Following is some information on custom calving prepared in 1995. It needs to be adjusted for changes in labor, fuel, and feed costs. The information is based on interviews with ranchers who are involved in this type of management agreement. …
How long can I keep a bull, and at what age can a young bull start mating cows?
Puberty in bulls occurs when they can produce viable sperm. This happens at approximately 12 months of age, though it can vary in individual bulls several months before or after this age depending on biological type (primarily frame size and …
How many acres does it take to run a beef cow?
The best way to calculate the answer is to use AUM (Animal Unit Month) calculations. What that will be is estimate the amount of forage the cow will eat in a year, then, you will need to determine how many …
What do you think about father-daughter matings in beef cattle?
You can have father-daughter matings in beef cattle, but it is not recommended. This type of breeding practice is called inbreeding or closebreeding. This breeding practice is rarely utilized today, although it was common in the foundation animals of most …
What is the maximum size a bull calf should be in order to successfully use a burdizzo clamp on it? How long should you clamp each cord?
Calves up to 600 or 700 pounds can be castrated with a burdizzo or emasculatome. It would be easier to castrate smaller calves with a knife or by using a Newberry knife to slit the scrotum and then using an …
Where can I find historical formulated box beef prices going back to 2005?
The information you want is published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS). The formulate reports for “NATIONAL WEEKLY BOXED BEEF CUTS – Formulated Sales” can be obtained by searching the AMS Web site and market news …
I am leasing a small feedlot. I provide water, electricity, taxes, insurance, depreciation and maintenance of the lot. The lessee cares for and feeds his cows and removes the manure. What is a fair charge per head, per month for this arrangement?
What is important here is that a fair arrangement be made. What is fair is whatever you to agree to; however, it should not favor one of the parties over the other.
In general, yardage costs are variable from locations. …
Why do packing houses want the cattle to have white fat and not yellow? How long do you have to feed cattle to get the cows to turn yellow fat to white fat?
U.S. consumers prefer beef with white fat, as compared to yellow fat, so that is the major reason the packing plants purchase grain-finished beef. The U.S. consumer viewing a meat display of beef products in the supermarket is not accustomed …