custom grazing prices?

[JaredWoodcock]

I got an opportunity to graze some dry cows and Im trying to come up with a price, I rotate anywhere from 1 to 3 days and I mob down where it is convenient to, so I put a decent amount of time in moving fence and watering. I saw a few places quoting $1 per head per day. Does anybody know what good custom grazing prices are going for?

Jared

[Robert MoonShadow]

I don’t know about cows, but around here, I charge by the day – $5-10, depending on location – for me goats = usually 10 or 12 head. That’s for the entire herd. The big goat outfits around here charge by the acre – $5o-75 & bring in 200+ head. I think it’s a matter of what they’re willing to pay – make it on a par to have it weed-whacked or sprayed, but with environmental benefits…start a bit high – you can ALWAYS drop the price during negotiations, but can’t raise it once they jump on your price while laughing at you for bidding so low. (Been stung that way several times during my first year – nothing worse than underbidding MYSELF!)

[Does’ Leap]

I have never done any custom grazing but prices around here (Franklin County, VT) tend to range from $.75-$1/head/day. Have you considered an arrangement where the owner takes back a portion of the herd when the grass slows down in July?

George

[JaredWoodcock]

I have a lot of grass and a small herd so having the extra head will help me graze it a bit better. I was hoping to take as many as a I can for a month and have him pick up a few when the grass slows, but we will see what he is looking for.

It looks like $1 per head per day seems reasonable.

Jared

[bendube]

The economist in me thinks that the right price is somewhere between the farmer’s costs to feed the dry cows and your costs to do so. If you think their costs might be pretty high, then start with $1.25.

It seems like the grass is “Free” because you have too much and the increase in labor isn’t a lot for moving them.

Are they beef cows or dairy? If they are dairy cows, that could be a lot of handling to do as some cows get near to calving and others dry off. Do you have good facilities for loading/unloading?

Its pretty easy to imagine loading and unloading cows all the time taking enough labor for $1/day to not be profitable.

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