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AmandaQ

AmandaQ

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 3, 2024
Messages
276
City & State/Province
Madison, Georgia
Hello All,
I'm Amanda & I have two cows that I am keeping as pets. One is a Black Baldy heifer who is 8 year old & weighs 1,600 lbs and a half Herford/half Charolais yearling heifer. I have had them for two months now & am trying to figure out if I need a chute or not. I only have acreage enough for two cows & I live 30 minutes from University of Georgia's vet school. Do you think it would be okay for me to get a cattle trailer and take them to the vet school for hoof work and vetting (where they could put the big one on a tilt table) instead of building a chute and pen set up? Is it dangerous for their health for me not to have a chute? I am hoping they live to be 20 so what should my long term plan be? Thanks for the advice, I couldn't know less about what I am doing!
 
AmandaQ said:
Hello All,
I'm Amanda & I have two cows that I am keeping as pets. One is a Black Baldy heifer who is 8 year old & weighs 1,600 lbs and a half Herford/half Charolais yearling heifer. I have had them for two months now & am trying to figure out if I need a chute or not. I only have acreage enough for two cows & I live 30 minutes from University of Georgia's vet school. Do you think it would be okay for me to get a cattle trailer and take them to the vet school for hoof work and vetting (where they could put the big one on a tilt table) instead of building a chute and pen set up? Is it dangerous for their health for me not to have a chute? I am hoping they live to be 20 so what should my long term plan be? Thanks for the advice, I couldn't know less about what I am doing!
Click to expand...
Welcome... and you'll have people ask you continuously where your location is because good advice depends on where you so are much. So go to your profile (top right) and add a state, at least.

Unless you have halter broke animals that you can handle, you need a system for confining them... even to load on a trailer. Please understand that a 1600 pound cow can hurt you without meaning to, so containing them safely is a better idea than expecting them to do what you tell them.
 
If they are gentle...you don't need a chute. I have about 30 head and don't have a chute. To be fair, mine aren't pets...so they don't get much doctoring (aka none). I would think you could easily get by with 4 panels in a square and do any shots you need.

They shouldn't need hoof maintenance unless you are pouring the grain on them...which sounds like an expensive endeavor for a pet (for the next 20 years). They should do just fine on grass with minimal supplement. Keep them in their work clothes (vs fat and happy). Regardless, even if they need hoof trimming every couple years, I can't think that would justify a chute. Maybe a head catch from FB marketplace mounted on some poles with 2 panels making the "walls" of the chute.

If you don't own a trailer, just make friends with someone local and borrow/rent theirs if you need to give em a ride somewhere. I'm in South Missouri and my trailer is available whenever you need it 😂. Don't waste the money on buying one and then needing to put tires on it when they dry rot.
 
8 year old heifer? OK. Welcome! (My dinner is ready, but we might want to check your terminology here.)

For two animals that you are keeping as pets, I would not expect that you would need a chute. Cattle are different than horses, but based on size and likely resulting disposition from being handled as a pet, look to those that have 1- 5 horses as pets and use those as a model, but do ask questions. As they are pets, you aren't going to want to or need to handle them quite the same way as most cattle are handled. The closest 'type' of cattle that I can think of that might serve as a model for yours are show cattle. @Jeanne - Simme Valley should be able to assist some along those lines.
 
Travlr said:
Welcome... and you'll have people ask you continuously where your location is because good advice depends on where you so are much. So go to your profile (top right) and add a state, at least.

Unless you have halter broke animals that you can handle, you need a system for confining them... even to load on a trailer. Please understand that a 1600 pound cow can hurt you without meaning to, so containing them safely is a better idea than expecting them to do what you tell them.
Click to expand...
Thank you, I fixed my profile! I'm in Madison, Georgia. My big girl Penelope was a pet for the beginning of her life and figured out how to get overweight on hay. Went to live with a real rancher last December and was fed grain but she couldn't get pregnant so they were done with her in August and that is how she came to live with me. The vet came out and told me she needs to lose 200 lbs so I stopped feeding her grain completely. (I was giving them each a scoop a day so they will like me.) The little one is still growing so she gets a scoop a day still and I am working on halter training her but it's going slow. They will follow me around, and seem very gentle so far. I'm avoiding getting hit by their swinging heads, so far. Probably being a little reckless because I love being around them. (I think she likes being a pet again, especially if I show up with tomatoes and apples.)
 

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wobbie1775 said:
If they are gentle...you don't need a chute. I have about 30 head and don't have a chute. To be fair, mine aren't pets...so they don't get much doctoring (aka none). I would think you could easily get by with 4 panels in a square and do any shots you need.

They shouldn't need hoof maintenance unless you are pouring the grain on them...which sounds like an expensive endeavor for a pet (for the next 20 years). They should do just fine on grass with minimal supplement. Keep them in their work clothes (vs fat and happy). Regardless, even if they need hoof trimming every couple years, I can't think that would justify a chute. Maybe a head catch from FB marketplace mounted on some poles with 2 panels making the "walls" of the chute.

If you don't own a trailer, just make friends with someone local and borrow/rent theirs if you need to give em a ride somewhere. I'm in South Missouri and my trailer is available whenever you need it 😂. Don't waste the money on buying one and then needing to put tires on it when they dry rot.
Click to expand...
I'm on the hunt for cattlemen friends, that's for sure! Glad to know not everyone has a chute!
 
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Mark Reynolds said:
8 year old heifer? OK. Welcome! (My dinner is ready, but we might want to check your terminology here.)

For two animals that you are keeping as pets, I would not expect that you would need a chute. Cattle are different than horses, but based on size and likely resulting disposition from being handled as a pet, look to those that have 1- 5 horses as pets and use those as a model, but do ask questions. As they are pets, you aren't going to want to or need to handle them quite the same way as most cattle are handled. The closest 'type' of cattle that I can think of that might serve as a model for yours are show cattle. @Jeanne - Simme Valley should be able to assist some along those lines.
Click to expand...
Thank you Mark, The vet called her elderly, her old owner called her "squatty and stout", all of that will hurt a girl's feelings. She has never had a calf before so should I just call her a cow instead? Because of her size (which very closely resembles buffalo) she has vertical cracks in the front of her hooves that need some attention. I don't think her hooves have ever been trimmed before, and likely there is nothing that will fix the vertical cracks, but if I keep her hooves trimmed properly and introduce her to salads, she should be good to go for many more years.
 
Welcome Amanda. I think you need some sort of pen at least and it is easy to incorporate a "medina hinge" in that set up. I am sure you will find information on that if you do a search on CT or even youtube. I believe that you will keep your cows healthier by them having a calf every year although I don't recommend getting the 8 yr old pregnant as you might be asking for trouble if indeed you could get her in calf but I would be looking to get the younger one AI'd. Pregnancy and lactation keeps their weight under control and keeps them a lot healthier.

Ken
 
Thank you Ken,
I will research a medina hinge! Nothing would be nicer than having a baby calf in my family but I will need to take baby steps first.
 
AmandaQ said:
Thank you Mark, The vet called her elderly, her old owner called her "squatty and stout", all of that will hurt a girl's feelings. She has never had a calf before so should I just call her a cow instead? Because of her size (which very closely resembles buffalo) she has vertical cracks in the front of her hooves that need some attention. I don't think her hooves have ever been trimmed before, and likely there is nothing that will fix the vertical cracks, but if I keep her hooves trimmed properly and introduce her to salads, she should be good to go for many more years.
Click to expand...
The "8 year old heifer?" Really was a question. To be quite honest, I've never heard of an 8 year old animal that has not had a calf, which, because of no calf, she can't be a "cow" either. "Heifer" refers to two years or younger. So, what is she? I just googled it, and learned something myself:

A heifer is a young female cow that has not yet given birth to any calves. Usually, once a heifer is one year old, she is bred with a bull. Once a heifer gives birth, she is then referred to as a cow. If a heifer is older than two and has never calved, she may then be referred to as a heiferette.

So, I have a new term to include in my vocabulary!

And you @AmandaQ, have a unique and special animal heiferette.

You mentioned that you have "enough space" for your pets. How big is your pasture that you allow them to graze on? I'm thinking about the forage that they will be grazing on. In terms of their diet, and if the one needs to lose weight, you need to familiarize yourself with ruminant digestion if you are not already. I mention this because ruminants get much of their nutrition from the microbes in the rumen which consume the food, not directly from the food you are feeding the animals. The microbes digest much of the food the cow takes in and the animals in turn digest the microbes. Hence, the cattle can survive on grass whereas we cannot, because the microbes digest the grass and then the cattle digest the microbes. The cattle don't really digest the grass.

A little about me. I don't own any livestock myself. I'm a grazing specialist with the Natural Resource Conservation Service and have degrees in Animal Science, Wildlife Science, and Rangeland Resources.

I trust you weathered the hurricane ok. I'm not sure where exactly Madison is, but @Warren Allison will know. He might even be close by.
 
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I think it is definitely feasible to just load them and take them to a vet for work. You might try to set up a pen with a feed trough and a water trough. Do you have a little barn or shed or lean-to you could build off of?

With the way you work with them you might be able to coerce them in to loading out a gate if they aren't completely spoiled.

Here is my son loading his heifers out last year through a gate on to a trailer.

The problem you may have is "pet" cattle are hard to move. They have no flight zone. It makes it very difficult to communicate where you want them to go. It's a real pia in a chute or pen.

 
Hi and welcome to CT. If they let you rub and "love on them" and you are careful about their head swinging which can hurt you without their meaning to... I see no real reason for a chute. Get a halter on them and let them drag the long end... if they step on it they will learn to stop and they will not hurt themselves with it. You don't have to leave it on them day in and day out... just enough for them to get the idea of it is not going to hurt them. once they get to where they pretty much take it for granted. then tie them to a very stout pole or tree, and they will learn they can't get away from it... they might fight it but it should not take them long to learn that "it's no big deal".... and that gets them to learn that they just can't pull and get "away".... from there, leading will be simply using a small bucket of grain to tempt them to walk forward to it as you are "leading them".... and soon they will go most anywhere for you because you give them a "reward" for doing it. If they were calves it would be a little different, but you are dealing with older, bigger animals... They have to somewhat think that "they are doing it" ... not that you are "making them do it"....

Does the vet think the "heiferette" needs feet work? Alot of cows get cracks occasionally... just keep an eye on them... it could be from extremely dry ground, and her being overweight...

"PET" cattle are hard to move... as @Brute 23 said... they will often follow but you cannot drive them anywhere. They can be a pain in the butt... BUT.... cattle trained to come to call, for a little handful of grain as a treat... or... a person I know gives them just some plain white bread and they like to take and eat a slice from your hand (fattening, but as an occasional treat it works). We have cattle that will load right out in the field into the trailer if we put some grain in there and then open the doors for them... I suspect your animals will get to that point... you should be able to entice them into where you want them with the promise of a little grain...

It is probably good the older one can't breed at this point. Her pelvis is unable to "stretch" to accommodate calving and it could wind up costing you for a cesarean, or problems that could kill her... The younger one is a good candidate for breeding AI... and a simple "chute" with a couple of gates that you can put them in... and that will not swing open... would be sufficient.... BUT..... when they come in heat, sometimes they are "moody"... and might not do what you want , or what they would do the rest of the time... The "medina hinge" type chute....would work for something like that ... if you do some studying on it, and have a place that you can use that will be sturdy....something as simple as that for what little work you may need to do with them.
If they were to get hurt for any reason and you had to have the vet out, a simple way like that to contain them and if nothing else, he/she can give them a tranq if they need to work on an injury or something.
I would not invest in a trailer at this point. Find a neighbor that could haul them to the vet or something if needed... as stated... if you use it twice a year, the tires will dry rot off it . Some vets have portable chutes, on wheels, they will take to a farm around here in Va.... or have a fully functional system at their office and you can haul your animal there...

@Jeanne - Simme Valley shows her registered cattle and would have better tips for halter breaking but most of hers are halter broke alot "smaller" than 1500 lbs... :rolleyes::ROFLMAO:
 
Last edited:
AmandaQ said:
Hello All,
I'm Amanda & I have two cows that I am keeping as pets. One is a Black Baldy heifer who is 8 year old & weighs 1,600 lbs and a half Herford/half Charolais yearling heifer. I have had them for two months now & am trying to figure out if I need a chute or not. I only have acreage enough for two cows & I live 30 minutes from University of Georgia's vet school. Do you think it would be okay for me to get a cattle trailer and take them to the vet school for hoof work and vetting (where they could put the big one on a tilt table) instead of building a chute and pen set up? Is it dangerous for their health for me not to have a chute? I am hoping they live to be 20 so what should my long term plan be? Thanks for the advice, I couldn't know less about what I am doing!
Click to expand...
Hi and Welcome to the forum! Cattle as pets? Around here NW of Ft Worth lots of people keep longhorns as "yard art". It makes them feel more "Texan" and can help with an agricultural exemption on their property taxes. As to your question, I look at it from the standpoint of a 70 yr old that has seen in my friends how a small accident with a large animal can nearly ruin the rest of your life. Safety with animals is good for you and for them. I would have at least the minimum handling facilities, like several on the forum have suggested.

Just as an anecdote or two. I bought two of the most gentle heifers for my first cattle. I got them at about 4 months old and kept them a year. I could rub all over them and scratch behind their ears. They would nearly give me a bath licking the salty sweat from my arms. Worming with Ivermectin pour-on was easy. All I had was a pen with feed and water troughs for their daily treat of a few cubes. When it came time to load them, they were not very cooperative. They weren't afraid of me so any amount of pushing or clapping or yelling did no good. I finally got a rope and with the help of two other men dragged the heifer into the trailer. It was stressful for the heifer and more than exhausting for everyone involved. It was bad! FWIW, If you care about your animals, provide a way to doctor and transport them because, at some point, you will need to do just that.

BTW-Later, I bought a couple of large Charolais cows along with their calves and soon realized they were so big that I needed a way to medicate and load them without getting hurt. I built a swinging gate with a quarter circle to leading to a chute with an old head gate off Craigslist.
 
Mark Reynolds said:
The "8 year old heifer?" Really was a question. To be quite honest, I've never heard of an 8 year old animal that has not had a calf, which, because of no calf, she can't be a "cow" either. "Heifer" refers to two years or younger. So, what is she? I just googled it, and learned something myself:

A heifer is a young female cow that has not yet given birth to any calves. Usually, once a heifer is one year old, she is bred with a bull. Once a heifer gives birth, she is then referred to as a cow. If a heifer is older than two and has never calved, she may then be referred to as a heiferette.

So, I have a new term to include in my vocabulary!

And you @AmandaQ, have a unique and special animal heiferette.

You mentioned that you have "enough space" for your pets. How big is your pasture that you allow them to graze on? I'm thinking about the forage that they will be grazing on. In terms of their diet, and if the one needs to lose weight, you need to familiarize yourself with ruminant digestion if you are not already. I mention this because ruminants get much of their nutrition from the microbes in the rumen which consume the food, not directly from the food you are feeding the animals. The microbes digest much of the food the cow takes in and the animals in turn digest the microbes. Hence, the cattle can survive on grass whereas we cannot, because the microbes digest the grass and then the cattle digest the microbes. The cattle don't really digest the grass.

A little about me. I don't own any livestock myself. I'm a grazing specialist with the Natural Resource Conservation Service and have degrees in Animal Science, Wildlife Science, and Rangeland Resources.

I trust you weathered the hurricane ok. I'm not sure where exactly Madison is, but @Warren Allison will know. He might even be close by.
Click to expand...
Oh Mark,
I have had fun telling everyone I know about my heiferette! She sounds so fancy! I did survive the hurricane. We were supposed to get hit but it veered East and caused all of those problems for Augusta, North Carolina and Tennessee. Madison is off I-20 smack between Atlanta and Augusta. Last year I was living in the middle of downtown Atlanta and now I'm learning all I can possibly learn about taking care of land, an arena and the new animals. My bovines are in a four acre pasture and I can walk them into my yard (which is not completely fenced in) To then get to another pasture that is an acre that is completely fenced with an arena. I would love to learn some tips from a grazing specialist! My goal is just to be a benevolent landlord and give them the ability to eat off the land. Right now I feel ignorant and hope I'm not missing something important. We worked on halter training today. I'll feel more comfortable as that gets easier. I have a baggy from my Ag Extension for testing my pasture soil. That is probably where I should start! (And Madison is the town t
Mark Reynolds said:
The "8 year old heifer?" Really was a question. To be quite honest, I've never heard of an 8 year old animal that has not had a calf, which, because of no calf, she can't be a "cow" either. "Heifer" refers to two years or younger. So, what is she? I just googled it, and learned something myself:

A heifer is a young female cow that has not yet given birth to any calves. Usually, once a heifer is one year old, she is bred with a bull. Once a heifer gives birth, she is then referred to as a cow. If a heifer is older than two and has never calved, she may then be referred to as a heiferette.

So, I have a new term to include in my vocabulary!

And you @AmandaQ, have a unique and special animal heiferette.

You mentioned that you have "enough space" for your pets. How big is your pasture that you allow them to graze on? I'm thinking about the forage that they will be grazing on. In terms of their diet, and if the one needs to lose weight, you need to familiarize yourself with ruminant digestion if you are not already. I mention this because ruminants get much of their nutrition from the microbes in the rumen which consume the food, not directly from the food you are feeding the animals. The microbes digest much of the food the cow takes in and the animals in turn digest the microbes. Hence, the cattle can survive on grass whereas we cannot, because the microbes digest the grass and then the cattle digest the microbes. The cattle don't really digest the grass.

A little about me. I don't own any livestock myself. I'm a grazing specialist with the Natural Resource Conservation Service and have degrees in Animal Science, Wildlife Science, and Rangeland Resources.

I trust you weathered the hurricane ok. I'm not sure where exactly Madison is, but @Warren Allison will know. He might even be close by.
Click to expand...
Hi Mark,
What a cool job you have! I have a four acre pasture they have been in the whole time. Once they are halter trained, I will be able to take them from their pasture and move them through my yard to a one acre pasture with an arena. In my yard they have the ability to get out as it isn’t fully fenced so I haven’t wanted to risk that until they are fully halter trained. Madison is between Atlanta and Augusta. The hurricane moved at the last minute East and hit Augusta instead of us. Last year I was living in downtown Atlanta and now I’m playing cowgirl, learning to tend the land and take care of my new bovine babes. I have a bag from the Ag Extension to check my soil, that is probably where I should start! I appreciate anything you want to teach me! And knowing I have a heiferette made my day. I told everyone I know! Thank you.
 
Walking W said:
Hi and Welcome to the forum! Cattle as pets? Around here NW of Ft Worth lots of people keep longhorns as "yard art". It makes them feel more "Texan" and can help with an agricultural exemption on their property taxes. As to your question, I look at it from the standpoint of a 70 yr old that has seen in my friends how a small accident with a large animal can nearly ruin the rest of your life. Safety with animals is good for you and for them. I would have at least the minimum handling facilities, like several on the forum have suggested.

Just as an anecdote or two. I bought two of the most gentle heifers for my first cattle. I got them at about 4 months old and kept them a year. I could rub all over them and scratch behind their ears. They would nearly give me a bath licking the salty sweat from my arms. Worming with Ivermectin pour-on was easy. All I had was a pen with feed and water troughs for their daily treat of a few cubes. When it came time to load them, they were not very cooperative. They weren't afraid of me so any amount of pushing or clapping or yelling did no good. I finally got a rope and with the help of two other men dragged the heifer into the trailer. It was stressful for the heifer and more than exhausting for everyone involved. It was bad! FWIW, If you care about your animals, provide a way to doctor and transport them because, at some point, you will need to do just that.

BTW-Later, I bought a couple of large Charolais cows along with their calves and soon realized they were so big that I needed a way to medicate and load them without getting hurt. I built a swinging gate with a quarter circle to leading to a chute with an old head gate off Craigslist.
Click to expand...
I’m from San Antonio so I know what you mean about Fort Worth! Mine aren’t scared of me and I really don’t want to get hurt, but I have so enjoyed hugging them. And because I bring treats, they enjoy it too!
 
farmerjan said:
Hi and welcome to CT. If they let you rub and "love on them" and you are careful about their head swinging which can hurt you without their meaning to... I see no real reason for a chute. Get a halter on them and let them drag the long end... if they step on it they will learn to stop and they will not hurt themselves with it. You don't have to leave it on them day in and day out... just enough for them to get the idea of it is not going to hurt them. once they get to where they pretty much take it for granted. then tie them to a very stout pole or tree, and they will learn they can't get away from it... they might fight it but it should not take them long to learn that "it's no big deal".... and that gets them to learn that they just can't pull and get "away".... from there, leading will be simply using a small bucket of grain to tempt them to walk forward to it as you are "leading them".... and soon they will go most anywhere for you because you give them a "reward" for doing it. If they were calves it would be a little different, but you are dealing with older, bigger animals... They have to somewhat think that "they are doing it" ... not that you are "making them do it"....

Does the vet think the "heiferette" needs feet work? Alot of cows get cracks occasionally... just keep an eye on them... it could be from extremely dry ground, and her being overweight...

"PET" cattle are hard to move... as @Brute 23 said... they will often follow but you cannot drive them anywhere. They can be a pain in the butt... BUT.... cattle trained to come to call, for a little handful of grain as a treat... or... a person I know gives them just some plain white bread and they like to take and eat a slice from your hand (fattening, but as an occasional treat it works). We have cattle that will load right out in the field into the trailer if we put some grain in there and then open the doors for them... I suspect your animals will get to that point... you should be able to entice them into where you want them with the promise of a little grain...

It is probably good the older one can't breed at this point. Her pelvis is unable to "stretch" to accommodate calving and it could wind up costing you for a cesarean, or problems that could kill her... The younger one is a good candidate for breeding AI... and a simple "chute" with a couple of gates that you can put them in... and that will not swing open... would be sufficient.... BUT..... when they come in heat, sometimes they are "moody"... and might not do what you want , or what they would do the rest of the time... The "medina hinge" type chute....would work for something like that ... if you do some studying on it, and have a place that you can use that will be sturdy....something as simple as that for what little work you may need to do with them.
If they were to get hurt for any reason and you had to have the vet out, a simple way like that to contain them and if nothing else, he/she can give them a tranq if they need to work on an injury or something.
I would not invest in a trailer at this point. Find a neighbor that could haul them to the vet or something if needed... as stated... if you use it twice a year, the tires will dry rot off it . Some vets have portable chutes, on wheels, they will take to a farm around here in Va.... or have a fully functional system at their office and you can haul your animal there...

@Jeanne - Simme Valley shows her registered cattle and would have better tips for halter breaking but most of hers are halter broke alot "smaller" than 1500 lbs... :rolleyes::ROFLMAO:
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Thank you! I’m following your suggestions, I’ve been halter training the wrong way I think!
 
Hi @AmandaQ, before you say you are doing something the 'wrong' way, (in the above case you are referring to halter training), realize that there are many different ways to do just about everything. What is right for you, and your heiferette and heifer, may be wrong for someone else. I asked about the size of your pasture to get a rough idea if grazing on a year-round basis would be feasible for your pets. Roughly speaking, it likely takes 2 to 2.5 acres of pasture per mature animal to be able to graze on a year-round basis. This comes with a stipulation. That stipulation is that you have a minimum rotation system between pastures. I'll say this here, but I want you to reference the "4 Never Fail Rules of Grazing" which is in a couple of threads on this forum. You may also google it. You should divide your pasture into 5 (4 would be marginally acceptable, which I can explain) paddocks that can be grazed in rotation. Take note that this is a 'minimum' number of divisions I recommend.
 
. I don't know about beef cattle but dairy cows that have had their first calf are called first calf heifers. I have one. She is not full grown but small and young looking like a heifer. I also have a pet Jersey I will keep all her life. She is 12 years old now. She gets lots of hugs and I love like my sister but still I have to be careful. Let me explain

These 3/4 ton 'pets' can knock you down and hurt you or punch you in the face with their head just trying to get a fly while being hugged. The are herd animals and pecking order is importnat to them. Its about which cow can make the other cow move away. Dominance dispute could arise as younger one comes into her prime and the old one will settle it. These boundries are eventually retested. It's always best to avoid getting between cattle at close quarters because the one trying to get away will pay no attention to your presence and knock you down. Since they see you as a herd member they may even threaten to dominate by tossing and swinging their head and charge so understand their body language.

I am raising a bunch of big rowdy heifer calves that are not pets but bottle raised so they have no respect. So I carry a piece of PVC pipe when I go among them so they respect my space. Its like I am the dominant cow and I have a 'horn'. They can come up to me when invited.

I do not scratch the front of their heads. This invites pushing and butting and they will learn how strong they are. Scratch behind the ears, under the jaw or their neck. They go into some sort of bliss.
 
Jan did a great job explaining how to go about halter training your cattle. There are MANY different ways, I believe in putting the halter on and letting them drag it also. After a few days, tie like Jan said.
This is too late for you now, but a STEER (castrated male) would definitely been a better choice for a PET. No hormones to deal with.
If I were you, I would breed the young heifer when the timing is right for her. Then you will have a yearly income to offset your PET expenses. BUT, you have to deal with loving this newborn precious calf and then SELLING it.
Listen to Mark R - NEVER graze a piece of ground longer than 7 days. You can easily split up your land with poliwire and push in fence posts AND an electric fence charger. You will have to play with the configuration of the layout of land so that they have access to water.
 
I really wish the Ag Extension agent or my vet would have told me that I would need to subdivide the pasture. We talked about having to do that for goats and sheep but not cows. I don’t really want to do that. I have one area where a water trough can easily go. I don’t have a natural water source and I have a tree canopy right down the middle of the pasture. I am planning to feed with hay through the winter, and actually already started supplementing. What happens if I don’t have at least four places to move them around? I have already had them in the same pasture for six weeks. Am I hurting them? I understand why it’s best to let my yearling have a calf but I could not sell it. Then I would have three cows in a bad set up. I appreciate you all sharing your knowledge with me. I am now thinking I didn’t do enough research ahead of time.
 

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