Newbie needs info

[Chicken cow]

I ll be buying my first calves (well first since ag back in high school)this Saturday and I am wondering if 8 steer calves @300wt will be fine in a pasture by themselves? Are predators an issue with calves this small. Will they be able to graze? I am in the hunt county Texas area. Also what does it cost to have the vet to give vac like a 7 in one plus black leg and wormer at the barn in Emory tx? Also any body with polled Herefords or blk baddies or belted galloways for sale300-350 wt?

 

[denvermartinfarms]

I am not on Texas, but I buy a lot of 200 to 300lb calves. They are fine to pasture on there own, and they will graze fine, I would start them on about 3 pounds a day of feed and work them up to about 5 or 6. They need a type a and 7 way blackleg and wormed either with shots or orally.

 

[Bigfoot]

They will be fine on pasture (with a little grain). I would put them in a really confined area for 10 days or so. They will walk a big area till they get sick. I have mine vetted at the barn. It's about $20. Money well spent, its cheaper than having half a bottle left over in other words

 

[denvermartinfarms]

They will be fine on pasture (with a little grain). I would put them in a really confined area for 10 days or so. They will walk a big area till they get sick. I have mine vetted at the barn. It's about $20. Money well spent, its cheaper than having half a bottle left over in other words

Yes, I forgot to say that, the first week or 10 days they need to be in a lot with good fence, and I don't know about there but here it would be less than 20$ even if they need cut or banded too.

 

[Chicken cow]

Awesome thinks guy. I figured 200 300 wt calfs would be fine but it's been a while since ag. I have a 60 ft round pen is that going to be enough space for 8 calves to mosse around for a week or so? I plan on putting them in a small 10 acre pasture I have for the horses is that to big of an area for the first week? Thanks again Denver and Bigfoot

 

[chippie]

Ditto about the good fence. Are you putting them out with horses or are they going to be by themselves?

 

[denvermartinfarms]

If it was me and I had what you have, I would put them in the round pen for about 3 days, and if they are eating some feed and don't se to wild, I would go ahead and turn them out, if they are just going on 10 acres, If you have a good fence with 5 wires or some woven they should be fine in less time. The other thing is if it is wet where you are right now, that would shorten there time in the pen, if it was me.

 

[Chicken cow]

Well I have 30 acres altogether and no horses right now so they would be by themselves. I have improved pasture really green been gettin rain, bermuda / clover in the 10 and hay on the other 20. Can I put out a bunk feeder or will they bloat from eating to much? I plan on starting them with hay and a little creep till they get to 500 and graze them on the hay field since I don't have a baler. Get them to 800 or 900 . Any thoughts.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

If you could fence 10 acres in to 4 pieces for 8 calves that might be all they would need, around here if you have enough fence and the right pasture you can run 1500lbs an acre or a little more, but I really don't ever do it, I run about a calf an acre.