New here from GA

[Warren Allison]

Good info. Thank you for that. Looks like I need to head to Carrollton on a Monday.

Coweta

No trees in the field, but along the sides and a nice clump at one end. It's an "L" shaped pasture. I just finished running water the length of the field and put access points along the way, 3 of them in different shade spots.
May sound crazy, but I actually plan to do some rotational grazing.

No, doesn't sound crazy at all. Matter of fact, I was about to post that with 8 acres and 2 calves, you might look into some cross fencing. You might not need much hay at all, if you sell or butcher them about this time of year. Go in and spray 24D on it end of February for the weeds. Get a couple of calves end of March or so when it greens up, and do what you gonna do with them end of October. Heck, with just 2 calves on 8 acres, and if you 24D it and then fertilize for specs, you can probably get someone to hay it and give you some of the hay. You are in great position to raise those calves every year with hardly any feed cost at all. Maybe even as many as 4 calves if you wanted to.

 

[davesr]

Hi from South of Atlanta.

Never raised cattle before, but I plan to learn. I have 8 acres fenced in with water. Planning to get two stockers; Angus or angus cross since that seems to be what's available here. Just looking to raise beef for the family (maybe sell one to friends). Not looking to make money or necessarily even save money, but I want a little food security for uncertain times.

Still a lot I need to figure out. I'm sure this community will help with that.

Good Luck.. Welcome

 

[bmm45bm]

Carroll County here. There's also a sale Wednesdays in Roanoke. Agree on not necessarily just seeking out black or angus crosses. We are a Brangus and Ultra black operation, but have fed out a little bit of everything to place in the freezer. We don't feed out our own calves, bc they bring more money than what you can buy as a feeder. If you can find a retired neighbor cattle operation, then go make friends with them. Lots of these old hats are happy to help one get started out, and if need ever be could haul to their spot for doctoring on the off chance you need true working area on such a small operation. Just keep em gentled up and easy to get up with feed, don't let the dogs run them or work them aggressive. We can load anything we have straight from a portable corral to a trailer to haul anywhere we want. Go ahead and get the soil samples off bc the time to start treating was yesterday.

 

[Warren Allison]

Carroll County here. There's also a sale Wednesdays in Roanoke. Agree on not necessarily just seeking out black or angus crosses. We are a Brangus and Ultra black operation, but have fed out a little bit of everything to place in the freezer. We don't feed out our own calves, bc they bring more money than what you can buy as a feeder. If you can find a retired neighbor cattle operation, then go make friends with them. Lots of these old hats are happy to help one get started out, and if need ever be could haul to their spot for doctoring on the off chance you need true working area on such a small operation. Just keep em gentled up and easy to get up with feed, don't let the dogs run them or work them aggressive. We can load anything we have straight from a portable corral to a trailer to haul anywhere we want. Go ahead and get the soil samples off bc the time to start treating was yesterday.

Yep. With my bermuda hayfield, I go ahead and test after the last cutting is laying out, and lime it soon after we get it up, if it needs lime. On another matter..that I am bout to stat another trhead in inn the Breeds board, Will you have any weanling Brangus bulls for sale this coming summer?

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Rotational grazing is perfect! Ideally, you don't want an animal on the same ground for more than 5 days. 2-4 is great. If they are on the same ground for 7 days, they are eating regrowth, and that is not what you want.
Buying them and going to a vet's on the way home is a good idea. Have you thought about how quickly you want to finish them? I am a strong believer in corn fed beef. If you have the thought of raising grass fed beef, I would recommend you to purchase a good steak from someone that raised grass fed beef. Not saying it isn't good. It's different. It is closer to venison - gamey.
If you grain finish, I recommend whole shell corn. It's the cheapest, most beneficial feed. I would be glad to go over a feed program when the time is closer.
WELCOME to the boards.

 

[vanacres]

Have you thought about how quickly you want to finish them?

No, I haven't actually. I did have the thought of grass fed, but reading about it has me considering otherwise. I have seen the advice to eat some grass fed before going that route, and it only makes sense. I had only considered it initially due to costs.

I would be glad to go over a feed program when the time is closer.

I appreciate that, and will probably take you up on it.

I've had everything set up and (mostly) ready for a couple of weeks now which is making me really want to have some animals, but probably better to wait until spring, I guess. No need to feed hay off the bat if I don't need to.

Went to a buddy's place yesterday, and he just got four feeder hogs. Now I want hogs too. Dammit.

 

[Travlr]

No, I haven't actually. I did have the thought of grass fed, but reading about it has me considering otherwise. I have seen the advice to eat some grass fed before going that route, and it only makes sense. I had only considered it initially due to costs.

Now I want hogs too. Dammit.

You can do a modified program to feed your animals out. I've always kept my animals for my personal use on pasture and just supplement them with a minimal amount of grain for a short time. The trick is to buy (or raise) the right kid of animal to finish well with this strategy. You'll need an animal that lays on fat easily. An "easy keeper".

Hogs are expensive to feed out. They need to be contained unless you have very tight fences and every calorie they eat has to be some kind of commercial (costly) mix.

 

[vanacres]

Hogs are expensive to feed out.

And expensive to butcher/process apparently. But so delicious…

 

[kenny thomas]

And expensive to butcher/process apparently. But so delicious…

Hogs are very cheap to slaughter and process. Part of the reason every homestead had them.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Hogs are a fast return. Yes, they eat a lot of grain, but they finish quickly. And ohhh, sooo good. I don't feed out any, but I buy a whole hog from friends delivered to butcher. Usually about $300 for a whole - finished, + butcher.
I only feed out my Sept/Oct fall born steers. Wean around Mar/Apr. I start feeding them some corn + oats around Feb in a creep area. This gets them started on grain + helps the cows that are bred and raising these calves all winter. I butcher them at 12-13 months old in October. Time is money! And, remember the younger they are, the more tender they are naturally.

 

[vanacres]

I finally found a source for a couple of steers. Getting them once they're weaned in February, a month or so earlier than I wanted, but I'll make it work. A couple of round bales won't set me back too much.

I went and helped the guy I'm buying from sort and load a couple trailers full to take to Carrollton this morning. It was a good experience, and I know this guy will be an excellent resource for me.

Here's some crappy pictures I took of the two I'm getting from him.

 

[kenny thomas]

I finally found a source for a couple of steers. Getting them once they're weaned in February, a month or so earlier than I wanted, but I'll make it work. A couple of round bales won't set me back too much.

I went and helped the guy I'm buying from sort and load a couple trailers full to take to Carrollton this morning. It was a good experience, and I know this guy will be an excellent resource for me.

Here's some crappy pictures I took of the two I'm getting from him.

View attachment 25039View attachment 25040View attachment 25041View attachment 25042

Welcome. What are your plans for them. Personal use as beef or selling them later.

 

[vanacres]

Welcome. What are your plans for them.

Thanks. I plan to eat one and sell the other.

 

[kenny thomas]

Thanks. I plan to eat one and sell the other.

They should do good .

 

[ClinchValley86]

Welcome! So much easier to produce excellent beef with corn.

Going the grass finished route requires intense forage management. Would want to move cattle onto fresh forage at least once a day, twice a day would be even better. This is the only way to produce an acceptable grass based beef. It'll be flavorful and tender with perfect amount of fat.

It's about impossible to get good grass based beef from an animal that was grazing in one big pasture. That type of beef is what I consider grass fed... AKA shoe leather beef.

There's a big difference in grass fed and grass finished.

No matter which route you take to finish your steers... high energy foods are what you'll need, be it corn, other grains, or vegetative forages.

The animal isn't ready for processing til you see those horizontal happy lines across it's ribs. It's worth the wait.

 

[vanacres]

I now have every intention of graining them. I'm fact, the guy I'm getting them from has already started. Mostly pasture for them this summer, then I'll start them in earnest on corn or a mix from a mill just across the border in Alabama about 4 months before processing.

 

[osubuckeyes1234]

Hogs are a fast return. Yes, they eat a lot of grain, but they finish quickly. And ohhh, sooo good. I don't feed out any, but I buy a whole hog from friends delivered to butcher. Usually about $300 for a whole - finished, + butcher.
I only feed out my Sept/Oct fall born steers. Wean around Mar/Apr. I start feeding them some corn + oats around Feb in a creep area. This gets them started on grain + helps the cows that are bred and raising these calves all winter. I butcher them at 12-13 months old in October. Time is money! And, remember the younger they are, the more tender they are naturally.

How much do your steers weigh typically at 12-13 months when you butcher them?

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

A little over 1200#.
They have been averaging 750# HCW. I make good profit on them.

 

[osubuckeyes1234]

A little over 1200#.
They have been averaging 750# HCW. I make good profit on them.

That's really good for 12-13 months. I feed a 12% beef mix may need to just switch to corn. Do you mind sharing info on your feeding program.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

KISS... lol
I only feed out the fall born steers - Sept/Oct. I start feeding them whole oats (1/3) with WSC (2/3) in a creep area around Feb and we wean around end of March. I feed OATS because it is safe, like feeding hay. Don't want to give them acidosis if they pig out.
Wean (about 550-600#) and fade out the oats. I also add some protein pellets, so they are getting about 14% protein ration. I keep increasing #'s of corn and reducing protein until their ration is around 12% protein at about 800#.
I just keep them on as much as they will consume twice a day.
With full pasture (poor quality) and later full hay. Full access to good water supply and great mineral.
These are PB Simmental. Heavy muscled, good growth.