Leasing Property for Cow/Calf Operation

[ksmit454]

Hi all, I currently have a herd of Angus, Hereford, and some Shorthorn. I have the opportunity to lease 89 acres. I'd like to buy some new bred cows and have some cow calf pairs to run. How many could I get away with on 89 acres? I am in Northern Ca. We have decent grass in the spring/early summer, and dry pastures in the fall/winter (I start supplementing with hay those months).

 

[Dave]

Impossible to give anything but a wild a$$ guess on line on pasture carrying capacity.
Where I was in western Washington I could run a cow on 2 acres. Here in eastern Oregon it is 50+ acres per cow. You are probably somewhere in between those two numbers.

 

[Brute 23]

You might say how many acres are open vs woods or brush?

Is there cross fencing?

What kinds of grass?

I'm not familar with that area but even some on from the area would need the info above to give an accurate answer.

If you can get a lease that is per head vs by the acre it will allow you to stock it on the conservative side and go up if it can handle it.

 

[Son of Butch]

32 max [feels like the right answer]

 

[Lee VanRoss]

15 no more. It will be your 1st year. Get to know the place first. There will be things come up that you should have been made aware.
Better to end the season with grass to spare. Also they will be less likely to test the fence. Your other answers correct or not are based on
what you told them . Mine is based on what you ain't seen or anticipated. You can make adjustments in once a routine is established.
Or line up some good help , you're welcome....

 

[wbvs58]

Yeh just don't make it a headache for yourself. Feel it out and then you can make adjustments once you got a handle on it.

Ken

 

[Dave]

Narrowing it down to Northern California still leaves a wide variety of climates thus grass growing ability. There will be a huge difference between Crescent City on the coast and Altrusas over on the Nevada line.