New to Cattle and Cattle Today

[Slipstrm]

Bastrop Texas 2022.
Just got a couple 6 month old black baldie heifers and a 6 month old Angus bull. Here to learn and gain some wisdom from all your experience. We have been reading and picking up some good ideas.

 

[Rafter S]

Welcome. Though some might disagree , we can always use more Texans here.

What's the plan for your calves?

 

[A.J.]

Welcome!

 

[Dsth]

welcome to the CT forum. I hope you don't keep the bull with the heifers or you will be running into problems in the near future. good luck with your new adventures.

 

[Slipstrm]

Eventually their offspring will be freezer beef. Had to start over after the big forest fires in 2011.
In 2012 We purchased 14 acres on an existing ranch and when we fenced the gates were left open to allow their cattle and horses access. Always enjoyed them being around, especially when the new ones were born. The rancher has sold their property now and our gates are closed. We decided to get a few cattle and see how it works out.

 

[Rafter S]

Eventually their offspring will be freezer beef. Had to start over after the big forest fires in 2011.
In 2012 We purchased 14 acres on an existing ranch and when we fenced the gates were left open to allow their cattle and horses access. Always enjoyed them being around, especially when the new ones were born. The rancher has sold their property now and our gates are closed. We decided to get a few cattle and see how it works out.

If you're interested in some input from someone who's had cattle for close to fifty years, make these animals freezer beef, not their offspring. Someone new to cattle trying to get heifers raised up, bred, and then have a calf is a recipe for disaster (I'd like to not put it so strongly, but that's the situation). Heifers are much more likely to have problems having a calf, and then raising it, than older cows.

Also, as he matures it will get increasingly difficult to keep a bull inside the fences with just two cows. I wouldn't want to try it with less than a dozen or so. Any fewer than that you're better off having them bred artificially, but for the reason stated and because it's not economically feasible to buy and feed a bull for just a few cows.

It's very common for newcomers to the industry to think that starting with heifers is the best plan, but if you really want to have a cow (or cows), your chances for success are much greater with a cow that's already had a calf or two and raised it successfully. Or just buy calves from someone else for freezer beef for a few years until you get a little more experience.

Please don't think I'm trying to rain on your parade. I want you to succeed with your cattle.

 

[SBMF 2015]

Welcome to CT! Lots of of good folks and advice here.

 

[Travlr]

Bastrop Texas 2022.
Just got a couple 6 month old black baldie heifers and a 6 month old Angus bull. Here to learn and gain some wisdom from all your experience. We have been reading and picking up some good ideas.

I'm with Rafter S... Castrate the bull and raise them all for freezer beef. Do your initial learning with animals you won't be breeding. Then buy some bred cows with some experience... both you and the cows with experience. First calf heifers are a steep learning curve and a young bull running with heifers too young to breed is a recipe for problems.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

Pay attention to these guys and keep your day job. Make good fences a top priority or it will be when you can least afford it.
You will get the meaning of time is money when you get the call your cattle are out and you are up to your ears in alligators doing
something 'important' until you got the call!

 

[bbirder]

Also, if you follow their advice , while learning and before getting some bred cows (not bred heifers) be thinking about a pen of some kind. No one should have cattle without a way to contain them and load into a trailer. When you have a sick cow or a troublemaker you cant just tie them to a tree.

 

[wbvs58]

Welcome, really good advice from Rafter.

Ken

 

[Warren Allison]

@Slipstrm , @Rafter S has given excellent advice. Go ahead and cut that bull calf ASAP. If your family isn't large enough to eat 3 cows in a year, then another alternative would be to sell them, (or 1 or 2 of them, if you want to eat one) in the spring. Take that money and buy 4-5 more weanlings, and sell them next fall before you have to start feeding them. Or sell them all but one to feed out for feeder beef, etc. And like someone else said, build your corrals, working pens, chutes etc, as soon as you can. If, after a year or so of doing this, and you still want to raise some calves, then like others have mentioned; buy a few bred cows. Now, I am glad there are people who do raise replacement heifers ( so that I will have some cows to buy after they have had a calf or 2) but I never did..... ( except for some Corriente). Don't care how good a heifer is and what kind of bodacious brood cow you think she might make, for what she would bring as a weanling, and adding the cost to raise her til she has her first calf) .... you can buy as good or better a cow for the same or less money. And you don't lose 2 and 1/2 years raising a heifer that might or might not calve trouble free. Just my 2 cents. You will find that ever how many people you talk with, that is how many different opinions you will get. And most of them may be good...there is no one BEST way to do anything, and cattle are no different. None of us "experienced cattlemen" on here were born knowing all there is to know about cattle. I'd wager that most of the knowledge you will get from the veteran cowmen on here, was learned the same way I learned..by doing a lot of stuff wrong, inefficient, some times down right dangerous, first. I know if the internet and this board, with these people on it, had been around 50 years ago, then my learning curve would have been a lot less costly and painful.

You made great choices as far as cows and bull goes, though, if you were gonna do cow calf. Can't go wrong with Herf/Angus cows and a black bull. Being in Texas, you could probably use a Brangus rather than Angus bull, but either would be a great choice.

 

[bbirder]

A point to consider: 40 yrs ago when I was starting out, I asked an old uncle of my wife to help me buy my first cows. This man couldn't read or write but had raised cattle all of his life and he had operated a successful meat mkt and butchery for many years. His greatest enjoyment was still going to the weekly auction with his trailer in tow.
I asked him what was the best breed to raise and his answer has always stuck with me. He said the best breed to raise is the one you like, because you will care for them better and eventually will be successful.

 

[tex452]

Welcome.
Your about 50 miles away from where I live in Burleson county.
I'm with Rafter S, you can buy several steers/heifers for what you need and sell the rest, 14 acres just isn't big enough for a cow/calf especially keeping a bull.
I would definitely buy more than one to grow out to butcher, they do better with company.

 

[Rafter S]

A point to consider: 40 yrs ago when I was starting out, I asked an old uncle of my wife to help me buy my first cows. This man couldn't read or write but had raised cattle all of his life and he had operated a successful meat mkt and butchery for many years. His greatest enjoyment was still going to the weekly auction with his trailer in tow.
I asked him what was the best breed to raise and his answer has always stuck with me. He said the best breed to raise is the one you like, because you will care for them better and eventually will be successful.

That reminds me of a man that owned a lot of land and cattle here (he was my grandfather's uncle; he died in 1989 at the age of 90). Someone once asked him which was the best breed of cattle. His reply was "They're all pretty good if they get enough to eat."

 

[Dusty Britches]

Howdy! I'm in Cameron.

 

[rocfarm]

If you're interested in some input from someone who's had cattle for close to fifty years, make these animals freezer beef, not their offspring. Someone new to cattle trying to get heifers raised up, bred, and then have a calf is a recipe for disaster (I'd like to not put it so strongly, but that's the situation). Heifers are much more likely to have problems having a calf, and then raising it, than older cows.

Also, as he matures it will get increasingly difficult to keep a bull inside the fences with just two cows. I wouldn't want to try it with less than a dozen or so. Any fewer than that you're better off having them bred artificially, but for the reason stated and because it's not economically feasible to buy and feed a bull for just a few cows.

It's very common for newcomers to the industry to think that starting with heifers is the best plan, but if you really want to have a cow (or cows), your chances for success are much greater with a cow that's already had a calf or two and raised it successfully. Or just buy calves from someone else for freezer beef for a few years until you get a little more experience.

Please don't think I'm trying to rain on your parade. I want you to succeed with your cattle.

Rafter is right. If you want quick calves, it's relatively easy to pick up 6 to 7 month bred cows at the auction barn. Eat the heifers and buy second to third calf cows. Then breed them to your bull, or better yet, just rotate through bred cows for fun. The bull does need more than a few cows to stay happy.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Welcome!! I know what has been written above is probably disappointing to you. It is SOOOO exciting to think about breeding and raising your own.
But, as mentioned, heifers are the worse thing to start with. It takes a lot of time and money to raise one out PROPERLY, prior to breeding. Then fed properly to raising the fetus - not too much - not too little.
Also, remember - you can hurt what you love by OVER FEEDING.

 

[faster horses]

Welcome.
You need to fix up some pens. and get your fencing so they can't get out.
You can buy portable pens.
There has been some good advice here so good luck!!

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Also wanted to comment about the bull being with the heifers. Heifer calves can start cycling at 4+ months old. Doesn't happen often - but it happens. And a bull of most any age is willing to take care of her needs. Granted a 6 month old bull "should" not be potent yet - but, lots of sibs get bred by their herd mates. You don't want to deal with a 15-18 month old heifer calving. It happens - more than we like to admit. A lot of us give our weaned heifers a shot of Lutalyse couple weeks after they are weaned and separated from the bull calves. It will abort an early pregnancy.
Grass fed beef - this is a whole topic in itself. There are a few good producers that are able to do a good job raising grass fed beef. But, it is more management and time than grain fed. And, if you don't like venison, you may not like grass fed beef. I can't imagine anyone in Texas is able to properly raise gfb. You need to constantly provide fresh growing forage for them - supposedly always in an increase quality - which also includes feeding hay if you don't have grass - but top quality hay like alfalfa. Granted lots of people raise "gfb" - but is it quality? I would suggest you go to a reputable breeder that is raising gfb and buy his BEST cut of steak. See if you like it before you fill a freezer with it. If you like it, ask him how he raises his cattle to finish.