School me on raising beef cows..boys.

[MotoSook]

I forget the joke..cowboi or something...


anyhow...the topic. I've been kicking around the idea of raising beef cows. I have probably two 3-5 acre pastures that I can rotate the cows between. Or I can just let then run loose on the farm. Theres a pond for watering.

Can I sustain 2-4 cows on 10 acres? What about winter feed? Maybe I just buy calves in the spring and let them graze 'till winter, then slaughter for freezer meet?


What kinda cost am I looking at? Cost of calf? Cost to the vet? Cost for feed until they go strictly grass? When can they go strictly grass?

[red-beard]

I could ask my brother in law, but it would be totally in Spanish. He just bought a small herd. Beef is going to be cheap this year, but will be very expensive next year.

[ben parrish]

Yes, 10 acres will be more than enough land for 4 cows....beef is currently trading at the slaughterhouse at 118.00 per hunderd pound live weight and 136.00 per 100 #'s for feeders...near record highs.

[Seahawk]

Don't.

There are many reasons: some to do with cost, some to do with the infrastructure you're going to need, some to do with the danger a large animal represents, some to do with explaining to your children where Elsie went, some to do with insurance, some to do with the cost benefit analysis of all the factors a small operation can't readily absorb.

Don't.

Then there is the cost of hay when it doesn't rain and your fields can't sustain the cows. Do you have fencing? What happens when Elsie gets out?

Vet bills? Yes.

Calves are small animals. Are there predators in your area? You going to leave baby Elsie in the field?

Edit: My wife and I batted this one back and forth for years. I did a lot of homework and it is not for the faint of heart or the time constrained. Two words: Cow Sheet.

I can go on.

Cows are a bad, stupid idea...as are all four legged creatures that are not a dog or a cat. Trust me I know.

If you are looking for a 4-H type hobby for your kids, chickens are good.

Sorry to be so negative, but they are animals that need a lot of care and represent a huge cost and time sink.

[M.D. Holloway]

I second Pauls reply! Don't.

My inlaws have been doing it for 6 generations in Iowa - stopped last year entirely. If you wanna make moeny on livestock look to pigs but they are disgusting vile creatures so the heck with that. Chickens smell like...chickens. Again, vile animals.

You wanna eat well? Hunt.

You wanna have a hobby involving animals? Learn to train search and rescue dogs or board dogs that will be trained for the blind..

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by LubeMaster77

I......board dogs that will be trained for the blind..

I love that idea.

[MotoSook]

Maybe I wasn't clear (and maybe Paul's reply would be the same). I don't want to make this a side business. I have the land and I cut a lot of grass....so why not let a few cows graze during the growing season, then slaughter in the late fall for my own freezer meat. I have a large family, and I won't have any problems distributing the meat.

Our farm has an old barb wire fence around it already. Some of it fallen over and broken. I already fixed maybe 750 feet of it just because I didn't want to sag the wire with my tractor. I don't mind stringing barb wire around the areas I want them to graze. Matter of fact I may just string electrified wired to contain them as I move them from one side of the property to another.

I don't have a problem with grass growing. Sure we had a wet summer this year, but cutting the grass in the "groomed" portion of the property takes me 6-8 hours a week depending on the growth. That's only on the 3 or 4 acres we keep groomed. We have another 11 acres of woods and overgrown fields that I would let the cows roam. We don't have a problem with coyotes here, and if they were to come along, the state has declared open season on the suckers.

I don't think will get attached to the cows. I won't let them (setting up expectations).

The idea is to avoid buying hay by letting them graze until the grass won't sustain them. We'd slaughter our own..maybe in the driveway ....

If the spring and summer growth can sustain a few cows, and the calf and vet cost are near break even point, it might make sense...on a seasonal basis. Maybe if it works, we keep acouple cows that might breed....

[id10t]

If the goal is just filling the freezer at a good price, you can get whole, half, or quarter cows all butchered up, wrapped, etc. for a good price...

[MotoSook]

We don't have a slaughter house near that I know of.


I could probably go buy a 500 lb cow from a farmer...how much meat do you get from a 500lb cow?

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Soukus

Maybe I wasn't clear (and maybe Paul's reply would be the same). I don't want to make this a side business. I have the land and I cut a lot of grass....

See if any local cattle folks are willing to cut you pasture for you for hay. I did that for awhile when we had a lot of horses...we split the hay.

Or just find out if any local cattle folks need excess grazing...trade your land for beef.

Livestock is a hump, Soukus and is not cost effective on ten acres, especially if you don't have any of the stuff you're going to need.

[M.D. Holloway]

sheep and goats might be better - nut'n like mut'n!

[MotoSook]

Oh hell..I might as well pave it and rent out track time


.....I'll see if I can get cows from the local farmers at the end of the season.

Really though, if the fencing and field is there...why wouldn't a few cows be feasible? What are the cost? Calf and vet, then what? I'm not doubthing you analysis paul, just want to know.

[M.D. Holloway]

What the heck, give it a shot and let us know in a year how it went. Maybe we could have a big BBQ at your place?

[Laneco]

Cattle are a pain in the hiney. You need very good fencing - much better than you think you do. They rub and push on everything. Plus, they poop their weight every day. And that poop goes through phases beginning with a huge liquid disgusting slurry, to what appears to be a hard dry product but what is filled with disgusting creme filling, to a petrified product that will remain in a pie shape on your ground for 983 years.

On the other hand, they taste great!

If it is important to you to know where your food came from, how it was raised, what it ate, etc., then I would say do this - with caution. Have it professionally butchered, aged etc. There is nothing like a really good cut of grass-fed beef.

angela

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Soukus

Oh hell..I might as well pave it and rent out track time


.....I'll see if I can get cows from the local farmers at the end of the season.

Really though, if the fencing and field is there...why wouldn't a few cows be feasible? What are the cost? Calf and vet, then what? I'm not doubthing you analysis paul, just want to know.

I'll PM you with the details.

We have all noodled through land usage...how to make it profitable and less work. I completely understand.

Cattle are just on a scale that takes experience and know how, even just two or three. Spend a day working livestock at the county fair.

I would recommend sheep and goats.

[ben parrish]

you yeild about 60% of live weight for cut/processed beef

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Soukus,

Part I: Listen to Paul!!!!!! Part II: Listen to Paul!!!!!

NO HORSES!!!!!!! (money pit, tonnes on feed, vet, ferrier, do you have a truck and trailer?)


10 acres is really rather small. Sounds as if ALL the fencing is going to need replacing. Check out the pricing for five strand barbed wire, four feet high, and all new posts (you will likely only salvage 20-40% of your posts and I am being generous). Fencing MUST be done before cows are introduced. You will need to figure on fencing the entire outside of your property. The cows, when they break out (not IF but WHEN) will likely head first to your house to mooch for food. Now you will need to fence the inner sections of your property, maybe make three pads for the cows to rotate.

What are you going to do about flies? There will be lots and they will be around your house. Fly Predators are good but do not get all the types of flies. Guineas are good but they will roam and are always noisy. Chickens will eat all your vegetables and then get around to the flies when everything else good is gone.

Who will transport your cows? How do you know a sick cow from a well one? Not all people morals when taking your money.

Harvest depends upon the breed. Some breeds will provide 40 to 45% net, highlands are to run 55 - 60% net of live weight.

What type/kind of grass do you have? I've gone to look at peoples beautiful grass filled green fields only to inform them they have weeds not edible grass. Can you chew and eat the grass? With Timothy or Sudan or Rye or Coastal you can and might even like it enough to make salads. If you have something like Kentucky Blue or other Fescues your meat will come out tasting horrible. Same if you are grazing weeds.

The land will be tested by cows. They will make furrows, they will roll, they will tromple, they will kill out patches, they will use your trees as scratching posts until the tree dies.

What do you do in the dry years? I only have one cutting this year and will likely have to buy hay. I cannot afford to buy hay so something will have to go! I am East of you a few miles.

The first thing they will do is test the fence line. Second they will look for a way to get injured. They will fight. Are you used to cows at all? They will test your mettle.


That stated, small cows will work best. Highlands are more gentle and taste better! Angus and other shorthorns are likely not best for someone who has never done this before.


eight effective acres can run maybe three head of small animals. More of sheep and goats. Oh, and if they get it in their minds, cows can kill you. Sheep and goats will only hurt you!


If you are bored on a weekend, make a trip to our little place near Indianapolis. You can see what it is all about. I'll even let you put in some fence rows and work with cows, birds, horses, trees. You will leave happy to not be living that life!!! we have ~57 acres, 17 in trees, 18 in hay, and remainder in production with animals.



Then there is the cost associated with losing the use of your little piece of heaven. The cows will take all they can...


Did I mention: NO HORSES!!!!! (I have a couple for sale if you are really interested!)

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by Laneco

they poop their weight every day. And that poop goes through phases beginning with a huge liquid disgusting slurry, to what appears to be a hard dry product but what is filled with disgusting creme filling, to a petrified product that will remain in a pie shape on your ground for 983 years.

On the other hand, they taste great!

angela

I hope you are referring to beef and not cow poop!

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Groesbeck Hurricane

Soukus,

10 acres is really rather small...snip...then there is the cost associated with losing the use of your little piece of heaven. The cows will take all they can...

Never mind about the PM

Well written, Dave. Hope all is well.

[RWebb]

This is not a good idea, and every family I know has sent their kids to college to learn to do something else - mostly folks in the west but also in the Sabine area (ye old outlaw territory in TX/LA).

But, where are you located?

I'll add that it is a big PIA and PIW too. This is not a good idea. if you cannot be stopped, then there are 2 ways to go - big or niche market (organic, etc.).

FWIW, if everyone else just cannot convince you to go for chicken, etc. or to rent the land for grazing, then there are mobile slaughter units that will come out. They are used by the niche farmers & ranchers here, and IIRC they coming on in Cajun Louisiana also.

Realize that there is a in. # to make the mobile unit worthwhile.

Did I mention this is not a good idea?