Buying Into The Cow Business

[UKJASE]

Oh Ya! I almost forgot!

In case you didn't know, the quickest way to lose a Friend is to with lend him money, or go into a failing business with him.

If you value your friend I suggest you stay away from this deal completely.

i thought the quickest way to lose a friend was to smack him in the mouth when you are pissed, and both fancy the same girl?!

Just to clarify, my mate is possibly setting this up on his girlfriend's land, and i have nothing to do with it. was just asking for advice on here, that i could forward on to him

there has been some great advice so far, and i am sure reading this will help him make his decision

[NeverSure]

I have used the word "cows" to include the entire herd. That's normal where I come from. "Let's go feed the cows". In truth of course the prime beef animals once breed is chosen are steers which are neutered males. On a real cattle ranch the prize bulls would be worth $US25,000 and up. Much money is made by selling prime breeding stock at far above market meat value. Breeding animals have to be rotated in and out to keep the bloodlines mixed and not get inbreeding.

When animals are born they get an ear tag which tells the date, their parents, and their weight. When they are rounded up they are weighed again to see their weight gain on grass. Then they are penned up and fed a measured amount of a grain mix where their ear tag causes a release of grain as they put their head into a trough. This assures they are fed once and only once per feeding.

In the end it is known exactly how much weight they gained on a given amount of feed and the winners parent's are looked at for prized breeding stock.

This isn't possible on a small scale but I could look at a beef cow, steer or bull and guess how old it is and how it's muscled and whether it might be good beef stock. I don't see much of that in LOS but rather "Thai cows". If I wanted to raise really good beef I would be aiming at the higher end city restaurants and I'd have to import the initial breeding stock from Australia. If I was just aiming for the average Thai market but wanting to build a reputation I could make any Thai cow much better by how I finished it in the last 3 months. The trouble with that is that the money probably wouldn't be there in the end.

Cheers

[a99az]

You can have mine "it's doing my head in just now"

[kickstart]

http://www.ninehoil.com/sell/ubon.html

The above link is from a TV thread from last year (thanks to iamthai),it will give you some idea on cattle prices ,and I know it is a old post but cattle prices have not moved since then,a guy near me brought a nice Indo Brazil heifer for 60 000 bart and no one said "pang gern by" ,expencive ,that is about right .

Last week I was looking at a dairy heifer ,a very nice animal, a cattle dealer brought it 6 months in calf 45 000 bart,and he is no fool, will probaly sell it for 47-48 000 bart after a few days, and he will be happy ,as i have said over the past 2 years cattle prices have been dear ,a lot to do with Vietnam buying Thai dairy heifers ,and some beef cattle, you could say buoyant export market( they have stopped buying now but the market is high but for how long ,watch this space).

As for some of the cattle prices banded about on this thead,"it is the ears dear boy,the ears" 10 years ago the Indo Brazil breed became popular, manly for the length of the ears and the coulor one bull especially, Boy Ubon his semen use to sell for for a lot of money ,when he died ,he made the Thai news pappers,some of his sons are still about ,since then thay have been very popular,they was a blip in the market 6-7 years ago ,but it has picked up againe on the link I put in most of the cattle are Indo Brazil x with Brahman,That is where the money is ,and needless to say the problems,the Indo breed is an intensive breed and needs a propper managed diet, not grazing headge bottoms,that is why you see so many thin cattle poorly fed,and poor managemet.

One post said cattle selling no more than 20 000 bart that would be for Thai native x brahman ,a smaller breed not over popular ,as Thai's like big cattle and they where probbaly white, if they are red would be worth moore,Thai 's like red cattle.

As for the op reaing cattle it depends on who is going to rear them,as has been said cattle are 24/7 (I had to get the vet in one Christmass morning to do a cesarean section on a heiffer,a lot of years ago in the uk) and what are you going to feed them,feed some concentrate ,a basic 14 % will do ,grow some grass if you only have a limated amount of land try Nappier grass (Google it ).

I rear a few beef cattle feed them on concentrate ,Gratin , as grass silage,Nappier grass ,all my cows have calved 2-4 months come on heat and served so far 100 % conseption rate,you will never find that with cows grazing the headge bottoms , and in a pen at night will nothing to eat .

So op get your callculator out and do some costings,ball is in your court . cattle producing calves will make money ,cattle walking around bear fields wiil produce bugger all ,as I said cattle are dear look for your self at cattle prices

As per usuall for tv most posts are saying you will get ripped off ,the other are trying to compair LOS wil they own countrys ,which can not be done.

If you whant any more addvice pm me.

[fred Kubasa]

Have you ever seen a Thai cow ? You probably have but didn't know it as they are skinny, wretched looking,

( most appear to be about 49 years old ), they are about the size of a dog with pleading eyes and the reason

most people here will pay $ 50 a pound for foreign beef. Thai beef is akin to chewing a tire, while tasty,

it will take at least 2 hours to chew down and days in your intestines. Actually the livestock of choice

barks not mews !

[Dumbastheycome]

Raising beef in Thailand IS viable in a well set up situation but.....

5 animals to start is not enough.

Not being constantly "on site" to supervise will not have a happy outcome.

Not having any knowledge about what to supervise should lead to the conclusion to NOT invest.

A small lockable freezer and 250,000 Bht of imported beef cuts would be my preferred choice.

[kickstart]

5 animales is enough,if theyare the right ones.

Raising beef in Thailand IS viable in a well set up situation but.....

5 animals to start is not enough.

Not being constantly "on site" to supervise will not have a happy outcome.

Not having any knowledge about what to supervise should lead to the conclusion to NOT invest.

A small lockable freezer and 250,000 Bht of imported beef cuts would be my preferred choice.

You can make money with 5 cattle,if they are the right ones

Say 5 good quality Beef master in calf heifers(or other quality breeds), with the relavent papper work to match( and it is avalable in Thailand,and not a fake and can be checked,) they calve ,cows rear the calves, bull calves sell 1 year old 35 000 Bart,(about), heiffers keep ,get in calf and sell, same price as you brought the original heiffers, or keep them and and carry on the breeding chain, you can make money you ,can not do it with road side cattle

To make the money , you need to produce your own forage,you can not make money buying all the feed,concentrate,rice straw,maize silage,or what ever.

The op has not said how much land he has, if it only 1-2 rie,just forget it ,you will have some problems you can not handle,if do you have a few rie put some good grass down and graize the cattle and produce your own forage ,cattle are at they happyiest out graizing.

No experience is a problem ,but google and youtube are usfull tools and here on TV.

Set up will be expencive,and cash flow a problem ,only selling cattle say once a year And hand feeding them most days ,and finding buyers that will not rip you off,a problem,can you speek Thai,in the cattle job a big disavantage in dealing with cattle dealers if you can not.

Vet and med,source out a local vet, an inderpedert one,they tend to be better than the DLD vets.

So, if you have the money sorted out,and can agree/do the above,go for it.

But, if not ,say thank you ,but no no thank you.

[namatjira]

Groucho Marx never said truer words, " never lend a friend money, it gives them amnesia "

[djayz]

Will be interesting to see 5 cows breed. Might have to have a chat to your mate about the birds and the bees.

LMAO!!!! Good one! It reminds me of a bloke on this forum who was talking about "female (fighting) cocks" a few weeks back.

[kickstart]

Will be interesting to see 5 cows breed. Might have to have a chat to your mate about the birds and the bees.

LMAO!!!! Good one! It reminds me of a bloke on this forum who was talking about "female (fighting) cocks" a few weeks back.

Oh Muncrap go find some more air con ,and farang food in you concreat jungle,for the past 60 years they has been Artificial Insemnation, where do you think your milk comes from,yes cows, and milk powder, 90% of the breeding is done by Artificial insemination.

Go find another beer.