Greenhorn Update - long

[bullred]

Well, I thought I'd take a minute to give an update on how my reentry into the cattle business is going. We closed on the land about two weeks ago, and I immediately bought that new Mahindra tractor that I've had my eye on. My wife claims that the only reason I bought the land was to have an excuse to buy a tractor to play with. She's probably not far off on that one. I'll be picking the tractor, loader, brush-hog, box blade, bale spear, and pallet forks up tomorrow.

I've gotten several quotes back on building a 40x60 barn. The all metal barn with the slab is about $30k. I've gotten a quote for a pole barn without a slab for about $15K. I think this is the way I'll go, and then have the slab poured after they finish the barn. I tried to convince the wife that I could buy the materials only, and build the barn myself, but she is strongly discouraging me from doing that. And my brother-in-law/cattle partner didn't seem to be too confident in our barn construction abilities either.

I've finished the layout for a simple working pen configuration that I'm going to build, so now I'm trying to find some good prices on either rough-cut oak boards, or pressure treated pine. I got my design idea from the LSU Ag Center website. They have a lot of different pen designs if anyone is looking.

And I've also joined the TSCRA, and registered my DBA name for tax purposes. So now I've spent about $200k and haven't even bought the first cow!! And given the price of bred tiger-stripe heifers, pairs, or 3 in 1's I'm not sure I'm going to be able to afford any. Well anyway, the ones I do get will sure have a nice place to walk around on.

The upside is that I'm moving toward my dream of my five year old son, knowing the kind of life I had when I was a kid. The kind where you grow up knowing how to do things like fix fence, tend animals, and operate and maintain equipment. The kind of life where a man is judged by the amount of honest sweat he's produced rather than the amount of dividends he's earned on his stock portfolio. My dad told me a long time ago when I first moved to the subdivision I live in now, "son it's hard to raise good kids on asphalt." That was probably some pretty wise counsel.

Sorry for the long post, but I just want to end by saying thanks to all of you for the very friendly advice you've given, and patience you've shown to a greenhorn like me. I know I'll have tons of more questions, but hopefully one day I'll even have a few answers of my own.

CJ

 

[TXBobcat]

Congratulations! Sounds like you have got a good start. I've seen a lot of people buy cattle and throw them out on a place with no infastructure, and barely a fence to hold them. You seem to be doing it the right way - getting your pens, barns, fences, etc in good working order before you turn out any livestock. It will make things easier when you have to doctor, load up, etc that first cow or calf.

My only advice would be to build everything the way you want it the first time because you'll end up spending more money redoing it down the road if you don't. However, don't over extend you budget while trying to get it done.

 

[jerry27150]

sounds like you are getting where you want to be. i'd quote a few more pole bans, might find a bdtter deal

 

[bullred]

Jerry,


You think that $15K is high for a pole barn? To tell you the truth it was higher than I expected. But I got one quote from an outfit that was $21K for the same barn. I think the 14' walls and the 15' overhang on one side is what's driving the price up. The builder in the lead right now is A-C Builders out of Oklahoma. They built one for a friend of mine and he was really impressed with it. I'm still waiting on one more quote back from Southerlands, in Beaumont, TX.

CJ

 

[Farminlund]

With the help of this forum I think that you can avoid many of the do overs that at least I went thru as part of my cattle farming learning experience. Everything from fence construction (posts, wire, anchoring) to working chutes & certainly health issues. I learned much in the school of hard knocks & recently much here.

 

[eric]

Jerry,


You think that $15K is high for a pole barn? To tell you the truth it was higher than I expected. But I got one quote from an outfit that was $21K for the same barn. I think the 14' walls and the 15' overhang on one side is what's driving the price up. The builder in the lead right now is A-C Builders out of Oklahoma. They built one for a friend of mine and he was really impressed with it. I'm still waiting on one more quote back from Southerlands, in Beaumont, TX.

CJ

Yes, while the overhang isnt making it any less expensive, it's the high ceilings that are killing you, pricewise. For a 14' wall, you gotta have 14' sheets all the way around the building, and that get pretty pricy, at least that's what I've found.

 

[Triple D]

You may want to reconsider using wood for your working pens. It's getting really pricey. Course steel is too. Compare the cost of wood to panels. One other thing, once you set them post in the ground, bolt and nail everything up, it's there. If you go with panels and you don't like the way it's working out, they're a lot easier to move around. Just a thought.

 

[flaboy]

Well the Mahindra tractor will sure teach your son how to work on machinery. :lol: :lol: :lol: Boy I just kill myself sometimes.

Congrats and good luck.

 

[bigbull338]

congrates on getting your farm bought the only advice im going to give you is this get your pens an barns built the way you want them so you dont have to keep working on them as for the corral id build it ot of pipe b/c it will outlast a wood corrral scott

 

[Arnold Ziffle]

Congrats bullred, I'd bet that you and your son will really enjoy the lifestyle. You've used terms like "greenhorn" and "reentry into the cattle business", so you may or may not know all about this but:

I sure agree with others that you should try to get the pens & working facilities "the way you want them" and do it right the first time so you don't need any do-overs. But please consider that what may seem very logical and appropriate to a "greenhorn" regarding the layout and flow of the catch trap, pens, chute, etc. may not in fact be a good design. Not to stick my nose in your business, but if you really are "green" it might be a good idea (before building) to tour some of your neighbor's facilities for ideas, talk to a good county agent, etc. Sometimes cattle handling facilities have too many right angles, not enough gates, no circular flow, no crowding gate, chute too wide, pens not sturdy or high enough, too much space between pen boards, too much space between ground and the first pen board, etc. --- and that can make working cattle a good bit harder than it needs to be.

 

[Crowderfarms]

Jerry,


You think that $15K is high for a pole barn? To tell you the truth it was higher than I expected. But I got one quote from an outfit that was $21K for the same barn. I think the 14' walls and the 15' overhang on one side is what's driving the price up. The builder in the lead right now is A-C Builders out of Oklahoma. They built one for a friend of mine and he was really impressed with it. I'm still waiting on one more quote back from Southerlands, in Beaumont, TX.

CJ

We Just built a 36x60 barn, and it has a 15 x60 shed. It has 12 ' walls, and cost us exactly 7,500.00 in materials.That included every nail, screw,complete package.We built a 12' sliding door on each end and an entry door. Check around you might get a better price than you thought.

 

[Thurliss]

Don't let them raz you on the Mahindra tractor. I don't know anything about them but - We always had John Deere tractors only on the farm, so imagine my surprise when I found out the new John Deere tractor I was looking at is made in India. Now am not so sure it is worth what they are priced. I had already bought a new lawn tractor from them this spring without asking where it came from because that was what we had always used, now am afraid to look and see where it was made. It will make me sick to find out it is from the same place as the ones at Wal-mart that cost a lot less.

 

[Thurliss]

I forgot to add about the building - less cost up front is not alway a good investment. Also should you ever want to sell your place the barns can make the sale. one of the reasons I am buying the place I am is because it has a Morton building, and we always had good luck with Morton. The realtor was surprised that I went right to the Morton before I even went to look at the house.

 

[msscamp]

Congratulations, Bullred. Gotta love it when a plan comes together!

 

[Bama]

Only thing I can to this is when your designing your working facilites and corrals draw them out and look at it from the cows point of view to your benefit. Follow the flow of cattle through. Make sure that it works for what your intending to do. I have saw a lot of them designed that are to wide, cows turn around. Some have no crowding gates, cows balk. Its best to design it around your working needs and also look at where you want the cattle to go after you work them. A few well placed gate can be the differance between a dream and a nightmare.

 

[donnaIL]

Are you rich? I'm glad to hear your doing it when your son is young, this way he will be there to help you with the work!

I wish you the best of luck, but if you want a sympathetic ear...well we all been there but maybe not as fast, thats if you can do everything that fast.

I'm just bursting your bubble a little early, cz there will have to be a slow down period... usless you are rich and have $ to spend.

doing it now in the 3rd year. donna

 

[Medic24]

Congrats on your new set up, and yes, I agree, although you likely will never get rich in the pocket, you will be so much richer by far in the heart!

As far as tractors are concerned, I am hearing Mahindra makes a decent tractor, I recently went looking for another small tractor, and was looking at the building plates of several...small John Deeres made by Yanmar now it seems......Kioti looks just like older model Kubotas...( could it be?) so we fell into a deal one day, and found a slightly used Massey 35 hp complete with loader, backhoe, and all sorts of extras with only 400 hours on it for less then 8,000 bucks.... I could not get my check book out fast enuff.


Good luck in your new venture! :cboy: