sell the cows?

[buckfarmer]

Some of you may have read my other posts on here and know of some of the time restraints I'm under. Have only 20 brood cows and not enough time to care for them properly. Was thinking of selling all cows. I have people who pay big $ to hunt on my property. They have complained in the past that cows somehow mess up there hunting. I'm thinking of planting some of my pasture in food plots for the deer. Then after hunting season (January), buying feeders or stockers that could finish off the food plots and along with hay and some grain, be ready to market by early summer. Is this going to be more or less work and profit than the cow/calf operation. I'm confident I could raise my hunting rates from $3500 per year to at least $6000. I don't really want to let my pasture to go unused but the extra cash from hunting makes keeping cows seem like losing proposition. The hunting money seems to roll in regardless of economy, markets, or weather.

[Nebrfarmr]

If your fences are good enough, buying grass calves in the spring (or late winter, if you have hay to feed) running them on grass until sometime in July, and then selling them to a feedlot, will be far less work, than caring for brood cows.  You could then plant the food plots (provided you live in an area that gets enough summer rain) and the grass will have rest for the hunters.  The hunters probably don't like the cows there, because adult cows will pressure deer off the property, or at least to the areas where the cows are not.  Grazing yearlings, and having them gone well before hunting season, and they will stay on your place more.

Just keep in mind, yearlings will walk through a fence that old 'bossy' would never go through.

[buckfarmer]

It is hard to keep good fence with our deer population. They really prefer to go under or through barb wire. Only time I see them jump it is when they are running.

[k-289]

I  heard  on the  radio  today on a broadcast of  "  Luuse tails " about importing meat from  Australia  to replace fine text meat ---- are these folks for real ? ?  

[buckfarmer]

Sold a 5 year old bull (1750 lb) for $1.06/ lb. Was wandering if the no pink slime thing had the markets looking for more fastfood hamburger. This bull was well finished in that he had no interest in the rest of the herd and laid on top of a hill by himself all his life. He was also very empty in that he was pretty mean and took a while to load haul and unload at the stockyard.