10 cow/calf What it would take ?

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Arkansas

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I am wanting to run about 10 Cow/Calf on the side would that be possiable without a Big tractor. I have the credit to get a Kubota 31.9HP Package deal where is comes with tractor, trailer,Bow blade, and Cutter for 19,200.. And I say this because I dont have the cash to get something so credit is better for me to use http://www.jonesboro-tractor.com/new_ve ... ov=2122012 I could have it paid for with 2 Income tax checks. so 2 years instead of 5yrs.. Or do I really not need any tractor at all ? I mean I could take an income tax check and get a older tractor or something in the 4,000 range or lower but thats it. Just wondering what I may need for start-up really ? Like Acres and pasture wise etc.. I seen a place for 72,000 online that has a 3 bedroom trailer and 18 acres fenced and cross fenced.. There is not alot of land around this area cheap with a house :( :deadhorse:


The Land http://www.mckimmey.idxco.com/idx/9521/ ... D=10290730
 
There is no real way to quantify an answer to such a question. I have no idea what kind of condition your pasture is in or if you have a need to warrant buying a tractor.

The best advice I can think of is to not buy anything on credit.

You can buy or build a hay buggy to put out round bales. You can have someone bale your hay for you either on the halves or else pay them. You can also hire out brush hogging for your pasture.

What you do need is a facility to work a cow if she is in trouble. You will need to innoculate and worm the cows a couple of times a year. We got by with a medina gate to work cows most of my childhood and it worked fine. If you are only going to run 10 cows, a medina gate would be the route I would take.

Way too many folks jump in on credit and take on more than they can pencil out in profit. 10 cows will not provide enough income to make it worth your time so I assume you are doing this out of love for the life style or else you intend to get your feet wet. Either way it is none of my business in the first place. - we all started somewhere.

If you can find a good local mentor to show you the ropes, you will be way ahead of the game.
 
backhoeboogie":2cm08mc1 said:
There is no real way to quantify an answer to such a question. I have no idea what kind of condition your pasture is in or if you have a need to warrant buying a tractor.

The best advice I can think of is to not buy anything on credit.

You can buy or build a hay buggy to put out round bales. You can have someone bale your hay for you either on the halves or else pay them. You can also hire out brush hogging for your pasture.

What you do need is a facility to work a cow if she is in trouble. You will need to innoculate and worm the cows a couple of times a year. We got by with a medina gate to work cows most of my childhood and it worked fine. If you are only going to run 10 cows, a medina gate would be the route I would take.

Way too many folks jump in on credit and take on more than they can pencil out in profit. 10 cows will not provide enough income to make it worth your time so I assume you are doing this out of love for the life style or else you intend to get your feet wet. Either way it is none of my business in the first place. - we all started somewhere.

If you can find a good local mentor to show you the ropes, you will be way ahead of the game.


Yes doing it out of the love to wanna live life like that and would like to get my feet wet too. Hell If I have to I could do just 4 Cow/calf operation. If I get the hang of it and like it alot then I may try and figure a way to do it and make a living at doing it also :)
 
Yea I have to agree. I would not buy a tractor just yet. I would find a hay producer that was close to you where he could load into your pickup truck and roll it off the back when you needed it. Or even better buy a hay trailer so you could pull it to his place to load it up then put it out for your cattle. I also would try and find a low cost working facility so you could worm and sort cattle so you could sell your calves. In my opinion tractors are kind of expensive right now. I don't think they will get any cheaper, but you will have time to shop for something that could fit your operation. Good luck with your adventure......
 
for 10 cows you really dont need a tractor yet.because theres 2 ways you can go.1.get a hay dolly to pull behind your truck an put hay out when its dry enough to get in the pasture.2.you could 4 or 5 sq bales a day in a hay bunk.then you could use a 4 wheeler to feed hay with.
 
Arkansas":o41vw1r7 said:
backhoeboogie":o41vw1r7 said:
There is no real way to quantify an answer to such a question. I have no idea what kind of condition your pasture is in or if you have a need to warrant buying a tractor.

The best advice I can think of is to not buy anything on credit.

You can buy or build a hay buggy to put out round bales. You can have someone bale your hay for you either on the halves or else pay them. You can also hire out brush hogging for your pasture.

What you do need is a facility to work a cow if she is in trouble. You will need to innoculate and worm the cows a couple of times a year. We got by with a medina gate to work cows most of my childhood and it worked fine. If you are only going to run 10 cows, a medina gate would be the route I would take.

Way too many folks jump in on credit and take on more than they can pencil out in profit. 10 cows will not provide enough income to make it worth your time so I assume you are doing this out of love for the life style or else you intend to get your feet wet. Either way it is none of my business in the first place. - we all started somewhere.

If you can find a good local mentor to show you the ropes, you will be way ahead of the game.


Yes doing it out of the love to wanna live life like that and would like to get my feet wet too. be nice If I have to I could do just 4 Cow/calf operation. If I get the hang of it and like it alot then I may try and figure a way to do it and make a living at doing it also :)

Some time in my late teens I swore to never own a cow - and here I am. I have never bought a new tractor. I am running a 130 horse Massey with front bucket that I bought for $6K. Put $150 in it and 3 full days of hard work and was offered $13K for it.

A good used trailer will not lose its value. Shop around and take your time when you buy any farm equipment. If you can find an estate sale or auction you might do well. There are lots of times the kiddoes have moved off to the city and just want to dump the old man's estate asap. My $6K tractor came out of an estate.
 
I agree with backhoe. You can find a good used tractor for half the cost of a new one. People sale perfectly good tractors all the time. You can get buy without a tractor though. As far as land and number of head, that depends on alot of factors such as type of grass, climate, fertilizer, and being able to be flexible to changes. I would start small and learn what my carrying capacities are slowly. Overgrazing can damage a good pasture rather quickly and it takes time to recover.
 
Would I be better off to start with a lower number then 10 ? Like 2 or more ? Because I dont want to get in over my head. And right now I can get a squeeze chute at the Orcalines Feed for like 500 dollars brand new ? I have seen on the show Last american cowboy, I seen a family useing a Wood style neck chute or what not. But would seem like you may get kicked alot..lol
 
Arkansas":p6n8si7u said:
Would I be better off to start with a lower number then 10 ? Like 2 or more ? Because I dont want to get in over my head. And right now I can get a squeeze chute at the Orcalines Feed for like 500 dollars brand new ? I have seen on the show Last american cowboy, I seen a family useing a Wood style neck chute or what not. But would seem like you may get kicked alot..lol

10 is not all that hard to handle if they are gentle. TXBobcat and RunningArrowBill both have links to "Medina hinge gates" that you should take a look at. We simply refer to them as medina gates. I've got a 20 foot medina attached to my portable squeeze unit. You can either work them in the medina or you can use it to push them into the chute and catch their heads. Most cattle seem to remain calmer in the medina than they do in a chute. If I only had ten head I'd consider a medina only. There's many times that is all I use anyway.

I've watched that Last American Cowboy show and, quite grankly, I'm not impressed with any of them. There's very little innovation going on there. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the camera being there at times it is, Hollywood mentality not wanting to show real happenings to city family's etc.

If you are bent in spending your nickels on something, buy yourself a good welding machine and start burning rods. You'll never regret that. You'll get better and better over time. If you get out of cattle, you can still use it for all kinds of things. If you stay in, You can build or repair equipment. Custom building things to fit your needs is much better than buying an item and using it makeshift to match your facility.

If you get burned out just one time, your opinion of that wood chute (or wood anything) will never be the same.

You need to understand that I am expressing my opinions here in this thread. Other folks will disagree or have had different experiences. No matter how many head I am running, my goal is to make a nickel or two. There is no romanticism here for me. I got my gut full my entire childhood. I don't wear a hat. If you set everything up for just a few head, what do you intend to do some day when you have 175? You're probably going to wish you had made things a bit more versitile and adapatable. It is really hard to weld rails onto that wood chute :D
 
This has been my rule of thumb through the year's it takes 3 calves to cover the expenses on 5 cows.
This does not include the storm that comes along and takes out a half mile of fence, running over a deer antler and ruining a tractor tire and the other one billion things you can have go wrong.
Boogie is dead on about the steel working facalities, I tore the wood down years ago and replaced it with steel.
I have enough scrap pipe around here to build a suspension bridge. You have to be half buzzard the other half crabs ass (so tight it's waterproof) to survive in this business.
Forget the lifestyle enjoyment bullshyt why in the world would you want to subsidize someone's table with your savings acount. You want enjoyment go buy a bass boat.
 
Arkansas":1xpfdp4x said:
18 acres fenced and cross fenced.. There is not alot of land around this area cheap with a house :( :deadhorse:
18 acres isn't going to feed 10 pairs unless you buy a lot of hay, most likely almost all year round.
 
CB im going to differ with your statement about spending money in the cattle business.if you cant have fun an love being in cattle then you need to sell the cows an walk off.i talked to an old man the other day that hunts hogs for fun.in the last year he has killed over 150 hogs.he has 5 stands where he can go sitt an hunt,he puts out a sack of corn everyday.plus he has bought 2 fully loaded kubota RTVS since 2006.an he is going to trade in his current 1 for a new next yr so he said.what he buys cost almost $20,000.
 
bigbull338":26cqtktt said:
CB im going to differ with your statement about spending money in the cattle business.if you cant have fun an love being in cattle then you need to sell the cows an walk off.i talked to an old man the other day that hunts hogs for fun.in the last year he has killed over 150 hogs.he has 5 stands where he can go sitt an hunt,he puts out a sack of corn everyday.plus he has bought 2 fully loaded kubota RTVS since 2006.an he is going to trade in his current 1 for a new next yr so he said.what he buys cost almost $20,000.


:bs: He is not supporting some freeloader somebody had to go to work and build or grow the product he wanted to buy.
That is like saying everybody that has a kubota should send the company money every year so he can buy them cheaper.
That is exactly what you do when you subsidize.
 
I have 4 Pregnant girls and a heifer. Had a Nice Bull on loan from a friend, hes gone now.
I have about 9 acres of pasture, I frost seed clover in march by hand(walking) and same for rye grass in the fall.
I'd like to have 6 girls.

I have a 17 HP diesel kubota (1973) 3 point hitch disc, old bushog, bottom plow, snowplow,, you know old stuff but it works well.
I can spear a big sq or round bale and carry it out in the fields and i can bushog.
you can get one cheap.
11242011heifer008.jpg



I also built a catch pen & chute little at a time,, still need to build a blocking gate and havent found a used headgate yet.
11242011heifer001.jpg


Oh yeah and a freezer full of beef.

So start small build a chute, Halter break your cows so you can work em easy.
It can be alot of fun without a lot of money tied up.
Good luck,,Bill
 
First 10 years I only had a team of big ponies. No tractor or loader or hydraulics or 3pt. Where there is a will, there is a way.
 
CB subs everything is so they can keep their fat lil hands in the pot an control everything.if it would go back to the days when you was a kid of supply an demand.we would be alot better off.heck the gov killed the dairy business in our county.an now we are over run with broiler farms.but sooner or later they will fade away as well.
 
bigbull338":1hgzljnj said:
CB subs everything is so they can keep their fat lil hands in the pot an control everything.if it would go back to the days when you was a kid of supply an demand.we would be alot better off.heck the gov killed the dairy business in our county.an now we are over run with broiler farms.but sooner or later they will fade away as well.

Some of it is also just more of the signs of this time. When you were a kid you did not answer the cell phone in the pasture and no one had ever heard or seen a round bale; no real need for a front loader on a tractor so much. Some of it I miss, some of it I don't. I certainly don't like all the new terms for the same ole same things. Back then the work was much harder to do. No one had post hole augers when I was a kid. No T posts - I could go on and on.

I cleared land without a tractor. There were times when all I had was an axe to cut trees and brush with. Drag brush and trees to the burn piles with a chain and the pick up. Busting limestone with a sledge to get posts in. Clearing land took forever. Now I got the hoe, the caterpillar, the tractors and it almost doesn't seem fair.

Mostly I wish I could take back the mistakes I made. The starting completely over. Hated getting burned out too and seeing all those fence posts embers burning in the ground. Disheartening at its worse state.

You live and learn. You go on. You do the best you can with what you have to work with. You start somewhere - and basically you never quit.
 
I'm no expert by any means, but i think you would be way ahead if you just bought your hay instead of buying the tractor at this point. If you really did need one i would buy a used tractor and go from there. If it were me, i would take any available money (ie tax refund) and try to increase my herd.
 
I'm assuming you don't have much experience with livestock or farming so...If it were me I'd start out with a couple 3-n-1's (bred cow w/calf at side)that way you know the cow has already calved once and she bred back, the calf at her side is likely to be healthy.If you can, buy from someone you know or that is willing to be honest with you about their temperment, the last thing you want is to have you first experience with cows be with a bunch of unruly curs. I'd only buy what you can with cash! That way if things don't work out you don't owe anyone. Find other farmers in your area, they're a great asset. Find a good vet BEFORE you need one. Buy your hay, preferably square bale for that few head. It will teach you alot about how much a cow eats/needs and force you to be out there everday twice a day rain or shine. You won't need a tractor, at least not at first. When you do then buy a used one.

As Boogie mentioned get a welder and find a good junk yard, Nothing needs to pretty just functional. I built my squeeze chute from trailerhouse frame and old metal pipe and I picked up a used head gate for $50, I've made lots of things out of junk!

Be realistic about your abilities (monetary, mental and physical). It's easy to get in over your head quick. I personally prefer not to finance anything for my farm, I only get what I can with cash and make do. It's mine and at the end of the day if I decide I'm done then I can eat every single thing here and not owe anyone a dime. I also believe the easier the job gets the more money it costs.
 
backhoeboogie":28xkzl6p said:
Arkansas":28xkzl6p said:
backhoeboogie":28xkzl6p said:
There is no real way to quantify an answer to such a question. I have no idea what kind of condition your pasture is in or if you have a need to warrant buying a tractor.

The best advice I can think of is to not buy anything on credit.

You can buy or build a hay buggy to put out round bales. You can have someone bale your hay for you either on the halves or else pay them. You can also hire out brush hogging for your pasture.

What you do need is a facility to work a cow if she is in trouble. You will need to innoculate and worm the cows a couple of times a year. We got by with a medina gate to work cows most of my childhood and it worked fine. If you are only going to run 10 cows, a medina gate would be the route I would take.

Way too many folks jump in on credit and take on more than they can pencil out in profit. 10 cows will not provide enough income to make it worth your time so I assume you are doing this out of love for the life style or else you intend to get your feet wet. Either way it is none of my business in the first place. - we all started somewhere.

If you can find a good local mentor to show you the ropes, you will be way ahead of the game.


Yes doing it out of the love to wanna live life like that and would like to get my feet wet too. be nice If I have to I could do just 4 Cow/calf operation. If I get the hang of it and like it alot then I may try and figure a way to do it and make a living at doing it also :)

Some time in my late teens I swore to never own a cow - and here I am. I have never bought a new tractor. I am running a 130 horse Massey with front bucket that I bought for $6K. Put $150 in it and 3 full days of hard work and was offered $13K for it.

A good used trailer will not lose its value. Shop around and take your time when you buy any farm equipment. If you can find an estate sale or auction you might do well. There are lots of times the kiddoes have moved off to the city and just want to dump the old man's estate asap. My $6K tractor came out of an estate.
I am curious. I have a MF 135, no power steering that I have though about putting a front end loader on. Do you have power steering? Get a load on front can you turn the wheels? Your reply will be appreciated. Thanks
 

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