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Embrace Change

There are few things to be sure of in life but death, taxes and change. Who would have ever thought we would see what occurred in 2008? - the Canadian dollar worth more than the American, fertilizer prices skyrocketing, the fall of the stock market... Generally, people hate change. We resist it, we're afraid of it. Change is uncomfortable, so we just don't like it! In agriculture, it can take years for people to make simple changes. But change is inevitable and is both a normal and necessary part of life. Change can provide opportunities?

Conduct a performance appraisal on your operation:

• what has gone really well?
• what can be improved? It can always be better.

As you reflect on what you are doing with your cow-calf operation, what do you need to change in order to be more profitable?

Here are some changes to consider:

1. Marketing

1. Are you involved in some sort of marketing alliance? If not, then why not? Groups of producers which have come together to market calves with a consistent vaccination protocol have marketed calves at a significant premium. Imagine what you could do if you were involved in a group that marketed calves with the same genetics, grouped by age and with a standard health program!
2. Do your calves fit the requirements of one or more of the brand label beef programs now being marketed in the province? If not … make that happen!
3. Compare prices of feeder cattle in the spring compared to the fall and you will generally see that spring prices are higher. Are you taking advantage of this?
4. Do you follow prices on the OCA website and/or the Ontario Farmer? Benchmark results show that producers who spend more time on marketing, sell their calves for a better price.

2. Calving Season

1. Several studies have shown that winter calving is more costly and less profitable spring or summer calving.
2. Straw costs are significantly different depending on the time of calving season and generally producers with less straw costs are shown to be more profitable.
3. There are fewer calf losses and less sickness when calves are born on grass rather then in a barn
4. Could calving in the fall work for you? The industry does need a consistent supply of feeder cattle year round.
5. Calves have smaller birth weights and fewer calving difficulties when born on grass

3. Feed Costs

1. The Benchmark program once again showed that the most profitable operations were those with lower feed costs.
2. How has the weight of your cows changed over the years and how about the amount of hay consumed per cow? Does the sale weight of the calves and the price per head show the same trends?
3. Is there a way to increase the amount of time cattle are out on grass, corn stocks, turnips or whatever as a means to decrease your feed costs?

Figure 1. Maximizing Grazing Days Reduces Overall Feed Cost

4. Genetics

1. Take a look over your calves to evaluate how consistent they are for age, weight, colour and quality. Would a new bull improve this?
2. Would you be farther ahead to buy a uniform group of crossbred heifers rather then retaining your own replacements?
3. What about all the members of your calf alliance using the same AI bull on all of your heifers to provide uniformity and consistency in calving results? Buy the semen as a group and share in the discount price. Remember to keep the female calves from these heifers as your herd replacements to help build more consistency among your herds.

5. Health Protocol

1. The use of modified live vaccines on the cowherd and calves prior to breeding has shown great results in the feedlots. It is past time to change from the old standard killed vaccine administered in the fall, as new vaccines have been developed along with more successful programs.
2. The most profitable herds have more calves born per cow exposed as well as wean a higher percentage of calves. Management, genetics and a health program will all contribute to this.

Generally, the sooner we embrace change, the better off we are. Identify just 3 changes that you can make which will make you more profitable.

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