Jogeephus
Well-known member
Lately I've been working some land that once was a fairly large cattle operation that operated differently than most cattle operations today. During the day this property which encompasses somewhere around 6000 acres was a fairly large cattle operation which primarily raised Herefords. This was rather unique because most operations managed this way run longhorn, coriente, pineywoods or cracker cattle and more recently brangus and braford. The land is dotted with small fields which are fenced to keep the cattle out during the growing season but when the crops were harvested the cattle would be turned loose in these fields to scrap up the any crop residue.
By today's standards these cattle would be viewed as poor performers but the focus wasn't on ADG but on minimal input. Very little thought or effort was put into improved pastures or overseeding with annuals and most everything the cattle ate was native forages. The judicious use of controlled burns was used to promote the growth of native grasses and legumes and impede the growth of woody brush.
Areas were cross fenced but these paddocks might be as large as 1000 acres. The stocking rate was kept to around 1 pair per 21 acres and people grew timber, worked turpentine and cattle simultaneously.
Here is a picture of one of the cross fences. As you can see it is only three strand. Typically perimeter fences got the five strand treatment. I don't know when this fence was put up but I know for a fact it was standing in 1965 and it looks to be in pretty good shape which I think is a testament for creosote posts.
Here is a picture of what the understory looks like after being cowless for 30 years now. This is lower land with good soil moisture. On the hills these forages fade out and you have more bluestem and wiregrass. Wiregrass is high in fat and will lush up in the spring after burning and the cattle will really slick up after eating it. This was the best time to sell the calves but calves were usually sold just whenever people had time to mess with them or when they needed some money.
There was an old saying that "the woods aren't good for cattle but the cattle are good for the woods". There is a lot of truth in this and this might come to a shock to the environmentalists who say cattle are bad for the environment. This is total BS because where this practice is used quail populations were bumping 4-5 birds and acre and flocks of turkey were plentiful. Basically for the quail hunters out there, five birds per acre equates to your seeing over 10 coveys per hour while hunting on horseback. Pretty exciting stuff and definitely shows that cattle can be a benefit to an ecosystem. Oh, and one other thing I can attest to, these quail are near about as crazy as the cattle when you go to try and work them. When the covey rises you know darn well they aren't pen raised.
Just thought I'd share a different method of raising cattle.
By today's standards these cattle would be viewed as poor performers but the focus wasn't on ADG but on minimal input. Very little thought or effort was put into improved pastures or overseeding with annuals and most everything the cattle ate was native forages. The judicious use of controlled burns was used to promote the growth of native grasses and legumes and impede the growth of woody brush.
Areas were cross fenced but these paddocks might be as large as 1000 acres. The stocking rate was kept to around 1 pair per 21 acres and people grew timber, worked turpentine and cattle simultaneously.
Here is a picture of one of the cross fences. As you can see it is only three strand. Typically perimeter fences got the five strand treatment. I don't know when this fence was put up but I know for a fact it was standing in 1965 and it looks to be in pretty good shape which I think is a testament for creosote posts.

Here is a picture of what the understory looks like after being cowless for 30 years now. This is lower land with good soil moisture. On the hills these forages fade out and you have more bluestem and wiregrass. Wiregrass is high in fat and will lush up in the spring after burning and the cattle will really slick up after eating it. This was the best time to sell the calves but calves were usually sold just whenever people had time to mess with them or when they needed some money.

There was an old saying that "the woods aren't good for cattle but the cattle are good for the woods". There is a lot of truth in this and this might come to a shock to the environmentalists who say cattle are bad for the environment. This is total BS because where this practice is used quail populations were bumping 4-5 birds and acre and flocks of turkey were plentiful. Basically for the quail hunters out there, five birds per acre equates to your seeing over 10 coveys per hour while hunting on horseback. Pretty exciting stuff and definitely shows that cattle can be a benefit to an ecosystem. Oh, and one other thing I can attest to, these quail are near about as crazy as the cattle when you go to try and work them. When the covey rises you know darn well they aren't pen raised.
Just thought I'd share a different method of raising cattle.