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What's it worth?

Nicky

Well-known member
This is a question for my nieghbors...actually this same question is what brought me to Ranchers in the first place.

Our nieghbors calve out a herd of registered angus cows for a guy who lives in Baker City. He brings them out sometime in Dec (depending on the year). They start calving the end of Jan, and stay til April. He pays them $35.00/calf, provides the hay and pays them $5.00/ton to feed it. They keep records, weigh the calves, tag them and do all the doctoring etc. (I think he provides all the medicine, tags etc). They've been getting paid the same forever. They and we don't think they are getting paid enough. What do you all think? They are very consciensous (sp?), and do a great job on his and their cattle. He does give them a bit of a price break on bulls.
 

Turkey Track Bar

Well-known member
Nicky said:
This is a question for my nieghbors...actually this same question is what brought me to Ranchers in the first place.

Our nieghbors calve out a herd of registered angus cows for a guy who lives in Baker City. He brings them out sometime in Dec (depending on the year). They start calving the end of Jan, and stay til April. He pays them $35.00/calf, provides the hay and pays them $5.00/ton to feed it. They keep records, weigh the calves, tag them and do all the doctoring etc. (I think he provides all the medicine, tags etc). They've been getting paid the same forever. They and we don't think they are getting paid enough. What do you all think? They are very consciensous (sp?), and do a great job on his and their cattle. He does give them a bit of a price break on bulls.

Wow Nicky, that is a question I've never thought of...in my opinion, a very thought provoking one.

If they are calving 100 cows, they are getting $3500 just for the labor of calving. If you divide that by 4 months, they are getting $875 a month for keeping these cows. Around here, just for keeping/feeding cows (not calving them out) you can figure a $1.00-$1.25 per day per cow. But this includes feed.

I'd be interested in what others have to say. Maybe your Oregon Extension Service would have some answers. I know most states have ag enterprise budgets for producers to use, that include a "going rate" for previous years.

I did find a publication from University of Nebraska on different Lease-Share Agreements for cattle. They list in there that labor is valued at $64/head/year, and say they got this from the Nebraska Livestock Budgets.

http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/live/ec841/build/ec841.pdf

I am not sure if this helps you out any Nicky, but maybe it provides a start. I bet OR Extension has farm budgets or even livestock budgets.

Good and interesting question, Nicky.

Are you getting any moisture?

Cheers---

TTB :wink:
 

tlakota

Well-known member
at 5/ton to feed it, i would see they are just covering their fuel pretty much...theyre making a little money on the labor of calving but even with 5/ton to feed theyre arent even covering tractor cost and fuel cost i wouldnt think....it takes me about 30 minutes to feed about 150 cows and i figure 35 an hour depreciation on my tractor, and thats probably on the low side...it burns about 3 gallons of fuel every time i feed...figure 3 dollar fuel thats $9/day. So just with depreciation on tractor and fuel it comes out to about $27-$28 a day. Im feeding about 3 ton a day. So i would be getting $15/day, not figuring my labor.

On the $35 per calf....i think thats reasonable. If you enjoy cows and dont wanna invest money into cows i would think its worth it. I enjoy cows and if your already set up for it or something $35 sounds good for mature cows.
Just my opinion.
 

Clarencen

Well-known member
It depends on how you look at it. If you consider it an opportuniy or do you believe you are doing it as an accomodation?
If you are feeding 30 lbs. of hay a day, you are only getting about 7 1/2 cents per cow a day for feeding. That might be a little low. You should figure 12 or 15 cents a day for yardage. As for equipment costs the cost per head goes down when the numbers you feed increases.
Then you have to consider what you believe your time is worth. What else could you do with your time?
 

Nicky

Well-known member
Thanks for the input and please keep it coming.

They have their own herd of cows, and some for Jim's brother. And also help out his folks who are getting older. So they see it more as an accomadation than an opportunity. When they first started doing this they had fewer cows of their own and needed the money. Now they could get by without the money and are feeling like it's more trouble than its worth. The guy comes out and hangs around too, which can be a pain :wink:

Originally it was to be 50 cows, then he started bringing heifers too. This year I think it is about 50 cows and 20 heifers.
 

kolanuraven

Well-known member
Nicky said:
Thanks for the input and please keep it coming.

They have their own herd of cows, and some for Jim's brother. And also help out his folks who are getting older. So they see it more as an accomadation than an opportunity. When they first started doing this they had fewer cows of their own and needed the money. Now they could get by without the money and are feeling like it's more trouble than its worth. are feeling like it's more trouble than its worth.Originally it was to be 50 cows, then he started bringing heifers too. This year I think it is about 50 cows and 20 heifers.



You said two things that are interesting.


1.are feeling like it's more trouble than its worth. Maybe they should go with this ' gut' feeling then.

2.The guy comes out and hangs around too, which can be a pain
.
I assume the ' guy' is the owner of the cattle in this statement. If that is true then, if I was the " guy" who owned the cattle I'd want to come around and ck on my cattle as anyone of us would. If his presence is a bother to them then maybe that just reinforces #1.


Anyhoo...just my rumination on it!! :lol:
 

per

Well-known member
If it is more trouble than it is worth then charge what would make the trouble worth it. If your client won't pay the fare, the problem goes away. It he does it will be a monetary benefit that is worth the hassle.
 

passin thru

Well-known member
I think the feeding costs are low and the heifers should bring in more than the cows...........35 for heifers I would think would be low.

Remember the sings at some shops
50.00 an hour shop rate
75.00 an hour if you watch
100.00 an hour if you help
 

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