Starting new hobby farm

[sharptailhunter]

Hi there! My wife and I moved to a home on 5 acres with about 4 of them being grass pasture. For our small beginning steps toward a hobby farm we've planted a bunch of fruit trees and picked up two Angus steers. It's been a lot of fun finishing them. We have a butcher date for the middle of January. We're setting our sights on getting some pregnant cows that are expected to calve around April. I have a good friend who has raised beef cattle his whole life and has been a great help. My curious nature has led me here with hopes that I can continue to learn about beef cattle. My wife and I never knew how much fun it'd be to raise steers and we're excited to build on our little experience!

 

[wbvs58]

Welcome sharptail. Sounds like your off to a good start with your cattle.

Ken

 

[sstterry]

Welcome and enjoy the Board!

 

[Green Pastures]

Welcome aboard. This forum is jam packed with good information for you and the folks are very helpful.

 

[Little Joe]

Welcome! I hope you enjoy the forum as much as I do, from the great info on cattle, the politics and opinions to all the different opinions on cattle.

 

[SBMF 2015]

Welcome. The combined knowledge here is mind blowing. Regardless of what your question is, some one here has had experience with it. It's a great place.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Welcome to the board. Thanks for sharing what your are doing. I am a stickler on asking for you to go to your profile and add your location. Location can change how we answer questions. I live in Upstate NY and Ken lives in Australia - world of difference!!! Hope you stick around and enjoy.

 

[sharptailhunter]

Welcome to the board. Thanks for sharing what your are doing. I am a stickler on asking for you to go to your profile and add your location. Location can change how we answer questions. I live in Upstate NY and Ken lives in Australia - world of difference!!! Hope you stick around and enjoy.

Good point! I think I got it updated. We live in southeastern Idaho. So far we've had a relatively mild winter but we're getting ready for snow anytime, yikes!

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Thanks for taking care of that!! We have lake affect snow on the ground - just a dusting. We get a lot of Lake affect snow. Sometimes it will be a blizzard out, but if you look at the sky, you can see the sun behind the thin layer of cloud. Super mild "winter" so far.

 

[uplandnut]

Welcome, lots of knowledge on here. Your name insinuates a man of similar interests.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Be sure to work on FACILITIES sooner rather than later. You need a way to confine a very powerful animal - to treat an eye infection, a foot infection, give vaccines, treat sickness, etc. A vet will not want to come to your farm for a problem if you don't have facilities.

 

[SBMF 2015]

Be sure to work on FACILITIES sooner rather than later. You need a way to confine a very powerful animal - to treat an eye infection, a foot infection, give vaccines, treat sickness, etc. A vet will not want to come to your farm for a problem if you don't have facilities.

What? The days of finding a vet that will come out after dark to rope a cow in the back forty that started calving four days ago,but no one has checked on in two weeks are gone?
Thank goodness! My Vet is to important to my operation to have her get hurt working someone's wild cattle in some junk setup.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Vets out here are used to big dairy operations. When they hear it's a beef farm, they cringe. My vet clinic has about 8 large animal vets. I have "my vet", but occasionally I have one of the other vets make a call. They are thrilled with working cows in a work chute.
Keep your vet happy, and you will do well on your farm. They are a valuable resource. I can call their cell phone & get their advice without them "having" to come out. But, I have had the same vet service for over 40 years.

 

[SBMF 2015]

The vet practice that I used to work for has one of the Senior partners hurt really bad. Some hobby farmer bought a bred cow at the sale barn. Called the vet to say she was down in the pasture and couldn't get up. Well once they roped her she not only was able to stand, she could run to. Got the vet down, he used his spleen, concussion, and enough other head trauma to cause double vision for several months after.

 

[RDFF]

I agree, a decent working facility is critical, for safety of the handlers and the cattle, and just as importantly, for calm, quiet working of the group. It doesn't have to be fancy or expensive, just a good means of "small grouping", loading, and restraining any size animal you anticipate having on your place. I really like this video from Cody Creelman... Watch video 3:09 The Cud, Episode 5, The perfect cattle handling system 65K viewsSep 21, 2016 YouTubeCody Creelman, Cow Vet (bing.com) If you watch enough videos on cattle handling facilities, you'll figure something out that'll work for your situation. I'm working toward installing an adjustable width lane that'll have functional capability similar to this, with a squeeze chute on the front end, Bud Box loading on the back end. That'll replace my old plank fence lane that's too wide, with wood posts that are now starting to break off, and the "circle 'em around in the holding pen till you get 'em to run into the lane loading system... .

 

[BlondeD]

In my early days......when resources were slim.......I too had some really makeshift facilities. Very lucky am I that no injuries accumulated. Now......I can work my small operation solo....and still be safe.

 

[Timmer]

You and I are in similar spots. I have about 6 acres that I have been working on pasture grasses for almost 3 years. This last summer we fenced off 4 acres of that. We have 2 Angus arriving in April and a butcher appointment in October. Right now I'm trying to learn about supplemental food to ensure good growth and good beef.