cattle vs. grain?

[cowman]

We hear so much about what a loser grain is, but is it?
Now granted prices don't look all that rosy this year and inputs are high! But still the grain farmer will make some money? While I truly doubt any cow/calf outfit will break even this year?
The worst cost in grain farming is the machinery but without a doubt a lot of farmers are pretty fair mechanics and keep that old machinery running year after year?
I do believe on good land there is still a fair profit in farming. The introduction of roundup ready canola has certainly added to that profit margin? I believe the next step needed is to get the CWB out of the malt barley picture and get some more maltsters in here?
Cows and grain can work pretty decent? The concept that the cows are there for the simple reason of cleaning up the trash, was basically the way it was always done, before the government ruined the grain trade and forced farmers to become cowboys?
Now it seems we have all these farms specializing in strictly cows or grain? When in fact the other system made more sense...and probably more money?

[oxbow]

Yes grain production is considerably more profitable if the producer can use less expensive equipment, but in the US, land prices are prohibitive - this too shall pass.

In the US, Round Up is quickly losing effectiveness, a cynic would note the relationship between this and off patent competition.

I agree that there is a positive relationship between running cattle and farming.

I know you'll be happy to hear this; Cargil is buying grain land on the US northern praries - I don't know about north of the 49th. There is an inverse relationship between beef profits and grain profits. The beef deal has been pretty good (with notable artificial exceptions) and I'm also expectiong the grain sector to improve.

[JD6320]

It all depends on the level of management you put into your choices. With intensive grazing on crop land you can outproduce your returns from grains most years. 90,000 to 110,000 lb stocking capacity per acre is not all that hard to reach.You have to look at how many lbs/acre I can produce-here we average close to 680lbs/acre/season with no inputs other than manure.

[cowman]

JD6320: Well I have to admit 680 lbs, is pretty impressive!
I'm afraid I don't understand the 90,000 to 110,000 stocking rate thing. Please elaborate?

[JD6320]

With intensive grazing management you are confining a large group of cattle to a small area eg-#of cattle(pounds) needed to consume an acre of pasture per day(stocking rate).I didn't start out at these numbers it took many years to increase my stocking densities.With yearlings I may graze the same acre up to five times during the season.With cows usally 3 times.