20 Miles West of Indianapolis Indiana | With lower corn prices I've thought more and more how to add value to my corn/soybeans. The more and more I think I can only come up with far fetched plans... the more I try to come back to reality I think of feeding cattle. Now I'll admitted I Dont know anything much about feeding cattle, but I'm interested in learning...
Earlier I had a post about chopping ryelage in spring and double cropping beans into it. I am thinking that would be a decent idea, but I am wondering what kind of ration would be used in a predominantly corn fed mix? What else is needed besides just corn to take a calf to finished size? I was thinking the best way would be to have lots of cattle ranging in finished times and to find private buyers. That would be down the road, but I feel that would be one of the best ways to add value beyond the sale barn. IMO the best way to add value would be to own a small town meat shop and to sell retail to the public. I feel in my local that would actually work out, but I wouldn't have the froggiest idea where to start with that.
I'll be honest, I've always dreamed of being what some livestock folks would call a "lazy grain farmer" and never dreamed of owning any livestock other then for my kids 4H projects some day, but I can see the real value in running your grain through an animal and getting $X a bushel for it later on.
Thanks and I apologize ahead of time for the likely multiple cattle feeding post to follow...
Edited by GrainTrader 7/30/2014 02:44
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feeder cattle lot economics
