Texas and Oklahoma Ranchers

[wrightwayangus]

Better to buy a place with native pasture or a place with improved pasture? I'm concerned about the drought and high price of fertilizer that may affect the profit on the improved grasses as well as to my way of thinking the native grasses usually have a higher protein content over the long haul. Love to hear thoughts and don't feel bad about blasting holes in my ideas I'm not from the area but would sure be interested in running some cows in that neck of the woods. Thanks

 

[greybeard]

If I had it to do over, I'd buy someone else's work.
I can kinda handle the fertilize costs, but lime application is a killer expense here.

 

[bird dog]

I have one pasture of good quality bermuda that I spend a fortune on, but it provides the hay for the rest of the operation. I bought the pasture from the resident grass expert. Everything else is native grasses that I try to rotational graze. The 2011 drought knocked back a lot of my grasses but I had a fair 2012 moisture wise and the native grasses recovered fairly well in the second half of the year. The bermuda patch, did not recover as well. It looks good from a distance but is very thin. I think it will be fine if we have a couple of normal years.
Buying someone else's work is usually the way to go if it is affordable.

 

[JSCATTLE]

I tried to go the cheap route . Bought a place that was wooded because it was cheap . I have about 110 acres cleared and planted . It worked out because I could pay out of pocket and not have a high note . But I would buy improved pasture if I had to do it again . A lot of work and time in making good pasture .

 

[Caustic Burno]

That is one of the reason's I love common Bermuda and Bahia grass it loves this part of the world.
Neither are great hay makers but are fantastic pastures with minimum input.
It is better to work with mother nature than against her. Usually when you try to fight mother nature, father time get's you.

 

[greybeard]

I tried to go the cheap route . Bought a place that was wooded because it was cheap . I have about 110 acres cleared and planted . It worked out because I could pay out of pocket and not have a high note . But I would buy improved pasture if I had to do it again . A lot of work and time in making good pasture .

I wonder how Pineland is doing with his clearing and planting pasture--haven't seen him around in 6 months or so.

 

[Isomade]

Improved!!!!

 

[Brute 23]

Improved!!!!

:nod: hands down established improved

 

[JSCATTLE]

I tried to go the cheap route . Bought a place that was wooded because it was cheap . I have about 110 acres cleared and planted . It worked out because I could pay out of pocket and not have a high note . But I would buy improved pasture if I had to do it again . A lot of work and time in making good pasture .

I wonder how Pineland is doing with his clearing and planting pasture--haven't seen him around in 6 months or so.

Yea it's been awhile . I would like to see his progress too.

 

[Pineland]

I hope all is well for you guys.

Ill post a few photos and give you guys an update.

In short conditions are improving daily. This year we planted about 10% of the property in an Oat/Clover/Rye grass mix. About 10% more was over seeded with clover and an additional 10% was grazed down and over seeded with Rye grass. I left 20 percent in stock piled Bermuda Grass. The remaining is native bottom lane which has fescue, bahia, bermuda, scrub oaks, wild millet, and numerous other brush and weeds.

We put in a hog proof fence around the property and its worked great. Our area has had numerous floods and the hogs have destroyed neighboring pastures over night because they are traveling in very large numbers fleeing the bottoms. We have been untouched.

So far we were able to double our herd and have not fed an ounce of hay or supplements other than mineral. No significant loss in BCS. Our area has been extremely wet and thus far the winter has been pretty mild. I have several more projects pending until we dry out, but you won't hear me complain about being wet.

 

[houstoncutter]

That is one of the reason's I love common Bermuda and Bahia grass it loves this part of the world.
Neither are great hay makers but are fantastic pastures with minimum input.
It is better to work with mother nature than against her. Usually when you try to fight mother nature, father time get's you.[/quote


Well stated CB, you hit the nail on the head........many times I have wondered if our friends with improved pastures have really used a sharp pencil when figuring costs! It takes little to have decent bahia field the same cannot be said of a improved bermuda.

 

[Limomike]

I agree, go with the improved.