BRG
Well-known member
I wrote this little article and it really ruffled some feathers on the Advantage Cattle board where I posted it. I wrote it with the idea that their isn't only one way and one size of cattle that fits everything/everyone. If you read it with an open mind, and not trying to read into things, maybe it will get one thinking outside the box. The % weaned may vary from ranch to ranch, just as the prices may. But it gives you something to ponder on.
1100 lbs cows vs 1400 lbs cows
There seems to be a huge push in the industry right now to make your cows small. We are told they are more efficient and you will make more money off a small cow because you can supposedly run 20% more cows on the same feed. We are also told a lighter weight calf will bring more per pound. Well that sounds real good. But let's dig into it a little deeper and make it an apple to apples comparison.
Let's start with the first argument. The industry tells us that you should be able to run 20% more cows on the same amount of feed when comparing an 1100 lbs cow to a 1400 lbs cow. So let's compare a ranch that can run 600 head of 1100 lbs cows compared to 500 head of 1400 lbs cows on the same feed resources.
After a 5% death loss, you should have 285 steers off of the 1100 lbs cow herd. If the calves weigh 44% of the cows weight, the average weaning weight will be 484 lbs with an average price of $190/cwt or $921/calf (by using the average price on Superior's Steam Boat Springs Sale). If you replace 15% of the cows a year, that comes to 90 cull cows that weigh 1100 lbs and sell for $.81 or $891 each. To replace those cows you will need to retain 105 heifers annually. Of the heifer calves you sell off the cow (after a 5% death loss) you will have 180 head that average $846 if they sell $10/cwt back from the steers. Of these replacement heifers in which you try to breed, you will cull 15%, or 16 head. If your cows mature out at 1100 lbs, then these heifers will be around 800 lbs. Taking the average Superior price of $135/cwt, they would be worth $1080 each. Now you will need 5 more bulls to breed these cows and heifers since you have more cattle (15 heifers and 100 cows), and I used our last year bull sale average of $4850 a bull. So after you add up all the income and expenses, the gross off of your 600 cows is $487,875
Now, let's figure the 500 head ranch full of 1400 lbs cows. After a 5% death loss you would have 237 steers that weaned off at 43% of the dams body weight, for an average weaning weight of 602 lbs with an average price of $172/cwt or $1035 per steer calf (by using the average price on Superior's Steam Boat Springs Sale). If you cull 15% of the cows, you will have 75 head of 1400 lbs cows to sell at the same price as the 1100 lbs cow of .81/cwt for a total of $1134/cow. You would need to retain 90 head of replacement heifers to replace the 15% of cull cows. So you would then sell 148 heifers to sell off the cow (after a 5% death loss) at $954 each, priced at $10/cwt back from the steer mates. If you have the same amount open as the other group, which is 15%, you would have 14 head to sell that will weigh 1000 lbs, and by using the average price for that weight on Superior, they would be worth $128/cwt or $1280 each. After adding everything up, the gross sales are $492,092.
So as you can see, it is actually the opposite of what they tell us. By these figures, the difference is over$4000 more made off the 1400 lbs cow. What isn't figured in yet is the extra calving facilities, labor you have at calving, pasture care, etc, plus the extra vet expenses you have to run the extra cows, or in this case, 100 head of cows and their calves and 19 replacement heifers. After you add that all up, it could cost you from $10,000 to $15,000 or more annually to have the smaller made cow. Plus, this type of smaller framed calf will not get the premium sale day just because he is lighter. The lighter calves that get the real premium are the second cuts of the medium framed cows, as the smaller framed calves will finish too small and have higher yield grade 4's as they get too fat too early which is a huge discount to the feeder.
We want you to know that we are not promoting or advocating a big cow, as you can get them too big. However, we think you need to run the right type of cow, the kind that your environment allows you to run and that maximizes your profit. We just wanted to point out that there is nothing wrong with a 1400 lbs cow if your environment allows it without pampering them. What we do think is important, is the type of cow you run. We feel it is real important to have an easy keeping, big bodied type cow, one that is sound, fertile, and has the performance in her to raise the type of calf that the feeder will want to feed. So, before you run out and change your program, do your own math and see what works for you. Remember, there is a reason why feedlots from all over the country come to this area to buy their calves, while paying a whole lot more for them here than they do anywhere else throughout the country.
1100 lbs cows vs 1400 lbs cows
There seems to be a huge push in the industry right now to make your cows small. We are told they are more efficient and you will make more money off a small cow because you can supposedly run 20% more cows on the same feed. We are also told a lighter weight calf will bring more per pound. Well that sounds real good. But let's dig into it a little deeper and make it an apple to apples comparison.
Let's start with the first argument. The industry tells us that you should be able to run 20% more cows on the same amount of feed when comparing an 1100 lbs cow to a 1400 lbs cow. So let's compare a ranch that can run 600 head of 1100 lbs cows compared to 500 head of 1400 lbs cows on the same feed resources.
After a 5% death loss, you should have 285 steers off of the 1100 lbs cow herd. If the calves weigh 44% of the cows weight, the average weaning weight will be 484 lbs with an average price of $190/cwt or $921/calf (by using the average price on Superior's Steam Boat Springs Sale). If you replace 15% of the cows a year, that comes to 90 cull cows that weigh 1100 lbs and sell for $.81 or $891 each. To replace those cows you will need to retain 105 heifers annually. Of the heifer calves you sell off the cow (after a 5% death loss) you will have 180 head that average $846 if they sell $10/cwt back from the steers. Of these replacement heifers in which you try to breed, you will cull 15%, or 16 head. If your cows mature out at 1100 lbs, then these heifers will be around 800 lbs. Taking the average Superior price of $135/cwt, they would be worth $1080 each. Now you will need 5 more bulls to breed these cows and heifers since you have more cattle (15 heifers and 100 cows), and I used our last year bull sale average of $4850 a bull. So after you add up all the income and expenses, the gross off of your 600 cows is $487,875
Now, let's figure the 500 head ranch full of 1400 lbs cows. After a 5% death loss you would have 237 steers that weaned off at 43% of the dams body weight, for an average weaning weight of 602 lbs with an average price of $172/cwt or $1035 per steer calf (by using the average price on Superior's Steam Boat Springs Sale). If you cull 15% of the cows, you will have 75 head of 1400 lbs cows to sell at the same price as the 1100 lbs cow of .81/cwt for a total of $1134/cow. You would need to retain 90 head of replacement heifers to replace the 15% of cull cows. So you would then sell 148 heifers to sell off the cow (after a 5% death loss) at $954 each, priced at $10/cwt back from the steer mates. If you have the same amount open as the other group, which is 15%, you would have 14 head to sell that will weigh 1000 lbs, and by using the average price for that weight on Superior, they would be worth $128/cwt or $1280 each. After adding everything up, the gross sales are $492,092.
So as you can see, it is actually the opposite of what they tell us. By these figures, the difference is over$4000 more made off the 1400 lbs cow. What isn't figured in yet is the extra calving facilities, labor you have at calving, pasture care, etc, plus the extra vet expenses you have to run the extra cows, or in this case, 100 head of cows and their calves and 19 replacement heifers. After you add that all up, it could cost you from $10,000 to $15,000 or more annually to have the smaller made cow. Plus, this type of smaller framed calf will not get the premium sale day just because he is lighter. The lighter calves that get the real premium are the second cuts of the medium framed cows, as the smaller framed calves will finish too small and have higher yield grade 4's as they get too fat too early which is a huge discount to the feeder.
We want you to know that we are not promoting or advocating a big cow, as you can get them too big. However, we think you need to run the right type of cow, the kind that your environment allows you to run and that maximizes your profit. We just wanted to point out that there is nothing wrong with a 1400 lbs cow if your environment allows it without pampering them. What we do think is important, is the type of cow you run. We feel it is real important to have an easy keeping, big bodied type cow, one that is sound, fertile, and has the performance in her to raise the type of calf that the feeder will want to feed. So, before you run out and change your program, do your own math and see what works for you. Remember, there is a reason why feedlots from all over the country come to this area to buy their calves, while paying a whole lot more for them here than they do anywhere else throughout the country.
