Getting back to Cattle

[clarkmorefarm]

Hi all,

My name is Jordan. My wife and I recently purchased a home with 20 acres and around 16 of that in pasture. It was a one family farm from when the house was built in 1967 until we bought it in 2023. Property had old cross fences that were run down, and I've already torn them out and have worked with our county's coil conservation on a project for new cross fences and cattle waterers.

I have one paddock fenced and all 3 waterers installed and working, and I just hauled in two bred cows and 3 heifers over the weekend. I'll continue to work on the cross fences and open up more pasture to them. My wife and I decided to not have black cattle to start so I chose to go with some South Poll influenced cattle. The heifers are 50%SP/Red Angus, and both the bred cows are bred to a registered SP bull. Our long-term goal is to sell beef to family and friends, and we decided we wanted the smaller stature of the SP. I like the influences in the bred too. That doesn't mean I won't grain finish any steers just because they are SP's, I'll have to make that decision when we get there.

Anyhow, grew up working cattle for my grandad when he owned a stockyard in Western KY. Spent many summers helping him and really enjoyed it, so I guess it makes sense why we have jumped into this hobby farm.

I have hay equipment and my neighbor's pasture available for hay. All my pasture was hay including this spring, so I have feed available. Been a very dry/drought summer here in East TN. I'll probably get one last cutting of the neighbor in the next few weeks.

Here for any tips or tricks you all have for starting up again.

 

[Travlr]

Hi all,
Here for any tips or tricks you all have for starting up again.

Spend your money wisely... Learn to use your animals to pay for themselves.

And welcome Tennessee...

 

[coachg]

Welcome from NE Alabama! Have driven through maryville many times headed to the Smokies . Sounds like you have it under control. Are you going to AI or buy a bull in the future ?

 

[Stickney94]

Know your market. If your market is selling beef directly to customers your considerations are different than someone buying and selling feeder cattle. If you are raising cattle from birth to finish you need to consider separate facilities/pens for cow/calf, weaned calves, and finishing cattle (and if you have a bull other pen space to segregate him from females). For 2-3 months a year I have the need for 4 segregated penning areas. My market is birth to finish as well and space considerations are a frequent topic. I have a lot of movable fencing -- electric reels/posts for the summer and light corral panels and heavy freestanding panels year round. I live where there is a hard winter most years so winter feeding, winter shelter/bedding, and a lot of manure management are also items that you must ponder if you are birth to finish. Good luck!

 

[clarkmorefarm]

Welcome from NE Alabama! Have driven through maryville many times headed to the Smokies . Sounds like you have it under control. Are you going to AI or buy a bull in the future ?

I'm not setup for AI currently, I would like to lease a bull and know of other South Poll Herds in the area. I have a little time. Heifers will be 1 year old next month and I have the two bred cows to throw me some calves in the meantime. I would consider buying one, but would think I would need more cows to justify that.

 

[Little Joe]

Welcome aboard. My operation is exactly what you are trying to do, calf to finish. One big piece of advice I'd give from experience is to use temporary fencing or high tensile for cross fences instead of something permanent. Easy to move, relocate and adjust your needs. I put barb wire cross fences initially on my home farm and wish now I hadn't, on my new farm I'm using a combo of high tensile and poly, high tensile inm more permanent areas such as water lanes and poly to section off the pasture. That way if bush hogging or liming or whatever else comes up I can take fence down and put back up with ease.

 

[coachg]

You are dead on ! If you can lease a bull that maybe your best option. I've never had great luck with AI . Low percentages. A bull is a major purchase and with a small herd it's hard to justify owning one if you can lease .

 

[clarkmorefarm]

Know your market. If your market is selling beef directly to customers your considerations are different than someone buying and selling feeder cattle. If you are raising cattle from birth to finish you need to consider separate facilities/pens for cow/calf, weaned calves, and finishing cattle (and if you have a bull other pen space to segregate him from females). For 2-3 months a year I have the need for 4 segregated penning areas. My market is birth to finish as well and space considerations are a frequent topic. I have a lot of movable fencing -- electric reels/posts for the summer and light corral panels and heavy freestanding panels year round. I live where there is a hard winter most years so winter feeding, winter shelter/bedding, and a lot of manure management are also items that you must ponder if you are birth to finish. Good luck!

There is a decent market in my area for directly to consumers. There is also a new Butcher that opened up 15 mins down the road that is an USDA certified, so I could get stamped meat to sell individually, or I can sell by live weight, and they can pay that butcher or other butchers in the area. I do need to think ahead and try to establish some appointments even I buy another steer to just finish for myself. We will be our first customers to see how the quality turns out and what we are looking for in a butchered steer.

I will have 5 paddocks that I can subdivide with a hot wire when I am done. The neighbor's property that I am using for hay is 10 acres. There could be a possibility one day to graze and utilize it, but it needs a lot of fence work, and I don't want to put any money into something I don't own personally.

 

[clarkmorefarm]

Welcome aboard. My operation is exactly what you are trying to do, calf to finish. One big piece of advice I'd give from experience is to use temporary fencing or high tensile for cross fences instead of something permanent. Easy to move, relocate and adjust your needs. I put barb wire cross fences initially on my home farm and wish now I hadn't, on my new farm I'm using a combo of high tensile and poly, high tensile inm more permanent areas such as water lanes and poly to section off the pasture. That way if bush hogging or liming or whatever else comes up I can take fence down and put back up with ease.

The paddock layout will have barbed wire for it's fences. The fences rows were basically existing and laid out well, so I don't foresee a lot of problems. I will subdivide further with a hot wire.