Cattle goals for the new yr and future

[Bfields30]

Just interested and knowing how everyone started off in the cattle business rather it's a hobby or if it's your only job or if you do that plus a normal job. How many does everyone run as well as how long it took you to get to that point as well as how many acres you run on. And what's anyone's goals for this upcoming yr I'm 24 will turn 25 the middle of this month . I got my first few cows this past yr in March 4 bred mommas due to calf first few months of this 3 Yearling heifers on 50 acres use about 20 of it as of now has a hay meadow that hasn't been used in yrs which I'm going to plant ryegrass on this next yr. I'll get me a bull in March either angus or Brangus bull. I feel like I'm doing good at the moment just starting off I'm learning a lot by the end 2019 I want to have 15 momma cows at the least. Looking forward from hearing from everyone.

 

[kenny thomas]

I will give you a few ideas of how I started. In 1978 I bought 3 cows and put them with my father in laws herd. Finally got some free pasture. As I got a few dollars ahead I would buy another cow. Added leased land and cattle and added to the hours I worked. 100 hours a week was common. Several years later i had 200 cows, the tractors, hay equipment, and all the associated needs. Still worked 100 hours on my job or on the farm. Never went on vacation, never done anything if it didnt involve cattle. In 2001 and 2002 bought a Dodge 3500 and Wilson trailer. Paid for it in a little over a year hauling cattle for people. In 2014 my health failed and 4 surgeries and a heart attack later I'm down to 35 cows. I'm 61 and every part of me is wore out. Still working about 60 hours a week. 35 years on the job.
My point is that you should do what you feel like doing and can financially handle but you don't always think you must be the biggest. Enjoy it along the way. I wish you well,

 

[Dave]

My Dad bought me a day old Holstein bull calf when I was in 2nd grade (1959?). I raised it. I have a feeling Dad paid the bills, I don't remember. Sold it in the form of locker beef. By the time I graduated from high school I had raised and sold enough locker beef to pay for 2 years of college (after that first one I paid my own bills). For nearly 50 years I have bought and sold cows. Raised stockers at times, cow calf pairs at times, and bred heifers when that market was good. I watched the market and kept a sharp pencil. Worked on rented or leased land for the most part. 60 pairs is the most I ever had during the grazing season. I always had a full time job..... well almost always. But I lived off the job not the cattle. When cattle were good I invested the profits in things that made life easier or in more cattle. When cattle market was off I pulled my horns in and didn't spend. In 2016 I retired. This last year I bought a nice little ranch and I own everything needed to run all the cows this place will handle.

 

[farmerjan]

One suggestion, without going into all our past, right at this minute. Bred cows and heifers are at a very low bottom right now. If you are wanting more, do some serious looking. There are people selling out, many older that are tired of fighting it or their health is forcing it. Saw 1000 lb bred, due in the spring, angus heifers, commercial, not registerd, bring from 700 to 850 a week before Christmas. They were nice and were cheap. See average cows go through the stockyards for 4-500. So if you want to expand, do it soon and do it with bred cows . The decent ones won't get much cheaper, and confirmed preg is better than open heifers right now.

 

[kenny thomas]

The cattle highs and lows are not as predictable as they once were, but if you buy young cows while they are cheap the most productive time in their life is during the higher market. By the time they are old the market should be cheap again and you can start over again.

 

[Bfields30]

One suggestion, without going into all our past, right at this minute. Bred cows and heifers are at a very low bottom right now. If you are wanting more, do some serious looking. There are people selling out, many older that are tired of fighting it or their health is forcing it. Saw 1000 lb bred, due in the spring, angus heifers, commercial, not registerd, bring from 700 to 850 a week before Christmas. They were nice and were cheap. See average cows go through the stockyards for 4-500. So if you want to expand, do it soon and do it with bred cows . The decent ones won't get much cheaper, and confirmed preg is better than open heifers right now.

yeah that's what I been looking into I know this time right now would be the best time for me to buy personally I have plenty land as well as plenty hay and bred cows are low low

 

[CattleMan1920]

Use AI or ET if possible, or if you cannot do that, buy the best Angus bull you can afford on your budget, from a reputable breeder who backs up their product. Keep your daughters, rinse and repeat, and improve. Then in a short amount of time you will realize just how small your farm has become. Someone in a prior post said to enjoy the journey, I agree completely, lots of people have worked their butts off only to drop dead once they get their operation up on plane. Don't cut corners, it will be more expensive in the long run, and always ask yourself, "is this the best I'm capable of producing?" That's my advice for what it's worth. Good luck to ya!

 

[snoopdog]

Don't get shiny paint syndrome. Learn to do more with less until you can do better. Take care of your hands and eyes.

 

[Bfields30]

Use AI or ET if possible, or if you cannot do that, buy the best Angus bull you can afford on your budget, from a reputable breeder who backs up their product. Keep your daughters, rinse and repeat, and improve. Then in a short amount of time you will realize just how small your farm has become. Someone in a prior post said to enjoy the journey, I agree completely, lots of people have worked their butts off only to drop dead once they get their operation up on plane. Don't cut corners, it will be more expensive in the long run, and always ask yourself, "is this the best I'm capable of producing?" That's my advice for what it's worth. Good luck to ya!

I'm going to ai my two baldie heifers and my tigerstripe heifer where good bull to use on them.

 

[CattleMan1920]

Use AI or ET if possible, or if you cannot do that, buy the best Angus bull you can afford on your budget, from a reputable breeder who backs up their product. Keep your daughters, rinse and repeat, and improve. Then in a short amount of time you will realize just how small your farm has become. Someone in a prior post said to enjoy the journey, I agree completely, lots of people have worked their butts off only to drop dead once they get their operation up on plane. Don't cut corners, it will be more expensive in the long run, and always ask yourself, "is this the best I'm capable of producing?" That's my advice for what it's worth. Good luck to ya!

I'm going to ai my two baldie heifers and my tigerstripe heifer where good bull to use on them.

Hoover Dam

 

[uplandnut]

I work a full time job in the summer and have 17 head, down from 24. I will agree with the sentiment of have fun with it, and with the fairly tight margins it's a labor of love. Only thing I would add to what you've already heard is, don't let a hobby your passionate about turn into a job you hate.

 

[farmerjan]

Don't get shiny paint syndrome. Learn to do more with less until you can do better. Take care of your hands and eyes.

And your hearing!!!!! Use protection. You want to be able to hear what your grandchildren are saying to you, and if you don't protect your hearing, by 60 you won't be able to hear half of what is being said.

 

[CCCowman]

Back when I was young (10 or so) me, my dad and grandmother raised bottle calfs. Back then you could buy them for $15-$30! Couple of times we had 25-30 to bottle feed. Lot of work!! We finally graduated to cow/calf then switched over to feeders. only had 20 acres at Dad's place so we never were "big-time" so to speak.

Work took me away from home for a few years but I finally made it back. Granny had passed and dad only had 8 mommas and a bull. Just enough to keep him active during retirement. My time away got my interest in other things but when dad passed I had to take care of what he had and it got my juices flowing again. Right now I have 70 acres with 14 mommas and a bull. I could run more but I'm still working full time. I'm 50 and looking to retire in 3 - 5 years. I'll stock up then. For some reason I'd like to have a field full of registered Herefords (yes, Bruce I'm still gonna call you)!!!!!!

I'm a hobby farmer but I do enjoy it so much!! I sit on my bucket and talk to my cows every time I feed. As has been noted.... just do what you can and enjoy it. If you still have grandparents and parents..... treasure every moment you spend with them. Lord knows what I would give to be able to spend another day in that tiny barn with 25 bottle calfs along with granny and dad. Best time of my life.... I just didn't know it.

 

[True Grit Farms]

Don't get shiny paint syndrome. Learn to do more with less until you can do better. Take care of your hands and eyes.

And your hearing!!!!! Use protection. You want to be able to hear what your grandchildren are saying to you, and if you don't protect your hearing, by 60 you won't be able to hear half of what is being said.

Sometimes that's a good thing, my wife says I have selective hearing.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I plan to rebalance in 2019 based on the current gross margins per acre:
- cut the cow herd 15+% and stockpile more forage
- continue to graze yearlings, but target Aug feedlot market rather than Nov bred heifer market
- build more cross fencing to increase grazing density
- look into two rather than one year of cover crops in the rotation
- increase turns by selling steer calves sooner and buying back mismanaged calves
- look into buying a no till drill with gauge wheels
- buy the wife another nurse cow :cowboy:
- try to hire the neighbor kid
-

 

[5S Cattle]

I need more country.

 

[Bfields30]

I need more country.

How many acres you have now ?

 

[gcreekrch]

I will give you a few ideas of how I started. In 1978 I bought 3 cows and put them with my father in laws herd. Finally got some free pasture. As I got a few dollars ahead I would buy another cow. Added leased land and cattle and added to the hours I worked. 100 hours a week was common. Several years later i had 200 cows, the tractors, hay equipment, and all the associated needs. Still worked 100 hours on my job or on the farm. Never went on vacation, never done anything if it didnt involve cattle. In 2001 and 2002 bought a Dodge 3500 and Wilson trailer. Paid for it in a little over a year hauling cattle for people. In 2014 my health failed and 4 surgeries and a heart attack later I'm down to 35 cows. I'm 61 and every part of me is wore out. Still working about 60 hours a week. 35 years on the job.
My point is that you should do what you feel like doing and can financially handle but you don't always think you must be the biggest. Enjoy it along the way. I wish you well,

Almost the same story here Kenny, except I never got the bug to be a cow hauler ( my kid bought a good used liner this past fall and paid for it in three months) and I haven't had a heart attack yet, am deaf, need glasses, back and hands in tough shape as are my wife's.
We leased and traded cows for 12 years, bought her family ranch in 1991, built up cows and machinery when we could. Very little of it new. Near new is a much better buy. Added two neighboring ranches in the last 10 years.
Wintering 900 head here this year on our own hay and still haven't found the grass limits of this place. Will be 58 next May.

Thanking the Lord for the opportunities he has given us and the young folks we have employed the last few years when things got to be more than we could stay ahead of.

 

[5S Cattle]

I need more country.

How many acres you have now ?

Little over 200

 

[Caustic Burno]

I will give you a few ideas of how I started. In 1978 I bought 3 cows and put them with my father in laws herd. Finally got some free pasture. As I got a few dollars ahead I would buy another cow. Added leased land and cattle and added to the hours I worked. 100 hours a week was common. Several years later i had 200 cows, the tractors, hay equipment, and all the associated needs. Still worked 100 hours on my job or on the farm. Never went on vacation, never done anything if it didnt involve cattle. In 2001 and 2002 bought a Dodge 3500 and Wilson trailer. Paid for it in a little over a year hauling cattle for people. In 2014 my health failed and 4 surgeries and a heart attack later I'm down to 35 cows. I'm 61 and every part of me is wore out. Still working about 60 hours a week. 35 years on the job.
My point is that you should do what you feel like doing and can financially handle but you don't always think you must be the biggest. Enjoy it along the way. I wish you well,

It's a disease bought my first in 1970. The state of Texas chose for me to sellout in 1973 with a B branded on their jaw. Got a nickel to a dime a lb for cows I paid 300 to 325 for.
Apparently I needed extensive Psychiatric help cause I bought back in.
I am an addict to crossbred Brimmer cows. Never ran more than 37 it was all I could handle working.