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How did you get Started Raising Cattle?
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<blockquote data-quote="backhoeboogie" data-source="post: 188035" data-attributes="member: 3162"><p>I was my father's first natural son. He adopted two and raised some more. He used to throw me in the saddle with him and go work cattle. I do remember holding the reins when he'd get down. </p><p></p><p>Grandaddy ran cattle. I went to his place most summers when I was old enough to help. He was in on the big Brahman import in the 60's. He picked up about 40 head of that bunch that came out of Argentina, if anyone remembers that. Mostly he ran Gertrudis and crossed them out with Brahman. Talked to a guy about two weeks ago in Hallsville that claims he still have a strain of those Brahmans and he has sent them all over. I am supposed to stop by his place next time I am in the Longview/Marhsall area. Grandaddy died in '83. </p><p></p><p>We moved all over the U.S. and even abroad. I was away from cattle for several years. In '76 Dad bought a little place and started raising cattle. Guess he was a "Hobbyist" because he had a full time job. We'd milk Jerseys every other evening and run calves on them the other three cycles. He had angus and herefords along with the Jerseys. He was up to over 100 head (part time) when the drought hit in the mid 80's. Dad had taken in an orphan (the boys mom died of cancer and asked Daddy to take him before she went) and the boy got in to a bit of trouble requiring a great deal of expense. Dad wound up losing just about everything because of the drought and expense he put into that boy. Everyone was selling out tractors and equipment. Lots of folks had gone bust. I bought one of Dad's tractors and lots of his implements thinking he'd buy it all back when he got on his feet. Dad never went back to farming. </p><p></p><p>My wife inherited some land. I inherited a little too. The land had an ag exemption and if I didn't keep it, the taxes would cost too much. I bought cattle. I thought I would never have cattle but I guess it is just in my blood. </p><p></p><p>I had gotten older, married, and had a family before grandaddy died. I would go over and brush hog his place, patch up his fences, but never went to the sale with him and such. I pretty much got out of touch with the mainstay folks at sale barns and so forth. When he died, the place was broken up between his kids. I got a part of that place now too. </p><p></p><p>I had a full time job, a family, and I managed to help Dad out quite a bit with his cattle. Then Dad died too. I had a few head mixed in with his but never anything significant. </p><p></p><p>When I was in HS I was in vo-ag and got quite a study in animal husbandry and learned a few techniques that I had never seen. Some were better and some were slower than the way Daddy did things. </p><p></p><p>I always hated dehorning cattle. I didn't much like branding either but it wasn't as bad. I am still not familiar with the new way they dehorn cattle these days. I only own one cow that has horns and she is not a problem. </p><p></p><p>I am a full time engineer, instrumentation and controls as well as mechanical certifications. I also quarry stone, have caterpillar, backhoe, loader, dump trailers etc. That business made me a lot of money but it suffers quite a bit from my cattle "hobby" hours. However, it does make life simple for clearing brush, digging misquites, etc. I can get all of that done for fuel cost and no more. It probably gives me a bit of an edge in clearing pastures and such. </p><p></p><p>I am very attached to the cows I have. I try to break even while building the herd. I am not so much trying to make money as I am building the herd. Maintaining ag exemptions on the farm is another plus. </p><p></p><p>In the workplace, there are folks wanting to buy half a beef from time to time. I am considering finishing out my own steers and selling them on splits to my peers versus hauling them to the sale barn. I feel it will be a better deal for all of us. They will get good steak, burger, roast etc for a good price. I will get more nickels than I do from taking them to the auction. This looks to be a very promising avenue for me and it is starting to take off. </p><p></p><p>I enjoy eating my own farm raised beef. It does not bother me one iota to eat a steer that I have raised from a calf. I guess it is just part of growing up with it. </p><p></p><p>My cattle experience comes from back in the late 60's, 70's and 80's. I am out of touch with modern terminology and techniques, but I have larned quite a bit from this forum. I have spent hours reading page after page of forum. There are many "modern" things I disagree with and many others I condone. If you have ever had to manually dehorn over 50 head on a given day, you likely understand my drift. When I see good buys on cows with horns, I pass up on them. Probably a mistake. </p><p></p><p>I despise "horsetraders" in the cattle business. Some of the old timers I run in to at the salesbarns think I have been in cattle all along. I have not. I thoroughly enjoy sitting with them and catching up on old times, but I just don't have the time to do it. They give me a heads-up on who is who. Some of the yonger folks think I must be a guru since Daddy and Grandaddy's old friends act like I am an old lost friend. </p><p></p><p>My children are raised but I am about to have grandchildren. I am expecting a grandson in July and never had a son. Anyway, my children have not taken much of my time lately, but I will need to devote time to my grandchildren. I am thinking that running them thru the farm, letting them drive the truck or tractor the way I did at a young age will be a positive and rewarding experience for them. I know I treasure most of the memories with my grandaddies. </p><p></p><p>My girls were Tomboys and can drive tractors, dozers, backhoes, shoot straight and do just about anything. One is an engineer herself and married to an engineer. (she doesn't need me anymore) </p><p></p><p>Life has been very good to me so far. Least I think so. That is my story. Sorry for taking so many words to express myself.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="backhoeboogie, post: 188035, member: 3162"] I was my father's first natural son. He adopted two and raised some more. He used to throw me in the saddle with him and go work cattle. I do remember holding the reins when he'd get down. Grandaddy ran cattle. I went to his place most summers when I was old enough to help. He was in on the big Brahman import in the 60's. He picked up about 40 head of that bunch that came out of Argentina, if anyone remembers that. Mostly he ran Gertrudis and crossed them out with Brahman. Talked to a guy about two weeks ago in Hallsville that claims he still have a strain of those Brahmans and he has sent them all over. I am supposed to stop by his place next time I am in the Longview/Marhsall area. Grandaddy died in '83. We moved all over the U.S. and even abroad. I was away from cattle for several years. In '76 Dad bought a little place and started raising cattle. Guess he was a "Hobbyist" because he had a full time job. We'd milk Jerseys every other evening and run calves on them the other three cycles. He had angus and herefords along with the Jerseys. He was up to over 100 head (part time) when the drought hit in the mid 80's. Dad had taken in an orphan (the boys mom died of cancer and asked Daddy to take him before she went) and the boy got in to a bit of trouble requiring a great deal of expense. Dad wound up losing just about everything because of the drought and expense he put into that boy. Everyone was selling out tractors and equipment. Lots of folks had gone bust. I bought one of Dad's tractors and lots of his implements thinking he'd buy it all back when he got on his feet. Dad never went back to farming. My wife inherited some land. I inherited a little too. The land had an ag exemption and if I didn't keep it, the taxes would cost too much. I bought cattle. I thought I would never have cattle but I guess it is just in my blood. I had gotten older, married, and had a family before grandaddy died. I would go over and brush hog his place, patch up his fences, but never went to the sale with him and such. I pretty much got out of touch with the mainstay folks at sale barns and so forth. When he died, the place was broken up between his kids. I got a part of that place now too. I had a full time job, a family, and I managed to help Dad out quite a bit with his cattle. Then Dad died too. I had a few head mixed in with his but never anything significant. When I was in HS I was in vo-ag and got quite a study in animal husbandry and learned a few techniques that I had never seen. Some were better and some were slower than the way Daddy did things. I always hated dehorning cattle. I didn't much like branding either but it wasn't as bad. I am still not familiar with the new way they dehorn cattle these days. I only own one cow that has horns and she is not a problem. I am a full time engineer, instrumentation and controls as well as mechanical certifications. I also quarry stone, have caterpillar, backhoe, loader, dump trailers etc. That business made me a lot of money but it suffers quite a bit from my cattle "hobby" hours. However, it does make life simple for clearing brush, digging misquites, etc. I can get all of that done for fuel cost and no more. It probably gives me a bit of an edge in clearing pastures and such. I am very attached to the cows I have. I try to break even while building the herd. I am not so much trying to make money as I am building the herd. Maintaining ag exemptions on the farm is another plus. In the workplace, there are folks wanting to buy half a beef from time to time. I am considering finishing out my own steers and selling them on splits to my peers versus hauling them to the sale barn. I feel it will be a better deal for all of us. They will get good steak, burger, roast etc for a good price. I will get more nickels than I do from taking them to the auction. This looks to be a very promising avenue for me and it is starting to take off. I enjoy eating my own farm raised beef. It does not bother me one iota to eat a steer that I have raised from a calf. I guess it is just part of growing up with it. My cattle experience comes from back in the late 60's, 70's and 80's. I am out of touch with modern terminology and techniques, but I have larned quite a bit from this forum. I have spent hours reading page after page of forum. There are many "modern" things I disagree with and many others I condone. If you have ever had to manually dehorn over 50 head on a given day, you likely understand my drift. When I see good buys on cows with horns, I pass up on them. Probably a mistake. I despise "horsetraders" in the cattle business. Some of the old timers I run in to at the salesbarns think I have been in cattle all along. I have not. I thoroughly enjoy sitting with them and catching up on old times, but I just don't have the time to do it. They give me a heads-up on who is who. Some of the yonger folks think I must be a guru since Daddy and Grandaddy's old friends act like I am an old lost friend. My children are raised but I am about to have grandchildren. I am expecting a grandson in July and never had a son. Anyway, my children have not taken much of my time lately, but I will need to devote time to my grandchildren. I am thinking that running them thru the farm, letting them drive the truck or tractor the way I did at a young age will be a positive and rewarding experience for them. I know I treasure most of the memories with my grandaddies. My girls were Tomboys and can drive tractors, dozers, backhoes, shoot straight and do just about anything. One is an engineer herself and married to an engineer. (she doesn't need me anymore) Life has been very good to me so far. Least I think so. That is my story. Sorry for taking so many words to express myself. [/QUOTE]
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