Average price per acre went from $200 a while back to $4,000 nowadays. We NEED to increase stocking rates if we are going to make money.
Costs of inputs have dramatically risen while the price of cows has not. (And if the price did go up, they WILL go down again.) We NEED to reduce inputs to make money.
- Focus on profit per acre, rather than pounds per animal. Smaller cattle can make more money than bigger ones, so focus on making money rather than making big cows. Corn farmers have to think about how much corn they grow per acre, not how big their corn plants are!
- Buy low-maintenance bulls that fit your operation rather than change your operation to fit your high-maintenance bulls.
- Increase stocking rate by 30% with smaller, more efficient cows. “Small” means frame size not weight. More body, less air-space.
- Rotational grazing should increase forage and stocking rates by 50%-200%. “Mob Grazing.”
- More grazing, less feeding. The money you don’t spend is tax-free! “Let the cow be a cow.” — Chip Hines
- We don’t need much in the ways of vehicles or fuel because we are a solar-based business not a petroleum-based business. Solar is FREE.
- Work with nature instead of against her. Calve while the cows are on green grass, gaining weight. (Exception: fall calving in fescue country grazing all year round.)
- Get bulls that make easy calving, gentle disposition. Life is too short to put up with wild, stupid animals.
- Use genetics to fix problems. Don’t resort to chemicals and medicines. For example: You can reduce horn flies by 80% in just 2 or 3 generations. We’ve created inferior genes and adapted parasites by treating the symptoms rather than using genetics.
- Stop associating with whiners, complainers and blamers. Be careful about what you read and believe, as most people are still focused on bigger animals not bigger profits.`
Kit suggests starting on leased land running a stocker or grass finishing operation. You can make a lot of money by marketing so that’s probably worth pursuing.