Cattle questions

[DrRod]

I would consider Longhorns to be sort of "novelty" livestock. There is a market for them for rodeo's, pasture ornaments, and the like [they raise them at the Imus Ranch because of their "old west" look] but I don't think they compete with Angus et al as far as market or productivity.

As far as your distance, that will be a challenge. My place is two and half hours away and I learned my lesson with horses. [a] They get out. Livestock gets sick/injured and you may need to treat them daily until they are well. I switched to Christmas trees and while they stay put I found I just couldn't be there at the critical time windows when things needed to happen. For example, they needed to be sprayed when the buds broke in the spring. But if that happened when I was busy at work or we had a rainy period -- or if they days I could be there it was windy -- it just couldn't get done.

Just a thought, but you might want to try leasing your pasture to an experienced rancher. This would give you time to focus on fences and other infrastructure while learning from your tenant. You could get into it with little risk and at the very least enjoy getting your place in shape.

Best of luck to you.

 

[houstonscott]

There is small market for grass feed longhorn beef. I see it in stores here in Texas. It's good too. I buy it when I can. Marketing of angus beef has been very successful, if its not angus people don't want it anymore.


HS

 

[Western]

Buffalo is something I would avoid unless you have a good grasp with cattle. They can test even the best fence. There are a few Buffalo farms (one North of Hamilton TX) that will let you tour their place if your in the market.

Replacement heifers are kept or sold to improve a herd , more generally to replace older stock.

I did best with cows and selling the calves each fall, You could buy Short or long bred cows and forgo the bull for one year, or buy a young bull (cheaper) that will be "ready" after your cows calve.

I bought all my cows at auction to start, my bulls I bought from neighbors since his line "threw" a great calf.

One piece of advice YMMV. Have a containment pen you can bring new cows in for a week or so, a place where you can feed them and watch them. Serves 2 purposes.
1 Quarantine the new cows so you can make sure you haven't brought in a "problem".
2 It allows them to acclimate to you and the farm. I have seen many people bring new stock home, kick them out of the trailer, then spend the next few weeks looking for cows that "jumped the fence". Let them know your the "guy with the feed". Some cows will jump no matter what, those get sold.

All my cows would follow me anywhere, but I spent time with them everyday, I just plain enjoyed them.

My Black Angus bull would jump the fence usually twice a year, he'd go over to the neighbors place looking for girls, when I blew the truck horn (feed time) he'd bawl like a baby:laughing:. My neighbor would open his gate and my bull would run down the county road back to my gate.

 

[texasjohn]

You got a lot to learn...visit all county extension programs possible, have agent visit your place.I been where your are...comments include:

This is a hobby, not going to make money. Too few acres, too many tools/equipment/pickups/trailers/etc. needed.

Safety for your kids is paramount, cattle can be dangerous and you don't yet have the experience to read "cow"
You must buy very gentle cattle from off a ranch where you can observe disposition. Pay premium for gentle...this makes up for being green, poor fences, poor pens.
Cattle must come to feed bucket and enter pen willingly, else you can't even sell them.
Recommend getting 3-in-1 cows...calf at side and bred back plus cow.
Start small, maybe 4 grown cows and add as you gain expertise.
Consider one 2 yr old heiffer from 4H or FFA program..gentle, leads
Avoid small herd of steers or heifers, young stock can be crazy...like teenagers.

Don't make pets (hands on) of your animals...they will begin to treat you like another cow...you will lose the shoving match!
Buy an older bull as first bull...proven fertile, gentle, someone will rather see their beloved bull go to you than slaughter.
Each breed has its pro/con points. Avoid extremes...longhorns, dwarf animals, super sized animals.
Buy a squeeze chute...yes, kinda expensive but allows you to handle these large animals with reasonable safety. And you WILL be needing to put your hands on them for vet purposes.

This lady knows stock...believe her when you get differing opinions. Temple Grandin's Web Page

Get a pair of nose tongs and learn how to use them...
Get a roping rope and several other ropes, learn how to rope an animal's head and throw her on the ground, unassisted, and grab front leg to keep her there...there IS a special way to do this and avoid getting kicked...LEARN IT.
Learn how to hog tie a calf.

Avoid horses, they are a whole different set of problems....you have enough already.
You will collect lots of gear and supplies out there...Plan to secure from weather and being stolen...purchase and install a game camera NOW, so you can check on what activity is occurring while you are gone.

Mesquite yields ONLY to Reclaim or Remedy herbacide...start an eradication program now and continue annually. You are at the point where, if uncontrolled, it will exponentially increase as it produces beans which the cows will eat and distribute everywhere. Here is how you do it. http://texnat.tamu.edu/about/brush-busters/mesquite/

Welcome to TBN...keep your questions coming, and join fellow Texans here
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/237303-texas-spring-summer-thread.html

Electric fencing is your friend...can reinforce old fences at affordable cost. Use only 12.5 gauge high tensile wire and a high intensity fence charger rated for 100 miles or better

 

[dmccarty]

As a teenager I worked on a farm/ranch that had about 100 head of cattle and the owner lived an hour or two away. In the summer, we would drive up to the farm to work for 2-3 days and then return home for the night. The cattle got out but always within his cross pastures. He never had them escape outside of his land that I know about but he was also on the Ohio river on one side and river bluffs on the other so escape was not easy. But the cattle did tear down interior fences frequently. I know part of the problem was a local dog chasing the cattle and if we had seen it chasing the cattle, we would have shot it.

The owner tried to breed his herd but he had a bad experience one long, cold winter night where he lost both the cow and the calf. Not sure why he did not call a vet... From then on he just bought calves and raised them until market size and sold them.

From what I have read about the cattle business, the key is to maximize weight gain while minimizing the cost of that weight gain. This means REALLY being focused on growing the best possible grass for the critters to eat. The local Ag people can help along with soil samples and growing the right mix of grasses for a particular area. Raising the breed of cattle that is demand for the local market helps. Some of the ranchers in my area are selling grass fed only beef, locally, for higher dollars. They are having the cattle processed locally and selling to individuals who buy a percentage of the bovine as well as selling at local farmers markets.

The best steak I have ever had was bought from a local rancher who was selling the meat from a freezer in the back of a huge trailer parked in front of a restaurant that sponsors a little market. That meat was not cheap but it was well marbled and delicious smoked and grilled over a wood fire. :licking::licking::licking:

Later,
Dan

 

[Egon]

Soo, you got 160 acres but no clear business plans.

Keep the day job. Get some learning about ranching. Learn about feeding the critters and what your land can provide. Learn about selling and buying the stock. Set up a business plan that has actuall numbers backed by facts
. Check in with the banker boys. Keep the day job and take a holiday. Use the ranch as a rental property or just play on it!

Be sure to plant some trees. Makes good windbreaks and shelter.

 

[texasjohn]

Be sure to plant some trees. Makes good windbreaks and shelter.

This is Texas, windbreaks and snow protection not as critical as in Canada. Trees good idea IF can be reliably watered AND protected from cows stomping them down, which they WILL do.

 

[Car Doc]

Id recommend-buy a couple or even a few 400lb black Angus or black white face steer calves in spring sell them in fall at 7-800lbs just to get an idea what is involved. I am doing that very thing right now and can tell you a couple things that may help as has been said have good fence. Id run a hot wire around the inside better too much fence than not enough.

You will need to handle them and by that I mean be able to get them into a pen at will and into a stock trailer at will and w/o a whole crew just you and a helper. Also you need to be able to get fly repellant on them every 30 days and pink eye spray now and then so an alley you can walk them thru will make that real easy and a squeeze chute would be a big huge plus but also very expensive for a little guy starting out.

Having a stock trailer is a must I am starting out very small and see where I need one. Fact just this morning I needed to take one to the vet and get his eye cut out. He got it hurt in the ceders and I had to borrow a trailer to get him to town. That was an unexpected issue you should prepare for stuff like that there will be surprises. Then if they get out that's the one I dont have a plan for but a guy will need a 4 wheeler or several or know a couple cowboys with horses etc.

They like range cubes that is apparently an easy way to bribe them into going places. Last nite we threw a couple hand fulls in the trailer and when I got to work this morning they were all loaded up one was even laying down in the trailer all I had to do was shut the gate take them to town. I was thanking my lucky stars you can believe that I dont plan on that being the norm. :laughing:

 

[C4Ranch]

Really great advice! Great tips on what type/temper of animal to start with.

Outside of the 3 interior fields that make up abt 60 acres it has good tree cover (mixed hardwoods) and specifically chose this 1/4 sec because of it's multiple uses (recreation, hunting, ranching, farming).

It's certainly an option for me to lease it for grazing but want to learn for myself and my sons.


I'm a CPA so I know all about business plans. Step one was to get some land that my family and I can enjoy immediately. I'm in step 2 - exploring options.

Thanks for the advice! Keep it coming!!

 

[C4Ranch]

Thanks Car Doc! Good info. Besides the fly spray every 30 days and pink eye stuff, what other routine maintenance is there?

I have 2 4wheelers, a Ranger 500 Crew so hope I'm good there