Southeast Colorado is a good area for livestock production.
Stulp Farms manages a Cow-Calf operation and a Feeder operation using English cross breeds.
Calving begins in the spring with the difficult deliveries needing assistance.
The calves are weaned as yearlings and additional yearling calves are purchased in the fall.
Purchased calves begin their feeding cycle in the feedlot after being vaccinated, dehorned, and processed.
A mixture of corn silage, grain, and protein supplement with sorghum or alfalfa hay are fed in a rationof approximately three percent of their body weight on a dry matter basis.
Depending on the moisture and the weather, the calves are either kept in the feedlot and fed twice a day or they are turned out to pasture.
Volunteer wheat is an excellent resource to feed during the winter if enough moisture has been received to have a good stand, and if not covered with snow.
In the summer months the calves graze primarily on buffalo and grama, native grasses.
Under average conditions the carrying capacity for a cow during summer months is from 15 to 20 acres; for year around pasture the number of acres per animal unit increases to approximately 40 acres.
Supplemental feed and protein is needed in the winter months. On an average yearlings can be run for about 5 months on about 10 acres. Each year is different depending on pasture conditions.
Surface water is not available on most pastures. Water in stock tanks must be pumped from wells (anywhere from 20' deep to 400' deep) by windmills or electric pumps.
Several options are considered for the cattle when they reach 700 to 800 pounds. They may be fed out in a commercial feedlot or sold to a commercial feedlot; heifers may be bred and calved out the next spring or sold as bred heifers.
Determining factors:
Cattle price...Corn price...Hay price...Availability of grass and volunteer wheat...Weather
Many factors determine profitability:
- Prices when buying and prices when selling
- Price and availability of silage, alfalfa, etc.
- Sickness
- Rate of gain
- Weather: blizzard or drought conditions - no volunteer wheat or grass
- Usually a combination of all
Commercial Feedlots in Lamar Area feed approximately 75,000 to 80,000 head:
- Beef City
- Four States
- Four States North
- Five Rivers (Colorado Beef)
- Granada Feeders
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