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Pharo Bulls

I read all the time how the only way to be profitable is to graze all year long. Here grass rent goes from 300 a pair up to I know of a guy that bid 360 a pair silent bid deal for summer grazing and didn't get it. That is for 5-6 months grazing. Now I have some irrigation that will be lucky to break even planting corn on it. So i'm planting some oats-peas and sudan on a couple and will get a ton of bales with a little water. So if I was going to break even on the farm ground that will make the feed pretty cheap. I could feed cows all summer for a lot less than what grass rent costs. Everyone has their own calculator and somehow can make it say what they want I guess.
 
Good info here in this thread. My goal is to graze 300 days, some more some less I keep mineral out and yes there is a cake feeder on my truck, however it's used more for yearlings and weaned calves. Some that speak graze only are in places where there is no crop land and they own land and don't pay high rent. I honestly don't know how some people pay what they do for grass rent, must be like dining in the Garden of Eden.
 
3 M L & C said:
I read all the time how the only way to be profitable is to graze all year long. Here grass rent goes from 300 a pair up to I know of a guy that bid 360 a pair silent bid deal for summer grazing and didn't get it. That is for 5-6 months grazing. Now I have some irrigation that will be lucky to break even planting corn on it. So i'm planting some oats-peas and sudan on a couple and will get a ton of bales with a little water. So if I was going to break even on the farm ground that will make the feed pretty cheap. I could feed cows all summer for a lot less than what grass rent costs. Everyone has their own calculator and somehow can make it say what they want I guess.
Click to expand...
Could you strip graze those circles and feed even cheaper?
 
I know you can't starve condition on a cow...and I know for a fact cattle on a good mineral program will outdo cattle that get no mineral, hands down, 24/7/365. There's a big difference between being cheap and being thrifty.[/quote]

Nothing like running over the dollars to save pennies is there?[/quote]
I agree with you, we try to be that happy medium area " here ".
 
Big Muddy rancher said:
3 M L & C said:
I read all the time how the only way to be profitable is to graze all year long. Here grass rent goes from 300 a pair up to I know of a guy that bid 360 a pair silent bid deal for summer grazing and didn't get it. That is for 5-6 months grazing. Now I have some irrigation that will be lucky to break even planting corn on it. So i'm planting some oats-peas and sudan on a couple and will get a ton of bales with a little water. So if I was going to break even on the farm ground that will make the feed pretty cheap. I could feed cows all summer for a lot less than what grass rent costs. Everyone has their own calculator and somehow can make it say what they want I guess.
Click to expand...
Could you strip graze those circles and feed even cheaper?
Click to expand...

That's what I was wondering. I remember looking at Colorado study many yrs ago---running 3 pairs or 5 yrlngs per acre, for the season, under a pivot.

With quicker moves, newer fencing technology, i'll bet a guy could do better. And very little nutrient transfer. It might also be intriguing to summer on irrigated ground and stockpile range for winter----and bet the range would respond to no growing season use impressively
 
Big Muddy rancher said:
3 M L & C said:
I read all the time how the only way to be profitable is to graze all year long. Here grass rent goes from 300 a pair up to I know of a guy that bid 360 a pair silent bid deal for summer grazing and didn't get it. That is for 5-6 months grazing. Now I have some irrigation that will be lucky to break even planting corn on it. So i'm planting some oats-peas and sudan on a couple and will get a ton of bales with a little water. So if I was going to break even on the farm ground that will make the feed pretty cheap. I could feed cows all summer for a lot less than what grass rent costs. Everyone has their own calculator and somehow can make it say what they want I guess.
Click to expand...
Could you strip graze those circles and feed even cheaper?
Click to expand...

Yes I believe so. I have been wanting to on a pivot that I own for a few years now. But with crop prices really couldn't justify it. Now I am going to next year I hope with my rotation. I don't really need the grazing this year and will sell most of the feed. Also one land owner doesn't want cattle grazing his ground. As dry as it is if it keeps up might be able to grow a herd substantially this summer at a discount rate. My point was that just because your grazing grass doesn't mean your the most profitable.
 
I wish I could find grass for 300 a pair for the season!
My neighbor just rented his grass out for 580 a pair this year and he got 525 last year!
Its damn hard to expand a herd here and cheaper to make land payments right now.
 
AC Diesel said:
I wish I could find grass for 300 a pair for the season!
My neighbor just rented his grass out for 580 a pair this year and he got 525 last year!
Its damn hard to expand a herd here and cheaper to make land payments right now.
Click to expand...

Crap on a cracker! $580 a PAIR? That figures over $17,000 a grazing season here for a quarter of grass, and we figure 30 pairs per quarter in this country in a somewhat normal year. WOW! What part of Nebraska are you in, AC? My tenant may not like me this grazing season.....
 
loomixguy said:
AC Diesel said:
I wish I could find grass for 300 a pair for the season!
My neighbor just rented his grass out for 580 a pair this year and he got 525 last year!
Its damn hard to expand a herd here and cheaper to make land payments right now.
Click to expand...

Crap on a cracker! $580 a PAIR? That figures over $17,000 a grazing season here for a quarter of grass, and we figure 30 pairs per quarter in this country in a somewhat normal year. WOW! What part of Nebraska are you in, AC? My tenant may not like me this grazing season.....
Click to expand...
What's considered the "season"? Good grief boys let's bid the profit right out, can you say $8 corn.
 
Loomix I'm in Holt county, not everyone is paying this much but there are quite a few! Most of the grass around my area is rented by farmers from eastern Ne. and it dont seem to matter what they spend.
There are also 3 big farmers up here that farm 100 plus quarters and guess what they did when cattle started to make some money! The one outfit originated from Minnesota and last year they offered 480 a pair for the 6 month season they all but broadcast it on the radio!
So its a little hard to compete with these guy's welfare check's!!
 
I think feeding cows for 200 days is looking cheaper and cheaper all the time :wink:
 
4Diamond said:
loomixguy said:
AC Diesel said:
I wish I could find grass for 300 a pair for the season!
My neighbor just rented his grass out for 580 a pair this year and he got 525 last year!
Its damn hard to expand a herd here and cheaper to make land payments right now.
Click to expand...

Crap on a cracker! $580 a PAIR? That figures over $17,000 a grazing season here for a quarter of grass, and we figure 30 pairs per quarter in this country in a somewhat normal year. WOW! What part of Nebraska are you in, AC? My tenant may not like me this grazing season.....
Click to expand...
What's considered the "season"? Good grief boys let's bid the profit right out, can you say $8 corn.
Click to expand...

May 1-November 1....with a little room for tweaking. It's so dry here that it will probably have a May 15 start date.
 
I've heard there are around 40 co-op herds.If you dig into the pedigrees theres not much thats all that different than most others he just picks them for a type. I and a friend have some OCC Homer daughters and we both agree they are'nt any smaller than any other cows we own. The co-op herds seam to revolve some quit some join.He's a great marketer I just dislike his bashing of other seedstock outfits while hideing under the cloak of a great christian. Great Christians don't try to better themselves by spreading hate and discontent.
 
We have a lot of native grass in the area like Loomix mentioned, but in my general area we are really sub-irrigated lots of clover,red top, timmothy, and slew grass. I dont have any brome around here. When it ain't so damn dry we can really grow some grass.
 
Colorado Hobo is the basis for Pharos RA Angus herd With OCC No Doubt having a strong influence as well. Colorado Hobo was not a small bull weighing at least 2200lb, And I would imagine he was a 5 frame. No Doubt may have been a Frame 5.5 and around 2300 lbs. I have lots of cows with Hobo in there pedigree several times and they will avg a 5 frame and 1300 lbs, I have had OCC Homer daughters and they were consistently frame 5 cattle in the 1300 lb range. When No Doubts mother was culled she weighed 1710 and was at least a 5.5 frame cow. I have proven to myself that these genetics can and do grow larger than frame 3 cattle that are considered PUDS. And I can make them puds with feed control. As far as longevity goes they are no better or worse than any other cattle I have owned. The cooperators have come and gone, at one time there was Tim Ohlde consigning bulls, along with several other astute cattle breeders that have come and gone. IMO Angus genetics have a rather condensed base and management and environmental conditions have a profound effect on mature stature. And those 2 frame cattle can and do produce 5 frame calves. I do agree with many of the comments made here, good and bad! But 5 frame cows that weigh 1300 lbs have earned there place here, and I have no desire to change them.
 

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