Making your own hay not profitable

[Ole_Hickory]

<font color="blue"> As Sweet said, a Charolais bull that throws a low birth weight calf </font>

I would think an Angus Bull x a Charolais cow would throw a smaller calf.
Use the Angus bull on the Charolais cow.

 

[Libertine]

tough451:

<font color="blue"> Cowboydoc is not bashing making hay he just stated a fact he read and shared it with us it doesnt make him wrong or right just informed. </font>

Never suggested he was. Further, he absolutely, certainly knows more about this stuff than I do. However, sometimes the Socratic method is worthwhile. I wasn't picking on him at all. Sorry if you took it that way.

JEH

 

[sweettractors]

Black bulls will throw a smaller calf and that is what some breeders do on "First Calf Heifers" and then go with the Charolias bull the rest of the time. The Charolais bull, bred to Charloais cow will have a lot higher weining weight calf to sell than the Angus-Charolias cross option--Been there and done that several times----Ken Sweet
Sweet Farm Equipment LLC *New 5-6 and 7 ft Double Action First Choice Sickle Mowers*

 

[Egon]

There was a time in the long ago that haylofts were filled with loose hay. The procedure wasn't very complicated and surely did not require the labour involved with square bales.

Progress or regress???

Egon

 

[HayDR]

OLDHickory,
The best Charolais cows are not as good a mothers as even an average Angus or Angus cross cows. The Angus will give more milk on less feed. A Charolais cow will take 25% more feed during the winter than an Angus or Black Baldy cow. Stay away from 1st calf Heifers in any breed unless you like pulling calves or worring about having to be available to pull a calf.

 

[sweettractors]

<font color="blue">A Charolais cow will take 25% more feed during the winter than an Angus or Black Baldy cow </font>

All depends on the weight of the moma cow. A 1200 lb Angus eats the same as a 1200 lb Charloais and the Charoloais will wein a calf that is heavier and currently stronger in our local markets--First calf heifers are no problem as long as you dont breed to early to the wrong bull--Ken Sweet
Sweet Farm Equipment LLC *Now Stocking Livestock Feeding and Handling Supplies*

 

[RichZ]

I kinda understand what you're saying, Richard, but I think that you can make more of a profit with haying with good used equipment. But, in my case on my little farm, although I really enjoy haying, I'm finally coming to the conclusion that it would be more profitable to use my hayfields as more pasture for my growing goat herd, and just buy all of my hay. You actually suggested I do that in the first place, and you were right. But I don't regret my haying experiences over the past few years. I really enjoyed it, and I learned a lot.

Unfortunately, now that I have more livestock, and more chores to deal with them, I just don't have the time for haying!!! It REALLY is time consuming, and I guess if you figure in your own time, it is much harder to make a profit. I never considered my own time before, but I have to now, so I either have to hire some help for the farm or stop haying myself, and I know it'll be cheaper to buy hay than to hire help. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[nobull1]

quote
There was a time in the long ago that haylofts were filled with loose hay. The procedure wasn't very complicated and surely did not require the labour involved with square bales )
egon


About 8 years ago we used to make loose hay on about 6 acres.The only tractor we used was a 54 cub with a mower.We would cut a acre or two depending on the weather and let it set a day.The next day about 4 or 5 of us would shake out the hay with hay forks remember no tedder, than hope it was a good drying day.If all went well we would fork by hand in the back of our 3/4 ton than had a extension out the back and sides.Than we would take it to the barn which had sliding doors both sides and park close to the middle.The 2 arm hay fork would be drove down as far as you could get it and locked.Now the easy part hook the rope that would raise the fork to the roof to the tractor and backup.Once the fork hits the track on the roof it would slide at 90 miles a hour till you pulled the trip rope.There was just as much nack to placing the hay as any of the other jobs cause if you didn't place it right you would only get half as much hay in the pile.I hate to think how much this hay really cost us but it was usually #1.My father inlaw 75 at that time worked right long side of everyone and could put some people 60 years younger to shame /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gifI'm glad we don't do that anymore /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gifbut I am glad to have had the experience.One of the people I buy hay from who makes maybe 20'000 bales a years says he remembers his father talking about making loose hay as a kid.This guy is about 65 himself /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Egon]

nobull1:

I was thinking about also using a rake and then a sweep to gather the bunched hay.

The easiest way that I could rember was a farmhand to build stacks and then a stack mover to bring the stacks home. Feeding was done by slowly advancing a gate made from vertical metal pipes into the stack so the cattle could access the hay.
Another way used smaller stacks and had a cutter on the front of the stack mover that would lay down a nice line of hay for the cattle.

In my opionion round bales shed water, square bales will soak it up and reduce the hay quality considerably.

The bales make for easy transportation but they are labour intensive.

Anyhow; my thoughts are away back in the dark ages as those methods are not used today.

Egon

 

[Ole_Hickory]

<font color="blue"> Stay away from 1st calf Heifers in any breed unless you like pulling calves or worring about having to be available to pull a calf. </font>


I had some Charolais x Herford heifers ( there mothers were 1st time Charolais heifers bred to a Herford bull) I bought the heifers from this guy since he had a registered Charolais herd and did not keep the cross calves,I bought a Herford bull and lost a lot of calves. I eventually sold all of my cattle and then went to Red Angus and never lost a calf or had to pull one the whole time I had the Red Angus. The Angus definately have a strong mothering instinct as well.
I never had a problem with 1st calve heifers with Angus, it does happen that you lose one or have to pull one with a Angus on occasion bought not near as much with your other breeds.