Totally new

[Humvey]

Hi all,

My name is Maggie and I live in WestCentral WI. My husband and I both work full time and have a small hobby farm of 40 acres. We currently have 4 horses for riding.

We want to try raising some beef cattle. Since we have limited funds and will have to spend a bit to renovate the barn for the cattle, we will not have pasture for some time, so I am looking for a breed that does well in a feedlot situation, is hardy, easy to get along with, has easy births, good weight gain, and disease resistance.

We are new to this and have only had the farm for 3 years. We did get the opportunity to raise two Angus/Holstein crosses (neighbor gave them to us to 'break' us in). That went pretty well, but I would like to get some breed that is more 'beefy'; those were a little too fatty for my taste.

My starter goal is to have 5 bred cows with 5 calves. I like the idea of breeding and raising my own; though I have not thought of how I'm going to breed them; we will also be keeping some of my neighbor's young Holsteins since he needs the room and has been helping us out.

My neighbor will farm our 30 acres and provide us with the feed needed; so these guys are going to be primarily corn/hay fed, but we will be looking into other feeds as well. I want to stay away from additives, and keep them on as natural of feed as possible. We don't have any farm machinery and no money, so working with the neighbor is pretty much our only option at this time.

I was looking at all the different breeds. There are so many. I like the looks of the Beefmasters, but wonder if they would like our climate. I also thought it may be good to specialize in something more 'exotic' for the area, like the Belted Galloway or BueLingo. Or go with a mix breed that is closer to the common Angus, like the Brangus. Herefords also seem pretty common around here.

I like the idea of keeping the calves on milk as long as possible, and breeds like the Hays Converter come to light.

I want to stay with the polled breeds since we are a bit new to this.

So, I'd love to read about the breeds people like for this kind of thing, and why. Suggested books to read that will help in setting up and carring for the cattle would be appreciated.

Thanks for your time and I hope to learn a lot from this board.

Maggie

 

[Campground Cattle]

British Whites easy keepers and very docile good for beginner to learn with. There lots of good breeds if you are looking for quality meat I would stick with the British breeds Angus\Brit White\Devon\ Hereford\or Shorthorn

 

[dun]

For real basics the book "A guide to raising beef cattle" by Heather Smith Thomas is very good.

dun

 

[CKC1586]

I am partial to Piedmontese. They are low fat low cholesterol beef yet is very tender and juicy. There are several Piedmontese breeders in Wisconsin. You may want to contact them and perhaps go check them out. You can go to http://www.pauscattle.org for more information.

 

[Beefy]

i have beefmasters and they rock. and they would probably fare ok up there but they are really more suited for a warmer climate. if i were you i would probably get some SimmentalXAngus cows or Baldies.

 

[CKC1586]

The Piedmontese do well in both hot and cold climates. My brother has some stragglers that will be calving in the next two months, yesterday it was zero degrees (minus 8 this morning gonna get up to 15 tho) and of course a calf was born, he is doing good up and sucking. He did move them to a paddock with a windbreak but these critters are hardy.

 

[mgman]

I'm also located in WI...and have been running Murray Greys for the past few years. They do very well in the northern climate and have the attributes you're looking for-calving ease, good disposition & easy to finish on grass/forage.

 

[SPRINGER FARMS MURRAY GRE]

I'm also located in WI...and have been running Murray Greys for the past few years. They do very well in the northern climate and have the attributes you're looking for-calving ease, good disposition & easy to finish on grass/forage.

I wholeheartedly second that motion! :cboy: ;-)

 

[greenwillowherefords]

Herefords are a good cold-hardy breed. The oldtimers tell me that in the day before cattlemen had the facilities that they do now, you could hardly find anything else west of the Mississippi in the states with cold winters. Much was open range, etc. They say the Herefords would have twice the percentage still alive after a blizzard. The Hereford association's literature states that Herefords have a heavier, thicker hide than many breeds, which may contribute to the cold-hardiness. I'd be interested to know what the OLDTIMERS on the boards think of what I've been told about this. Perhaps the Canadians might have a good perspective on it.

 

[greenwillowherefords]

Herefords are a good cold-hardy breed. The oldtimers tell me that in the day before cattlemen had the facilities that they do now, you could hardly find anything else west of the Mississippi in the states with cold winters. Much was open range, etc. They say the Herefords would have twice the percentage still alive after a blizzard. The Hereford association's literature states that Herefords have a heavier, thicker hide than many breeds, which may contribute to the cold-hardiness. I'd be interested to know what the OLDTIMERS on the boards think of what I've been told about this. Perhaps the Canadians might have a good perspective on it.

 

[Bez]

Well, I am stealing some good info from another thread and giving the authors the credit - it's good advice. See below.

As for rennos on a barn - forget it - just give them a three sided shelter facing south - it keeps the rain off of them and lets the sun shine in. A little pasture or feed and you are in business. For that matter they do not even need that - two sides and a roof - or a real good bush with decent drainage will keep you out of most trouble. Heck, a wind break on well drained soil with no roof works as well.

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 years ago. Love 'em, but if you spoil 'em you will end up with problems.

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 ... and this is important - you folks 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.

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. Instant moms that are bred back. Go with quiet. Do not ask what breed, 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. 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 sales barn - do not buy someone elses trouble. 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 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 animals out there for sale.

Have a good fence, some feed and water available when they show up at home - even quiet animals can become tornadoes for a day or two. If your area is small and poorly fenced, plan on searching for them for a couple of days before they settle in.

Craig-TX wrote:
The people who pay those prices are the same people who need tax deductions because of other income. I'm not knocking them – power to 'em. They keep the breeders in business. And the breeders continually improve the quality of the national herd which helps the beef industry.

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.

And BTW I'll vouch for Campground's rule of thumb on the previous page. That's pretty close to reality.

Craig-TX

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.....
I like to keep my own heifers --- and at the $1300- 1400 mark the bred heifers up here are going for I definitely ain't buying any.... Some one has much more faith in the market then I do.........

_________________

Looks like there are three of us in the same boat.

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 guarantted 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 - but you did say limited budget.

Far as I am concerned - solid animal is good - but cheaper is better. Calves all sell - you just want good 'uns. Healthy and lively.

Go for it - have fun and welcome to an interesting life - that of a cattleman!

Regards

Bez

 

[plbcattle]

if you are planing on just getting in right now is the WORST time to buy cattle. They are at record highs. you know what will hapen. buy high sell low. doesn't pay off. but if I were looking at a breed, black brangus

 

[Campground Cattle]

Bez you ought to write a book for beginners as you always have sound advice and a way with words. You are also a great story teller, keep me rolling anyway.

You might Title it What went wrong

 

[eric]

if you are planing on just getting in right now is the WORST time to buy cattle. They are at record highs. you know what will hapen. buy high sell low. doesn't pay off. but if I were looking at a breed, black brangus

NAH, just go for it! I heard this same thing last yr, as I bought my cows from a guy in here just before christmas, and about this time a yr ago, we had the BSE scare in Washington. I remember my family / friends telling me to see if I could talk the guy out of delivering the cows on sunday, since prices were sure to drop after this scare hits. I stuck in there because I wanted the cows, good looking beefmaster pairs, and havent regretted it one bit. Added some angus heifers to the mix a bit later.

And look at the prices today!! I am not sure if there is ever a really good time to jump in.

 

[Ellie May]

I reccomend Herefords. They birth easy, real good mothers, it doesn't take alot to fill their stomachs and can put on weight like nobodys bussiness. Not to mention gentle as could be. The downside we've had so far w/ them is the occasional eye problems, but that's about it.
Ellie May

 

[UG]

I am partial to Piedmontese. They are low fat low cholesterol beef yet is very tender and juicy. There are several Piedmontese breeders in Wisconsin. You may want to contact them and perhaps go check them out. You can go to http://www.pauscattle.org for more information.

Nearly all breeds offer their own niche. I like Pieds, but I wouldn't recommend them to novice cattle producers, simply because Pieds tend to have more calving problems than the majority of other breeds.

If you anticipate that this will be more of a hobby than a business, I would encourage you to consider one of the novelty or rare breeds. You may want to check out the Oklahoma State Un. Animal Science Dept. web site. It has information on dozens of breeds with contact information on various breed associations where you can get even more information. You may also want to check out the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy website, which highlights rarer breeds in the US.

I agree with a previous post that now may not be the best time to get into the business since we are experiencing record prices. However, if you do decide to go into it now, I would encourage you to buy older, proven cows. Older cows (5 to 8 years old) generally costs less than young females and generally shouldn't have calving problems. Good older cows should be able to produce at least another 3 to 10 calves for you.