Cows... And Their Maintenance/Returns.

[thomo]

If one was to buy a few young cows, say 5 females and one male. Perhaps a year before they reach being able to produce offspring. Are you still looking at under 10k per cow?

Presumably once they begin multiplying once a year, after five years you'd have say, close to 30 on your hands, which isn't bad given an initial investment of only 6. But what are the general costs with getting people to take care of them?

For example renting a rai p/a, feed, and general maintenance?

Simply with the idea of selling them in 5 or so years.

Thanks.

[IsaanAussie]

Thomo,

Here in Isaan, assuming that the traditional type of agreement is struck, you pay nothing for someone to take care of your cattle. You share the prodgeny, first calf to the tenderer second to you. As to cost to purchase I am not current but the way I have done it in the past is to look for a pregnant cow with a calf at foot. I would think that you can buy native cattle here under that arrangement for less than 10K for cow and calf. Perhaps someone else can give you a better indication on price.

Isaan Aussie

[dave_boo]

I hope you're going to give the cow time to rear the calf; gestation period is approximately 9 months and unless you're going to segregate the calf and bottle feed it the cow won't take another till the calf is weaned....

As far as prices I'm not sure but the margins have to not be that good in LOS.

[WatersEdge]

Dave boo,

The cow will take before the calf is weaned.

That is,

Cattle are able to become pregnant again while still nursing.

How else would dairy cows produce the largest part of the year?

How else would range cattle bear at the same ideal season of every year?

[farmerjo]

Thommo,

From my experience unless you are going to look after them yourself,forget it there will be a loss not profit.

Apologies for being realistic.

[sinbin]

Location, location, location. If you ain't got access to grass 365 days of the year, forget it. Farmerjo is correct in my opinion.

[WatersEdge]

Thomo,

Look around your farm area for the bulk feeds that are

a disposal problem

or not appreciated for their considerable feed value.

Every area is different,

but for instance here in Mae Sot, Tak province on the Burma border

Very little next to nothing is done with

Mung Bean hay after it blows off the thresher fan.

and where it is neatly separated into coarse and fine piles

I buy it from the farmers cash by the random pile,

for always below logical price.

Of course then I have to pay for

bags,

labor,

hauling and

storage,

and it always makes a time demand when I can least afford it,

but it's a windfall, so I suffer nobly.

Don't have a nutrition analysis on it,

but I'm guessing the fine portion, leaves and pods,

would be 15% Protein

If it is rained on after threshing,

the pile will mold

at the depth below fast redrying

Corn forage is very seldom harvested for full grain silage.

and very seldom is Corn stover kept after grain harvest.

Sweet Corn stalk is sometimes harvested including the minor ear,

carried whole to cattle then chopped just prior to feeding.

Corn Screenings are very cheap while too damp to store in open pile.

This is the snowy dusty flake found between the corn kernel and cob

I currently pay B0.30 / kg for wet stuff that has to be dried or ensiled immediately.

Later in the season the moisture will be low enough to store loose

and the price will increase to B1.00

It has nutritional value equivalent to corn grain.

For Cattle, Ruminants in general,

Corn Cob can be ground to chewably small pieces,

and blended with 1% Urea 46-0-0 and 3% Molasses

Same process can be done with other low protein bulk feeed,

such as rice straw & grass hay.

Banana Stalk and Leaf is very good feed.

Cumbersome to haul because of the extremely high water content.

But the animals love it.

It also can be ensiled

For Silage I chop it on a portable machine designed especially for Banana stalk,

while the machine also doubles nicely to chop Corn Forage.

Pigs and Goats eat banana stalk without chopping

just drop the entire thing and they take it from there.

Cattle I've not experienced if they can dismantle the stalk.

For much of the year,

Rice Bran is the bargain on a 13% Protein point basis.

I pay B5-6 for the good grade which will cake in your hand.

It also is a Fat 12% and Phosphorous 1.6% concentrate.

The supply of animals here is also good,

as mainly Burma Brahman yearling bulls are sold here,

then trucked to slaughter elsewhere in Thailand.

Any given week there will be 3,000 animals pass through.

Were they to be finished on abundant local grain and bulk feed,

they'd be a greatly improved meat quality.

Brahman admittedly are not known for their fat marbling,

but any breed responds to more food than necessary for survival.

For any Livestock growers who'd like regular shipments,

I have far more supply than capacity to consume,

and a good friend with three 30 ton trucks

There are other local specialties that I'd probably like up here.

For instance, Coconut and Fishmeal are readily available in the South.

[bina]

search the forum here; a plethora of same same info... btw, u are talking about the thai cows not dairy arent u?

dont need a bull; pay for a neighbors stud or use AI with a good quality bull semen (comes frozen in straws)

as for money, unless u really know what u are doing-- think of it as a hobby with losses. animals get sick, die, run out of food, pasture changes, and when thais need quick money, cows are expendable and at hand cash, often for a loss. remember also that cows calve singlets, not twins...

the reason u buy with calf at foot is to prove also that she can get pregnant... buying pregnant only unless u check or with someone who knows their cows, u wont know... also, dont buy what someone is really willing to sell unless u know he/she has debts, htere is probably a problem with the animal. raising cows the thai way is hit or miss; if u want to make money, u will have to learn some minor vet stuff, parastie control, etc.... read away through the whole forum.... good luck

[IsaanAussie]

search the forum here; a plethora of same same info... btw, u are talking about the thai cows not dairy arent u?

dont need a bull; pay for a neighbors stud or use AI with a good quality bull semen (comes frozen in straws)

as for money, unless u really know what u are doing-- think of it as a hobby with losses. animals get sick, die, run out of food, pasture changes, and when thais need quick money, cows are expendable and at hand cash, often for a loss. remember also that cows calve singlets, not twins...

the reason u buy with calf at foot is to prove also that she can get pregnant... buying pregnant only unless u check or with someone who knows their cows, u wont know... also, dont buy what someone is really willing to sell unless u know he/she has debts, htere is probably a problem with the animal. raising cows the thai way is hit or miss; if u want to make money, u will have to learn some minor vet stuff, parastie control, etc.... read away through the whole forum.... good luck

For those of us who have been there and done that, especially like me, at arms length, one word "BRILLANT" response.

[bina]

For those of us who have been there and done that, especially like me, at arms length, one word "BRILLANT" response.

thanx Issaan....

[grimleybob]

Dave boo,

The cow will take before the calf is weaned.

That is,

Cattle are able to become pregnant again while still nursing.

How else would dairy cows produce the largest part of the year?

How else would range cattle bear at the same ideal season of every year?

Providing a cow has had a normal stress free birth she will come back into season after about 6 weeks and you wean the calves at 9months. If you

can.t be there to as least supervise your help don't buy cows. Rearing calves and selling after 5 years every day you keep any animal after it's day for market is losing you money unless they are suitable for breeding but not all your calves will be

Edited October 14, 2010 by grimleybob

[glomp]

For cows search for posts by "Maizefarmer" , if he hasn't posted it it's not about cows

[grimleybob]

quick-lime?