advice

[Jason0814]

I am leasing 60 acres and buying cattle soon(Feb) I plan to start with 6 angus cows and 1 bull (charolai)
How much hay and feed will I need per month ? Land is in SW Oklahoma
Any idea on what a good price is currently for a cow (i have been told 1100.00)
What shots and care do they need other than basics of shots, water, hay?
is 900.00.year for the lease fair for 60 acres of land ?

I am just trying to figure out how much money I need to have in worst case scenario before I begin this.

Thanks

 

[angus9259]

1100 is about right for bred cows where I am.

Shouldn't need feed. Hay / grass - depends on quality - 25-40 lbs per day. They shouldn't need any shots other than "basic" if by "basic" you mean vaccines and worming. If all goes well (and it rarely does) all they need is food and water and mineral. 900 a year wouldn't touch 60 acres here - but I'm in a whole different world than SW OK

 

[hillbillycwo]

I learned the hard way that you MUST have a good place to get them up if you need to. Especially to wean/sell calves, vaccinate or if you have trouble calving.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I am leasing 60 acres and buying cattle soon(Feb) I plan to start with 6 angus cows and 1 bull (charolai)
How much hay and feed will I need per month ? Land is in SW Oklahoma
Any idea on what a good price is currently for a cow (i have been told 1100.00)
What shots and care do they need other than basics of shots, water, hay?
is 900.00.year for the lease fair for 60 acres of land ?

I am just trying to figure out how much money I need to have in worst case scenario before I begin this.

Thanks

Figure a buck twenty five a day to upkeep a cow and you should be in the ballpark and safe. Thats about 460 dollars a year per cow. Figure you will have to get 1.10 a pound on your calves to break even. I am skewing the numbers a little high as you are just starting out and will have unexpected cost.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Caustic, Those are the exact words people need to hear. Sometimes I wonder if that is the words they really want to hear.

If I am doing $20 a head better, or $10 bucks a head worse than you, it makes little difference. The bottom line could be just as variable. We all need to make money on those calves to stay in the black.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I am leasing 60 acres and buying cattle soon(Feb) I plan to start with 6 angus cows and 1 bull (charolai)
How much hay and feed will I need per month ? Land is in SW Oklahoma
Any idea on what a good price is currently for a cow (i have been told 1100.00)
What shots and care do they need other than basics of shots, water, hay?
is 900.00.year for the lease fair for 60 acres of land ?

I am just trying to figure out how much money I need to have in worst case scenario before I begin this.

Thanks

Figure a buck twenty five a day to upkeep a cow and you should be in the ballpark and safe. Thats about 460 dollars a year per cow. Figure you will have to get 1.10 a pound on your calves to break even. I am skewing the numbers a little high as you are just starting out and will have unexpected cost.

I left out that is the amont you need to make on a 500 pound calf.

 

[cross_7]

I am leasing 60 acres and buying cattle soon(Feb) I plan to start with 6 angus cows and 1 bull (charolai)
How much hay and feed will I need per month ? Land is in SW Oklahoma
Any idea on what a good price is currently for a cow (i have been told 1100.00)
What shots and care do they need other than basics of shots, water, hay?
is 900.00.year for the lease fair for 60 acres of land ?

I am just trying to figure out how much money I need to have in worst case scenario before I begin this.

Thanks

just my 2 cents
if your meaning sw oklahoma as in altus, hollis, granite, mangum area
then 60 acres won't support 7 head.
most of that area leases for 10.00 an acre or less but it depends on the place.
lots of good young cows are being sold every week in the local sale barns for .60 pound but you don't know for sure what your buying.
i tell you this drought has got me running backwards.
i hear talk of 2000.00 cows next spring or when the drought breaks but it still doesn't look like it's going to rain anytime soon.
so hay is in HUGE demand and in short supply right now and the price is unbelievably high.
until it starts raining i aint buying any cows
i might buy some 5 weight steers this winter and hold til spring but i'm afraid to buy cows and the drought to continue into next year, then what will cows be worth.
good luck and to be honest, 7 head aint going make or break anybody
so don't worry too much about it.

 

[Jason0814]

I am leasing 60 acres and buying cattle soon(Feb) I plan to start with 6 angus cows and 1 bull (charolai)
How much hay and feed will I need per month ? Land is in SW Oklahoma
Any idea on what a good price is currently for a cow (i have been told 1100.00)
What shots and care do they need other than basics of shots, water, hay?
is 900.00.year for the lease fair for 60 acres of land ?

I am just trying to figure out how much money I need to have in worst case scenario before I begin this.

Thanks

just my 2 cents
if your meaning sw oklahoma as in altus, hollis, granite, mangum area
then 60 acres won't support 7 head.
most of that area leases for 10.00 an acre or less but it depends on the place.
lots of good young cows are being sold every week in the local sale barns for .60 pound but you don't know for sure what your buying.
i tell you this drought has got me running backwards.
i hear talk of 2000.00 cows next spring or when the drought breaks but it still doesn't look like it's going to rain anytime soon.
so hay is in HUGE demand and in short supply right now and the price is unbelievably high.
until it starts raining i aint buying any cows
i might buy some 5 weight steers this winter and hold til spring but i'm afraid to buy cows and the drought to continue into next year, then what will cows be worth.
good luck and to be honest, 7 head aint going make or break anybody
so don't worry too much about it.

Well I am a little more east -just east of Duncan. Exactly the reason I am only buying 7-I realize I am a beginner and it just may not work out. Thanks all for the advice-it sure helps. When you talk about hay being high, what prices are you talking about? I was estimating it at 65/round bale.(saw that in lawton) Is this about right? I am excited to get started but nervous about not having experience but I gotta start somewhere. thanks again

 

[cross_7]

your in a higher rainfall area so 7 head on 60 acres may work.
apache has a good sale, you might talk to the owner and i bet he has a few leads on some good young cows.
65 dollar hay sounds too good to be true, i've seen 125 dollars coastal in altus so you might want to check more into the hay.
be sure you have a good fences and a way to pen the cattle.
do you have a way to haul/move hay and a stock trailer
also it would sure be nice to have a chute.

 

[highgrit]

My advice is don't put a Charolais bull over Angus cows when your just starting out.

 

[Caustic Burno]

My advice is don't put a Charolais bull over Angus cows when your just starting out.

If he does, better have a good set of chains.

 

[cross_7]

http://www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publica ... A-3009.pdf

to be honest when i work the calves i vaccinate the calves,(7-way)
i worm the cows sping and fall but the only other thing i do yearly is vaccinate the cows for is lepto.(some don't do that)

 

[Jason0814]

My advice is don't put a Charolais bull over Angus cows when your just starting out.

why's that. What would you recommend?

 

[Jason0814]

http://www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publications/PDF/FSA-3009.pdf

to be honest when i work the calves i vaccinate the calves,(7-way)
i worm the cows sping and fall but the only other thing i do yearly is vaccinate the cows for is lepto.(some don't do that)

noticed you from w texas. I used to live in Wollforth (Lubbock area)

 

[cross_7]

http://www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publications/PDF/FSA-3009.pdf

to be honest when i work the calves i vaccinate the calves,(7-way)
i worm the cows sping and fall but the only other thing i do yearly is vaccinate the cows for is lepto.(some don't do that)

noticed you from w texas. I used to live in Wollforth (Lubbock area)

i had a place 20 miles south of wollfforth on fm 179 until i sold it this spring.
i bought a place in king co in march of this year and i have it listed for sale.
my next move will be either eastern oklahoma or kansas.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

My advice is don't put a Charolais bull over Angus cows when your just starting out.

why's that. What would you recommend?

He's telling you you're going to have potential calving problems with a Charolais/Angus mix. Hereford might be a better choice or even an Angus bull. Low birth weight in you bull's EPD would be very important.

I suggest you buy some books on cattle raising and spend a lot of time studying before you jump into this venture. That's what I'm doing.

 

[Caustic Burno]

My advice is don't put a Charolais bull over Angus cows when your just starting out.

why's that. What would you recommend?

Pallet headed calves, if I wanted a Char Angus cross I would do it the other way around. Or become very good at pulling calves and burying cows.
Actually you should start of with red cows, first they are cheaper and secondly you have options that you don;t have with a black cow. Run a homo black bull get black calves, red=red Char= high yellow, you can change the whole calf crop color by just changing the bull.

 

[Jason0814]

My advice is don't put a Charolais bull over Angus cows when your just starting out.

why's that. What would you recommend?

Pallet headed calves, if I wanted a Char Angus cross I would do it the other way around. Or become very good at pulling calves and burying cows.
Actually you should start of with red cows, first they are cheaper and secondly you have options that you don;t have with a black cow. Run a homo black bull get black calves, red=red Char= high yellow, you can change the whole calf crop color by just changing the bull.

Makes sense, thanks. One of my friends who has cattle talked me into the charolai and black angus . I was originally thinking hereford cows ans black angus bull .

 

[angus9259]

Hereford cow x Angus bull. Easy, basic, standard, beginner home run. Take the heifer calves (if you want to grow) and cross with simi, limi, gv. Hard to do all that with 7 head though.