Posted 6/7/2025 07:02 (#11252380) Subject: Another reason smallest cow herd in over seventy years
There has been a lot of good discussion on how and why we have the small number of beef cows today and the resulting prices. But not touched on is how the huge slaughter weights have directly or indirectly affected them. Know a number of people that quit cows now run stocker cattle. Easier and often payed better. Or guys that could run more cows but choose to keep their calves and run even some as yearlings. Not that long ago stocker cattle were the peewees and runts no one wanted. Calf feds were the standard. You had to be careful about how big a animal you turned out on grass because by the time they were finished they might be over weight carcasses. Virtually no such thing today. People buy and turn out cattle at weights they used to be put on feed. And why not? If you have the grass, no cheaper gain. There are wild stories of how much gain some cattle got on southern plains wheat pasture this last winter and spring. Unlike the days when cattle went on feed at lighter weights, resources used to grow calves are in direct competition with running a cow-calf operation. See more and more calves run on cornstalks then run as yearlings on grass.
Will some go back to cows out of choice or necessity? Sure, but to think we have the same fundamentals we once had, just isn't true.
Posted 6/7/2025 07:11 (#11252387 - in reply to #11252380) Subject: RE: Another reason smallest cow herd in over seventy years
Central SD
All true. Times have changed for sure. The transition has been going on for a while now. The true number of cows in production is much smaller than being quoted by USDA.
Posted 6/7/2025 07:32 (#11252420 - in reply to #11252387) Subject: RE: Another reason smallest cow herd in over seventy years
Most every small farmer years ago had 40 to 50 cows an fed 200 HD cattle.Hogs also.No all those small farmers are gone an most farmers now days don't have any livestock.They had pasture ground that is all torn up now.Add up all those small farmers an cows that's alot off cows not coming back.The farm landscape has changed.Dad always said you can't depend on crops to make a living you have to be diversified an have livestock to make it.He was right.
Posted 6/7/2025 07:50 (#11252445 - in reply to #11252420) Subject: RE: Another reason smallest cow herd in over seventy years
MO
Dont know where your at farmdude - but not the case at all around here, if any pasture is setting idle everyone wants to rent it! Still alot of 40-50 cow herds ,,
Posted 6/7/2025 12:05 (#11252696 - in reply to #11252470) Subject: RE: Another reason smallest cow herd in over seventy years
Wisconsin
I just drove 30 some miles of SW WI, extremely few cattle on pasture, probably saw as much horse pasture as cow pasture. 20 years ago half of the non crop land would have had cattle. 100 years ago nearly every square foot of non crop ground had cattle, and nearly all the woods as well, along with hogs, sheep etc.
Posted 6/7/2025 08:22 (#11252484 - in reply to #11252380) Subject: RE: Another reason smallest cow herd in over seventy years
Sw mn
Biggest problem is cows were a horrible return on investment and time for a long time.
50 cows at $300 a head profit is only $15,000. Most years there wasn’t $300 per head profit when. You consider opportunity costs on land rent and interest.
$100,000 with no benefits isn’t a super high income anymore.
Would take 333 cows at $300 a head profit to make that. Personally I think running that many cows should pay more.
Posted 6/7/2025 08:40 (#11252505 - in reply to #11252484) Subject: RE: Another reason smallest cow herd in over seventy years
Your right. There is a sign in the local sale barn restaurant. "Behind every successful rancher, there is a wife with a job." Truth be told, the beef industry was subsidized for decades because of a life style choice in a lot of cases.
Posted 6/7/2025 10:04 (#11252590 - in reply to #11252484) Subject: RE: Another reason smallest cow herd in over seventy years
Thumb of Michigan
Hick - 6/7/2025 08:22
Biggest problem is cows were a horrible return on investment and time for a long time.
50 cows at $300 a head profit is only $15,000. Most years there wasn’t $300 per head profit when. You consider opportunity costs on land rent and interest.
$100,000 with no benefits isn’t a super high income anymore.
Would take 333 cows at $300 a head profit to make that. Personally I think running that many cows should pay more.
Plus, the amount of capital to own the cows/equipment/facilities to handle (either own or borrow monies) that many cows.
Posted 6/7/2025 17:56 (#11253020 - in reply to #11252484) Subject: RE: Another reason smallest cow herd in over seventy years
SE Iowa
Too many people for years there had cows, always have had them, always will have them, don’t care what the return is etc. kept the markets down. Theres getting to be fewer and fewer of those type of guys as the years go on. That’s part of the equation I would suspect.
Posted 6/7/2025 11:04 (#11252643 - in reply to #11252380) Subject: RE: Another reason smallest cow herd in over seventy years
Guess I’ll be odd man out. I think cows are a great investment. Just using round numbers. If a cow is worth $2000 and returns $300 after ALL expenses(labor, land, winter feed, opens, etc) that’s a 15% ROI. That’s a good return on your money. Also some folks are doing way better than $300 profit.
Posted 6/7/2025 13:59 (#11252826 - in reply to #11252643) Subject: RE: Another reason smallest cow herd in over seventy years
Central Saskatchewan Canada
Minerfan55 - 6/7/2025 11:04
Guess I’ll be odd man out. I think cows are a great investment. Just using round numbers. If a cow is worth $2000 and returns $300 after ALL expenses(labor, land, winter feed, opens, etc) that’s a 15% ROI. That’s a good return on your money. Also some folks are doing way better than $300 profit.
It’s not the value of the roi. It’s all the work to get that 300 bucks.
Posted 6/7/2025 15:22 (#11252892 - in reply to #11252380) Subject: RE: Another reason smallest cow herd in over seventy years
Missouri
Good post with some great points. However, I do know some people that have been running stocker cattle in years past that are buying bred fall cows instead because they aren’t that much more money and they feel that there is less risk with them. And if you think about it, if crap hits the fan you can always term out your cow note a little longer and live to fight another day. If you buy a calf, you are forced to puke it up at some point.
Posted 6/8/2025 12:37 (#11253946 - in reply to #11252996) Subject: RE: Another reason smallest cow herd in over seventy years
Missouri
Nearly every young guy who is trying to take the place of all the old guys who had dispersals the last two years has a cow note. Unless you have a family member footing the bill, the money has to come from somewhere.
It's part of why there are empty pastures and all the hay being sold below the cost of production.
Posted 6/7/2025 15:46 (#11252908 - in reply to #11252380) Subject: RE: Another reason smallest cow herd in over seventy years
Wheat stocker cattle did the best I’ve ever done gain wise. But they are paying less per pound this year and not paying near as quick either.
The mama cows don’t take a lot of time until they do…. It’s kinda odd. I’ve had years where it’s free money and years like this last where it was poor work. A guy has to be very real at the end of the year to decide what expenses go with cattle and what with crops. All that stuff blends together easy enough. I know I have 2 tractors, an gator and hay equipment I wouldn’t have if I didn’t have cows. Miles of fence, solar wells, a fleet of those dang blue water troughs and fence chargers. Lots of spools of poly wire for fencing off wheat to have insurance appraise. I’d guess though once a guy quits growing all the sudden it’s a lot cheaper to function.
I’m just glad for the chance to grow under these high prices. Really excited to see all the heifers from last year calve. I just let them breed and have had 2 already calve so far. Seems like every year the heifers get better. I know that’s not the right way to do it, but around here you either have a calf on your own or you go to town or die. I think it’s worth it to eventually have a big low maintenance group.
Another reason smallest cow herd in over seventy years
