My new pasture

[IGotMyWings]

I have 5 (+/-) acres that I'm going to be fencing off come fall for my pasture. I've pondered a couple different ways of doing it, one is to make it four equal sections, but that gives me a bit of a headache when it comes to water, or the design below which solves the water/hay issues, but I don't know if it's feasable. I'd like to keep 6-8 head (weaned) total. I have a bull and a steer currently, and was looking to buy a couple bred heifers this fall that would calve in the spring, then be ready to breed again in the fall with my (by then) mature bull. Does any of this make sense?

Any ideas?

 

[dun]

The problem I see is making any fixed size paddocks. You can strip graze from the water point out and just move a temp hotwire as you need to. No need for a backwire since there will be minimal growth and you will need access to water. Even at it's furthest point, 5 acres won;t put the cows far from water

 

[Jogeephus]

I like the idea of having a water hub but if it were me, I would move the gate 1 to the left just a little and do away with gate 2 but move its opening up so one gate can be used in both openings. Assuming you need to hem them up, you can always stick a panel or something in the gap to close all access.

 

[JRM]

You could also easily divide the 2 pasture into 4 lots with a electric fence.Just go from the gate post to the far corner of the lot, then when ready to move to another lot just move electric fence to the other gate post in the same lot.
Pasture rotation has helped my pastures.
Good luck

 

[Beefy]

i like corner gates too. have wasted too many hours on calfs stuck in the corner. *getting frustrated thinking about it now*

 

[IluvABbeef]

One thing I have a problem with, I dunno about the rest of you, is that the bale is too close to the waterer. The bale should be not 2 feet away from the waterer, but more like 10 or 15 feet or more. The waterer can also be placed so that both pastures have access to it at the same time...IF the waterer you have can be moved, or if you feel you should move it...

 

[Beefy]

where are you located? i'd like to run 8 head on 5 acres.

 

[IGotMyWings]

One thing I have a problem with, I dunno about the rest of you, is that the bale is too close to the waterer. The bale should be not 2 feet away from the waterer, but more like 10 or 15 feet or more. The waterer can also be placed so that both pastures have access to it at the same time...IF the waterer you have can be moved, or if you feel you should move it...

The drawing isn't to scale! I haven't done the figgerin' and measurin' to get it exact, but the bale will be farther away than it appears in the drawing. The water is pretty much set where it can be because of the well that it'll be drawing from. When you look at that drawing, pretend it's through the passenger side mirror on your truck...a little askew! Thanks for the input, though!

 

[IGotMyWings]

where are you located? i'd like to run 8 head on 5 acres.

I'm in Indiana. 6-8 is what I'd like to shoot for, but if I can't manage them, then it'll be less. This is why I'm on here asking these dumb questions. I've worked with cattle before, but never on my small scale, and never starting from scratch with two bottle calves! I'm open to any and all suggestions and comments. I'd rather learn it on here before I learn it the hard way!

 

[Beefy]

find out what your stocking rate is for your area. around here its preferably 2acres to one cow/calf. it doesnt take many head to turn 5 acres into a feedlot situation pretty quick (even rotating).

 

[CPL]

I like the strip grazing method and soon I will do it myself. I think in your case it will stretch your 5 acres a little further. Obviously i'm not an artist, but definitely consider something like the picture below. You'd have to move your cattle into each paddock more often, but your grass quantity should be higher if managed correctly. I'd run the hot wire around the back so that each fence is hot even if a paddock is in use.

 

[IGotMyWings]

Whar is the workin facilities?[/quote]

The barn is about 30 feet east of the pasture (or where it will be...it's soybeans right now!).