Justin said:what is the going rate for wintering outside cows over the winter?
gcreekrch said:Justin, take the lb value of what your hay is worth loaded on a truck. Multiply by lbs per day per cow.
Add in mineral.
Add 15 to 25 cents per day yardage. (this is what you think you and your tractor are worth to feed cows)
Establish a chute charge if anything needs to be vetted. (you can't do this for nothing)
It is much easier to load hay on the truck than it is to deal with someone else and their cows.
BTW, if a "non-organic" cow craps on your land will you lose your certification?![]()
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PureCountry said:My opinion is it depends on your workload. If you're going to be firing up a tractor everyday and feeding hay out to them, it's going to cost more than custom grazing in the growing season. We charge 85 cents/day for custom grazing yearlings and $1 for pairs. In the winter time, in a labor intensive scenario of taking hay to the cows, I would charge $1.50 for a cow at the very least, only for close friends, cash deal, made on a Sunday, with a cherry whisky on top. :lol: I've heard of folks wintering cows for $1/day, but it was only with good swath-grazing crops, and the only labor involved was moving a hot wire every couple of days.
Hope that helps.