C2-Laneaatar Fanning, Saturday, Seplambar 18, 1993
Beef Briefs
mm
V
IT’S FALL AGAIN
Earlier in the spring, we dis
cussed the importance of a defined
calving season on profitability in
the cow-calf enterprise.
Overlooking this important
management feature can have a
severe economic impact on the
profitability of the enterprise. The
upshot is that if the bull is still out
with the cows, you are the big loser
in lower calf weights, complica
tions with a health program, and
nutritional problems with the herd.
Fall is the period when the sec
ond most important step can be
taken determination of pre
gnancy in the cow herd. Seventy
five to 90 days after the bull has
been pulled (or when the breeding
season should be over) is probably
the most effective time for this
practice. Since most people ate not
trained in pregnancy detection, a
veterinarian will need to be called
in.
It will not be necessary to put the
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PENNSYLVANIA
itraley Farm Supply, Inc.
1760 East Canal Road
Dover, PA 17315
717-292-2631
Keller Brothers
R 7 Box 405
Lebanon, PA 17042
717-949-6501
1950 Fruilville Pike
Lancaster, PA 17601
717-569-2500
Marshall Machinery, Inc.
Route 642
Honesdale, PA 18431
717-729-7117
Pikevllle Equipment Inc.
RD 2, Oyslerdale Road
Oley, PA 19547
215-987-6277
Tractor Parts Co.
335 Central Road
Bloomsburg, PA 17815
717-784-0250
by
John Comerford
Penn State Beef Specialist
cows through the chute only for a
preg check. The fall vaccination
program, deworming, grub and
lice control, replacing ear tags,
condition scoring, and physical
exams of the cow herd can all be
done at this time. In addition, pre
sale vaccinations, sorting replace
ment heifers, and leftover castra
tions can be made with the calves.
Why is pregnancy detection so
important? Simply this an open
cow allowed to stay in the herd will
never catch up again. That is, the
cost of keeping a cow around for
another 18-20 months before she
returns anything to the enterprise
far exceeds her ability to produce
enough weaning weight to pay for
it.
With all costs considered,
extensive records show it costs
about $3OO-$4OO to maintain a
cow for a year. The majority of the
cost comes from harvested and
supplemental feeds just the
inputs an open cow will be using in
the next 8 months. Allowing
Stouffer Bros. Inc.
1066 Lincoln Way West
Chambersburg, PA 17201
717-263-8424
Stoltzfus Farm Service
Cochranville, PA
215-593-2407
M.S. Ycarsley & Sons
West Chester, PA
215-696-2990
Norman D. Clark &
Son, Inc.
Honey Grove, PA
717-734-3682
Loysville, PA
717-789-3117
Nicarry Equipment Co.
RD 2. Rt. 61. 3 Miles S. of
Leesport, Reading, PA
215-926-2441
“another chance” means she has
effectively used up $6OO-$7OO of
your money before she sells
another calf. Even in die best of
times, most cows are not capable
of producing that much income in
single year.
What are the alternatives? Sell
her. She already ate your grass all
summer, so get something back to
pay for it (Grass is cheap feed, but
it is not free.) Replace her with a
bred heifer.
A cull cow is wrath about
$5OO-600 in today’s market. Add it
up: you sell a cow for $6OO now
and a calf out of the heifer (assum
ing an 80 percent chance of selling
a calf in any year) for $3OO and you
have total receipts of about $9OO.
The heifer will cost you about
$l,OOO to buy and keep until next
fall, so the loss is about $lOO
instead of $3OO. Trading $lOO for
$3OO sounds pretty good, even to a
Ph.D.
Texas researcher John McNeill
recently reported on a retained
ownership program he is supervis
ing. Under this program, ranchers
are retaining ownership on of
Deerfield Ag & Turf
Center, Inc.
RR 2 Box 212
Watsontown, PA 17777
717-538-3557
NEW JERSEY 1
Caldwell Tractor &
Equipment, Inc.
480 U.S. Route 46
Fairfield. NJ. 07006
201-227-6772
Rodlo Tractor Sale*
North White Horse Pike
Hammonton, N.J. 08037
609-561-0141.
Frank Rymon & Sons,
Inc.
RD 3, Box 355
Washington, N.J. 07882
201-689-1464
Reed Brothers
Petticoat Bridge Rd.
Columbus. N.J. 08022
609-267-3363
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their calves and receiving carcass
and economic data on them.
The result from over 600 of
these calves from 74 producers
showed that almost one-third did
not meet industry standards for one
of several reasons. The major
cause (1/3) for this failure was in
making a profit of $25 per steer.
Another striking feature is that
the range in profitability was about
$2BO per steer. Some ranchers lost
over $lOO per head, while others
Somerset Farmers
Association To Meet
SOMERSET (Somerset Co.)
The 706-member Somerset Coun
ty Farmers’ Association will hold
its annual meeting Thursday, Sep
tember 30 at 7 p.m. at the Berlin
Community Building.
The agenda will include the
election of three directors for the
board, one delegate for the Penn
sylvania Farm Cureau/Farmers’
Association held in November,
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had profits over $lBO per steer.
I talked with John personally
about this, and he said the reason
some people made more money
than others had nothing to do with
price or feed, but it had to do with
the kind of management the calves
got before they got to the feedlot.
In particular, those ranchers that
woe using good genetics and had a
sound health program were the
ones who made the most money.
Does that sound familiar?
and discussion of and voting on
policy resolution.
Ticket prices are $3.50 per
member, $1.75 for child 10 and
under, and $6.50 for non-mem
bers.
Send reservations and correct
dollar amount to Deb Rohrbaugh,
R.D.#l Box 274 A, Somerset, PA
15501 by September 27. No tick
ets will be sold at the door.
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