Begginer Livestock Help

A few months from now will be a great time to buy into cattle in Texas if you can find enough hay to get you through the winter. Prices are predicted to drop significantly in the next few months due to the drought. Everyone is selling out of cattle. That means prices will be high come spring if we get some grass because supply will be low and people will be trying to buy back in. Everyone is encouraged to keep as much of their herd as they can and add to it if they can. We are hoping to have enough hay to make it through winter for our cows, but feeding so much already this early in the year it might be a hard towards the end. We can't expand our herd this year, but we are trying not to sell anything either.
 
Quote:
Yea, I know 15 isn't much. But it's always good to start out small just incase things don't work out. I have 200 acres that I can add onto later. I'm actually waiting because our pine trees will be full grown soon and if I can get them clear cut I can spend all that money on cows and fencing while clearing out all the trees...Win win situation.

@OtterCreek
That's what I've heard but I can't get things setup that quickly.

I have been looking into sheep too...would they not be suited for the Texas heat I'm wondering?
 
Quote:
Yea, I know 15 isn't much. But it's always good to start out small just incase things don't work out. I have 200 acres that I can add onto later. I'm actually waiting because our pine trees will be full grown soon and if I can get them clear cut I can spend all that money on cows and fencing while clearing out all the trees...Win win situation.

@OtterCreek
That's what I've heard but I can't get things setup that quickly.

I have been looking into sheep too...would they not be suited for the Texas heat I'm wondering?

I know a lot of people that raise show sheep. They are actually pretty heat tolerent. They do usually shear them before it gets too hot though. I know hair sheep do pretty well aound here too. A lot of people raise those locally.
 
I vote for hair sheep!
frow.gif
Intensive rotational grazing will maximize your acreage and you could diversify with pastured rabbits, chickens or even turkeys.
 
Quote:
I'm near Texarkana, used to live in Rockwall.
I love Canton! ^_^ Your flea market is one of the coolest places I have EVER been...I'm going to make a trip to go there again soon I LOVE IT!
big_smile.png

Are hair sheep the ones you shave for wool? How labor intesive are they? My father doesn't want to get sheep because he thinks shearing them would be too much of a pain. But I have the final word.

What do you guys do for fencing? It seems like a strict electric fence would be the cheapest? Can you even do that? Half of our property is fenced with barbwire but I need to repair it...

Do you guys make any money off your herds?
 
Last edited:
Quote:
I'm near Texarkana, used to live in Rockwall.
I love Canton! ^_^ Your flea market is one of the coolest places I have EVER been...I'm going to make a trip to go there again soon I LOVE IT!
big_smile.png

Are hair sheep the ones you shave for wool? How labor intesive are they? My father doesn't want to get sheep because he thinks shearing them would be too much of a pain. But I have the final word.

What do you guys do for fencing? It seems like a strict electric fence would be the cheapest? Can you even do that? Half of our property is fenced with barbwire but I need to repair it...

Do you guys make any money off your herds?

Yes, we make money off our cattle.....that and farming are how we make our living.
 
Quote:
I'm near Texarkana, used to live in Rockwall.
I love Canton! ^_^ Your flea market is one of the coolest places I have EVER been...I'm going to make a trip to go there again soon I LOVE IT!
big_smile.png

Are hair sheep the ones you shave for wool? How labor intesive are they? My father doesn't want to get sheep because he thinks shearing them would be too much of a pain. But I have the final word.

What do you guys do for fencing? It seems like a strict electric fence would be the cheapest? Can you even do that? Half of our property is fenced with barbwire but I need to repair it...

Do you guys make any money off your herds?

Yes, we make money off our cattle.....that and farming are how we make our living.

Thats good to know, Katy.
How many do you have? If I may ask...
 
Quote:
Yes, we make money off our cattle.....that and farming are how we make our living.

Thats good to know, Katy.
How many do you have? If I may ask...

We only have enough grass for about 65 pairs.
 
Quote:
I'm near Texarkana, used to live in Rockwall.
I love Canton! ^_^ Your flea market is one of the coolest places I have EVER been...I'm going to make a trip to go there again soon I LOVE IT!
big_smile.png

Are hair sheep the ones you shave for wool? How labor intesive are they? My father doesn't want to get sheep because he thinks shearing them would be too much of a pain. But I have the final word.

What do you guys do for fencing? It seems like a strict electric fence would be the cheapest? Can you even do that? Half of our property is fenced with barbwire but I need to repair it...

Do you guys make any money off your herds?

First Monday is this weekend!

No, hair sheep are the ones that do not have to be sheared. They have more fur like say a long haired cow than wool. They shed their coat out on their own. They are mostly raised for meat. Wool sheep is what they call the ones that need to be sheared. Most of the people I know that have wool sheep show them, so they have all the equipment to shear on hand and do it regularly (lambs are shown sheared down tight to the body), but I do know a few people who but offer shearing services and also a few people who pay someone to shear their sheep for them.

If you have sheep you will probably need something more than an electric fence to keep them in. They can be sneaky little devils. You could probably put up a electric fence to keep a couple of calves in. I know people that DO use electric fences for sheep and goats to rotate them to different sections of their pastures, but they can and occasionally do get out if they get motivated enough. Wire goat fencing would probably be the better option.

Instead of trying to raise an animal to breed right now...how about buy 2-3 weaning aged steer calves and raise them up? You can either sell them for a bit of profit or even have one butchered for your own family's consumption and sell the other(s) to help pay for the cost of processing? Then you can get to know a little more about raising cattle up and see if it is for you?
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom