the wages front someone told me the other day
they get paid $27/hr driving a half ton around the SE
Saskatchewan oilpatch re-fueling light towers. Again
it's about choices - whether you want to be your own
boss, quality of family life and what you want to
achieve in your time on earth.

[ASRG]

grassfarmer: I'd probably make a great walmart greeter!LOL
What I'm trying to do here is get some of these young guys thinking about costs and profits. The scenario I painted isn't too far off how a lot of people operate?......some much worse.

[smcgrath76]

ASRG - I bet you are close or even low
for a lot (most) operations). There is
real opportunity in the big portion of
your costs.
$1.40 per day x 200 days could read

$0.70 per day for 200 days if you remove
the baling, hauling, stacking,
unstacking, hauling, feeding component.
Or the 165 days could read 365 days
depending on the setup. These make a
big difference in profitability.
I do agree with your general realization
that it takes a lot of conventional cows
to make a living. The other question is
how many folks have the skill set to run
that many cows alone...

[ASRG]

Sean: first thing...I hope you realize the numbers I stated are not my numbers.....or quite frankly, I would have quit many years ago?
I hear you on the one person thing.......that is a tough situation no matter who you are? Whether a spouse, a child, a neighbour....running cows on your own is a extremely challenging proposition!
I am not trying to discourage anyone from doing what they want to do.......I am encouraging them to go into it with their eyes wide open...and realize it can be an extremely satisfying, but challenging, life...definately not all rainbows and unicorns?