We own 43 acres. 3 acres of pasture abd 40 acres of woods. We live in San Jacinto County Texas. I am thinking 3 acres will support 2 cows. We have plenty of water for them.
2007-02-02 14:25:28 · 8 answers · asked by Jim W 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Other - Home & Garden
Contact your local four H and get all the info you need
2007-02-02 23:22:15 · answer #1 · answered by cowboydoc 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The minimum requirement for cattle in Tennesse, wiothout having to supplement feed, is one acre per head (hay ration in winter only). The drier the climate, or colder, the more land they will need. I don't know where San Jacinto is, but if you have green grass for most of the year, 3 acres should be enough. You can also let them into the woods, too. They will clear out the underbrush and create more grazing land. Cows like trees to rub against.
2007-02-02 14:35:20 · answer #2 · answered by normobrian 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gosh, it sound like a great place for cattle. You will probably want to start with male calves that have been castrated. I don't know at what point they become steers. See if you have a livestock auction in your area or if there's a rancher who would sell you what you need and if they will deliver them to your pasture. I'd talk to your county agent about what kind of shelter they might need from the wind and sun and snow and ice (I don't know your weather) and if you need to supplement the pasture grass with some sort of feed to fatten them. You'll need a good, mended fence--electric, I don't know. I don't know if it would be a good idea to divide the pasture in half so that the grass can grow strong on one side and then rotate the cattle over there and let the other side grow up a bit. Are you going to need hay in the winter. Are there any predators like mountain lions where you are. I don't know what kind of vet maintenance, if any, that beef cattle need. Good luck.
2007-02-02 14:44:19 · answer #3 · answered by Darby 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
3 Acres will support 2 cows for about a month, max. They need pasture, a balanced diet, water, vaccines, and fences.
2007-02-02 14:33:28 · answer #4 · answered by Phlebotomist 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
personal experience raised one cow on a quarter acre lot fenced off so if the cow was lucky it had a quarter of a quarter of land.
fortunatly my husband worked on a farm at the time so to start with he was milk fed and grain. eventually we got him off of the milk but still mainly grain for food eventually we did start to feed him silage and grasses not to much hay. raised him for 8 months got 365 pounds of meat and wow it was the best beef i have ever had. you definatly have the acreage for them to roam. make sure you have a shelter for them, fence them in or else youll be chasing cows. if you can give them some space in the wooded area that would be good for many reasons one for shade and two because trees are scratching post for them. you will have to be carefull of wild animals if you have preditors there. My husband says that 3 acres for free grazing if ample for two cows. Suggestion if you want to raise some cows take a couple of days go volunteer on a dairy or beeef farm and get them to show you what to do it doesnt take much. you will get first hand experience. good luck.
2007-02-02 15:03:36 · answer #5 · answered by jhdjkhblpk;mvhyf nbjhghbmnbjgb 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That should be sufficient to support 2 beef cows.
However, if you intend on having them for beef, you will want to supplement them with other feed. There are many feed mixes available with corn, oats, etc., that will make them much heavier and provide better meat from them. These mixes also have vitamin and antibiotic supplements to make them healthier and prevent diseases. Many cattlemen suggest stopping the antibiotic supplements prior to having them processed however.
The feed stores where you find these feeds can provide more details.
Good luck.
2007-02-03 00:13:56 · answer #6 · answered by 63vette 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Plenty of water. That sounds like the first disaster waiting to happen if it is ground water (like a creek).
Pardon my cynicism - it does not have to be a disaster. But having these things is like putting 3 year old kids out in a pasture, they get into stupid, stupid crap where you have to tow them out of creeks and bogs. The first thing you have to do is try to stupid-proof your pasture (put up fence to keep them away from hazards) and God help you with the woods if they get off in there. My friends spent more time and energy doctoring and saving their couple of cattle than eating the results of the effort. Their bull broke his penis the first time he tried to mount.
It will be cheaper and saner in the end to just put somebody else's beef in your freezer.
They will need shots, worming, and feed to fatten them up.
2007-02-02 14:40:37 · answer #7 · answered by justbeingher 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Just don"t fall in love with them , and call them your "buddy". Once , long ago , I had to sit at the dinner table, with a pout on my face , Mom was serving rabbit that evening for the family , and there in front of me ,was my "best buddy", on the dinner plate . That"s a tough thing to do , is to eat your "best buddy"----so I was sent to bed , when I continued to refuse.
So -- just be careful , and don"t wind up , having to eat your "best buddy", or go to bed hungry. My best to you in your adventure.
2007-02-02 16:23:15 · answer #8 · answered by Spock 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋