| Thunder 5 Ranch Livestock |
When I purchased the first Irish Dexter Cattle
the plan for the herd had already been in place
for more than two years on how that herd
would be managed, grown and marketed. On
February 20th, 2011 the small herd that fitted
the plan was located, inspected and purchased.
The starter herd started with 1 Short Dexter
bull, 5 Dexter brood cows, and 1 Hereford
brood cow. The herd has grown to 10 total with
2 heifer calves being born in June and July
2011, and a bull calf being born January 1st will
3 more calves. Bringing us to a total of 13. Our
cap of 42 Irish Dexters is not just a random
number I came up with but what we can
support leaving some breathing room on
resources. The plan is fairly simple 10 brood
cows, 10 calves per year, 10 feeders, 10
finishing each year. With 2 bulls. A short Dexter
and a Tall Dexter with the bulls being swapped
out every 2 or 3 years.
So many people have ask when we will have
beef available in the Thunder 5 Ranch store. I
hate to keep telling folks that it is going to be a
while. Folks it is going to be a while before we
have any Dexter beef available. In my slow
controlled growth plan the first Dexter beef will
be available in limited amounts in the late fall
of 2013.
To fill the demand for Thunder 5 Ranch beef, I
have and am considering purchasing non
Dexter feeder cattle to finish for the fall of 2012.
The only reason this is a debate is the very
high price of feeder cattle and calves at this
time.
I know there are some that find it totally
offensive that I make a profit selling our
products (God knows those folks E-Mail me
enough informing what a greedy capitalist I am)
Truth is I make a fair profit and work to keep
our cost down so I can keep our prices at the
low end of the locally grown market. Buying in
feeder calves at the current prices would not
be keeping cost down and I would have to
charge a prohibitive price per pound of beef in
order to maintain a profit. Like any business if I
don't make money I won't be in business long.
the plan for the herd had already been in place
for more than two years on how that herd
would be managed, grown and marketed. On
February 20th, 2011 the small herd that fitted
the plan was located, inspected and purchased.
The starter herd started with 1 Short Dexter
bull, 5 Dexter brood cows, and 1 Hereford
brood cow. The herd has grown to 10 total with
2 heifer calves being born in June and July
2011, and a bull calf being born January 1st will
3 more calves. Bringing us to a total of 13. Our
cap of 42 Irish Dexters is not just a random
number I came up with but what we can
support leaving some breathing room on
resources. The plan is fairly simple 10 brood
cows, 10 calves per year, 10 feeders, 10
finishing each year. With 2 bulls. A short Dexter
and a Tall Dexter with the bulls being swapped
out every 2 or 3 years.
So many people have ask when we will have
beef available in the Thunder 5 Ranch store. I
hate to keep telling folks that it is going to be a
while. Folks it is going to be a while before we
have any Dexter beef available. In my slow
controlled growth plan the first Dexter beef will
be available in limited amounts in the late fall
of 2013.
To fill the demand for Thunder 5 Ranch beef, I
have and am considering purchasing non
Dexter feeder cattle to finish for the fall of 2012.
The only reason this is a debate is the very
high price of feeder cattle and calves at this
time.
I know there are some that find it totally
offensive that I make a profit selling our
products (God knows those folks E-Mail me
enough informing what a greedy capitalist I am)
Truth is I make a fair profit and work to keep
our cost down so I can keep our prices at the
low end of the locally grown market. Buying in
feeder calves at the current prices would not
be keeping cost down and I would have to
charge a prohibitive price per pound of beef in
order to maintain a profit. Like any business if I
don't make money I won't be in business long.