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Cow/calf or purely a "finishing" ranch. I'm torn,

Whitewing

Well-known member
I suspect at the end of the day that finishing bulls for market would likely be more cost-effective and represent much less of a yearly work load than a cow/calf operation.

As always I'm trying to look a few years down the road and trying to make some decisions. Based on "normal" rainfall for about 6 months of the year, I think a finishing program would work well at my place. Drying the dry season I could take care of all the stuff we were too busy to do during the rainy season. Once the rains started, I could plant my sorghum and whatever additional pasture I needed to plant, start buying bulls (they don't do steers down here) and begin a pasture rotation program.

I'm thinking several groups of bulls bought over a 3 to 4 month timeframe would work well. The first group (the smallest) would start off feeding on the first grass available and whatever holdover feed I had from the previous year. Additional animals would be added as my pastures reached full potential. I'd eventually harvest my sorghum, do a swap of some of it for corn, and then finish off all the animals on grain.

Once they reach my target weight, out the door they go and I'm done until the following year.

Having said all that, I love the cow/calf part of ranching and am having a great time watching how these Charolais/mestizo crosses develop.

What are most of you guys doing?
 

Faster horses

Well-known member
In the 70's a rancher near Buffalo, Wyoming bought old bulls and fed them up and did very well with that; except for the fighting part. They
weren't too bad til it got close to spring, but these were mostly hereford bulls.
 

Northern Rancher

Well-known member
Alot of guys do some of both-they understock on cows then use yearlings on excess grass. Then a drought you can liquidate yearlings and save your base cow herd.
 

Whitewing

Well-known member
Northern Rancher said:
Alot of guys do some of both-they understock on cows then use yearlings on excess grass. Then a drought you can liquidate yearlings and save your base cow herd.

That makes sense. I think I'm good on cows right now but could definitely have handled more yearlings this year.
 

burnt

Well-known member
Whitewing said:
I suspect at the end of the day that finishing bulls for market would likely be more cost-effective and represent much less of a yearly work load than a cow/calf operation . . .

I think you have discovered what many others have found - that calves are far undervalued.
 
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