cattle and numbers for cow/calf

[BobbyLummus1]

I never know how to answer questions about how many cattle . When talking about cattle and how many . If you have 50 pairs would you say? 100 head or 50 cows . Could be for tax purposes or just casual conversation . I'm asking because I'm trying to calculate how much hay I have/need after reading the hay consumption thread

 

[JSCATTLE]

Causal talk I say the number of head that stay year round .. 50 head .. or 50 head 38 calves etc.. for hay I figure animal units .. cow is one unit bull 1 and a half calf 1/2 unit . One unit is 30 lbs of hay per day for X number of days . Not all of my cows are the same size larger cows eat more smaller eat less but this makes it easy for me to figure how much hay I need.

 

[Jessica06]

We count females, so weaned replacement heifers up to mature cows. If you're figuring hay, what JSCATTLE says pretty much sums it up.

 

[dun]

I say "About (then a number)" not worried about being exact since I'm old and can;t remember the exact number most times. Either that or I just give them a look and ignore the question.

 

[Jabes0623]

Why don't you just go back to the hay consumption thread & ask the posters what they meant. I'm sure they'll be happy to tell you.

 

[wbvs58]

I say how many cows I calve, which was 26 this year though I have joined 33 with the replacement heifers but at the end of summer there will be 7 cows going out the back door plus heifers I don't select for replacement. at the present time the bull calves that don't make the grade to feed on I cut but keep them if the season is good and grow them for another year before cashing them in. It gives me something to unload immediately through the year if things go belly up and usually gives me some reasonable cash to buy feed for the others, sort of like having some trade cattle.
But back to the original question, it is the number of cows I calve unless I want to brag a bit and count every head on the place.
Ken

 

[Black and Good]

When people ask how many, I always just refer to the Mamma cows I have. I normally just say 75 Mamma cows and that may or may not include the replacement heifers I'm keeping. For hay I always figure 5 bales per Mamma cow & Bull. B&G

 

[Workinonit Farm]

For the purpose of figuring out how much hay I'll need, what JSCATTLE posted pretty much sums up my method.

For an answer when someone asks me, my answer will depend on who is doing the asking and why.

For tax purposes, the answer will be what it should be.

 

[Supa Dexta]

Depends who's asking. Locals ask and I just say 'oh I dunno.. a bunch'

Not their business really, but for providing information online there has to be a reference.

 

[hillbilly beef man]

My mentor in the cattle Buisness and grandfather told me to never ask a woman how big her boobs were or a cattleman how many head they had. If it is a small herd they would be embarrassed by how few, if it was large then they would feel like they were bragging. The same reason with a woman. The main thing with both he said was that you had enough to keep you occupied. To answer the OPs hay needs question though I use the AMU formula like JS Cattle posted. I just figure I will need a little more for fall calvers, and a little less for spring.

 

[1982vett]

I generally know the number of cows plus developing heifers I have. That is the number I use. Folks don't need to know in detail if at all in my opinion. Besides, I usually don't know the number of calves I have. I couldn't tell you right now without going to my cattlemax records. Only time I figured how much hay I needed was in 2011 when the barns were echoing. The first of November I counted the hay I had and figured how many it would feed till the first sale in January.

 

[Tim/South]

I was raised to avoid answering the question of how many cattle we owned. My answer is, "I don't know". That is the truth. I do not keep up with the exact number because calves are born and some cattle sold. We keep 90 to 100 momma cows.
Asking someone how many cows they have is akin to asking someone how much money they have.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I was raised to avoid answering the question of how many cattle we owned. My answer is, "I don't know". That is the truth. I do not keep up with the exact number because calves are born and some cattle sold. We keep 90 to 100 momma cows.
Asking someone how many cows they have is akin to asking someone how much money they have.

After selling off practically everything this year, I actually do know. Exactly. 10 mommas a bull and 6 calves. 17 head. This is a first in a long time. I calve year round. Sell year round. Cull when I take a notion or get a case of the red azz at some cow. Total head changed from week to week. But I should still have 50 to 100 bales of hay left at the end of hay season. That hasn't changed. LOL

 

[bigbull338]

we use the total hd method.meaning cows calves and heifers.that way we can know whats on the place,2wks ago we got everything up penned tagged and loaded the bull calves.we missed 12hd of cows and calves because they broke through some bad fence and got into another pasture.

 

[cow pollinater]

I only count cows. That's standard here.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

I only count cows. That's standard here.

K
Here California or here Oklahoma?

 

[M-5]

Cows only

 

[bigbull338]

if yall only count cows then how do you know if you loose a calf.

 

[Katpau]

I say about how many pairs I have. The calves are all gone by fall, so then I might say cows, but out of habit I often say pairs even then. Depending on who asked and why, I might elaborate to include replacement heifers. If I am talking to another cattleman they know when I say pairs, that I also have about 20% more replacement heifers and a bull for every 20 to 30 cows. If I am talking to a someone who I think needs to know and who might be unfamiliar with what I mean, I might go into more detail. I have discovered you may need to ask very detailed questions when talking to a more novice cattleman.

We leased out 100 acres to a family who had just purchased a neighboring parcel. I asked them how they planned to use it and they said it would be mother cows. I asked how many and they said 60. I wrote out a detailed contract limiting the number of animal units because I was worried about them putting all 60 pairs in for an extended time. It turned out they only had about 20 cows with calves and some pretty small yearlings.

 

[M-5]

if yall only count cows then how do you know if you loose a calf.

Oh I know how many calves I have. The OP was asking about conversations. Most people that ask questions like "how many cows you have?" probably means everything. I just answer with the cows. If they ask how many cattle or animals I would respond differently. as far as stocking rates I figure on the Pair but simplify it to just cows. I can stock 40 cows 40 calves and 2 bulls. For reference I only say I can stock 40 cows . They have had or going to have a calf buy their side for a good portion of the yr. If the don't they move own cause I aint running a museum or refuge.