Room, board and then some

[windswepthill]

I have had a few potential bull calf buyers ask if they can bring their heifers over to spend a few months with our herd sire Lamont.

Of course since he is not registered I don't expect a windfall but I would like to do a bit more than break even.

What is two months grazing, water and grain worth?

The liabilities of hosting cows belonging to others?

Sounds like it's time for an LLC. at least.

Attachments:

[kansasdexters]

windswepthill,

Hosting someone else's animals is a responsibility that needs to be agreed to in writing. We charge $5.00 per day for boarding a cow ($150 per month). Any animals that are "visiting" stay in a separate area from our herd -- separate waterers, separate feed bunks, separate hay feeders. We pick up manure every day in these confined areas (quarantine areas). In addition to the boarding fee, we charge a breeding fee of $100 per female. We will only breed females from herds that we know and trust, and females that we've sold to other breeders. The females (and bull) must be up to date on vaccinations and be treated for internal and external parasites, prior to arrival of the females.

Here are your risks:

1. Sexually transmitted diseases and/or other diseases or parasites brought in by a visiting animal
2. Injury to either the bull or the female during breeding
3. Property damage by a visiting animal
4. Personal injury to you or a family member by a visiting animal

Since your bull is not registered, make sure that this fact is known and that the resulting calves will not be eligible for registration. Get everything in writing, and both of you sign and date the agreement. Get payment at the time the females are delivered to you, and make sure that the person using your services understands that there are no refunds. You will not make much money on this, and if you factor in the risks and your time, it will actually amount to a financial loss. You are doing this as a service to help someone else and to keep things affordable for them, so you are taking it on the chin. Know that going in, and it will help you to decide just who you want to provide this service to.

Patti

[windswepthill]

kansasdexters - Thanks for all of the info.

Five dollars a day for boarding seems on the low side. Do they supply their own food and grain?

I was considering just cutting them loose in the field with the rest of the herd after a brief introduction.

After all the neighbor's dairy heifers often break through their barbed wire fence from the 1950's and come over to visit.

Once they are on the property to keep them 'safe' and everybody calm I have to let them inside my hi-tensile pastures with our Dexter's until their owner comes looking for them.

For five dollars a day I would want them to bring three heifers and take two back.

I will be forming an LLC. to minimize personal liability.

As far as being a 'financial loss' - so far between the tractor, baler, haybine, tedder, rake, cow barn, fencing, Gallagher Lil' Spring's, etc, I am in for almost six figures.

I don't consider it a loss, but more like an 'investment' or at least 'continuing education'!

Thanks again!

[kansasdexters]

windswepthill,

If you don't have secure fencing (to keep out the neighbor's cows), then you already have a biosecurity issue that should be addressed before you offer breeding services to others.

If you intend to turn loose a single open cow into your herd, know that she will have to fight with every cow in your herd to establish her place in the herd. That's when accidents happen. When cows fight, especially on uneven ground, they can get injured; udder, back, ligament and tendon injuries are most common. Cows in the herd may "gang up" on a new cow and run her to exhaustion. If the visiting cow is a dominant individual, she may injure one of your cows. Heavy bred cows are vulnerable to injury if put in with open cows. If the heavy bred cow tries to "ride" the visiting cow or heifer that is in heat, the bred cow can easily get injured.

There are several good reasons to keep visiting cows separate from your own herd. First and foremost, it is for their own safety, as well as for the safety of your animals.


Patti

[windswepthill]

kansasdexters - My fence is very good and I have never had any of our cows on the wrong side of the fence.

Around here the old timers know when they have a fence problem when someone calls and says 'you cows are in my yard, eating my garden'!

Then after a bit, they send a farm hand on a quad to ride through and over your lawn and yard to chase the cow(s) back into the road where they will find their way back home.

This is the norm around here. I am working on putting a gate across the access drive to hopefully keep everything out but I know that will raise some eyebrows.

A few years ago I was tedding one of the fields when here come 15 dairy cows being chased by a guy on a quad, running through, eating and messing up the windrows. Tough cookies on me.

Biohazard? How about when their 40 year old spreader drops 50 pounds of fresh barn waste on the ground near the spring that feeds our house and farm? Also tough cookies on me and I had that confirmed by the local Watershed folks.

Like Dorothy said - 'I don't think we are in Kansas.....'

On the occasion that another cow has 'come over to play' there has not been the least bit of fighting. We have happy Dexter's here.

Anyhow thanks again and I will post updates if anything interesting occurs.

[outofthebox]

Hi Windswepthill

Your area sounds very much like ours. Its nice to have that atmosphere in comparison to some areas we have heard of where a cow cant even moo without neighbours reacting like its the end of the world.

Biohazard is also great on paper but doesnt work in our area either.

Its nice to know the possible issues though and manage visiting cows that suits your management style. And as long as you and the cow-owner are happy with the arrangement – then all should be well.

We have found there is a very strong belief in the gentleman’s agreement. One in particular cow-owner wasn’t comfortable with something in writing and the very thought appeared to put him offside so we didn’t worry about a signature.

With such a strong belief, we knew he would do the right thing should something detrimental occur, and he expected us to do the same.

You could also barter by having a resulting steer for your freezer? (if you are so inclined). This was certainly beneficial for us (well me who cant and wont eat our Dexters  ) and also for cash-strapped cow-owners.