Looking at getting into cattle... again..

[Sniper338]

I was on this board a year and a half or so ago, reading and asking questions... cattle prices were high, and i got married and built a house in the mean time..

So now im looking back into it... prices seem lower now. So thats better for me.

I have 200 acres, lots of grass, all grown up. We burnt off about 60 acres in february, its all coming back thick and green. Plenty water year around on site, corral, chute, all good to go.

I gotta buy a small cattle trailer still...

But ive been keeping an eye out for black angus/brangus triples, (bred cow, calf pair). That seems like a decent place to start out getting cattle. Grow the calves out, sell them, end up with cheaper cows bought when its said and done.

Then AI the cows after that rather then having a bull. For only having 3 to 10 cows, AI seems cheaper and less hassle than having a bull...


Yalls thoughts on my plans here?

 

[Son of Butch]

IF you have enough grass you may want to buy a couple of 600 lb steers too, just to make use of any excess.
BUT I know nothing about Texas summers, I've heard in some areas it can be brutal.
3 in 1 good starting point.

 

[Sniper338]

If its a bad summer i wont have a ton of green grass, but will still have some..

 

[Sniper338]

IF you have enough grass you may want to buy a couple of 600 lb steers too, just to make use of any excess.
BUT I know nothing about Texas summers, I've heard in some areas it can be brutal.
3 in 1 good starting point.

Where is the money in steers if they are 600 lbs when bought?

Maybe my area market report helps to give advice where to start!

 

[Son of Butch]

They are $75 hd higher there than here. Taking a pair of steers to finish and selling 1/2s would be your best bet
to make money on them. You'd have 4 halves to direct market 3 if you keep a half for yourself.
But selling 1/2s and dealing with people can be a pain in the buttocks.

A.I. is the way to go especially on less than 10 cows bcs all you can justify spending on a bull would be cheap junk.

 

[Dsteim]

I'm still new myself I personally went commercial first and then switched to registered brangus. What part of Texas are you in? You have a lot more grass then I do so if you start with a set and retain the nice heifers you throw ever year you have room for growth.

 

[Rafter S]

Can you be more specific about your central Texas location? You mentioned 3 to 10 cows, but 200 acres should be able to handle a lot more than that. I'd figure about 60 in my part of the world, but you may be farther west and get less rain.

 

[Sniper338]

Can you be more specific about your central Texas location? You mentioned 3 to 10 cows, but 200 acres should be able to handle a lot more than that. I'd figure about 60 in my part of the world, but you may be farther west and get less rain.

45 minutes east of san antonio.

Im starting off small. I want the grass to last a while and not over graze it. More grass, less hay/feed bill..

 

[Rafter S]

Can you be more specific about your central Texas location? You mentioned 3 to 10 cows, but 200 acres should be able to handle a lot more than that. I'd figure about 60 in my part of the world, but you may be farther west and get less rain.

45 minutes east of san antonio.

Im starting off small. I want the grass to last a while and not over graze it. More grass, less hay/feed bill..

Starting off small is a good plan, and you shouldn't need any hay for a while that way.

 

[BigBear]

See if you can rent a bull from a neighbor. I didn't this for a few head I had a few years back. Worked out good for both parties. I paid $200 to keep a very nice angus bull and the neighbor got his bull fed for free. They all threw beautiful calves. AI can be a lot of work

 

[FiveOaksFarmGA]

Can you be more specific about your central Texas location? You mentioned 3 to 10 cows, but 200 acres should be able to handle a lot more than that. I'd figure about 60 in my part of the world, but you may be farther west and get less rain.

45 minutes east of san antonio.

Im starting off small. I want the grass to last a while and not over graze it. More grass, less hay/feed bill..

I have more land than I have cows to put on them currently. I bale the rest to sell the hay, stock some for myself, and it keeps the fields maintained so the weeds don't take over.