I am wanting to get started in cattle.. I have about 120 acres and most of the equipment but don't know where to start I have found diff farmers in the area with all kinds of cattle for sale but don't know which would be the best to start with?? Don't want to start big just get started and build on it in the future..I have several horses that are fun to ride but not very profitable actually really expensive.. Any advise would be apreciated.. Do i need to start with cow/calf operation?? Please Help.... Thanks in advance....
Ready To Get Started Need Help
- Thread starter kyandy
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
Get to know your neighbors, howdy and shake and hunker down to chat with them. With any luck you'll find one or maybe more that will help to mentor you in the getting started part. Pick brains and make informed decisions based on what works for them and you feel comfortable with. Get your infrasctructure in place befoer bringing in any cattle, i.e method of restraint, water, fences, etc.
dun
dun
I would also do some research on the type of breed you want the positives and negitive of the breeds, what niche you can fill in your area. Do you want cross breeds or pure bred cattle?
The two breeds I'm most familar with, in my short time in the business, are Herefords and Angus. Herefords are easy to handle, not real excitable, can have trouble with pink eye, and don't bring the money, for the most part, as Angus do. Angus will get you close to top dollar, but they can be mean, or a little crazy, they have a bit of a rep for going through fences.
Be careful what you buy, I wouldn't buy from a auction yard, and you don't want to buy someone elses problem cow.
JMO,
Alan
The two breeds I'm most familar with, in my short time in the business, are Herefords and Angus. Herefords are easy to handle, not real excitable, can have trouble with pink eye, and don't bring the money, for the most part, as Angus do. Angus will get you close to top dollar, but they can be mean, or a little crazy, they have a bit of a rep for going through fences.
Be careful what you buy, I wouldn't buy from a auction yard, and you don't want to buy someone elses problem cow.
JMO,
Alan
Thanks for the help.. Dun I think i have a good start i believe I just installed water tanks around the farm thanks to grant from the state ag dept and also just ran about 6 miles of new fence thanks to the state also.. I have been cutting hay since the first of may and have a ton from the first cutting and will get another cutting... I know that there are tons more things to think about but i feel that i am getting a god start.. just need as much advise as i can get.. Thanks..
Bullbuyer
Well-known member
If you're near Lexington, take a trip to Bluegrass Stockyard - M, T, W starting at 8:30a. This is the largest stockyards east of the Mississippi, you'll figure out real quick what kind of cattle you need - BLACK.
Texas PaPaw
Well-known member
Welcome aboard! Lots of good advice on these boards.
A couple of things I have learned along the way are:
1. In order to suceed, one must first plan to fail INEXPENSIVELY. We all have to go thru the learning curve. Some of us just take a little longer.
2. Good judgement comes from experience, experience comes from bad judgement.
The best ways I know of to get good experience at the least cost is: 1. Get a good mentor(s) 2. Read, study, & research extensively.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Good luck & happy trails.
Brock
A couple of things I have learned along the way are:
1. In order to suceed, one must first plan to fail INEXPENSIVELY. We all have to go thru the learning curve. Some of us just take a little longer.
2. Good judgement comes from experience, experience comes from bad judgement.
The best ways I know of to get good experience at the least cost is: 1. Get a good mentor(s) 2. Read, study, & research extensively.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Good luck & happy trails.
Brock
Andy,
Black cattle do seem to do alot better here in western, KY. We run some herefords with brangus bulls and do pretty well. PM me if your near the western end of the state. I just passed on a good looking set of cows (40) just because I didn't have enought room. They are fall calving angus x cows. I believe the guy still has them.
Black cattle do seem to do alot better here in western, KY. We run some herefords with brangus bulls and do pretty well. PM me if your near the western end of the state. I just passed on a good looking set of cows (40) just because I didn't have enought room. They are fall calving angus x cows. I believe the guy still has them.
Bez?
Well-known member
You have equipment. Do you have infrastructure? Equipment is not important, but infrastructure is.
For now you do not need to know anything about cows - you need to read some of this below and THEN think on the animals.
I do not know you and you do not know me – but I think I am going to keep this on file as my standard answer to this regular question.
You mention nothing about your experience, or your infrastructure and so on – so there is some pretty basic stuff here that you need to know – if you do not – it's a learning day. If you do – then accept my apologies for boring you.
These are animals - not pets. They are tough, ornery, eating machines that one day will run you over and the next day look at you with a calmness that you cannot believe. They are one heck of a great hobby - that is how wife and I got started in the business years ago. Love 'em, but if you spoil 'em you will end up with problems.
They eat grass and hay. They drink water and they need some mineral. That is all. If they do not thrive on this - sell the lot and start over. Any animal that needs grain and creep and such will cost you money - that cost takes away from any profit. Do not plan on profit for a few years. There will always be something you need to buy that you do not have.
Do not believe every Tom, Dick and Harry that says you need "sack feed". In fact if you do - unless you are in dire straits because of pasture or hay or drought problems - you have the wrong cattle on the property. Feeding from a sack is a losers game.
Make sure you have a good veterinarian you can call upon. Find this person BEFORE you need him / her. Trust me - there will come a day when you will need to make the call. That is the worst time to start your search.
As for breeds - well, any beef cow that can live in Canada can live in the U.S. of A. - some may do better than others - but darned near every breed you have down south is found in Canada - which is where I live. I happen to like the British breeds and run HH – but that does not mean you have to stay British. If you have the right kind of ground and the right kind of feed they will ALL do well.
Just remember this little tidbit ... and this is important - you probably do not have experience in breeding, calving and doctoring. Not a slur, just a fact - so find something that will not crush you when something goes wrong - and believe me, it sooner or later will.
So have a chute set up and a squeeze or head gate - BEFORE YOU BRING THEM ANIMALS ON THE PLACE!
Make sure it is attached to that solid pen so you can work them.
Nearly all breeds do well - especially if they can be contained, sheltered, fed and watered. That's it in a nutshell. The rest is easy.
We all have our favourites - but who cares if you have a patchwork quilt of animals in the field - if they are solid, quiet animals with calves at side - well, be happy.
Go cheap. Go with pairs. Older girls - NEVER start with heifers - bred or not. This is a disaster for a newbie - just waiting to happen.
Instant moms that are bred back. Go with quiet. Do not ask what breed – at this stage you had better not care - it is not important, walk in amongst them before you buy - if they are gone like deer - then forget them. If they jump, fight or run you - run for your truck. If they load hard - run for your truck and leave. If they are not vet checked and preg checked - with you present - run for your truck and put your money away for another day. Split the call out fee – you pay vet bills for the ones you take – vendor pays for the ones you do not.
Go with mature to prevent calving probs and mothers who disown or kill their calves with starvation - not common, but it does happen. Go private - not sale barn - do not buy someone elses trouble – unless it is a TOTAL herd dispersal – and these can be real good sales to go to. Tell the owner you WILL be back if there are problems that may have been hidden. Get all their records - herd health, vaccinations, dates of birth, and so on. If those records are not available - run for your truck.
Look up my thread - Ding! Dong! Brindles Dead - and avoid any brindles like crazy - no matter what the breed. Perhaps I am just superstitious?
Find an old hand in your area - have him go with you and look at least 5 different outfits before you make up your mind - that way you have an idea of what you are up against. Bargain hard - know your price before you leave your own driveway and stick to it. Don't deviate - there are lots of really good animals out there for sale.
Have a good fence, SOLID FENCE IS BEST, some feed and water available when they show up at home - even quiet animals can become tornadoes for a day or two. If your penning area is small and poorly fenced, plan on searching for them for a couple of days before they settle in.
Others who back me – and I quickly found two – both know their stuff:
Craig-Tx wrote:
But if you're wanting a few cows that will pay their own way why not buy cheap pairs. Then you know she can calve. Buy young momma cows that look somewhat poor but sound. Or buy 6-8 year old sound cows with light calves at their sides. You will get a pair for $hundreds less than a fancy cow will cost and you'll be amazed at what she will look like next year if you've put her on good grass and taken care of her thru the winter. She might not be anything to brag about but you'll be in the money on her next calf. The same principle, with a little more risk, can be applied to young bred cows. And same for bulls.
Old Timer wrote:
Craig- I agree with you-- If you just want to run a few cows the best money is in buying a few older bred cows--many places cull them when they lose 1 tooth (sometimes only 4-5 years old) or hit 10 years of age-- Sell for $350- 500 as brokenmouths - Some of these cows have several years left in them if you have good pasture-- I've bought them over the years just to put on one good pasture I have and probably made more off them than some of the ones I raised-- Altho this year those same cows that were selling for $400 are now selling for $800-900..... Might just have to run some of the old girls one more year on that pasture.
So, it looks like there are three of us in the same boat. Start slow and build. You have enough ground, but do you have enough experience and time to handle more than 10 – 15? A good number for a beginner with your ground available.
If you can hay the excess pasture and have too much laying around - stockpile it - you should have at least two to three years of hay behind you - there will come a time you need it - and YES cows will eat hay that is many years old - and you will be darned happy to have it at least a few times in your life. Sell the excess hay for the first couple of years. Do not sell it until January – by then you'll know what you need for the remainder of the year.
If you plan to sell them - make sure that you are selling into an accepting crowd. As an example - if the area you are in loves that black hide, you will suffer with a dollar penalty by trying to sell red. In my area black AND red are guaranteed to sell 10 - 20 cents a pound less than a TAN colour. Go figure - if you take the clothes off of them 99% of producers could not tell you what breed they were. Do your homework. If you want to go "exotic" fine – be darned sure they are quiet and you can handle them.
Far as I am concerned - solid animal is good - but cheaper is better.
Calves all sell - you just want good 'uns. Healthy and lively.
Get all your fences in order FIRST!
Have your pens set up and ready. Have a SOLID pen - heavy boards or steel - at least 6 feet high and put the cows in there when you get home - if you do not - and you are unlucky - you WILL be rodeoing all over the country. Those quiet animals you have purchased may be pretty wild for the first few days after you bring them home. Feed and water them in this pen for a week.
If you have even one that does not settle down - toss her - even at a loss. Trust me when I say you will be far better off - it only takes one animal to rile up a herd. DO NOT IGNORE THIS! It only takes one! Get rid of her asap.
Probably missed a few things – but you get the idea. The other old hands will fill in the blanks and you can ask the questions as they come up.
Go for it - have fun and welcome to an interesting life - that of a cattleman!
Regards
Bez?
_________________
For now you do not need to know anything about cows - you need to read some of this below and THEN think on the animals.
I do not know you and you do not know me – but I think I am going to keep this on file as my standard answer to this regular question.
You mention nothing about your experience, or your infrastructure and so on – so there is some pretty basic stuff here that you need to know – if you do not – it's a learning day. If you do – then accept my apologies for boring you.
These are animals - not pets. They are tough, ornery, eating machines that one day will run you over and the next day look at you with a calmness that you cannot believe. They are one heck of a great hobby - that is how wife and I got started in the business years ago. Love 'em, but if you spoil 'em you will end up with problems.
They eat grass and hay. They drink water and they need some mineral. That is all. If they do not thrive on this - sell the lot and start over. Any animal that needs grain and creep and such will cost you money - that cost takes away from any profit. Do not plan on profit for a few years. There will always be something you need to buy that you do not have.
Do not believe every Tom, Dick and Harry that says you need "sack feed". In fact if you do - unless you are in dire straits because of pasture or hay or drought problems - you have the wrong cattle on the property. Feeding from a sack is a losers game.
Make sure you have a good veterinarian you can call upon. Find this person BEFORE you need him / her. Trust me - there will come a day when you will need to make the call. That is the worst time to start your search.
As for breeds - well, any beef cow that can live in Canada can live in the U.S. of A. - some may do better than others - but darned near every breed you have down south is found in Canada - which is where I live. I happen to like the British breeds and run HH – but that does not mean you have to stay British. If you have the right kind of ground and the right kind of feed they will ALL do well.
Just remember this little tidbit ... and this is important - you probably do not have experience in breeding, calving and doctoring. Not a slur, just a fact - so find something that will not crush you when something goes wrong - and believe me, it sooner or later will.
So have a chute set up and a squeeze or head gate - BEFORE YOU BRING THEM ANIMALS ON THE PLACE!
Make sure it is attached to that solid pen so you can work them.
Nearly all breeds do well - especially if they can be contained, sheltered, fed and watered. That's it in a nutshell. The rest is easy.
We all have our favourites - but who cares if you have a patchwork quilt of animals in the field - if they are solid, quiet animals with calves at side - well, be happy.
Go cheap. Go with pairs. Older girls - NEVER start with heifers - bred or not. This is a disaster for a newbie - just waiting to happen.
Instant moms that are bred back. Go with quiet. Do not ask what breed – at this stage you had better not care - it is not important, walk in amongst them before you buy - if they are gone like deer - then forget them. If they jump, fight or run you - run for your truck. If they load hard - run for your truck and leave. If they are not vet checked and preg checked - with you present - run for your truck and put your money away for another day. Split the call out fee – you pay vet bills for the ones you take – vendor pays for the ones you do not.
Go with mature to prevent calving probs and mothers who disown or kill their calves with starvation - not common, but it does happen. Go private - not sale barn - do not buy someone elses trouble – unless it is a TOTAL herd dispersal – and these can be real good sales to go to. Tell the owner you WILL be back if there are problems that may have been hidden. Get all their records - herd health, vaccinations, dates of birth, and so on. If those records are not available - run for your truck.
Look up my thread - Ding! Dong! Brindles Dead - and avoid any brindles like crazy - no matter what the breed. Perhaps I am just superstitious?
Find an old hand in your area - have him go with you and look at least 5 different outfits before you make up your mind - that way you have an idea of what you are up against. Bargain hard - know your price before you leave your own driveway and stick to it. Don't deviate - there are lots of really good animals out there for sale.
Have a good fence, SOLID FENCE IS BEST, some feed and water available when they show up at home - even quiet animals can become tornadoes for a day or two. If your penning area is small and poorly fenced, plan on searching for them for a couple of days before they settle in.
Others who back me – and I quickly found two – both know their stuff:
Craig-Tx wrote:
But if you're wanting a few cows that will pay their own way why not buy cheap pairs. Then you know she can calve. Buy young momma cows that look somewhat poor but sound. Or buy 6-8 year old sound cows with light calves at their sides. You will get a pair for $hundreds less than a fancy cow will cost and you'll be amazed at what she will look like next year if you've put her on good grass and taken care of her thru the winter. She might not be anything to brag about but you'll be in the money on her next calf. The same principle, with a little more risk, can be applied to young bred cows. And same for bulls.
Old Timer wrote:
Craig- I agree with you-- If you just want to run a few cows the best money is in buying a few older bred cows--many places cull them when they lose 1 tooth (sometimes only 4-5 years old) or hit 10 years of age-- Sell for $350- 500 as brokenmouths - Some of these cows have several years left in them if you have good pasture-- I've bought them over the years just to put on one good pasture I have and probably made more off them than some of the ones I raised-- Altho this year those same cows that were selling for $400 are now selling for $800-900..... Might just have to run some of the old girls one more year on that pasture.
So, it looks like there are three of us in the same boat. Start slow and build. You have enough ground, but do you have enough experience and time to handle more than 10 – 15? A good number for a beginner with your ground available.
If you can hay the excess pasture and have too much laying around - stockpile it - you should have at least two to three years of hay behind you - there will come a time you need it - and YES cows will eat hay that is many years old - and you will be darned happy to have it at least a few times in your life. Sell the excess hay for the first couple of years. Do not sell it until January – by then you'll know what you need for the remainder of the year.
If you plan to sell them - make sure that you are selling into an accepting crowd. As an example - if the area you are in loves that black hide, you will suffer with a dollar penalty by trying to sell red. In my area black AND red are guaranteed to sell 10 - 20 cents a pound less than a TAN colour. Go figure - if you take the clothes off of them 99% of producers could not tell you what breed they were. Do your homework. If you want to go "exotic" fine – be darned sure they are quiet and you can handle them.
Far as I am concerned - solid animal is good - but cheaper is better.
Calves all sell - you just want good 'uns. Healthy and lively.
Get all your fences in order FIRST!
Have your pens set up and ready. Have a SOLID pen - heavy boards or steel - at least 6 feet high and put the cows in there when you get home - if you do not - and you are unlucky - you WILL be rodeoing all over the country. Those quiet animals you have purchased may be pretty wild for the first few days after you bring them home. Feed and water them in this pen for a week.
If you have even one that does not settle down - toss her - even at a loss. Trust me when I say you will be far better off - it only takes one animal to rile up a herd. DO NOT IGNORE THIS! It only takes one! Get rid of her asap.
Probably missed a few things – but you get the idea. The other old hands will fill in the blanks and you can ask the questions as they come up.
Go for it - have fun and welcome to an interesting life - that of a cattleman!
Regards
Bez?
_________________
Texas PaPaw
Well-known member
Andy
I totally agree with Bez & company's last post. Great advice for any producer. These guys have been around the pasture many times. Print his post off & reread it several times a year. It will serve you well.
IMO-it's hard to go wrong with older, experienced cows. Look at all the calving help pleas. Almost all are about young cows. Most older cows are proven producers who know how to do their job and it costs very little to trade them in for a little newer model every few years. Actually if you sell an older heavy bred cow or pair in the late spring or early summer, you can usually replace her with a slightly younger bred cow the following fall and keep some cash in your pocket + save a few months grass, etc. Just another 2 cents worth.
Good luck & happy trails.
Brock
I totally agree with Bez & company's last post. Great advice for any producer. These guys have been around the pasture many times. Print his post off & reread it several times a year. It will serve you well.
IMO-it's hard to go wrong with older, experienced cows. Look at all the calving help pleas. Almost all are about young cows. Most older cows are proven producers who know how to do their job and it costs very little to trade them in for a little newer model every few years. Actually if you sell an older heavy bred cow or pair in the late spring or early summer, you can usually replace her with a slightly younger bred cow the following fall and keep some cash in your pocket + save a few months grass, etc. Just another 2 cents worth.
Good luck & happy trails.
Brock
Bama
Well-known member
Hey we need a new button here. It needs to be a big red one that we can press and Bez?'s post will pop up. We could label it "what Bez? said" We could put it beside another opne that says "call the vet" both would get used a lot. Great post Bez?.
Bez?
Well-known member
Bama - your words are too kind. If you recall, it was mentioned not long ago that I was a rude SOB and perhaps should be banned - but I am certainly not above helping someone start out.
In any event, I will be a bit repetitious - but here is another that I wrote under a different name - there is additional info here that may be of interest to a newbie. It concerned a person who was torn between two different breeds.
Bez?
---------------------------------------------------------
Ok - I will pop in for a bit.
Because you are a low numbered poster I will assume - possibly incorreectly that you are relatively new to this - if not you may pick a few choice items out of this. If not at all then maybe another reader will.
You wanna' buy cows.
Great. If you have the infrastructure for them - let's get on with it. If you do not, then stop and build - then buy.
First things first. You need a STRONG pen - made of something other than wire fencing to hold the new arrivals. I know some folks do not like to go this way, but I recommend at least 6 feet high, solid wood with a heavy rail on top to prevent them from crushing it when - not if - someone tries to escape over the top. Any cow can try to go over - if you stop them they do not continue - if you do not stop them they become your worst nightmare.
My second choice is steel - more expensive, but in my mind a better choice - but cost can be prohibitive.
No matter - always build at least one pen that is guaranteed to have NO escapees!
5 Feet tall does not cut it - 6 is best - mine is even taller.
Lock them up for at least a week and decide on which ones are not going to give you probs. You might seriously consider selling those who do not settle in. It only takes one beach to ruin a herd - toss the high headed one(s) before you let them out on pasture. Even if you take a loss in bucks - it will save you a terrific amount of grief.
For this reason you should also have some type of very secure handling system available - BEFORE you bring the animals home.
When you let them out - they go into a small field.
All water and feed stays in the catch pen they just spent the week or so in. That way they will always come home. The first field they go into should always be accessed through your main catch pen. Keeps it easy to round them up until your home truly becomes their home.
You might want to give a loud and continuous "Hey Girls" or something like that when you feed them. This will condition them to come to the call. Even if they are locked in the pen.
You might look like a goof while you are training them, but for sure you will be the big dog on the walk when - not if - they get out. You will walk out there with a pail and they will come on the run.
Now you want to buy a specific breed. That is fine. In my opinion you will do well with any animal. So let's talk about the animal purchase itself.
If you are ready to go for a drive and do some buying - leave your cheque book at home. Know in advance exactly what you are willing to spend. Stay within the budget - no sense breaking the bank on something that can die in transit.
When you look at the animals - walk in the herd. On foot or on horse - makes no mind to me. But on foot if that is the way you will handle them when you get them home.
If they run you - take your truck and your money and leave. I do not care how nice they are - you are not in the cattle "calming" business.
If they take off at high speed when you approach - take your truck and your money and leave. I do not care how nice they are - you are not in the cattle "retrieving" business.
How I buy cattle for the place - which I seldom do now.
You mark them - paint gun works. You record the tag numbers. You cut them out and run them through the chutes and squeeze at the sellers place. Any attitude observed here puts them - IMMEDIATELY - back in the sellers herd.
Look at the records the seller has on his suggested animals. If he has no records - I leave. I want to know what I am buying and where they come from and how they are bred and .... well, you get the idea. Never buy unknowns if you are not an old hand in the business - lots of folks will be more than happy to sell you their troubles, take your money and lock the gate when you leave.
I have a veterinarian come to the sellers place. I have each animal inspected. Completely. If vaccinations are not up to date we do them on the spot. Sometimes I pay and sometimes I split this cost - depends on my mood and the relationship I have with the seller.
I split the veterinarians' mileage bill with the seller. I pay the veterinarian cost for the animals I buy. The seller pays for the animals that are inspected but I kick out of the line up.
Same goes for any calves that might be coming along.
I pay for the trucking to my place.
I get the following from the seller.
1. Copy of complete veterinarinan bill.
2. Copy of veterinarian report. I want this in a big way.
3. Copy of all breeding and health care notes.
4. Copy of final receipt.
5. Any guarantees I can get from the seller - safe in calf - will continue to breed - vaccinations up to date as per our agreement and so on. Return of animals if required. You get the drift.
The breed? Well, I like them both despite admitting I know little about them. Biggest thing I notice about small holders is they tend to get caught up in the minutia and allow the devil to tie up the details.
Both are quite acceptable and both will serve you well. Just be sure to buy what fits YOUR program. And if at all possible buy cow, calf at side and already safe in calf.
Instant herd, instant replacements, instant cash flow and first year breeding - all taken care of while you settle in with your new responsibilities and learn what it takes to raise cattle.
If you are a newbie - do not - please do not - buy an entire herd of bred hiefers - you are not ready - trust me on this.
Find a reputable breeder or two or more and visit them all. If they know you are a serious buyer they will treat you well, answer your questions, assist you in future projects and do their darndest to BUILD A RELATIONSHIP.
They really do want your return business. And you want to give it to them if you find the right place. Trust me on this - relationships in the cattle industry will make you or break you.
Besides - if you have a few good years the seller may indeed become YOUR buyer!
If you have all of the above looked after, you are well on your way and either animal will fit YOUR situation.
Buy quality NOT quantity - if you are newbie take an old hand along with you.
I am sure I left some stuff out - but the old hands here will fill it in.
Forgive the un-asked for advice - often these are the details that are often over looked. In closing - both breeds will serve you well.
Good luck,
Bez!
In any event, I will be a bit repetitious - but here is another that I wrote under a different name - there is additional info here that may be of interest to a newbie. It concerned a person who was torn between two different breeds.
Bez?
---------------------------------------------------------
Ok - I will pop in for a bit.
Because you are a low numbered poster I will assume - possibly incorreectly that you are relatively new to this - if not you may pick a few choice items out of this. If not at all then maybe another reader will.
You wanna' buy cows.
Great. If you have the infrastructure for them - let's get on with it. If you do not, then stop and build - then buy.
First things first. You need a STRONG pen - made of something other than wire fencing to hold the new arrivals. I know some folks do not like to go this way, but I recommend at least 6 feet high, solid wood with a heavy rail on top to prevent them from crushing it when - not if - someone tries to escape over the top. Any cow can try to go over - if you stop them they do not continue - if you do not stop them they become your worst nightmare.
My second choice is steel - more expensive, but in my mind a better choice - but cost can be prohibitive.
No matter - always build at least one pen that is guaranteed to have NO escapees!
5 Feet tall does not cut it - 6 is best - mine is even taller.
Lock them up for at least a week and decide on which ones are not going to give you probs. You might seriously consider selling those who do not settle in. It only takes one beach to ruin a herd - toss the high headed one(s) before you let them out on pasture. Even if you take a loss in bucks - it will save you a terrific amount of grief.
For this reason you should also have some type of very secure handling system available - BEFORE you bring the animals home.
When you let them out - they go into a small field.
All water and feed stays in the catch pen they just spent the week or so in. That way they will always come home. The first field they go into should always be accessed through your main catch pen. Keeps it easy to round them up until your home truly becomes their home.
You might want to give a loud and continuous "Hey Girls" or something like that when you feed them. This will condition them to come to the call. Even if they are locked in the pen.
You might look like a goof while you are training them, but for sure you will be the big dog on the walk when - not if - they get out. You will walk out there with a pail and they will come on the run.
Now you want to buy a specific breed. That is fine. In my opinion you will do well with any animal. So let's talk about the animal purchase itself.
If you are ready to go for a drive and do some buying - leave your cheque book at home. Know in advance exactly what you are willing to spend. Stay within the budget - no sense breaking the bank on something that can die in transit.
When you look at the animals - walk in the herd. On foot or on horse - makes no mind to me. But on foot if that is the way you will handle them when you get them home.
If they run you - take your truck and your money and leave. I do not care how nice they are - you are not in the cattle "calming" business.
If they take off at high speed when you approach - take your truck and your money and leave. I do not care how nice they are - you are not in the cattle "retrieving" business.
How I buy cattle for the place - which I seldom do now.
You mark them - paint gun works. You record the tag numbers. You cut them out and run them through the chutes and squeeze at the sellers place. Any attitude observed here puts them - IMMEDIATELY - back in the sellers herd.
Look at the records the seller has on his suggested animals. If he has no records - I leave. I want to know what I am buying and where they come from and how they are bred and .... well, you get the idea. Never buy unknowns if you are not an old hand in the business - lots of folks will be more than happy to sell you their troubles, take your money and lock the gate when you leave.
I have a veterinarian come to the sellers place. I have each animal inspected. Completely. If vaccinations are not up to date we do them on the spot. Sometimes I pay and sometimes I split this cost - depends on my mood and the relationship I have with the seller.
I split the veterinarians' mileage bill with the seller. I pay the veterinarian cost for the animals I buy. The seller pays for the animals that are inspected but I kick out of the line up.
Same goes for any calves that might be coming along.
I pay for the trucking to my place.
I get the following from the seller.
1. Copy of complete veterinarinan bill.
2. Copy of veterinarian report. I want this in a big way.
3. Copy of all breeding and health care notes.
4. Copy of final receipt.
5. Any guarantees I can get from the seller - safe in calf - will continue to breed - vaccinations up to date as per our agreement and so on. Return of animals if required. You get the drift.
The breed? Well, I like them both despite admitting I know little about them. Biggest thing I notice about small holders is they tend to get caught up in the minutia and allow the devil to tie up the details.
Both are quite acceptable and both will serve you well. Just be sure to buy what fits YOUR program. And if at all possible buy cow, calf at side and already safe in calf.
Instant herd, instant replacements, instant cash flow and first year breeding - all taken care of while you settle in with your new responsibilities and learn what it takes to raise cattle.
If you are a newbie - do not - please do not - buy an entire herd of bred hiefers - you are not ready - trust me on this.
Find a reputable breeder or two or more and visit them all. If they know you are a serious buyer they will treat you well, answer your questions, assist you in future projects and do their darndest to BUILD A RELATIONSHIP.
They really do want your return business. And you want to give it to them if you find the right place. Trust me on this - relationships in the cattle industry will make you or break you.
Besides - if you have a few good years the seller may indeed become YOUR buyer!
If you have all of the above looked after, you are well on your way and either animal will fit YOUR situation.
Buy quality NOT quantity - if you are newbie take an old hand along with you.
I am sure I left some stuff out - but the old hands here will fill it in.
Forgive the un-asked for advice - often these are the details that are often over looked. In closing - both breeds will serve you well.
Good luck,
Bez!
I really appreciate all the help it all very good things to think about.. I just have to keep working at it and i will get there.. My intentions have always been start small then work my way up over time... I really don't expect to be as big as you guys but it would be nice eventually.. I only wish i could find some people around here as eager to help me out like you guys, but i am not going to stop looking.... Thanks again for all of your help.....
mnmtranching
Well-known member
Kyandy, Well I don't think running a cow/calf operation is as tough as some think. You got the land, water and a good perimeter fence right?
I would start with a few good cows. Don't get some scubs that someone else wants to get rid of. Even using good bulls on them will take a few generations to get rid of the crap. All this time you will be selling calves at the low end of the price range.
I like Angus, Charolais, and Herefords.
I advised a neighbor and my brother on this and both are very happy with the results.
Up here good bred Hereford cows sell for about 200$ per head less then the same quality Angus or Charolais. Herefords are as good a cow as any better then most. Use a Black Angus or Charolais bull on your Hereford cows and you will top the market
with your calves everytime. And you won't believe how fast they grow. Good Luck!
mnmt
I would start with a few good cows. Don't get some scubs that someone else wants to get rid of. Even using good bulls on them will take a few generations to get rid of the crap. All this time you will be selling calves at the low end of the price range.
I like Angus, Charolais, and Herefords.
I advised a neighbor and my brother on this and both are very happy with the results.
Up here good bred Hereford cows sell for about 200$ per head less then the same quality Angus or Charolais. Herefords are as good a cow as any better then most. Use a Black Angus or Charolais bull on your Hereford cows and you will top the market
with your calves everytime. And you won't believe how fast they grow. Good Luck!
mnmt
The posts on this subject were some of the best I have ever read. I learned so much!! I wish I had that kind of advice when I started. Thanks for a good question and excellent answers that should benefit a lot of us.
IluvABbeef
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2006
- Messages
- 3,630
- Reaction score
- 0
Wow Bez? your posts are words to live by for ANY newbie starting out. :nod: I know some day I'm going to have to refer back to your posts if I ever get in the same situation as kyandy!!
Great posts, I learned a lot, and as they say,"Well, you learn something everyday!"
Have a good one
Karin
Great posts, I learned a lot, and as they say,"Well, you learn something everyday!"
Have a good one
Karin
Bez?
Well-known member
IluvABbeef":2at4c78a said:Wow Bez? your posts are words to live by for ANY newbie starting out. :nod: I know some day I'm going to have to refer back to your posts if I ever get in the same situation as kyandy!!
Great posts, I learned a lot, and as they say,"Well, you learn something everyday!"
Have a good one
Karin
Thanks. I am a fountain of trivia and useless information.
Bez?
IluvABbeef
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2006
- Messages
- 3,630
- Reaction score
- 0
Bez?":3f8cbcy0 said:IluvABbeef":3f8cbcy0 said:Wow Bez? your posts are words to live by for ANY newbie starting out. :nod: I know some day I'm going to have to refer back to your posts if I ever get in the same situation as kyandy!!
Great posts, I learned a lot, and as they say,"Well, you learn something everyday!"
Have a good one
Karin
Thanks. I am a fountain of trivia and useless information.
Bez?
<Chuckle, chuckle> :lol: Don't kid yourself. Information is useless only if you intead in making it that way ;-)
As for trivia...well...I dunno...
