New to cattle

[bizybeehill]

Ok.
I am new to the cattle business. I am looking to start a small farm on 10 acres in Virginia with the possibilty of expanding to a larger family farm over the next five years when I retire from my regular job. We are looking to start with two to three angus cow with the intention of eventually breeding and selling. Some cow for the dinner table as well.

My question is this .... is there a reasource for management practices that includes information on everything from vaccinations to AI? I have been reading from alot of internet sources and would like to learn as much as possible before i start looking to buy my first cows in the early spring.

Thanks in advance for any replies..

ps. I apoligize for any spelling

 

[bevkel]

I'm new too..

I found "Storey's Guide to Raising Beef Cattle" by Heather Smith Thomas a very informative book. "Small-Scale Livestock Farming" by Carol Ekarius provided some good info.

My County Extension and the local Cooperative folks were very helpful in pasture development. The local vet provided tons of information and support.

AND - visit the local coffee shop early in the morning - you'll get lots of advice, some of it will be accurate and useful.

 

[Gale Seddon]

You might get in touch with your local extension agent and get on the VA Cooperative Extension mailing list (http://www.ext.vt.edu); our local person was very helpful, advised on seeding, fencing, automatic waterers, etc., and put us in touch with the people we needed to contact. They sponsor a lot of programs about cattle all over the state. Well worth the effort to contact them!

Also, the Central Virginia Cattlemen's Association may be helpful (http://www.cvcacattle.com); they meet regularly in Gordonsville for dinner and usually have a speaker or two (dinner's free for members )

The Culpeper Farmers' Co-op has several branches, check to see if there's one in/near Loudon County (http://www.cfcinfosource.com). Occasionally they have special programs with vendors and speakers.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

The Culpeper Farmers' Co-op has several branches, check to see if there's one in/near Loudon County (http://www.cfcinfosource.com). Occasionally they have special programs with vendors and speakers.

I have attended their cattle and grass management field day, and it was very informative. It was well worth the time and the few dollars for the admission. I encourage anyone starting out to attend such a field day if/when available.

 

[Kim Lander]

We are buying a farm which has about 30 Brahma cattle on it. I am a knowledgeable horsewoman, and have had dairy goats but I do not know didilly about cows! I joined this forum in hopes that I could learn. The farm has a manager who does a good job so the poor beasts will not suffer too much but it will be hard to learn from him....he only speaks Spanish, and I English! I have no specific questions at this time but thought I would introduce myself instead of just lurking! Kim

 

[cherokeeruby]

Hi Kim, glad to have you aboard. You will find after a while you will be understand you manager. Regarding Brahman cattle I have a few and will be happy to answer any questions. Oh, and where are you located?

 

[Kim Lander]

We are now in Georgia but the new farm is in Costa Rica. If you could tell me how the Brahmas compare to other breeds that would be helpful. I have been around tame dairy cows but these creatures are wild as march hares. They have tried to mix the herd with a few Holsteins cows but the Brahmas killed them. Is this unusual behavior? Are they unusually aggressive? Kim

 

[cherokeeruby]

Have never heard of Brahmans killing cattle but they could. Sounds like you have some doozies on your hands. I assume they are gray. Are they registered? Probably be wise to not step out into the pasture. As far as being wild as March hares there is really nothing you can do to gentle them, at least in my opinion. Brahmans are either dog gentle or killer cows. We prefer the dog gentle for obvious reasons and have shipped the crazies to the sale barn. But that was years ago now we have gentle cattle that produce gentle calves. Find someone to translate for your manager and find out what he knows about them and if they are worth keeping. Did they just come with the Ranch?

 

[Kim Lander]

Yes, they came with the farm. They are all colors, white, grey, black and a bright red bull. They roam free between the pastures now and will "shoo" off the farm road pretty easily....but I watch the bull pretty closely. The babies are curious and sweet but the adults are weary. Is it possible to tame the babies and how would one do that with such wild mommas? I am so used to horses and bottle fed goats.....I want to be safe and get a good idea of what can and cannot be done with them. Our interest is in home raised meat, we have a large family. I need to find out how to feed them best for meat production. I doubt they are registered. The bull is young and I think just starting to breed...I was told the herd suffered from having the same old bull for too long. I tried to post a picture of them here but the file is too large. They are beautiful! Sounds like some good observation and culling is in order. Kim

 

[bizybeehill]

Thanks for the info all.

bevkel I orderd the books you suggested.

I am heading to my first auction on Teusday. Just lookin and learnin this time. Any sugesstions on how to start my heard....heifers, calves, cows with calves, pregnant cow, bull now or later ???? ... you get the idea.. any sugestions would be appreciated.

:lol:

 

[bubchub]

I would buy a cow and calf or a heavy bred cow if I were you. If you are going to a normal cowsale, I would keep an eye out for doosies. Some of those cattle jockeys will "fix up" a hurt,old, sick, etc., cow. I would not worry about a bull for a while. Wait and find a good deal or the one you really want.

 

[cherokeeruby]

Yes, they came with the farm. They are all colors, white, grey, black and a bright red bull. They roam free between the pastures now and will "shoo" off the farm road pretty easily....but I watch the bull pretty closely. The babies are curious and sweet but the adults are weary. Is it possible to tame the babies and how would one do that with such wild mommas? I am so used to horses and bottle fed goats.....I want to be safe and get a good idea of what can and cannot be done with them. Our interest is in home raised meat, we have a large family. I need to find out how to feed them best for meat production. I doubt they are registered. The bull is young and I think just starting to breed...I was told the herd suffered from having the same old bull for too long. I tried to post a picture of them here but the file is too large. They are beautiful! Sounds like some good observation and culling is in order. Kim

The only thing I can think of is to creep feed the calves in an enclosure that you can stand in without the cows being able to get in. Also have the enclosure built where you can get to it without having to walk where the cows can get to. I have seen a small barn used for this purpose. At the doorway there were boards nailed up about a foot to a foot and a half from the ground and another one maybe three to four feet off the ground. The doorway needs to be fairly narrow. The bottom board is to prevent the cows from crawling in on there knees which Brahmans will do. When you put out the creep feed stand there or better yet squat to where you are not bigger than the calves and slowly extend you hand and let them smell it. Do not attempt to go to the calves, let them come to you. After a while you will find a few who liked to be scratched. Don't turn them into pets though, the most dangerous animal is a pet Brahman in a corral, they are not afraid of you and will run right over you.

Probably some plans available somewhere, or you can ask your neighbors how they go about trying to tame calves with mean mommas.

 

[Medic24]

As advized before, as a new person in the cattle field, NEVER buy your first animals from a general livestock auction, as you will see from reading these boards, often the advise for problem cattle is to put wheels under them and ship them to the auction house, as it should be.
But, esperienced buyers usually know what they are looking at, not so for novices.
Sooooo. hook yourself up with some local reputable breeders/famers/producers that you can go to for cattle, as well as advice, information, as well as other important contacts. I had to learn that, even after leaving the dairy business world and going into beef.

 

[Len]

As a newbie, this is the book I refer to:
Texas Cooperative Extension / Texas A&M Univ.
"Texas Beef Cattle Management Handbook"

Available through Texas A&M bookstore.

The experts on this forum are great!

 

[Ridge123]

Hi, I was in Costa Rica During Christmas it was beautiful. However I'm 20yrs old and have been raised around beef and dairy cattle since birth. Since forever ago in the summers my dad called the cattle, HEY BAAAAS, make up one make it the same every time long and drawn out like HEY.. COWS. Make sure they see you shaking a feed bag(white if possiable) let them see you pour several small piles of feed several feet apart and never feed to close to something valuable they can dent up cars pretty good while going after feed. Give the wild ones a chance my guess is these cows have had some bad experiences around the road you don't know who has thrown rocks at them and taunted them. If you are around your cattle on a daily or weekly basis they will come to know you. Give the cows several months if this doesn't work sell or trade for new blood. IF you do get new blood get a few 4,5.. don't turn out with the whole herd there is apparently a pecking order. Put newer cattle in a smaller pen nearby the herd so they can smell through the fence and slowly get use to each other, or introducing several full grown cows of same or halfbreed maybe. This works excellent for taming the herd and getting acquainted with the cows. The secret always bring a treat so they each get a mouthful be consistant and eventually they will come to check you out when you don't have feed and slowly go back to grazing or whatever. Brahmas were originally from India and were raised for thousands of years in jungle like areas and became very parasite resistant also many diseases don't really affect them, apparently when the breed traveled out of India they became excellent foragers (this shouldn't be a problem where you are). I don't know much about the vaccination methods down there but here You should get heifers bangs vaccinated. Also every summer my dad vaccinates for blackleg, maybe you don't have to but bangs vacc. is important for the heifers abilty to produce as a cow there reproductive system can fowl up but doesn't always, I guess, we get all ours done at the vet only he can do it here. I was all over Central America on my vacation and in Panama, they also raised Brahmas thay are apparently well suited for that cliamate. And They all looked very healthy especially in Costa Rica. I was in Pura Vida and traveled an hour or so to Puerto Viejo. Anyways gotta go could talk a while, Where is your Ranch? My grandparents are curious about the retirement possiabilties. Thanks, Ridge

 

[Kim Lander]

Thank you for all the good info Ridge.
The ranch is near the Montverde/ Santa Elena area where the famous Cloud Forest Reserve is. The ranch is at a lower elevation so it has warmer, dryer weather.
The cows look great on just grass. I know the Gov. does inspect for Bruc/TB....there is a cheese factory in the area and most of the farmers contribute to the milk. Kim