Feedlot
About our Feedlot
Our feedlot is located one mile east of our farmstead. We have eight bigger pens, four smaller pens, and three “sick pens”. Next to these pens is a circular tub and alleyway lead to a hydraulic chute, where cattle are processed and then released into one of three alleys controlled by hydraulic gates. Cattle can be weighed at the chute for ease of sorting. We have five pens at our farm as well with the same tub and alleyway. The maximum capacity of all our pens would be approximately 1500 head. Our program has been to fatten out all of the calves we raise and we often buy some more to add to them. Stockmans Feed in McCook supply us with all of our rations and nutritional needs and Dr Wayne Watkins is our feedlot veterinarian.
Feed Management
We supplement the calves during the summer to get them used to eating a ration. Then they will start on feed quicker as weaning time is close to the middle of August. By doing this, the cows can get in better condition before winter and the calves will get a head start on the feeding program. We use our smaller pens to wean in to keep the calves from running around as much. After about a month we sort and send them to the bigger pens. Therefore, the biggest steers then get put on full feed by the first of December and the replacement heifers and smaller calves remain on grower rations. Ration fed and amount get recorded daily for each pen.
This is necessary for ingredient consumption and bunk management. The rations we use include distillers grains from the Ethanol Plant, usually about 30%. The corn is rolled at our farm into a truck mixer (which has a scales). The molasses, distillers and hay are located at the farm as well. Since we have been using the distillers, we grind corn stover that we bale, for our roughage. Our vaccination program includes 5-way IBR, insecticide pour on, and a clostridium shot. When we buy calves, a hemopholis shot and nasal IBR are given. We also have our own semi cattle trailer to haul the cattle to and from pastures and to market.
Rations
For each new set of calves started on feed, we calculate a breakeven price. Inputs for this program are starting weight, feeder cost, shrink, death loss %, miscellaneous cost, intake factor, efficiency factor, weather % reduction, interest, feed cost, and a yardage charge. Results from these inputs give us calculations for finished date and weight, sale breakeven, average daily gain, purchase breakeven, and profit/loss per head. This printout also shows each ration amount fed and days on each ration. Many times this calculation shows a loss so then we know where we need to target our sales or cheapen up the inputs, usually with contracts or market strategies.
Here is an example of one of our rations. This one is one of the beginning rations or one used to dry lot cull cows for slaughter. It is a Grower 48 Mcal/cwt (G48) ration.
Corn Rolled = 26.47 %
Dist Grains- 70% H2O = 30.00 %
35 HiCal Liquid = 3.80 %
Alfalfa Hay = 2.35 %
Corn Stalks = 37.37 %
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