Quote:
Originally Posted by Diesel Dave
You actually think we make a killing on this?
If we don't produce a quality product there is nothing but lose!
Most feed lots contract a certain grade of meat, at $X per pound hanging weight. if it doesn't grade there's a big lose.
With last years corn prices, the highest ever, it was hard to justify feeding in hopes of any profit much less breaking even.
Also the butcher weight has gone down to get beefers finished quicker to meet the demand.
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No, I don't think WE make a killing at this. But some farmers take pride in their product. I don;t care if you're a farmer, a furniture maker, or a cook, if you do not strive to produce the very best product you can, why do it at all?
I don't know you. I have no idea what you sell or who you're selling it to. But you mentioned
feed lot. So I'd assume you're a production beef farmer.
You also mentioned corn prices. So I assume you feed your cattle corn.
Feed lots and corn seem to go hand-and-hand with todays American farmer. I know that just about every beef product in any grocery store across America today gets their product from a feed lot. These farmers, and the corporations they're selling to, claim that we cannot feed America any other way. I, personally, have a problem with that, and do not believe it for a minute. That's just my personal view on farming practices. We could debate it for years and never come to an agreement I'm sure.
Then there is the corn. Cows will certainly eat corn, but that does not mean it's good for them. Cows cannot digest corn. Look in a cow patty and you'll see whole kernels of corn that did not digest after passing through the four stomachs of a cow. I could get down into the nitty gritty of feeding beef corn, but that's what Google is for.
Problem I have with a lot of commercial beef farmers (not naming you here), is they complain about feed prices, or the price they get for their beef, then turn around and grab tens-of-thousands in subsidy money.
Feed lot cows:
Which cow would you rather eat?
