Beef Cattle Advice

[brin]

Whoever told you that about one acre per head will work, just might be setting you up to purchase part of your herd at a discount when your grass is all gone.

If you severly over-graze your pasture, it could take 10 years for your grass to recover. Remember, you are in the forage business, and cattle are just the containers that you send your forage to market in.

Talk to these folks:
Cooperative Extension Service

I agree...You posted you have clover, fescue and pasture grass...I don't think it will recover...If you had Bermuda or any type then it regrows and spreads by stolons but fescue once dead is gone...too much heat, sun, over grazing and drought and fescue as well as clover and pasture grasses are gone for good unless you reseed...If you had bermuda, any variety T
ift etc...then you might have a chance...Too many head on too few acres....sell half, cross fence and alternate the pastures for grazing and even with that you will need to buy hay....Good Luck...

 

[joshuabardwell]

I raise sheep, not cattle, but the principle is the same: I can't agree emphatically enough with those who are suggesting a rotational grazing scheme. Left to their own devices, the livestock eats all the "ice cream" (whatever they particularly like) and leaves the "broccoli" behind. The "broccoli" gets long and weedy and goes to seed while the "ice cream" never recovers. If they are confined to a paddock, then they eat the "broccoli" once the "ice cream" is gone. The result is much more efficient use of the pasture. By keeping them off a paddock once they've grazed it down, it allows the plants to recover. I suggest doing some research into Managed Intensive Rotational Grazing, the Law of the Second Bite, and Mob Stocking. Ultimately, however, there is only so many head of cattle (or sheep) that a given acre can support, and anybody who says, "one head per acre" is inherently giving you only the roughest of guidelines, because they haven't seen the quality of your particular acre. Used properly, cattle will vitalize a pasture, but overstock it or overgraze it, and as others have pointed out, damage will be done that will take a long time to recover.

Remember, you are in the forage business, and cattle are just the containers that you send your forage to market in.

Truer words were never spoken. The success and profitability of your business starts with the health of your pasture. The number one thing that will destroy your profits is having to supplement with purchased hay or grain.

 

[joshuabardwell]

Here is a source for some info on managed grazing. This blog author writes about the topic a lot. This is just one post of hers on the topic.

Me and my gang – grazing | Throwback at Trapper Creek

 

[dmccarty]

...
Truer words were never spoken. The success and profitability of your business starts with the health of your pasture. The number one thing that will destroy your profits is having to supplement with purchased hay or grain.

I know nothing about raising cattle except for working around them on a summer job and some recent reading. The reading I was doing really drove home that if one is in the cattle business, the health and quality of the pasture was very important. Bad pasture raises costs all over the place and decreases profits.

There is an old family farm near us running cattle. Their pasture stinks. It bothers me to see the weeds growing in the fields. I think the older farming generation has died off and whoever is running the cattle does not know what they are doing. Kills me to see those weeds and its not my place nor my cattle. :confused3::shocked::laughing::laughing::laughing: There used to be nice grass on that place, and the grass is still there, but the weeds are taking over.

Later,
Dan

 

[two_bit_score]

I know nothing about raising cattle except for working around them on a summer job and some recent reading. The reading I was doing really drove home that if one is in the cattle business, the health and quality of the pasture was very important. Bad pasture raises costs all over the place and decreases profits.

There is an old family farm near us running cattle. Their pasture stinks. It bothers me to see the weeds growing in the fields. I think the older farming generation has died off and whoever is running the cattle does not know what they are doing. Kills me to see those weeds and its not my place nor my cattle. :confused3::shocked::laughing::laughing::laughing: There used to be nice grass on that place, and the grass is still there, but the weeds are taking over.

Later,
Dan

Probably some pasture renter or some one allowed to run cattle on it o maintain the AG exemption who s not keeping it up.

 

[two_bit_score]

As to the AI question- 13 months ago, I paid $125 total for synchronization hormones (I injected them) and the vet to come out and breed one cow. That AI didn't take so I paid another $80 for a local guy with lots of experience come out to do the AI when I saw that she was in heat again. Although I am sure there would be a "group discount" to do them all at once, a bull would likely be much cheaper. Maybe you could board a neighbor's bull for "free" when the heifers get old enough to be bred.

Usually you can lease bulls for 6 months at a time or so.

 

[DT86]

Usually you can lease bulls for 6 months at a time or so.

When I've needed an extra bull or two I can usually get a couple for just the up keep on them. But it's all in who you know and how well they like you.

At times I've kept a couple more than I needed for someone short on grass in exchange for the one or two I did need.

 

[foreman Etexas]

That is quite a few per acre, the less you have to supplement the feed, the more you will make. I think you will have a higher feed bill then you think, wont take them long to mow down 16 acres.

I think the best money may be to raise them as "replacement" cows, but you are looking at a longer turn around. If you could sell them as "bred cows" (short or long bred) you may do better. You may want to consider growing them out and selling half in a few months.

You may want to round up hay for the winter early, they will need it. Buy it while it's cheap.

I'm gonna agree with western I think you have a few to many. I'm just going to suggest this that you sell a couple when they get in the 5to6 weight,how ever many will get you enough hay/feed to make it threw til next spring they should be just guessing 16/18mnths old ready to breed sell down to 8/10 head of the best ones and take some that money and buy you a good bull,feed and then by next year you will be dropping calfs,and cover your operating cost selling those and maybe alittle to put back. This is just what I come up with,good luck in whatever you deside.
But I don't agree with the one comment of your heifers being light that they are not going to be good ones. I don't know your area but black tends to bring alittle better at sale here,other than the registered,baldies,tiger strips,etc..
I would like to see your heifers,got any pics?

 

[creekbend]

Just a thought or two. Since you will probably be using Salt and Mineral blocks, keep some type of protection over them, to prevent over exposure to the Elements. I keep my Blocks next to the Cattle Rub. One other idea. In the shelter or barn that you are utilizing, please make sure that there is a way for the cattle to come and go in and out, even in the Winter months. Long periods of Confinement will lead to all sorts of problems. Best wishes.

 

[pharmvet]

I have a few questions to ask

1) Where did you purchase these heifers (local barn, order buyer, producer, etc)
2) How long ago did you purchase these heifers
3) What breed are they(purebred or commercial xx)
4) Do you have at least a rudimentary set of corrals / chute?

I think you will have a higher degree of success (fun and profit) if you start out "under-stocked". Presently, I feel you are over-stocked. Pushing any system to its maximum potential is a fast track to a breakdown. A cow herd is no exception. Over-stocking can lead to increased disease, parasitism, and decreased food availability. Feed (sack, or hay) is probably the most costly input cost of a cattle operation. The beauty of grazing cattle is that they utilize grass that is growing on your land. The less feed you have to supplement, the better. Keeping your stocking rate low will help ensure you have enough grass for the heifers that you are grazing (summer). Obviously, during the winter, you will need to supplement feed regardless how few heifers you keep. During this period, its hard to beat good fertilized hay and breeder cubes (21%). Regarding a bull vs AI: AI is more labor intensive and costly than many realize. You are either going to have to provide a pretty good corral and squeeze chute, or take the heifers to your veterinarian at least twice. Even when things go well, expect 70% - 80% conception. A good young gentle bull may be your easiest route. The heifers should be ready to breed when they are approx. 70% of their adult body weight. Don't get them too fat as this will decrease conception. a BCS of about 5 or 6 is ideal. You can find examples of BCS scoring all over the internet. You can either sell these animals as heavy bred heifers (they should bring a premium if they are scheduled to calve at the right time of the year) or take a little risk and calve them out and sell as a pair. Keep them a little longer and let them breed back and you can sell them as a pair with the cow bred back. It all depends on how involved you want to be and whether or not you want to try to breed, winter, calve, re-breed, etc. You can stop the process at any time by selling what you have. Then you can re-stock or try something different. Also, the cattle market will fluctuate over the course of the year and you can decide for yourself when to sell. Sale timing may also be dictated by your monetary needs throughout the year.
Regardless of how many, what kind, and how you manage them, eventually you will need to implement a health program involving vaccinations, deworming, fly control, mineral supplementation. To do this properly, it is mandatory that you either have a corral / chute, or a way to catch and haul to your veterinarian.
Good luck, and have fun with your new endeavor!!!