| |
| Summer 2008 | We are trying to cope with the same factors that plague us all: fertilizer, corn, fuel and out of control weather.
Fertilizer cost is our biggest hurdle. We fertilized our winter pasture (Maton Rye) cereal rye and Tam 90 rye grass in April. This year we rolled our excess growth with some success. The weather gave us a break and we got most of it up, but only after it was past the doe stage in maturation – so our protein will be lower. The spring rains are all we can count on in our country.
We have not re-fertilized since April and have cut and rolled a lot of hay that we hope will have proteins between 9 and 10%.
The rest of our pastures that we do not cut for hay were planted with Apache clover. This has furnished enough N+ for us to have fair grazing. We have a weed problem but needing the clover has prevented us from using any chemical weed control. We plan on mowing the weeds and by grazing and then mowing we are leaving nutrients in the soil that is lost when we cut hay.
The feed cost and having access to grass has allowed us to wean later at 9 to 10 months at higher weights. This creates another problem with bull calves weaning over 800 lbs. and heavy heifers over 750 to 800 lbs. We have a problem with these early maturing Simmentals being bred as calves. This being the case we gave all our heifers over 700 lbs. a shot of lutalyse when weaned to assure no unwanted pregnancies.
We use the vac 45 for all our weaned bulls and heifers. We start the vaccinations while the calves are on their dams, so when weaned, they are given their second shot. This year we sold our steers after weaning with shots but not 45 day feeding. If we do not take our steers to the feed lot, we are not paid for the 45 days we hold them. If you have a pot load of uniform steers, then you probably can be paid for the expenses incurred.
We have selected our purebred bulls and purebred females for our Oct. 25th Sale. Also a select group of Brahman and Hereford cross females F1 bred to low birth weight Angus bulls. They have had good forage all summer and really look good and bred up very well. I know most purebred programs sell a large percentage of their offering as open females bred to bulls that we feel offer the best chance to calve trouble free with a calf of worth.
Talk is cheap but if your buyers don’t have a chance to make money on their purchases, you will not stay in the business. Our bulls are pretty stout with good numbers for CE and performance. They have had forage this spring and most of the summer.
I enjoy selling Simmentals and Sim/Angus bulls because they offer a great chance to improve weaning weights up to 100 lbs.
With all of our expenses, we need to have animals that produce pounds on forage.
|
| Contact
7P Ranch |
| |
|
|
