Totally New At This, Looking For Help Raising Cattle

[DaveinMaryland]

On top of that with a garden hose I can get plenty of water from my home well.

Just curious... how do you intend to keep them watered when your water hose freezes solid?

I would imagine that the steer would be in the freezer. If I understood correctly, he is going to finish one to butcher. He isn't raising cattle year 'round.

This. I was planning on raising it until fall when the grass stops growing.

 

[terra8186]

backhoeboogie wrote: >Figure $800 for the steer. $400 for feed. $200 for hay (I don't have to use it). $20 for water if you want. $50 for fuel transports. $20 for meds. Approximately $1500 ? $300 for processing puts you at $1800. Divide the pounds of meat yield by that. That is what you are paying per pound for high quality steak, roast, hamburger from ONE animal etc. You are not going to get that quality from any grocery store and it will be cheaper. >

We are in different parts of the country. People around here would sell you a 1/4 or a 1/2 for your finished price of $1,500. The last cattle I sold I received between $1,100 - $1,250 per animal. I sell mine for the going rate that our local butcher is charging (by the way, he is excellent). That is what I meant for it being cheaper to buy your beef than to raise your own. I won't purchase from a supermarket again. I also remember on this site seeing what other people sell their beef for, and it is double this area. I don't know what 1/4's and 1/2's sell for in Maryland, but he should check it out before deciding it is cheaper to raise his own.

As far as the manure spreader, I wouldn't own one if I lived in a warmer climate like texas. The straw and manure don't break down. They pile up in the winter. With 12 inches of snow on the ground, my cattle very seldom leave the barn. After 4 months, I have a pretty big pile.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Terra - you have some valid points. Winters here are much milder.

You also are talking about purchasing much heavier steers. Is this because of a shorter season?

 

[novatech]

As far as the manure spreader, I wouldn't own one if I lived in a warmer climate like texas. The straw and manure don't break down. They pile up in the winter. With 12 inches of snow on the ground, my cattle very seldom leave the barn. After 4 months, I have a pretty big pile.

What happens to the manure and dead grass in the pasture? We used to pile it up (barn manure and straw) and compost it. After it composted then we used a manure spreader slinging it where needed.

 

[DaveinMaryland]

I did some local farm raised beef pricing and it was something like 3.35/lb. Of course that includes bones, tongue etc. When you factor in the juice to run the freezer it is a marginal savings. But you folks have got me wondering about the taste difference so I may look into it for that reason.

 

[dieselbeef]

it aint store bought..some dont care for it..i like it better...no matter in the end if you know what yer gittin yer better off than at walmart

 

[Lon]

As far as the manure spreader, I wouldn't own one if I lived in a warmer climate like texas. The straw and manure don't break down. They pile up in the winter. With 12 inches of snow on the ground, my cattle very seldom leave the barn. After 4 months, I have a pretty big pile.

What happens to the manure and dead grass in the pasture? We used to pile it up (barn manure and straw) and compost it. After it composted then we used a manure spreader slinging it where needed.

i was wondering why it wouldnt break down in texas? i guess in my mind it would have to otherwise all the cattle the state has you guys would have alot of it just hanging around in piles. maybe thats why i always meet people from down that way with pants tucked into thier boots even in town. :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: no just kidding.

 

[backhoeboogie]

As far as the manure spreader, I wouldn't own one if I lived in a warmer climate like texas. The straw and manure don't break down. They pile up in the winter. With 12 inches of snow on the ground, my cattle very seldom leave the barn. After 4 months, I have a pretty big pile.

What happens to the manure and dead grass in the pasture? We used to pile it up (barn manure and straw) and compost it. After it composted then we used a manure spreader slinging it where needed.

i was wondering why it wouldnt break down in texas? i guess in my mind it would have to otherwise all the cattle the state has you guys would have alot of it just hanging around in piles. maybe thats why i always meet people from down that way with pants tucked into thier boots even in town. :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: no just kidding.

You haven't been here so you don't know I suppose. It is so dry and windy, the stuff just turns to powder and blows north.

 

[dun]

You haven't been here so you don't know I suppose. It is so dry and windy, the stuff just turns to powder and blows north.

The they tried to tell us that brown stuff all over the cars was just dust that blew in from tx

 

[backhoeboogie]

You haven't been here so you don't know I suppose. It is so dry and windy, the stuff just turns to powder and blows north.

The they tried to tell us that brown stuff all over the cars was just dust that blew in from tx

I hope you had a bandanna to breath thru. Otherwise, it may leave a bad taste in your mouth.

It is seriously dry here no kidding. Things are getting bad. We have had some high winds every day too.

 

[dun]

You haven't been here so you don't know I suppose. It is so dry and windy, the stuff just turns to powder and blows north.

The they tried to tell us that brown stuff all over the cars was just dust that blew in from tx

I hope you had a bandanna to breath thru. Otherwise, it may leave a bad taste in your mouth.

It is seriously dry here no kidding. Things are getting bad. We have had some high winds every day too.

A couple of weeks ago a dust storm in tx suposedly tied up with a rain storm here. Just tasted like tx to me

 

[terra8186]

You also are talking about purchasing much heavier steers. Is this because of a shorter season?

I think you may have misread something because I didn't say that. I purchase at 350 lbs and take them to the butcher at 600 lbs hanging. I am guessing this is 1100 lbs. I can buy beef calves for $300 a piece. There is an add in the paper today for 2 angus feeders steers and 3 heifers for $1/lb.

terra8186 wrote:

As far as the manure spreader, I wouldn't own one if I lived in a warmer climate like texas. The straw and manure don't break down. They pile up in the winter. With 12 inches of snow on the ground, my cattle very seldom leave the barn. After 4 months, I have a pretty big pile.

What happens to the manure and dead grass in the pasture? We used to pile it up (barn manure and straw) and compost it. After it composted then we used a manure spreader slinging it where needed.

I didn't say that right. During the summer months, my manure and straw breaks down. In the winter it doesn't break down it just piles up. The cattle spend most of the time outside during the summer and in the winter, they very seldom come outside except to eat and drink. The manure and dead grass in the pasture dry up and are gone in a couple of days (dung beetles?).

 

[Ruark]

It is seriously dry here no kidding. Things are getting bad. We have had some high winds every day too.

North central Texas here - between Lampasas and Hamilton.........

I just posted on another forum here.... in your mind, picture 3 inches of brown talcum powder, with little shoots of last year's dead grass sticking out of it. That's my pasture.

 

[Caustic Burno]

It is seriously dry here no kidding. Things are getting bad. We have had some high winds every day too.

North central Texas here - between Lampasas and Hamilton.........

I just posted on another forum here.... in your mind, picture 3 inches of brown talcum powder, with little shoots of last year's dead grass sticking out of it. That's my pasture.

Dug a posthole yesterday two foot down was talcum powder and I live in a rainforest. We are bad dry here, never seen it this dry in the winter here.

 

[terra8186]

I just posted on another forum here.... in your mind, picture 3 inches of brown talcum powder, with little shoots of last year's dead grass sticking out of it. That's my pasture.

How do you keep the topsoil down during high winds. I always hear the local conservation district promoting windbreaks and no-till to eliminate wind erosion like they had during the dustbowl years. It almost sounds like that is your condition. I almost picture soil drifts instead of snow drifts. Is this happening?

 

[tsmaxx47]

If some of you really think that I've wasted all this time just playing with you then clearly it's time I move on. Most of you were very nice to answer my obvious naive questions. But I gotta be honest, to be called a liar and pretty much stupid for posting about how the cow gets returned kind of p*sses me off.

There are a number of dogs in my area but they are all fenced in because our road has cars traveling 40 MPH. Have never seen a stray in the 8+ years we've been here because any that came by would either be picked up or run over. If you don't want to believe me then frankly I don't really care.

Thanks to those who took me seriously and offered helpful advice.

better to be pi$$ed off than pi$$ed on....

 

[Ruark]

I just posted on another forum here.... in your mind, picture 3 inches of brown talcum powder, with little shoots of last year's dead grass sticking out of it. That's my pasture.

How do you keep the topsoil down during high winds. I always hear the local conservation district promoting windbreaks and no-till to eliminate wind erosion like they had during the dustbowl years. It almost sounds like that is your condition. I almost picture soil drifts instead of snow drifts. Is this happening?

No, there's enough grass, dead or otherwise, to hold most of it in place. So far....

 

[Kingfisher]

I just posted on another forum here.... in your mind, picture 3 inches of brown talcum powder, with little shoots of last year's dead grass sticking out of it. That's my pasture.

How do you keep the topsoil down during high winds. I always hear the local conservation district promoting windbreaks and no-till to eliminate wind erosion like they had during the dustbowl years. It almost sounds like that is your condition. I almost picture soil drifts instead of snow drifts. Is this happening?

No, there's enough grass, dead or otherwise, to hold most of it in place. So far....

I wonder what that area looked like 75 years ago before they turned the goats loose.......

 

[DaveinMaryland]

I checked with a local place who sells 30 pound boxes of burgers, roasts and steaks for 6.50/lb. She claims it's "cheaper than the store". Not sure what store she has been shopping at but my local one doesn't sell steaks for 6.50/lb let alone roasts and burgers.

 

[dieselbeef]

3$/lb hanging...cut and wrapped.... custom cut to your specs....you pickup..cash only....by the half....usually bout 650 total on the hook ..take homes bout 250-300 usually
i kill @ 20 mos or 1k lbs whichever comes first
sell em all......

gary