Items From The Monett Conference
ELDON COLE
MT. VERNON, MO.
There seemed to be lots of interest in our, what’s it cost to keep a beef cow for a year topic. Three cow-calf producers, Nathan Isackson, Weaver Forest and Cherry Warren gave their best calculations. Nathan’s value was $589. Weaver’s was $900 per calf sold. Cherry said, $725 with depreciation.
The three operations varied in size, length of time in the business, whether they bought or made most of the hay.
In other words, each operation needs to keep adequate records and analyze them annually to determine their profitability. Several comments the panelists made were:
• I cull a lot of cows, mostly because of bad feet.
• I try to follow Management intensive Grazing practices and 10 acre pastures are too big.
• I charge an opportunity cost for pasture rent of $40 per acre annually and I figure 3 acres per cow.
• Testing hay is my best investment, I buy most of my hay.
• I invest in insurance on my hay and pasture.
• Fescue has saved me over the years and I now buy and feed anhydrous ammonia-treated hay.
• You can’t afford to not pre-condition feeder calves.
• Do you charge your cows for your smart phone? ∆
ELDON COLE: Extension Livestock Specialist, University of Missouri