Cost sharing cattle

[rhart]

Hi,
I have my pastures ready to go and am ready to start raising some beef cattle. Obviously the start up costs are pretty high.
I have a friend that buys a beef every year and likes the way my farm prepared. I have organic patures. He wants to be silent oartner, me doing all the work.

He is willing to help with start up costs in hopes to get a beef cow every year but I have no idea what kind of arrangment to make with him. My beef pasture is 10 acres and I'm not sure how many head that will sustain.
I welcome any feedback
Ron

[nosqrls]

Depends on type of grass and type of cattle and growing season and conditions.

[Awnry Abe]

Lose the partner. Be patient. Find your own herd. You don't have to start with a premium bloodline.

At the 10 acre scale, consider all alternatives for converting grass into cash. Sheep, goats, beef, dairy, etc. At 10 acres, a mistake on a cow hurts a lot more than a mistake on a ewe.

[billinwv]

Skip the partnership and sell him beef when you have it available. Avoid the nose-in what you want to do.

[SheepStar]

The cost of gain for lease and care in my area is 65¢ per pound of weight gained. That is for your care and grazing, your partner supplies all other input costs.

[ksfarmer]

Originally Posted by rhart

Hi,


.................. My beef pasture is 10 acres and I'm not sure how many head that will sustain.
I welcome any feedback
Ron

Depends on where you are and the type of grass you have. Here, 10 acres of good native grass will support maybe 1.5 animal units. (an animal unit consisting of a cow and her calf.)

[Farmer Jayne]

We did something similar with my brother. It worked out ok, but it was really hard to split the "profits" when we had done all of the hard work. There are so many things to consider: who takes the loss if a cow dies(it happens)? Do you factor in the cost of fertilizer, reseeding, weed killer, fencing materials, winter hay, vet visits, diesel fuel, etc? We found that there were a lot of costs that we hadn't thought of. From now on, as difficult as it is, we spend all the money, but we get to keep all the money, and/or the meat, too.

[o&itw]

It is best to avoid partnerships if one can. They often end in people think they are each being treated unfairly and end up with hard feelings. Of course if I could go halves with you on the cost and go halves with you on the sale..... while you provide all the feed and work.... I might consider it

[wannabfishin]

just have him pay you per head/per day for the pasture. if he doesnt think there is enough feed, have him take them home. this will avoid all chances of losing a friend.

[FarmerDavid]

Originally Posted by wannabfishin

just have him pay you per head/per day for the pasture. if he doesnt think there is enough feed, have him take him home. this will avoid all chances of losing a friend.

Hell I did that and had problems.