OUCH!! get ready.

[boundarybunnyco]

pfaus is a great feed, but here it was costing me 22.64 for 50 lbs, and it's gone up two dollars. I know people who get it by the ton, and with shipping, it's 509.00 a ton. so that's like 12.75 a bag, and the feed stores charge 24 now? wow that's quite a profit.

 

[SatinsRule]

Mine took another hit with this last order......$34.00 per hundred weight!!! It's time to start looking at other feeds. I can't help but wonder, however, if the feed store isn't getting a bit greedy.

It's a guaranteed sale, I'm like clockwork in picking the feed up every 9-10 days. They use a fork truck to unload the pallet off of the delivery truck...leave it set until I show up. Fork truck again to take it to my van (60 feet), unload half and the other half ten days later.

$70.00 profit for ten minutes worth of work. Sorry........but that seems a little excessive to me. It's not like they buy the stuff and "HOPE" someone shows up to take it off their hands. It's a done deal with me. He let it slip today what his costs were......

I thought to myself, "You money-grubbing little #######!"

Grumpy.

Grumpy, it's not the feed dealer who's making the most money in the equation. They have to price their feed according to what they pay for it. Sure, they're in biddness to make money, but the profit margins in their stores are on their specialy items, not on their "bread and butter" staples like animal feeds, and when their distributor raises their costs per unit, they have to pass it along to consumers. Much of those price increases are incurred by market speculators, who are driving up the costs because of the crop forecasts which are painting a rather a bleak picture of the corn product availability in the coming months. It's affecting alot of things right now.

Feeds are the main staple in a farm store's sales, kind of like guns for outdoor retailers. Those staples anchor the stores, but it's not where their money is made. Everyone thinks that Cabelas, BPS, etc. makes oodles and gobs of $$$ off their gun sales, but their markups on guns and ammo barely pays their staff's salaries. Where their margins and markups happen is on the specialy items (waders, camo clothing, casual apparel, etc.). The same is true in a feed store or any other kind of business.

 

[grumpy]

Satin:
I agree that the speculators are driving the market right now. But, my dealer is clinging to his "Price-per-bag" profit during these exteme times. He does nothing.....but order the product....leave it set until I show up....cash in hand....and pay him. He's out no money on a prepay arrangement with the manufacturer. He's on a thirty day revolving account. He told me so himself.

Given the extremes, I can understand his wanting/needing to make a profit. However, a profit of $3.55 per bag, and him out no monies whatsoever, I think that's excessive, and I'm going to tell him so later this morning. I've never liked surprises...NEVER!! Me going to pick-up feed should be a pleasant experience. Not one filled with nervous apprehension worrying whether or not the costs have went through the roof since 8 or 10 days previously.

I've found a source for a feed equal to or better than the one I'm using now. Tractor Supply has guaranteed me a price of $13.99 for their Manna Pro until the 28th day of October. It's a longer drive. Therefore, I'll buy half again as much as I normally do to offset the fuel costs. I feed nearly a ton per month. So, an increase in feed of any amount becomes an issue with my profits as well. My customers dislike price-hikes worse than I do.
Grumpy.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I found out the feed store where i am that carries rabbit food. Pays 15 for a bag and ups it 5 dollars more per bag....I dont buy from them.

Grumpy is right that are making a killing on the food. SOme of them really up the food per bag. Even tho that is how they make there money. But come on. 5 bucks a bag . That is wrong. THis is before the increase.

 

[grumpy]

That bites grumpy, unfortunately they know we're a little over a barrel.

Only until I can find another barrel to sit on a little more comfortably, Mina. LOL

Grumpy.

 

[ZRabbits]

That bites grumpy, unfortunately they know we're a little over a barrel.

Only until I can find another barrel to sit on a little more comfortably, Mina. LOL

Grumpy.

So true, Grumpy.

Karen

 

[3mina]

That bites grumpy, unfortunately they know we're a little over a barrel.

Only until I can find another barrel to sit on a little more comfortably, Mina. LOL

Grumpy.

:lol:

 

[SatinsRule]

Satin:
I agree that the speculators are driving the market right now. But, my dealer is clinging to his "Price-per-bag" profit during these exteme times. He does nothing.....but order the product....leave it set until I show up....cash in hand....and pay him. He's out no money on a prepay arrangement with the manufacturer. He's on a thirty day revolving account. He told me so himself.

Given the extremes, I can understand his wanting/needing to make a profit. However, a profit of $3.55 per bag, and him out no monies whatsoever, I think that's excessive, and I'm going to tell him so later this morning. I've never liked surprises...NEVER!! Me going to pick-up feed should be a pleasant experience. Not one filled with nervous apprehension worrying whether or not the costs have went through the roof since 8 or 10 days previously.

I've found a source for a feed equal to or better than the one I'm using now. Tractor Supply has guaranteed me a price of $13.99 for their Manna Pro until the 28th day of October. It's a longer drive. Therefore, I'll buy half again as much as I normally do to offset the fuel costs. I feed nearly a ton per month. So, an increase in feed of any amount becomes an issue with my profits as well. My customers dislike price-hikes worse than I do.
Grumpy.

Your dealer has expenses of running a business, plus he has a family to feed, and I'll promise you that at the end of the day, what he "makes" off feed hardly covers those expenses. Where the real "profits" as it relates to feed costs are being made are at a higher level, mainly with the manufacturer, and the stock and commodities traders. THEY drive the price that you and I pay, not that feed dealer. All he does is pass along costs which are marked at a certain % to cover costs.

Lets imagine that your dealer was paying $11.00 per bag to his distributor when he was charging you $13 per bag for it. All of a sudden, he's handed a $2/bag increase from his distributor. Are you trying to say that he should suddenly sell it to you at cost versus passing along his cost increase? What about the next time a price increase comes down (and it's going to happen, so get ready for it)? Is he supposed to start operating at a net loss to keep your costs down? That pretty much defines bankruptcy.

I personally didn't care for the price increase I was forced to dole out this past week when I went and picked up my latest feed supply. 250 lbs at $15.25 every month is a lot for me right now, but princple doesn't keep the rabbits fed, and at the end of the day, I won't get out over the matter, either. I expected that prices were going to start to increase in the near future, and what I saw was consistent with that. I'm looking a bit farther down the road and seeing that the same feed I just paid $15.25/bag for will likely be costing me in excess of $20+ per bag. Kinda makes the dilemna of paying what I am now seem like a rather minor thing. I weathered the storm during $4/gallon fuel prices (something which is looming on our horizon again, as the price of ethanol continues to increase) and will weather this one as well.

If you've listened to any market commodities report lately, this price increase should not have surprised you at all. Everyone is predicting that prices on practically everything is going to increase because of what is happening in the corn belt as we argue about this. Simply stated, if it has corn or any corn-based or derived product in it, the prices are going to go up.

 

[ZRabbits]

Along with the Government telling the farmers what to grow and what not to grow. Also the severe weather conditions. Multiple of reasons why EVERYTHING is going up. I don't blame anyone for making their ends meet, but I have to make sure my ends meet as well.

Hold on to your pantyhose, it's not going to get better for a long time.

Karen

 

[grumpy]

Satin:
I agree that the speculators are driving the market right now. But, my dealer is clinging to his "Price-per-bag" profit during these exteme times. He does nothing.....but order the product....leave it set until I show up....cash in hand....and pay him. He's out no money on a prepay arrangement with the manufacturer. He's on a thirty day revolving account. He told me so himself.

Given the extremes, I can understand his wanting/needing to make a profit. However, a profit of $3.55 per bag, and him out no monies whatsoever, I think that's excessive, and I'm going to tell him so later this morning. I've never liked surprises...NEVER!! Me going to pick-up feed should be a pleasant experience. Not one filled with nervous apprehension worrying whether or not the costs have went through the roof since 8 or 10 days previously.

I've found a source for a feed equal to or better than the one I'm using now. Tractor Supply has guaranteed me a price of $13.99 for their Manna Pro until the 28th day of October. It's a longer drive. Therefore, I'll buy half again as much as I normally do to offset the fuel costs. I feed nearly a ton per month. So, an increase in feed of any amount becomes an issue with my profits as well. My customers dislike price-hikes worse than I do.
Grumpy.

Your dealer has expenses of running a business, plus he has a family to feed, and I'll promise you that at the end of the day, what he "makes" off feed hardly covers those expenses. Where the real "profits" as it relates to feed costs are being made are at a higher level, mainly with the manufacturer, and the stock and commodities traders. THEY drive the price that you and I pay, not that feed dealer. All he does is pass along costs which are marked at a certain % to cover costs.

Lets imagine that your dealer was paying $11.00 per bag to his distributor when he was charging you $13 per bag for it. All of a sudden, he's handed a $2/bag increase from his distributor. Are you trying to say that he should suddenly sell it to you at cost versus passing along his cost increase? What about the next time a price increase comes down (and it's going to happen, so get ready for it)? Is he supposed to start operating at a net loss to keep your costs down? That pretty much defines bankruptcy.

I personally didn't care for the price increase I was forced to dole out this past week when I went and picked up my latest feed supply. 250 lbs at $15.25 every month is a lot for me right now, but princple doesn't keep the rabbits fed, and at the end of the day, I won't get out over the matter, either. I expected that prices were going to start to increase in the near future, and what I saw was consistent with that. I'm looking a bit farther down the road and seeing that the same feed I just paid $15.25/bag for will likely be costing me in excess of $20+ per bag. Kinda makes the dilemna of paying what I am now seem like a rather minor thing. I weathered the storm during $4/gallon fuel prices (something which is looming on our horizon again, as the price of ethanol continues to increase) and will weather this one as well.

If you've listened to any market commodities report lately, this price increase should not have surprised you at all. Everyone is predicting that prices on practically everything is going to increase because of what is happening in the corn belt as we argue about this. Simply stated, if it has corn or any corn-based or derived product in it, the prices are going to go up.

I've been in "business" and know the costs involved with "keeping the doors open." I've always tried to consider the consumer's plight as well as my own. True....their profit per bag is not what their biggest money-maker is. However, when increases come, do they keep the same profit margin percentage? Or do they adjust the price to the per bag profit accordingly? There were items/products that I sold that were only 5 to 7 percent above my own costs. His cost is $13.55. His price is over $17.00. I'm not the whippiest at math, but that's near a 30% mark-up. On a product with no money's invested. Yes, he ordered it. But, I pick it up and pay for it before he ever gets the invoice. Hence, no money's invested.

Surprised about the increases? Not in the least. I've seen this coming for quite a long time. Corn.....isn't an ingredient of the mix that I buy. But, alfalfa is a large percentage. Watch the price of alfalfa sky-rocket within the next 90 days. Colorado is one of the largest producers of alfalfa in the nation. Most of it "burned" with the wildfires over the past couple of months. That leaves South and North Dakota as the larger producers of this valuable food stock.

We are all headed to higher prices for our necessities. Absorbing these costs doesn't mean I should be silent and not grouch a little!! Heck-fire, I'm entitled. I've lived through the worst of it. Geez, I almost had a heart attack when gas broke a dollar a gallon (I've bought it for 16 cents a gallon way-back-when), and a pack of smokes went to a quarter and a nickel!! I'm not one to sit quietly and keep my lips sealed. God didn't make me that way. I'll holler and scream, railing against the price hikes. That's just my nature!

But, I will always seek out and find the best deal I can without sacrificing the quality that my rabbits deserve. BTW: I did contact my feed dealer this morning and quoted him the price I could purchase feed at from another business. He told me, "Hang on, Grumpy. Let's see what I can do."

I told him if he could come "close" I'd rather stay with him. I didn't say "match" I just said "close". I'm in a business also: rabbit production. I've already put pen to paper in adjusting my costs over the next two months. Two customers are coming this evening. They'll pay the same price/per/pound as they always have. However, I'll have to tell them their costs will go up incrementally on their next two visits. I don't like doing it, but business is business.

Sorry for the rant.....I just like to grouch! :evil: :evil: :evil:

Grumpy.

__________ Sat Aug 11, 2012 3:23 pm __________

Along with the Government telling the farmers what to grow and what not to grow. Also the severe weather conditions. Multiple of reasons why EVERYTHING is going up. I don't blame anyone for making their ends meet, but I have to make sure my ends meet as well.

Hold on to your pantyhose, it's not going to get better for a long time.

Karen

Karen: Have you ever googled, "crop subsidies" county by county in your home state? You will faint-dead-away at the amounts subsidized to our farmers. Not that I am complaining, but everyone needs to be aware of the enormous amounts of monies allocated. It's astronomical.

Through federal grants, one farmer in my area was able to outfit all of his equipment with solar-powered GPS systems at no cost to himself. Guess who pays for all of that?

This is getting off-topic, but it's an ingrediant in the total costs we citizens absorb.

Grumpy.

 

[ZRabbits]

__________ Sat Aug 11, 2012 3:23 pm __________

Along with the Government telling the farmers what to grow and what not to grow. Also the severe weather conditions. Multiple of reasons why EVERYTHING is going up. I don't blame anyone for making their ends meet, but I have to make sure my ends meet as well.

Hold on to your pantyhose, it's not going to get better for a long time.

Karen

Karen: Have you ever googled, "crop subsidies" county by county in your home state? You will faint-dead-away at the amounts subsidized to our farmers. Not that I am complaining, but everyone needs to be aware of the enormous amounts of monies allocated. It's astronomical.

Through federal grants, one farmer in my area was able to outfit all of his equipment with solar-powered GPS systems at no cost to himself. Guess who pays for all of that?

This is getting off-topic, but it's an ingrediant in the total costs we citizens absorb.

Grumpy.

[/quote]

Oh yea, know all about it and other things also. Believe in farming tenfold, but not Government subsidized farming, or preserved open space, or pretending your a farmer because of connections. We have a few here in New Jokesey that wouldn't no dirt from poop. But hey sell a ten or fifteen Christmas trees, and Poof! your a subsidized farmer.

Help is help, but deals are another animal in itself, especially when their government deals that we citizens have to pay for with no voice in the matter.

Truly a disgrace. Definitely not the American way.

BTW, I scream and rant a lot here too. That's why most people don't like me. Oh well.

Karen.

 

[SatinsRule]

Satin:
I agree that the speculators are driving the market right now. But, my dealer is clinging to his "Price-per-bag" profit during these exteme times. He does nothing.....but order the product....leave it set until I show up....cash in hand....and pay him. He's out no money on a prepay arrangement with the manufacturer. He's on a thirty day revolving account. He told me so himself.

Given the extremes, I can understand his wanting/needing to make a profit. However, a profit of $3.55 per bag, and him out no monies whatsoever, I think that's excessive, and I'm going to tell him so later this morning. I've never liked surprises...NEVER!! Me going to pick-up feed should be a pleasant experience. Not one filled with nervous apprehension worrying whether or not the costs have went through the roof since 8 or 10 days previously.

I've found a source for a feed equal to or better than the one I'm using now. Tractor Supply has guaranteed me a price of $13.99 for their Manna Pro until the 28th day of October. It's a longer drive. Therefore, I'll buy half again as much as I normally do to offset the fuel costs. I feed nearly a ton per month. So, an increase in feed of any amount becomes an issue with my profits as well. My customers dislike price-hikes worse than I do.
Grumpy.

Your dealer has expenses of running a business, plus he has a family to feed, and I'll promise you that at the end of the day, what he "makes" off feed hardly covers those expenses. Where the real "profits" as it relates to feed costs are being made are at a higher level, mainly with the manufacturer, and the stock and commodities traders. THEY drive the price that you and I pay, not that feed dealer. All he does is pass along costs which are marked at a certain % to cover costs.

Lets imagine that your dealer was paying $11.00 per bag to his distributor when he was charging you $13 per bag for it. All of a sudden, he's handed a $2/bag increase from his distributor. Are you trying to say that he should suddenly sell it to you at cost versus passing along his cost increase? What about the next time a price increase comes down (and it's going to happen, so get ready for it)? Is he supposed to start operating at a net loss to keep your costs down? That pretty much defines bankruptcy.

I personally didn't care for the price increase I was forced to dole out this past week when I went and picked up my latest feed supply. 250 lbs at $15.25 every month is a lot for me right now, but princple doesn't keep the rabbits fed, and at the end of the day, I won't get out over the matter, either. I expected that prices were going to start to increase in the near future, and what I saw was consistent with that. I'm looking a bit farther down the road and seeing that the same feed I just paid $15.25/bag for will likely be costing me in excess of $20+ per bag. Kinda makes the dilemna of paying what I am now seem like a rather minor thing. I weathered the storm during $4/gallon fuel prices (something which is looming on our horizon again, as the price of ethanol continues to increase) and will weather this one as well.

If you've listened to any market commodities report lately, this price increase should not have surprised you at all. Everyone is predicting that prices on practically everything is going to increase because of what is happening in the corn belt as we argue about this. Simply stated, if it has corn or any corn-based or derived product in it, the prices are going to go up.

I've been in "business" and know the costs involved with "keeping the doors open." I've always tried to consider the consumer's plight as well as my own. True....their profit per bag is not what their biggest money-maker is. However, when increases come, do they keep the same profit margin percentage? Or do they adjust the price to the per bag profit accordingly? There were items/products that I sold that were only 5 to 7 percent above my own costs. His cost is $13.55. His price is over $17.00. I'm not the whippiest at math, but that's near a 30% mark-up. On a product with no money's invested. Yes, he ordered it. But, I pick it up and pay for it before he ever gets the invoice. Hence, no money's invested.

Surprised about the increases? Not in the least. I've seen this coming for quite a long time. Corn.....isn't an ingredient of the mix that I buy. But, alfalfa is a large percentage. Watch the price of alfalfa sky-rocket within the next 90 days. Colorado is one of the largest producers of alfalfa in the nation. Most of it "burned" with the wildfires over the past couple of months. That leaves South and North Dakota as the larger producers of this valuable food stock.

We are all headed to higher prices for our necessities. Absorbing these costs doesn't mean I should be silent and not grouch a little!! Heck-fire, I'm entitled. I've lived through the worst of it. Geez, I almost had a heart attack when gas broke a dollar a gallon (I've bought it for 16 cents a gallon way-back-when), and a pack of smokes went to a quarter and a nickel!! I'm not one to sit quietly and keep my lips sealed. God didn't make me that way. I'll holler and scream, railing against the price hikes. That's just my nature!

But, I will always seek out and find the best deal I can without sacrificing the quality that my rabbits deserve. BTW: I did contact my feed dealer this morning and quoted him the price I could purchase feed at from another business. He told me, "Hang on, Grumpy. Let's see what I can do."

I told him if he could come "close" I'd rather stay with him. I didn't say "match" I just said "close". I'm in a business also: rabbit production. I've already put pen to paper in adjusting my costs over the next two months. Two customers are coming this evening. They'll pay the same price/per/pound as they always have. However, I'll have to tell them their costs will go up incrementally on their next two visits. I don't like doing it, but business is business.

Sorry for the rant.....I just like to grouch! :evil: :evil: :evil:

Grumpy.

__________ Sat Aug 11, 2012 3:23 pm __________

Along with the Government telling the farmers what to grow and what not to grow. Also the severe weather conditions. Multiple of reasons why EVERYTHING is going up. I don't blame anyone for making their ends meet, but I have to make sure my ends meet as well.

Hold on to your pantyhose, it's not going to get better for a long time.

Karen

Karen: Have you ever googled, "crop subsidies" county by county in your home state? You will faint-dead-away at the amounts subsidized to our farmers. Not that I am complaining, but everyone needs to be aware of the enormous amounts of monies allocated. It's astronomical.

Through federal grants, one farmer in my area was able to outfit all of his equipment with solar-powered GPS systems at no cost to himself. Guess who pays for all of that?

This is getting off-topic, but it's an ingrediant in the total costs we citizens absorb.

Grumpy.

And of course, we all need to realize that the actual price of items isn't "going up" so much as our dollar is deflated compared to months and years gone by. In simple English, that means that our dollar isn't worth what it was in the past, our country's buying power is greatly diminished now, and it takes more dollars to buy the same items as the result of it. The same gas station I filled up at for $3.25 just 2 weeks ago is now sitting at $3.50 for the same grade of gas. That's the mentality of "Just print more money" for you. We're not far from it being worth less than the paper it's printed upon.

And Grump, I'm old enough to remember when gas hit $1/gallon. I was barely into grade school when it happened, but I remember it well. That and bread hitting $1/loaf were culture shocks. Would to God that we could go back to those days and just slow down a bit.<br /><br />__________ Sat Aug 11, 2012 7:03 pm __________<br /><br />

BTW, I scream and rant a lot here too. That's why most people don't like me. Oh well.

Karen.

Karen, I'm sure there are a few folks on this forum who swear that I'd argue with a signpost I painted myself. Sometimes I do it because I'm bored, but like most, I have reasons why I think the way I do, misguided at it is at times. Don't sweat it, though. You're fitting right in here.

 

[AnnClaire]

Oh, yeah, it is hitting pretty hard here ... the local "best in the business" auto repair shop that the ex's grandfather did business with in the 1950s closed their doors too. They have a page on their door citing lack of certified/experienced mechanics and overburdening from federal government standard operating requirements (disposal of "chemicals" etc.)

And these are the businesses that have not started compliance with obamacare ... wait until that hits at the first of the year!

 

[SatinsRule]

Oh, yeah, it is hitting pretty hard here ... the local "best in the business" auto repair shop that the ex's grandfather did business with in the 1950s closed their doors too. They have a page on their door citing lack of certified/experienced mechanics and overburdening from federal government standard operating requirements (disposal of "chemicals" etc.)

And these are the businesses that have not started compliance with obamacare ... wait until that hits at the first of the year!

Yeah, the mentality of people in this country will not allow them to understand that nothing about healthcare is "free". Somebody is going to have to pick up the tab for it somewhere along the way.

 

[MKirst]

I personally think it's tragic what the Federal Reserve has done to this country and dollar. At this point all we can hope for now is that Germany doesn't pull out of the EU in October sending a domino effect throughout the global markets before we can get that full audit of the FED proving reason to end the federal reserve central bank. H.R.495 passed the House of Reps last month now needs to pass the Senate. If S. 202 makes it to the Senate floor by October and passes - Germany will hold that current decision. If not, well .. get ready. opcorn:

Regardless of what Germany decides to do, the dollar is gonna crash - the numbers speak for themselves - they are TOO BIG !!

Now as of August 1, 2012 the FDIC is a money Lender - LOL - Lending who's money ? Matter of Record

If S. 202 doesn't pass in a no option for veto vote, well, we need to re-inact Glass-Steagall to prevent the coming economic armageddon. Glass-Steagall is the only other option at this point (besides ending the federal reserve) - all things considered.

The Federal Reserve is UnConstitutional to begin with. There's nothing Federal about it .. it's a private central bank.

JMO.

 

[SatinsRule]

I personally think it's tragic what the Federal Reserve has done to this country and dollar. At this point all we can hope for now is that Germany doesn't pull out of the EU in October sending a domino effect throughout the global markets before we can get that full audit of the FED proving reason to end the federal reserve central bank. H.R.495 passed the House of Reps last month now needs to pass the Senate. If S. 202 makes it to the Senate floor by October and passes - Germany will hold that current decision. If not, well .. get ready. opcorn:

Regardless of what Germany decides to do, the dollar is gonna crash - the numbers speak for themselves - they are TOO BIG !!

Now as of August 1, 2012 the FDIC is a money Lender - LOL - Lending who's money ? Matter of Record

If S. 202 doesn't pass in a no option for veto vote, well, we need to re-inact Glass-Steagall to prevent the coming economic armageddon. Glass-Steagall is the only other option at this point (besides ending the federal reserve) - all things considered.

The Federal Reserve is UnConstitutional to begin with. There's nothing Federal about it .. it's a private central bank.

JMO.

I doubt that Glass Stegall will ever be reinacted. Too many people currently in the senate chambers still have their arms around Oxley-Sarbannes to ever let it happen.

A large part of our problem is that the government has gotten way too involved in business and trying to regulate it. Everything the government has ever tried to take over and run has gone bankrupt.

 

[fuzzy9]

Pen Pal has jumped another $1.50 in the last week, and it's officially $20.50 for a 50 lb bag. Nutrena will be next I'm sure, it's at $19.99. I just don't understand why so soon, summer isn't even over yet. It's impossible to keep up with the feed bill at this rate, and we are going to have to come up with something else, or cut way down. Between the fact that I have not been able to find rabbit hay at all, and the feed prices, Dave has talked about cutting down to the 4 rabbits that we both really love, and wouldn't be able to cull......2 does, and 2 bucks.

 

[skysthelimit]

just got hay from TSC, $9.29 a bale, three times as much as I'm used to, twice as good as the stuff I bought last time. Still cheaper than 50lbs of feed. I'm cutting leaves off of my maple and mulberry trees.

 

[Miss M]

Before you pare down your herd, do remember that the price of meat is only going up. Try to calculate how much you pay per pound of rabbit.

I do that by keeping track of when I purchase food and how much it cost. I figure out how much food my entire herd has consumed from the time a litter was born until it was butchered, figure up the cost of it, and divide that number by the total dressed weight of the litter. That's how much it cost per pound to produce that meat.

It costs me about $1.25 per pound, which is a lot cheaper than most meat out there. Sure, I could eat nothing but leg quarters sold in the 10-lb bags, and that would be cheaper, but... Ground meat on sale is more than twice that, beef on sale is more than twice that, fish is 3 - 4 times that amount for the cheap stuff, pork is AT BEST about the same amount I raise rabbit for, and that's only for shoulders and hams on sale. Any other cut is 3 - 4 times my rabbit cost. Even chicken (except for those 10-lb bags of leg quarters) is around my rabbit cost for whole frying hens. The cost goes up for roasting hens or pieces.

If there's more than one litter growing at a time, then I'm overestimating my cost. But that's better than underestimating it. If I measured feed more carefully, I could come up with a more precise figure.

Each week over 12 weeks adds $.25 to the price per pound.

Please think about it and do some math before you cut your herd. You may be saving more than you think!

 

[grumpy]

Pen Pal has jumped another $1.50 in the last week, and it's officially $20.50 for a 50 lb bag. Nutrena will be next I'm sure, it's at $19.99. I just don't understand why so soon, summer isn't even over yet. It's impossible to keep up with the feed bill at this rate, and we are going to have to come up with something else, or cut way down. Between the fact that I have not been able to find rabbit hay at all, and the feed prices, Dave has talked about cutting down to the 4 rabbits that we both really love, and wouldn't be able to cull......2 does, and 2 bucks.

Right now, the market is being driven by speculation on the commodities market. Once the harvest begins....we may...or may not see a downward adjustment depending on the quantity and quality of the harvest. DO NOT expect prices to fall as far as they rose...that will never occur.

The market is volatile at the present. That's the main reason behind the large feed price increases. I buy feed in 500# lots, 4 times a month. My profit margin on fryers has been all but devoured by the present costs of my feed. Given this situation, all grower's are taking it on the chin at the present time.

My processor requires/wants/needs 6000 head per week. If they don't adjust their purchase price to their growers, they'll be hard pressed to find anyone willing to continue on such a slim profit margin.

Thankfully, I've other avenues available for my stock that are willing to pay an adjusted price in relationship to my elevated costs.

grumpy.