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Started By
Message
start in cattle
Posted on 12/1/25 at 6:47 am
Posted on 12/1/25 at 6:47 am
ive purchased 48 acres of old unimproved hay patch in southwest LA and are building fence and setting water points for livestock. i hope to have a rotational grazing operation with multiple protein enterprises (cattle, chickens, sheep) i understand this is the greatest time ever to have live animals to sell, and therefore a bid time to try to get in. Id appreciate any opinions on how to get started. below are some options based on conversations with other cattleman, media, online research, etc
1 buy a local herd. big upfront $, but you get animals that you know are adapted to your environment
2 lease the pasture. i dont think there is a great market for this but ive not aggresively researched the market
3 custom graze. depending on demand available, seems a good way to get some income with little upfront $ other than what ive already spent on fence and water. one idea ive heard for payment is to keep a percentage of the calf crop which i like the sound of
4 buy commercial cattle from the sale barn. caveat emptor
any others? thanks
1 buy a local herd. big upfront $, but you get animals that you know are adapted to your environment
2 lease the pasture. i dont think there is a great market for this but ive not aggresively researched the market
3 custom graze. depending on demand available, seems a good way to get some income with little upfront $ other than what ive already spent on fence and water. one idea ive heard for payment is to keep a percentage of the calf crop which i like the sound of
4 buy commercial cattle from the sale barn. caveat emptor
any others? thanks
8
Posted on 12/1/25 at 6:54 am to aldawg2323
Are you working the livestock yourself?
Have any experience with cattle?
Have any experience with cattle?
Posted on 12/1/25 at 7:00 am to reds on reds on reds
yes myself and hired help
A little. i grew up farming rice and cattle but its been 20 years
A little. i grew up farming rice and cattle but its been 20 years
Posted on 12/1/25 at 7:32 am to aldawg2323
*You must determine what type of cattle operation you want. Cow/calf, replacement, commercial or line, feeders, etc.
*Type of fencing? Barb wire works for cattle but not the best for sheep.
*Invest in electric fencing as well
*Determine source for hay during winter months
*Deicide size of paddocks (head count of cattle) across the 48 for rotational grazing
*understand sale barn cattle are likely someone else’s culls
*Type of fencing? Barb wire works for cattle but not the best for sheep.
*Invest in electric fencing as well
*Determine source for hay during winter months
*Deicide size of paddocks (head count of cattle) across the 48 for rotational grazing
*understand sale barn cattle are likely someone else’s culls
Posted on 12/1/25 at 11:13 am to aldawg2323
Cows and sheep don't go together. Cattle products have copper in them that will kill a sheep. You will have to keep them separate. Don't buy any wild arse cows. Get them from someone that bucket feeds.
Posted on 12/1/25 at 11:24 am to Churchill
quote:
Don't buy any wild arse cows. Get them from someone that bucket feeds.
Agree completely with this…they’re nothing but trouble!
Posted on 12/1/25 at 11:58 am to aldawg2323
Buy a herd would be my advice
also, as you start down this process, get rid of the crazy ones, the ones that wont come to feed when called, and the ones that like to get out.
my old man makes them walk through the corral to be fed cubes so they get used to it and that way he can lock them in the feeding area so he and his cowboy(hired help) can work them the next day.
also, as you start down this process, get rid of the crazy ones, the ones that wont come to feed when called, and the ones that like to get out.
my old man makes them walk through the corral to be fed cubes so they get used to it and that way he can lock them in the feeding area so he and his cowboy(hired help) can work them the next day.
Posted on 12/1/25 at 1:42 pm to aldawg2323
Do you have kids/grandkids?
My deceased uncles grandkids were in a 4h need program. It allowed them to purchase straws off of proven producers at a huge discount. He A/I’d all of their cows with said straws.
It’s a hobby now that will turn into real work soon enough.
My deceased uncles grandkids were in a 4h need program. It allowed them to purchase straws off of proven producers at a huge discount. He A/I’d all of their cows with said straws.
It’s a hobby now that will turn into real work soon enough.
Posted on 12/1/25 at 3:30 pm to aldawg2323
Couple things -
If you buy from a sale barn, buy at a stocker sale. Couple times a year at each barn. You can pick up some nice cows then, less likely to be culls. May not be cheap, though.
Depending on the pasture and the area, you can put 15-25 head, 25 is pushing it but with rotational grazing you can squeeze a few extra head in.
If you also want sheep, have your fences so when you move the sheep out you can move the cattle in, to “vacuum” the pasture. The biggest problem with sheep is internal parasites. This will help with that. Not a lot of money in sheep, you really need a couple of regular buyers that will buy all your lambs as they reach the desired weight.
Unless you want to buy hog wire, electric fence can work.
You will need a pen to catch the cows with an alley leading to the head gate. Try to anticipate any hazards and make it as safe as possible for you and your animals.
If you buy from a sale barn, buy at a stocker sale. Couple times a year at each barn. You can pick up some nice cows then, less likely to be culls. May not be cheap, though.
Depending on the pasture and the area, you can put 15-25 head, 25 is pushing it but with rotational grazing you can squeeze a few extra head in.
If you also want sheep, have your fences so when you move the sheep out you can move the cattle in, to “vacuum” the pasture. The biggest problem with sheep is internal parasites. This will help with that. Not a lot of money in sheep, you really need a couple of regular buyers that will buy all your lambs as they reach the desired weight.
Unless you want to buy hog wire, electric fence can work.
You will need a pen to catch the cows with an alley leading to the head gate. Try to anticipate any hazards and make it as safe as possible for you and your animals.
Posted on 12/1/25 at 6:20 pm to aldawg2323
Bookmarked
Posted on 12/1/25 at 6:36 pm to Churchill
i know enough to avoid wild cattle. i eventually hope to avoid any brahman influence all together
Posted on 12/1/25 at 6:36 pm to b-rab2
great tips thanks
Posted on 12/1/25 at 6:37 pm to KemoSabe65
i do not, but i do have a nephew in FFA. ill see if this is an option. thanks
Posted on 12/1/25 at 6:42 pm to 9rocket
thanks. ill check on stocker sales. side note/question about stockers - ive read about stocker cattle but does not seem to be an active market in SLA. i assume its due to distance from the midwest feedlots but not certain. have you any success grazing stockers?
sheep is on the wishlist but not a top priority. ive read that sheep and cattle are good in rotation as their parasites are different, and rotating them helps combat parasites. again, all academic knowledge at this point i dont personally know anyone rotating them in my climatic area
i have a head catch and squeeze chute, with some push pens. ive read about a bud box however and hope to eventually install one
great info thanks for the reply
sheep is on the wishlist but not a top priority. ive read that sheep and cattle are good in rotation as their parasites are different, and rotating them helps combat parasites. again, all academic knowledge at this point i dont personally know anyone rotating them in my climatic area
i have a head catch and squeeze chute, with some push pens. ive read about a bud box however and hope to eventually install one
great info thanks for the reply
This post was edited on 12/1/25 at 6:43 pm
Posted on 12/2/25 at 10:21 am to aldawg2323
quote:
i know enough to avoid wild cattle. i eventually hope to avoid any brahman influence all together
I have a Brahman mix steer right now that spooks easy and clears a barb wire fence like a damn equestrian horse. Can’t wait to get his arse to the butcher.
Posted on 12/2/25 at 10:56 am to aldawg2323
No, we are strictly cow/calf. Raise the calf to 500-600 lbs and sell them either to a sale barn or a buyer who ships them to a feedlot in Oklahoma.
The sales I was referring to are fall/ spring sales where you can get a better quality heifer or young(ish) bred cow. Probably pay a little more, or a lot more, depending on what you choose to go after.
One sale we went to there was an old man, well known around there, who sat next to us for twelve hours, never made a bid, then all of a sudden over the next hour or so he bought a dozen. Waited until he saw exactly what he was looking for.
Prices are crazy right now, though. But you can still find good deals if you are patient and selective.
We don’t keep near as many sheep as we used to and should probably go ahead and sell the rest, but they aren’t taking any grass away from the cows and I really do like having them.
The sales I was referring to are fall/ spring sales where you can get a better quality heifer or young(ish) bred cow. Probably pay a little more, or a lot more, depending on what you choose to go after.
One sale we went to there was an old man, well known around there, who sat next to us for twelve hours, never made a bid, then all of a sudden over the next hour or so he bought a dozen. Waited until he saw exactly what he was looking for.
Prices are crazy right now, though. But you can still find good deals if you are patient and selective.
We don’t keep near as many sheep as we used to and should probably go ahead and sell the rest, but they aren’t taking any grass away from the cows and I really do like having them.
Posted on 12/2/25 at 12:54 pm to 9rocket
a herd of cattle sounds nice until you get a call that on christmas mornig at about 2am when its freezing outside saying that they are all over the highway. are you ready for that?
Posted on 12/2/25 at 2:15 pm to diat150
quote:Build a Stay-Tuff mesh wire fence to enclose these beasts. Until some frick frick drives through it or a tree falls across it. She’s a 24-7 gig she is.
a herd of cattle sounds nice until you get a call that on christmas mornig at about 2am when its freezing outside saying that they are all over the highway. are you ready for that?
This post was edited on 12/2/25 at 2:16 pm
Posted on 12/2/25 at 2:16 pm to diat150
Done it.
You just gotta take the bad with the good.
You just gotta take the bad with the good.
This post was edited on 12/2/25 at 2:49 pm
Posted on 12/2/25 at 5:16 pm to 9rocket
quote:
Done it.
You just gotta take the bad with the good.
just pointing out a very real predicament someone can have when it comes to raising cattle. I grew up on land that was leased out to farmers for cattle and it was a constant thing. if you are doing cattle you better make sure you have the proper insurance in place to cover yourself. you also better know who you are going to call to come help.
I also had a couple of bred heifers my self, of which one died before giving birth and the other we had to pull the calf. not fun.
This post was edited on 12/2/25 at 5:19 pm
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