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Cattle prices are up and anyone with a cow herd needs to be thinking very seriously about why they have cattle and if their cattle are as productive as they should be. Prices for cull cows in good condition have been over $1 per pound at some sales in the region and indications are this should continue for some months ahead. The next three to six months will be a great time to clean up the cow herd and turn unproductive cows into cash.
The reason to get rid of open (nonpregnant) cows and older cows is that the costs of keeping a cattle herd have inflated right along with the cattle price. Purchased feed, supplies, fuel, and repairs all are taking away much of the gains we would expect from higher cattle prices.
With increasing calf prices, it is tempting to keep the mediocre cow that failed to calve just to see if she comes up pregnant in the next few months based on the hope of potentially high calf prices continuing into next year. History has taught us this optimistic outlook that persuades us to give the unproductive cow another chance is a big mistake.
Analysis of costs and returns show a beef herd composed of 30 good cows that calve together in a tightly defined 60-day calving season can cost less to keep, require less labor to maintain, and make more profit than a 50-cow herd that carries over a few open cows each year and calves come scattered across more than four months of the year.
The last time we saw remarkably high cattle prices was in 2014 after years of drought in the Southern Plains caused national cattle numbers to decline significantly causing a supply shortage. Our experience then was a very rapid rebuilding of cattle numbers nationally and a corresponding drop in prices within a couple of years of the price peak.
This year appears to be the leading edge of a similar scenario except our risk exposure to high costs of production and volatility of input prices makes our cattle operations more vulnerable to market volatility. Now is the time to invest in veterinary assistance to identify cows that need to be culled. Adjust the composition of the cow herd now to achieve greater efficiency and protect cash reserves and ensure profitability that can extend beyond 2024.
For free and confidential assistance in analyzing your beef herd productivity and cost of production, contact me, Tom Stanley, through the Rockbridge County Extension Office or by email to [email protected].
Open House at Innovation Accelerator of Buena Vista This Saturday, the Virginia Innovation Accelerator located at 245 W 21st St., Buena Vista will host an open house and expo highlighting emerging opportunities in value-added agriculture and local entrepreneurship the Innovation Accelerator is fostering.
The open house goes from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will afford folks to opportunity to get acquainted with businesses based in the facility, take a look at where the commercial kitchen space is being developed, and tour the available space in the Accelerator facility. Other agencies will have displays and local food trucks will be on site for those that wish to purchase lunch.
