Can I do cattle farm without a tractor?

rlee6 · Jul 1, 2004

Question: I don't want to buy a tractor if possible. Can I?
Case: A mini cattle farm on 50 acres in central Florida.
Justification:
1) Land clearing, pond digging: Rent dozer/backhow/excarvator and hire operator.
2) Fence post digging: Rent from Home Depot for $35-40 day.
3) Pasture maintenance (liming, etc): Pull whatever with 1/2 ton pickup truck.
4) mowing: Ride-behind mower with a large cutter that lawn mowing folks use.

I haven't figured how to move hay around. Hopefully, winter grass will
take care of it in central Florida?

The main reason I do not want to buy a tractor is the farm is away from home (1.5 hrs).
I cannot move to the farm for next few years.
Most posts seem to recommend 35-40 hp that will weigh about 3500-4000 lbs.
I cannot keep expensive farming equipment in the farm. Neither do I want to haul
5000 lb trailer with 1/2 ton pickup.

Please advise if I have grossly underestimated farm work. Thank you.

SteveM · Jul 1, 2004

Um I am not a farmer. But I live on a farm that we rent out, and have a few beef cattle farmer friends. I dont understand how you are safely going to run a farm from a distance....are there going to be people there everyday to tend to the livestock? If so, you dont trust these people to watch your tractor? If you dont have a barn to lock the tractor in (assumption) where are you going to store your feed?

Anyhow, the beef folks I know tend to their animals each morning and night, with a tractor - bringing out square bales and grain pellets etc. They also do a fair amount of brush hogging to keep the fields under control.

I suppose this could be done with your truck - but again, are you doing this 1.5 hr every day?

Bird · Jul 1, 2004

Can you do it? Yes
Will you like it? No

slowrev · Jul 1, 2004

Steve pretty well summed up my concerns/remarks.

DAP · Jul 1, 2004

When I first put the mares into their brandy new paddocks, I will be the first to admit my gross underestimation of the notion of pasture maintenance.

Using a 1/2 pickup to do pasture maintenance leads me to believe that you will be making some of the same underestimations.

Bird said you could do it but you wouldn't like it. At the risk of speaking for him, I think he's also saying that the workload will be quadrupled, lots of manual labor that a tractor was designed for.

Also .. the COWS might have a thing or 2 to say about this plan.

/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

cowboydoc · Jul 1, 2004

They did it for thousands of years before there were tractors. You can do it. It just depends on how much manual labor you want to do. 50 acres is alot to mow.

DAP · Jul 1, 2004

Do you have some type of obligation to his land or the animals?

For someone to suggest having a cattle farm and not WANTING to have a tractor - to pose the question here on TractorByNet is most confusing.

Almost like saying "I'd like to learn how to ski. Do I need any snow?"

hazmat · Jul 1, 2004

Almost like saying "I'd like to learn how to ski. Do I need any snow?" 

believe it or not, there is a lot of research being done on artificial snow. They've come up with some kind of plastic snow for use in indoor mountains (popular in Japan). /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

To answer the poster's question. I have enough trouble taking care of my 4 acres where I reside with a tractor - can't imagine farming without one. The only livestock I have are two labrador retrievers.

I guess this is the age old answer - you can do it, but you shouldn't.

rlee6 · Jul 1, 2004

Okay, folks, I am convinced now. I was just wondering if it was possible at all. I have a farmer friend who has 200 heads of cattle. He gave me a good lesson on cattle farming. You confirmed what he said. Thanks.

I was looking into 25-30 hp tractor. But many posts seem to recommend about 40 hp. I will have to upgrade my target. Many thanks, and my apology for asking such an abhorently silly question.

Golfgar4 · Jul 1, 2004

First off, I apologize that no one here yet has welcomed you to TBN. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

So Welcome! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

( I will have to upgrade my target. Many thanks, and my apology for asking such an abhorently silly question. )

No apologies necessary! You wanted to confirm some information that you had received so that you had a better feeling about a decision you needed to make. This same thing happens every day here on TBN. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

You know the old adage...."The only silly question is....."

Oh heck, you already know it, don't you!? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif