Belinda Stronach

[rkaiser]

Grassfarmer says - "There are opportunities for skilled grazers though - I wouldn't offer to pay a $ a day but I might look at a quarter, calculate a price that would pencil under my management and offer a $ sum to the owner."

Did just that this summer grassfarmer, and despite a horribly dry mid summer we brought our cost down well under $1.00 per day. Don't have a final figure yet as we are now taking off some of the froze down regrowth that came back with our great August rains. Used the 1/4 in conjuntion with our own intensive 1/2 section with cattle moving about every 5 or six days. P.S. no chemical fertiliser used.

Yes KPB and Mr. Wilson, 2005 was not a bad year except for maybe the cull cow thing - but does that mean, Mr. Wilson, that we should all simply shut up and accept everthing? Hard to blame anyone for not standing up at an ABP meeting or challenging the SSGA and the CCA when some of the people who could possibly be helped by those challenges consistently call you a whiner.

[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.