I retired from the corporate world bought 4 acres with a very nice home and sheds out of the city (lots of trout and deer hunting around here) Bought my self 4 steers 7 days old so through the worst for $30 each I am picking them up tomorrow finished kitting out the calf barn today and bought som CRM and calf meal I am very much looking forward to it :). As I told my old coworkers when I retired when asked what am I going to do with my time so far out in the country - ''going to buy me some steers and a big hat".
This video is so helpful. We just bought 2 calves and are bottle feeding them. Currently they are a week and a half old, I’m loving the experience though!
I'm about to raise me some of them FANCY wagyu cow but just for me I'm about to be 150 percent self sufficient on my new land I'm excited gotta get my back fixed first but I'm real excited video had good info
So much good information here! My husband and I are looking for a property right now and I can't wait to start raising beef for my family. I get the feeling subscribing to your channel is going to help a ton
Did you buy some property? If so, did you start raising cattle? My wife and I are looking at 2 pieces and will make an offer this week hopefully. Looking forward to starting some beef cattle
Video is very informative, as I’m 14 gonna invest into day olds, I have experience from bottle feeding. I trying to start a business and hopefully get a couple calves by mid 2023
Great Video!! I was raised on a ranch out in California on the central coast near Santa Barbara! We have quite a few Cattle Ranches out in our area. I learned a few things about Beef Cattle i didn't know before i am now a new subscriber and supporter to your channel!
That question is hard for me to answer because , it really depends on how well your salad bar is in the pastures that you intend on placing your cows and also on how you are going to graze them.
I don’t own any cattle, but I enjoy learning. Great job presenting, sir! I think I’d like to go to a cattle auction one of these days. I’m always driving past the one out by me, and it looks like a good time … maybe? 😂
Thank you for your video. Very informative. Say, I have a few questions if you don't mind providing information. I live in California, and we have property which currently has tall dry grass and I wanted to mow the 25 acres but, I am thinking to put some cattle on this area. We have an attached hill side with, I don't know maybe another 20 acres also with grass. How many cows without supplementing should the 25 acres support? I'm not opposed to supplementing, just curious. Should I leave the grass for them to eat? Is now an ok time to put cows on the property or to buy the older calf's. Many more question but, I will reach out at another time. Thank you in advance for sharing your knowledge. Have a great rest of your Sunday.
Ah thank you for this educational video, since understanding this I may try raise the native cow since those type of breed doesn’t exist in Cambodia if did so it cost triple price
im getting ready too get three beef calfs for my FFA project and im super excited but im a beginner and a little nervous, this video helped a ton thank you very much.
Thanks for the info. Sounds good. I have been putting this off. Maybe I have been too much of a cow ard to try. Time to get started. I just hope you didn't steer me wrong. LOL
Hi, We just bought 40 acres with a creek running through it but it’s been grazed pretty heavily from being leased to a pretty big cattle operation here in Colorado. It’s mostly sage brush except for the areas near the creek. Do you think this could support 2 steers or should we just stick to chickens 😂. Thanks for all your video info! Happy farming.
is there a video on where to buy calves or cows? like how to find auctions or farms? Google just wants me to buy online but I want to see the calf first.
If you get a calf that is 1-2months old and put him straight on grass, you will end up stunting the calf. They will not turn out to be any where close to having full potential feed to growth efficiency. What you need to do to fast wean a calf properly is give the calf "creep feed" (Calf Starter Grain) immediately free choice. It will take it a while to eat it and like it, but the calf will keep trying it curiously until he likes it. This takes 2-4 days on average. When the calf can consume over 2 pounds in a single day, then the rumen (stomachs) will be full developed (usually takes about 2 weeks) and only then will the calf be able to get all the nutrients out of eating grass.
At 1 to 2 months you should still be bottle feeding that calf also. There is no reason to force feed a calf commercial feed. You can offer it to the calf but you should still either bottle feeding or have the calf bucket broke. Until the calf is either eating more grass and feed than the milk then you can begin the process of removing the milk.
Never let your cattle graze lower than 20cm. The plant must have some leaves to catch sunlight, to use to grow. If it is grazed too short above ground, the roots will die back to shorter below ground! If the grass is kept long enough above ground, the surface of the ground will have shade and be cooler, and so be not dried out. If you take your cows off your grass at the right time, everything will go better and your grasslands will be better every year.
I have about 3 acres of land that has 50 % wooded / open grass area. What type fencing should I install to allow rotating the beef steers to start? Also is 4 to 5 min. 2-month old calfs a good plan to start?
I would use some type of physical fence around your perimeter. Then the type of electric fence doesn't really matter, it is the charger that matters. In our opinion Gallagher has the best chargers on the market for the money.
My fiancé and I are hoping to start our own homestead in the future, and while he has financial, gardening and business know how I’m looking to learn more about raising livestock even if just enough for ourselves
Awesome, we just released a video about livestock for beginners. If you have any questions please feel free to email us, we will help in any way we can. Good luck.
I have around 6 acres of land and wanted to plant hay for grazing land how many cows do i need to buy as a start m planning to buy 1 yr old and i want to keep them for beef
Unfortunately there are so many factors in making that decision. Each persons land is different. I would plant and grow your grass first to make sure you have ample grass. Then start with a few maybe 3 or 4 and see how they handle the pasture. If they are leaving enough grass that goes to seed, you could add more. But I can’t give you an exact number because everyone’s land is different.
Go for it! and if you have any questions please let us know. Hope you hit that subscribe button and rang the bell so that way you can catch future videos
Thanks again I like this video too but what is the breed or mix breed of that black cow with white face showed in the beginning of the video? I like mostly black medium sized cattle.
I cannot answer that for you because there are to many different variables that comes with that question. Like are you going to do intense grazing, what types of grass do you have in your pasture. Are they dairy or beef breeds. Barn size depends on the age of the calf and what your plans are with said calf.
Do you feed grain & hay? We have a holstein & a swiss. Both steers. We do not have good pasture yet. I was told to let them each have 2 scoop s of 14%grain & second cutting grass hay. Plus a scoop each of electrolytes. One is 4 months the other is almost 6 months
@@bigbearhomestead I have never raised any livestock. I have a two year old Nigerian dwarf goat that was bottle fed and raised inside and is still kennel trained living indoors. I work on a ranch that bottle feeds and raises dairy calves but never have myself on my own I want to raise one at my house so my goat has an outside companion, have about an acre of field that has a variety of weeds growing in it such as hoary crest and kochia weeds, but besides putting up good fencing I don't know how else to ready the pasture for a cow
We have different video on our channel that should help you with the different livestock. As far as getting your pastures ready for cows. I would suggest getting your cows and run them on small paddock followed by chickens. Due that for a fee years, you might be excited to see what different grasses that your pastures have that are just laying dormant.
What is a homesteader. And would it be worth it if I’m wanting to start cattle with 100% angus. I’m looking to just feed myself and some family. Non commercial
A homesteader is a term that seems like it has many different definitions these days. Which means depending on who you ask, what definition you will get. Imo a homesteader is someone who is on the rd to living a self sufficient life. As far as the cattle, 100% Anything is going to be expensive right now. But if you are looking just to feed your family, idk if I would focus on spending that much money on my first attempt at cattle. I might start with going to a dairy and seeing if you can get a bull calf cheap, and. Raise it up to see if cattle is a rd you want to travel on. Thanks for watching
Hey Jason I was just curious what you feed your beef steers? Are yours strictly foraging on pasture? If they are how many acres of pasture per steer and how do you keep your pasture green?
Our cows are on pasture, we only supplement with feed when we either go through a drought. We do intense grazing, so keeping them green is due to the N it gets from the chickens.
Thank you for the help! I have 2 steers on about 1.5 acres in California but it's not pasture, just dirt. How much feed do you give them when you're in drought with no pasture for them to graze?
Very good information. I am getting some month old calves at the end of the month. Is there anything I need to be concerned about as far as giving antibiotics or other disease preventatives?
Yes don't give antibiotics unless the calf is sick and a vet said to give them to the calf to save its life. Never give them as a prevention. Keep the calves dry and as warm as possible.
I think you might.have misunderstood what I was saying, the reason to go buy steers is for the quick turnaround. So that way can have revenue to build your heard or for operating costs. When this video was.made bull calves could be bought rather cheap. So you could get 8 to 10 day old to a week old bull calves for the same price as a cow . Then you can turn around and sell them.in two years and make enough money to get started with your own herd. I hope this answers your questions, thanks for watching and we hope you hit that subscribe button and the bell so you can get the notifications of new videos.
Question if this chat is still available. With reseeding our pasture there are a lot of wild onions.....is it a wives tale that it will affect the taste of beef or harm the steer if wild onions consumed?
I just purchased two Angus/Wagyu f1 1 yr and 15 months they have been on some feed they suggested I don't go straight grass right away what are your thought don't want them getting sick
Thanks, Ive been holding back on raising something, I have grass, firemen sez best thing for fire suppression is, "put animals on it." Thank you for sharing your knowledge ......!! I'm not scared no more !!
Depends on how you do it, the standard old fashioned way is one to two acres per cow depending on how well your pastures is with grass. But to be honest that is the most important thing, if your pasture has great grass with a variety then you are good but if not then you will need more acreage.
I would like to get started raising cattle for beef. I am interested in the Wagyu, but I know that that’s a specialized field. I’m looking at land in western Pennsylvania. Do you recommend any certain part of the country and what do you recommend as far as acreage, let’s say what’s a good amount of heads to start with for someone that’s new and I will hire someone that’s experienced but let’s say how many heads would I buy to start out with and how many acres would I start out with? What do you recommend? Is there a starter part of the country where it might be more beneficial raising cattle like a warmer climate like maybe North Carolina versus Western Pennsylvania where you do get snow. Great videos by the way very informative very well explained.
Where is not so much important as how does the land look , does it have good grass, a water source, will it be easy to fence and so on thanks for watching hope this helps
I am thinking about starting a small herd on a portion of 300 acres I inherited. I thought of purchasing mostly yearlings, and completing the initial herd with a 2-3 cows and a couple springers. Do you think this will give me a good healthy start? Trust me when I say that I am not looking to be the nations largest beef producer only a high quality small producer. No more than 125-150 head EVENTUALLY.
I have 10 acres. I am going to add a few green houses, one good size commercial one and a couple smaller ones. How many head do you think can be sustained and grown on 10 acres as grass fed?
This depends on if you will be grazing them in an open pasture or intense grazing from paddock to paddock. The rule of thumb is one cow per 2 acres per cow. But if you intense graze, you could knock that down significantly.
Big Bear Homestead Thanks for the info. That is helpful Would like to raise three or so. One for family, a half for friends and 1 1/2 to sell to pay for it. Don’t know how realistic that is.
Usually around 8 to 10 weeks. But they will wean themselves. If you are bottle feeding them make sure they have access to feed then you will see them eating more feed than milk. You will know to take then off the bottle
It really depends on your area and the breed of cow and the age you plan to slaughter. For example, an Angus or Simmental is going to require more acreage of land, unless you're supplementing with hay or grain. a Dexter (a small Irish breed) can run on 1/2 acre -1 acre of good grass. If you buy dairy calves super cheap for beef, they tend to take a bit longer to gain weight. The general rule of thumb is 1 animal unit per 1 acre. But that would change to more or less depending on whether you live in the rich pastures of Virginia or the scrub of Arizona.
That depends on you, and your pasture. If you just turn them loose on large acreage then it will take a while and you might have to pour feed to them. If you do intese grazing then you time would be shorter .
I plan on starting with cross breed steer and then moving to angus and hopefully in they future growing to be a bigger operation but for now I may start with 20 cross breed steer do you think that’s a good starting number ?
Hello Jason so I’m trying to understand the chart. So the numbers on the left is the age in months. Buts what’s the 1-6 represent that’s on top going horizontally. Thanks.
It has been a while since I looked at that chart, give me a day or two to get a free second to look at what you are referring to, but right off the cuff I am thinking that is the size of the calf.
I took a look back through, and the frame score for the calf is scored 1-5. Just match up the age of the calf (column on the left) with the hip height of the calf in inches. This will give you the rating of the calf.
Big Bear Homestead thanks Jason, I’m kinda slow I guess lol, but Isn’t a calf’s hip a lot bigger then that? Also I got another question, I’m gonna be just raising and selling cattle. Is hay enough for them as food or do I need to provide with other stuff?
If we do, we mix it in with their feed. We also keep an eye on them and if they act like they are missing out on something we do our best to provide it
Iv just found this video and it's of big help we have a 100 acre property but just starting out and dairy calves are very cheap and mainly Jersey and Friesian and did the bottle and did lose a couple but it's a learning curve the question I have is I was told to cross them with a beef bull but to use an insemination kit as it's way less expensive than hiring a bull for just 5 claves we have thanks
Personally I would not go that route, we had very little luck with AI. As far as crossing a beef bred with a jersey make sure it is one of the smaller breds .
Are cows/cattle careful to avoid snakes? How do you know that who you sell to butchers ethically. I have seen videos of cows being skinned alive. I want to make sure if I sell them they are ethically treated afterwards.
You should get to know your butcher no different than getting to know your farmer if you aren't growing your own food. I understand your concern. Never heard of one skinning a cow while it was alive. Seems like that would not be worth the struggle. These animals are huge.
Is there ever such a thing as a broker or dealer that I could lease cattle from? I do not want to chore in winter because I have unreliable backup chore crew. And it seems right to have stock when grass arrives but clear them off when it slows down. Is this possible or must I feed hay ten months of the year?
I have never heard of leasing cows, I don't think that is a thing. When it comes to hay that really depends on your pastures and if they need it. We try to have a good mixture of seasonal grasses so we don't have to fed that much hay
Why would a seller ban measurements unless they're shady? I'll bring my walking stick. Can't ban walking can they? This video answered a few of the hundreds of questions I have. I'll keep watching for more. Just saying.
My thoughts exactly, the walking stick is a great idea. I am glad you got a lot out of this video. Hope you hit that subscribe button and rang the bell so you can see future videos on homesteading and livestock.
Glad it was helpful! Hope you hit that subscribe button and rung the bell so you can catch future videos and live shows. Don't forget to hit that bell also. Are you getting into cattle? Do you have any?
Believe it or not, that is a very complex question. Is the 5 acres all pasture? When we first started we only had 2.5 acres, but we had to buy hay and sweet feed. If you intense graze, and your acreage is primarily grass, then I would say you could do 2 cows (in our experience, cows are herd animals and like to have at least one friend)
Sure, well first you have to invest in getting ready for the cows, get the cows, take care.of the cows for at least 18 months. Then you have to find your customer base and set your prices.
That really depends on the market in your area, and if you are selling it by hanging weight or by the cut. Now if you are selling it by the cut your profit will be higher granted if you have the market for it. Also, I look at it like this even if I am not able to sell it, It goes in my freezer and I don't have to buy beef for the next couple of years so that is also a profit.
That is a personal choice question. Some people like to grain feed and fill them full of corn. We don't do that we let the cows eat pasture grass for about 18 months to about 2 years. It all depends on what you want and can do
These are not things the brand new meat farmers would know unless they study first. I totally agree that unless you take cows to a stock show or want a really big pet follow the breeders' guidance regarding what characteristics you want. Most people talk about the same characteristics you do so I'd expect those would also be premium priced. Body types happen and sounds like they follow about the same rules as for humans. Stats are important so thanks for the chart. I'll check it out.
That is not a bad question, When it comes to cows , they are a herd type animal. meaning they prefer to have other cows around. You can raise one by its self and be just fine but they will do better in a group. Thanks for watching hope you hit that subscribe button and rang the bell so you can know when future videos go live..
Hello and thanks for watching, I get this question a lot so I am going to have to do a video on it LOL. The answer to that question is a hard one because I don't know how you are going to do it or the condition of the land you are going to put the calf on. But just shooting from the hip if you do rotational grazing and it is only one calf you could get away with less than an acre
Thank you! Of all the videos I've watched and books I've read, this has been the most informative. Were going to be a small operation as we only have a couple acres to work with and we dont want to overrun a pasture. We figure to purchase two calves and raise them, selling one to offset winter feeding cost for the second steer that we will take to butcher. Is this a good idea?
Where do you plan on selling it? If you plan on selling it at a sale barn it really depends on the price of beef at the time you go to sale. If you plan on selling it yourself start getting the word out now and get someone to put a deposit down. But raising one and selling one is always a good idea, I would just sell it myself.and not go to a sale barn
2 cows on 2 acres? I think that isn't enough land for 2 unless you supplement with hay or feed. We had 7 on 4 acres and that is bad. I didn't have time to do any research on it. My husband and a friend went to an action and we ended up with 7. Anyway, one we sent to be butchered because of an injury that he had when we got him. Another one died from issues I won't go into, still too painful, pretty much ignorance on my part. My heart broke that day. Now down to 5 which is still too many. Going to send one out for meat here soon. 4 is still too many so we supplement. I know now what we can do/not do (there is always something coming up that throws me off). We got them early this year along with 4 lambs. It's been an overwhelming time for me since it's been on me to take care of the animals and I knew nothing about them before this. That said, they have brought me so much joy. Bovine are so curious and have made me laugh a lot. My lambs are so freaking sweet! So much cuteness there. After this novel, my point is do lots of research so your animals will have good health and you have less stress.
We have raised mostly mixed breeds. I would say for the most part, animals will react to how you treat them. If you are aggressive to them, they can reflect that behavior. We are always friendly to our cattle and have not had any be aggressive toward us. Also, be aware of bulls and protective mama cows.
New subie! Thank you for your valuable info. Am going into farming with a little more seriousness and focus. Thank you. How many do I start with am looking at a breed called Bonsmara am in Africa I want to start with 1 bull 10 cows
Hello Homesteaders. I am getting started on my own homestead and am interested in having a few head of cattle for my own consumtion and also to sell. I have "SOME" experiance from my younger years with horses and raising some bottle fed calves at market for a little spending money in my youth. I am considering the purchase of a Cow/Calf pair to start. I know this is a really dumb question but despite it's simplicity I have been unable to get a definitive answer. So....when buying a cow/calf pair, is the pair you buy related? When you buy the pair are you buying mother and child?
Hello Sir and thanks for watching our video and I hope you enjoyed it enough to subscribe and hit the bell. Let me see if I can answer your question. 99% of the time when you are buying a cow/calf combo it is a mother cow and her calf. Are you going to get into beef or dairy or both?
@@bigbearhomestead Hello and thanks for your videos. I have been watching all day and yes, I have subscribed and hit the bell. I'm 53, retired and looking to fulfill my dream of a self sufficient farm ( as far as 40 acres of GA. pasture will take me). Yes, I think dairy would be included.
Mr Donald Timmons, How far have you reached? I am from Tanzania, in east Africa. Me too I am indecision whether to go to dual purpose cow. We can share our plans. My whatsaap +255713246127
I retired from the corporate world bought 4 acres with a very nice home and sheds out of the city (lots of trout and deer hunting around here) Bought my self 4 steers 7 days old so through the worst for $30 each I am picking them up tomorrow finished kitting out the calf barn today and bought som CRM and calf meal I am very much looking forward to it :).
As I told my old coworkers when I retired when asked what am I going to do with my time so far out in the country - ''going to buy me some steers and a big hat".
Congratulations, enjoy your retirement...lol
Jason you are doing God's work by sharing your knowledge. Thank you
I appreciate that
Amen
This video is so helpful. We just bought 2 calves and are bottle feeding them. Currently they are a week and a half old, I’m loving the experience though!
Awesome!!! If you guys run into any issues please shoot us an email. We will help out any way we can
How's it going with the calves?
Starting my homestead hopefully later this year, eventually I hope to learn about cattle. So thank you for this valuable info!
Best of luck!
I'm about to raise me some of them FANCY wagyu cow but just for me I'm about to be 150 percent self sufficient on my new land I'm excited gotta get my back fixed first but I'm real excited video had good info
How is it coming along? Did you get your cow? Thanks for watching and we hope you hit that subscribe button
So much good information here! My husband and I are looking for a property right now and I can't wait to start raising beef for my family. I get the feeling subscribing to your channel is going to help a ton
Thanks for watching and thanks for the kind words. Can't wait to hear about your homestead once you get it
Did you buy some property? If so, did you start raising cattle? My wife and I are looking at 2 pieces and will make an offer this week hopefully. Looking forward to starting some beef cattle
From a son of a man that raised Herefords and angus. Black baldies are the way to go (Hereford angus x) superior hybrid vigor
We raised a black baldie once. The meat was pretty great!
That was a really good video. It definitely answered some of the questions I had about beef cows.
Awesome thanks for watching
Video is very informative, as I’m 14 gonna invest into day olds, I have experience from bottle feeding. I trying to start a business and hopefully get a couple calves by mid 2023
Sounds awesome, let us know how it.goes for you.
Good information- I have subscribed! Thanks for posting these useful videos.
What a good video.. very informative. One of the best I’ve seen.
Wow, thanks! We appreciate the kind words. God Bless
We're getting Scottish Highlands for the 1st time in the spring. Can't wait! Just subscribed to your channel.
I am so jealous, always wanted highlands. Thanks.for watching and subscribing. Hope you hit the bell with all notifications.
Great Video!! I was raised on a ranch out in California on the central coast near Santa Barbara! We have quite a few Cattle Ranches out in our area. I learned a few things about Beef Cattle i didn't know before i am now a new subscriber and supporter to your channel!
Thanks for those kind words and the sub, I hope you are still around. Do you have a homestead now?
Very useful information how many land is needed for 10 steers to be raised? Thank you for this informations
That question is hard for me to answer because , it really depends on how well your salad bar is in the pastures that you intend on placing your cows and also on how you are going to graze them.
I don’t own any cattle, but I enjoy learning. Great job presenting, sir! I think I’d like to go to a cattle auction one of these days. I’m always driving past the one out by me, and it looks like a good time … maybe? 😂
Thanks for watching! Cattle auctions are fun to watch. You should definitely check one out if you get the chance
Thank you for your video. Very informative. Say, I have a few questions if you don't mind providing information. I live in California, and we have property which currently has tall dry grass and I wanted to mow the 25 acres but, I am thinking to put some cattle on this area. We have an attached hill side with, I don't know maybe another 20 acres also with grass. How many cows without supplementing should the 25 acres support? I'm not opposed to supplementing, just curious. Should I leave the grass for them to eat? Is now an ok time to put cows on the property or to buy the older calf's. Many more question but, I will reach out at another time. Thank you in advance for sharing your knowledge. Have a great rest of your Sunday.
That all depends on how you do it
Ah thank you for this educational video, since understanding this I may try raise the native cow since those type of breed doesn’t exist in Cambodia if did so it cost triple price
Do it but do.it in the way you can heal the land.
im getting ready too get three beef calfs for my FFA project and im super excited but im a beginner and a little nervous, this video helped a ton thank you very much.
That's exactly why I'm here. My daughter just got 2 herefords for FFA
You got this!
Dad jokes .... cow taking dump as you’re explaining hip size 😆😆😆 you’re my kinda of channel
This video was very informative! Much appreciated
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for the info. Sounds good. I have been putting this off. Maybe I have been too much of a cow ard to try. Time to get started. I just hope you didn't steer me wrong. LOL
Go for it! They will bring you enjoyment and maybe a little frustration at times but it is worth it.
Hi, We just bought 40 acres with a creek running through it but it’s been grazed pretty heavily from being leased to a pretty big cattle operation here in Colorado. It’s mostly sage brush except for the areas near the creek. Do you think this could support 2 steers or should we just stick to chickens 😂. Thanks for all your video info! Happy farming.
I think you can,
Did you get a good deal? Will you hunt the land as well?
I like these videos. I'm learning a lot about cattle I did not know. Thank Mr. Bear
Thanks for watching
is there a video on where to buy calves or cows? like how to find auctions or farms? Google just wants me to buy online but I want to see the calf first.
Look up your local livestock auction
If you get a calf that is 1-2months old and put him straight on grass, you will end up stunting the calf. They will not turn out to be any where close to having full potential feed to growth efficiency. What you need to do to fast wean a calf properly is give the calf "creep feed" (Calf Starter Grain) immediately free choice. It will take it a while to eat it and like it, but the calf will keep trying it curiously until he likes it. This takes 2-4 days on average. When the calf can consume over 2 pounds in a single day, then the rumen (stomachs) will be full developed (usually takes about 2 weeks) and only then will the calf be able to get all the nutrients out of eating grass.
At 1 to 2 months you should still be bottle feeding that calf also. There is no reason to force feed a calf commercial feed. You can offer it to the calf but you should still either bottle feeding or have the calf bucket broke. Until the calf is either eating more grass and feed than the milk then you can begin the process of removing the milk.
Just found this channel. thanks for ur info. love from indonesia.
Thanks for watching
Hi, What do you do to make the grass grow faster if you get no rains? Thank you.
Never let your cattle graze lower than 20cm. The plant must have some leaves to catch sunlight, to use to grow. If it is grazed too short above ground, the roots will die back to shorter below ground! If the grass is kept long enough above ground, the surface of the ground will have shade and be cooler, and so be not dried out. If you take your cows off your grass at the right time, everything will go better and your grasslands will be better every year.
Pray for.rain, and keep doing the pasture rotation
Thanks. Very informative. Keep it up.
Thanks, will do!
I have about 3 acres of land that has 50 % wooded / open grass area. What type fencing should I install to allow rotating the beef steers to start?
Also is 4 to 5 min. 2-month old calfs a good plan to start?
I would use some type of physical fence around your perimeter. Then the type of electric fence doesn't really matter, it is the charger that matters. In our opinion Gallagher has the best chargers on the market for the money.
My fiancé and I are hoping to start our own homestead in the future, and while he has financial, gardening and business know how I’m looking to learn more about raising livestock even if just enough for ourselves
Awesome, we just released a video about livestock for beginners. If you have any questions please feel free to email us, we will help in any way we can. Good luck.
Loved the info! I love channels that actually give real advice. Subbed immediately.
THANKS, hope you are still subbed and finding our video still packed full of information
Hi
Your video was very informative. What is your recommendation for stocking rate? I am located in north Mississippi.
What do you mean sticking rate? Never heard that term.berfore your comments
I have around 6 acres of land and wanted to plant hay for grazing land how many cows do i need to buy as a start m planning to buy 1 yr old and i want to keep them for beef
Unfortunately there are so many factors in making that decision. Each persons land is different. I would plant and grow your grass first to make sure you have ample grass. Then start with a few maybe 3 or 4 and see how they handle the pasture. If they are leaving enough grass that goes to seed, you could add more. But I can’t give you an exact number because everyone’s land is different.
Hello Jason from Scotland 🏴
Well hello thanks for watching
Thanks for the knowledge!!!
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the video. I'm hoping to start raising these soon.
Go for it! and if you have any questions please let us know. Hope you hit that subscribe button and rang the bell so that way you can catch future videos
Thanks again I like this video too but what is the breed or mix breed of that black cow with white face showed in the beginning of the video? I like mostly black medium sized cattle.
That was a black baldy if we are talking about the same one. Thanks for watching hope you hit that subscribe button.
Thank you for this information.
Glad it was helpful!
Hi Jason, where can I get a copy of the chart you mention on your video.
Our website www.bigbearhomestead.com
How much pasture size do I need for two calf? Also how much barn size ?
I cannot answer that for you because there are to many different variables that comes with that question. Like are you going to do intense grazing, what types of grass do you have in your pasture. Are they dairy or beef breeds. Barn size depends on the age of the calf and what your plans are with said calf.
How big should a pen be to grain finish steer.
I don’t grain finish our cows so I wouldn’t know. I don’t believe that grain finishing has any benefit. So I couldn’t help you. Thanks for watching
Thanks for the Teachings 👍🍻
Please i want to make an enquiry about the best species of cow for a farmer like me....??
thank.......👏
I would need more information
Do you feed grain & hay? We have a holstein & a swiss. Both steers. We do not have good pasture yet. I was told to let them each have 2 scoop s of 14%grain & second cutting grass hay. Plus a scoop each of electrolytes. One is 4 months the other is almost 6 months
We give hay in the winter
Awesome video! Could use some advice on a situation
How can I help you?
@@bigbearhomestead I have never raised any livestock. I have a two year old Nigerian dwarf goat that was bottle fed and raised inside and is still kennel trained living indoors. I work on a ranch that bottle feeds and raises dairy calves but never have myself on my own I want to raise one at my house so my goat has an outside companion, have about an acre of field that has a variety of weeds growing in it such as hoary crest and kochia weeds, but besides putting up good fencing I don't know how else to ready the pasture for a cow
We have different video on our channel that should help you with the different livestock.
As far as getting your pastures ready for cows. I would suggest getting your cows and run them on small paddock followed by chickens. Due that for a fee years, you might be excited to see what different grasses that your pastures have that are just laying dormant.
What is a homesteader. And would it be worth it if I’m wanting to start cattle with 100% angus. I’m looking to just feed myself and some family. Non commercial
A homesteader is a term that seems like it has many different definitions these days. Which means depending on who you ask, what definition you will get. Imo a homesteader is someone who is on the rd to living a self sufficient life. As far as the cattle, 100% Anything is going to be expensive right now. But if you are looking just to feed your family, idk if I would focus on spending that much money on my first attempt at cattle. I might start with going to a dairy and seeing if you can get a bull calf cheap, and. Raise it up to see if cattle is a rd you want to travel on. Thanks for watching
Hey Jason I was just curious what you feed your beef steers? Are yours strictly foraging on pasture? If they are how many acres of pasture per steer and how do you keep your pasture green?
Our cows are on pasture, we only supplement with feed when we either go through a drought. We do intense grazing, so keeping them green is due to the N it gets from the chickens.
Thank you for the help! I have 2 steers on about 1.5 acres in California but it's not pasture, just dirt. How much feed do you give them when you're in drought with no pasture for them to graze?
I would make sure that they have plenty of hay, and minerals (free choice) and then about 3 to 5 lbs per cow
Very good information. I am getting some month old calves at the end of the month. Is there anything I need to be concerned about as far as giving antibiotics or other disease preventatives?
Yes don't give antibiotics unless the calf is sick and a vet said to give them to the calf to save its life. Never give them as a prevention.
Keep the calves dry and as warm as possible.
My question is why would you want to get steers if your planning on starting a heard why buy something that cant bread and keep and heard going
I think you might.have misunderstood what I was saying, the reason to go buy steers is for the quick turnaround. So that way can have revenue to build your heard or for operating costs.
When this video was.made bull calves could be bought rather cheap. So you could get 8 to 10 day old to a week old bull calves for the same price as a cow .
Then you can turn around and sell them.in two years and make enough money to get started with your own herd. I hope this answers your questions, thanks for watching and we hope you hit that subscribe button and the bell so you can get the notifications of new videos.
Question if this chat is still available. With reseeding our pasture there are a lot of wild onions.....is it a wives tale that it will affect the taste of beef or harm the steer if wild onions consumed?
We have them in our pasture as well, we have never tasted it in the beef, but the milk yes.
I just purchased two Angus/Wagyu f1 1 yr and 15 months they have been on some feed they suggested I don't go straight grass right away what are your thought don't want them getting sick
This is what I have been told, it is not that they will get sick they will just loose weight. Then slowly put it back on I'm a healthy way.
Thanks, Ive been holding back on raising something, I have grass, firemen sez best thing for fire suppression is, "put animals on it." Thank you for sharing your knowledge ......!! I'm not scared no more !!
Good stuff
We have a small homestead… thinking on beef cattle for meat but how much space is really needed for 1-2 calf’s to grass on?
Depends on how you do it, the standard old fashioned way is one to two acres per cow depending on how well your pastures is with grass. But to be honest that is the most important thing, if your pasture has great grass with a variety then you are good but if not then you will need more acreage.
@@bigbearhomestead What variety other than grass should they have to graze on ? Thank you for your help .
Hi there, great video bud. Im from south florida, How do u go about finding we're to sell them for meat as a business? And are there licenses needed?
Check with your dept of arg.
I would like to get started raising cattle for beef. I am interested in the Wagyu, but I know that that’s a specialized field. I’m looking at land in western Pennsylvania. Do you recommend any certain part of the country and what do you recommend as far as acreage, let’s say what’s a good amount of heads to start with for someone that’s new and I will hire someone that’s experienced but let’s say how many heads would I buy to start out with and how many acres would I start out with? What do you recommend? Is there a starter part of the country where it might be more beneficial raising cattle like a warmer climate like maybe North Carolina versus Western Pennsylvania where you do get snow. Great videos by the way very informative very well explained.
Where is not so much important as how does the land look , does it have good grass, a water source, will it be easy to fence and so on thanks for watching hope this helps
I am thinking about starting a small herd on a portion of 300 acres I inherited. I thought of purchasing mostly yearlings, and completing the initial herd with a 2-3 cows and a couple springers. Do you think this will give me a good healthy start? Trust me when I say that I am not looking to be the nations largest beef producer only a high quality small producer. No more than 125-150 head EVENTUALLY.
If you take care of them they should
Great video lots of useful information
Thanks
I have 10 acres.
I am going to add a few green houses, one good size commercial one and a couple smaller ones.
How many head do you think can be sustained and grown on 10 acres as grass fed?
This depends on if you will be grazing them in an open pasture or intense grazing from paddock to paddock. The rule of thumb is one cow per 2 acres per cow. But if you intense graze, you could knock that down significantly.
Big Bear Homestead
Thanks for the info.
That is helpful
Would like to raise three or so.
One for family, a half for friends and 1 1/2 to sell to pay for it.
Don’t know how realistic that is.
Great tips and info on what to look for, especially the way to check for the frame/stature of the calf.
Thanks
When do calf’s stop needing milk?
Usually around 8 to 10 weeks. But they will wean themselves. If you are bottle feeding them make sure they have access to feed then you will see them eating more feed than milk. You will know to take then off the bottle
Good information!! Loved Carol on this!! Made me laugh out loud!! LOL
Thanks
Thinking of getting 2 calves about 2 or 3 months old. How much acreage will they need before they go to butcher. Grass grows good in that area
It really depends on your area and the breed of cow and the age you plan to slaughter. For example, an Angus or Simmental is going to require more acreage of land, unless you're supplementing with hay or grain. a Dexter (a small Irish breed) can run on 1/2 acre -1 acre of good grass. If you buy dairy calves super cheap for beef, they tend to take a bit longer to gain weight. The general rule of thumb is 1 animal unit per 1 acre. But that would change to more or less depending on whether you live in the rich pastures of Virginia or the scrub of Arizona.
That depends on you, and your pasture. If you just turn them loose on large acreage then it will take a while and you might have to pour feed to them. If you do intese grazing then you time would be shorter .
I plan on starting with cross breed steer and then moving to angus and hopefully in they future growing to be a bigger operation but for now I may start with 20 cross breed steer do you think that’s a good starting number ?
It depends on your pasture
Hello Jason so I’m trying to understand the chart. So the numbers on the left is the age in months. Buts what’s the 1-6 represent that’s on top going horizontally. Thanks.
It has been a while since I looked at that chart, give me a day or two to get a free second to look at what you are referring to, but right off the cuff I am thinking that is the size of the calf.
I took a look back through, and the frame score for the calf is scored 1-5. Just match up the age of the calf (column on the left) with the hip height of the calf in inches. This will give you the rating of the calf.
Big Bear Homestead thanks Jason, I’m kinda slow I guess lol, but Isn’t a calf’s hip a lot bigger then that? Also I got another question, I’m gonna be just raising and selling cattle. Is hay enough for them as food or do I need to provide with other stuff?
Hay is not enough they need grass. Fresh grass
Big Bear Homestead Thanks I appreciate it
So on what stage u start like giving them that block of salt and do they like need to go vitamins too
Never a block but a loose mineral mix. Put it in a tub with a rubber flap that keeps rain off.
If we do, we mix it in with their feed. We also keep an eye on them and if they act like they are missing out on something we do our best to provide it
Iv just found this video and it's of big help we have a 100 acre property but just starting out and dairy calves are very cheap and mainly Jersey and Friesian and did the bottle and did lose a couple but it's a learning curve the question I have is I was told to cross them with a beef bull but to use an insemination kit as it's way less expensive than hiring a bull for just 5 claves we have thanks
Personally I would not go that route, we had very little luck with AI. As far as crossing a beef bred with a jersey make sure it is one of the smaller breds .
i like this guy
Well thank you
Are cows/cattle careful to avoid snakes? How do you know that who you sell to butchers ethically. I have seen videos of cows being skinned alive. I want to make sure if I sell them they are ethically treated afterwards.
You should get to know your butcher no different than getting to know your farmer if you aren't growing your own food. I understand your concern. Never heard of one skinning a cow while it was alive. Seems like that would not be worth the struggle. These animals are huge.
I,m very intresting in your teaching i have cows ,oke regards Jack Brown ,a farmer from Suriname
Thanks
I don’t have a perimeter fence on my pasture. Could I use 3 strands of hot wire or poly rope to keep cattle in? Or am I asking for trouble?
It depends on your cows and your predator population, food and water sources.
Is there ever such a thing as a broker or dealer that I could lease cattle from? I do not want to chore in winter because I have unreliable backup chore crew. And it seems right to have stock when grass arrives but clear them off when it slows down. Is this possible or must I feed hay ten months of the year?
I have never heard of leasing cows, I don't think that is a thing. When it comes to hay that really depends on your pastures and if they need it. We try to have a good mixture of seasonal grasses so we don't have to fed that much hay
@@bigbearhomestead thank you sir, wish you all the best
one question I want to get into the cattle business but how do we know what consumer to sell to or how do we find a consumer.
You have to do the leg work. Go talk to chefs, use social media for your area.
Do you feed feed the last few months before butchering to fatten them up?? Thanks for the great video by the way!! 🙂🙂
No, they are on grass the entire time. I am glad you enjoyed the video thanks for watching
Why would a seller ban measurements unless they're shady? I'll bring my walking stick. Can't ban walking can they? This video answered a few of the hundreds of questions I have. I'll keep watching for more. Just saying.
My thoughts exactly, the walking stick is a great idea. I am glad you got a lot out of this video. Hope you hit that subscribe button and rang the bell so you can see future videos on homesteading and livestock.
good video , where is the chart
We recently upgraded our website and I haven't republished the page. I will post it back here when it is live. Thanks for pointing that out!
Fantastic video great information!
Glad it was helpful! Hope you hit that subscribe button and rung the bell so you can catch future videos and live shows. Don't forget to hit that bell also. Are you getting into cattle? Do you have any?
What about land,how much do I need.we only have 5 acres right now
Believe it or not, that is a very complex question. Is the 5 acres all pasture? When we first started we only had 2.5 acres, but we had to buy hay and sweet feed. If you intense graze, and your acreage is primarily grass, then I would say you could do 2 cows (in our experience, cows are herd animals and like to have at least one friend)
What breed of cows do you raise?
All different kinds, Heinz 57 mix
How does the Dairy / Meat cross fair at the sale in comparison ?
Thanks
When you take all the factors in, a all meat cow will bring you a better price per pound than a dairy/meat cross.
How old is butchering weight for a calf?
Depends on breed and age it is only a calf until the age of 1.
Hi sir lete know ho tp make profit with beef cattle amd calf
Sure, well first you have to invest in getting ready for the cows, get the cows, take care.of the cows for at least 18 months. Then you have to find your customer base and set your prices.
About how much profit do you think you would get for selling an average sized steer
That really depends on the market in your area, and if you are selling it by hanging weight or by the cut. Now if you are selling it by the cut your profit will be higher granted if you have the market for it. Also, I look at it like this even if I am not able to sell it, It goes in my freezer and I don't have to buy beef for the next couple of years so that is also a profit.
Thank you
What’s the best way to fatten a cow
That is a personal choice question. Some people like to grain feed and fill them full of corn. We don't do that we let the cows eat pasture grass for about 18 months to about 2 years. It all depends on what you want and can do
Big Bear Homestead prime meat of course lol
These are not things the brand new meat farmers would know unless they study first. I totally agree that unless you take cows to a stock show or want a really big pet follow the breeders' guidance regarding what characteristics you want. Most people talk about the same characteristics you do so I'd expect those would also be premium priced. Body types happen and sounds like they follow about the same rules as for humans. Stats are important so thanks for the chart. I'll check it out.
Thanks for watching
Do you need to have several animals so they play with each other or having one alone could do it?
That is not a bad question, When it comes to cows , they are a herd type animal. meaning they prefer to have other cows around. You can raise one by its self and be just fine but they will do better in a group. Thanks for watching hope you hit that subscribe button and rang the bell so you can know when future videos go live..
Sensible advice. Almost every farmer and expert recommends older calves or weaning calves for a starter
Thanks and thanks for watching
How much land is required to raise a calf to adult to take it to the butcher
Hello and thanks for watching, I get this question a lot so I am going to have to do a video on it LOL. The answer to that question is a hard one because I don't know how you are going to do it or the condition of the land you are going to put the calf on. But just shooting from the hip if you do rotational grazing and it is only one calf you could get away with less than an acre
Hello!! Having issues finding your chart!! Can you drop a link for me? I’m trying to decide if I should keep my Brangus Calf.
www.bigbearhomestead.com/livestock/raising-cattle/
One this days I will have a beef cow
Good to have vision, that's my goal too lol.
Have you reached your goal yet?
Just subscribe, planning on getting some Dexter cows first. Thanks for info
Good advice!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you! Of all the videos I've watched and books I've read, this has been the most informative. Were going to be a small operation as we only have a couple acres to work with and we dont want to overrun a pasture.
We figure to purchase two calves and raise them, selling one to offset winter feeding cost for the second steer that we will take to butcher. Is this a good idea?
Where do you plan on selling it? If you plan on selling it at a sale barn it really depends on the price of beef at the time you go to sale. If you plan on selling it yourself start getting the word out now and get someone to put a deposit down.
But raising one and selling one is always a good idea, I would just sell it myself.and not go to a sale barn
2 cows on 2 acres? I think that isn't enough land for 2 unless you supplement with hay or feed. We had 7 on 4 acres and that is bad. I didn't have time to do any research on it. My husband and a friend went to an action and we ended up with 7. Anyway, one we sent to be butchered because of an injury that he had when we got him. Another one died from issues I won't go into, still too painful, pretty much ignorance on my part. My heart broke that day. Now down to 5 which is still too many. Going to send one out for meat here soon. 4 is still too many so we supplement. I know now what we can do/not do (there is always something coming up that throws me off). We got them early this year along with 4 lambs. It's been an overwhelming time for me since it's been on me to take care of the animals and I knew nothing about them before this. That said, they have brought me so much joy. Bovine are so curious and have made me laugh a lot. My lambs are so freaking sweet! So much cuteness there.
After this novel, my point is do lots of research so your animals will have good health and you have less stress.
Beautiful videos of your life brother! You guys are living the dream! Much love from germany!
Thanks
Which breeds would you say are the friendliest?
We have raised mostly mixed breeds. I would say for the most part, animals will react to how you treat them. If you are aggressive to them, they can reflect that behavior. We are always friendly to our cattle and have not had any be aggressive toward us.
Also, be aware of bulls and protective mama cows.
New subie! Thank you for your valuable info. Am going into farming with a little more seriousness and focus. Thank you. How many do I start with am looking at a breed called Bonsmara am in Africa I want to start with 1 bull 10 cows
That sounds like a solid start, have you done it yet and have you ran into any issues?
We are new to raising beef cattle in the Philippines and need anything you can share with us please!
What questions do you have and have you checked out our playlist about cattle ?
Could you tell me what breed can get the fattest on grass/no grain? I want the fattest cow possible so I'm looking for real short legs right?
That really depend on the different grasses that you have, and how often you rotate them
Hello Homesteaders. I am getting started on my own homestead and am interested in having a few head of cattle for my own consumtion and also to sell. I have "SOME" experiance from my younger years with horses and raising some bottle fed calves at market for a little spending money in my youth. I am considering the purchase of a Cow/Calf pair to start. I know this is a really dumb question but despite it's simplicity I have been unable to get a definitive answer. So....when buying a cow/calf pair, is the pair you buy related? When you buy the pair are you buying mother and child?
Hello Sir and thanks for watching our video and I hope you enjoyed it enough to subscribe and hit the bell. Let me see if I can answer your question. 99% of the time when you are buying a cow/calf combo it is a mother cow and her calf. Are you going to get into beef or dairy or both?
@@bigbearhomestead Hello and thanks for your videos. I have been watching all day and yes, I have subscribed and hit the bell. I'm 53, retired and looking to fulfill my dream of a self sufficient farm ( as far as 40 acres of GA. pasture will take me). Yes, I think dairy would be included.
Mr Donald Timmons, How far have you reached? I am from Tanzania, in east Africa. Me too I am indecision whether to go to dual purpose cow. We can share our plans. My whatsaap +255713246127
Thank you for listen, I would like to start business....
Cattle?
Thank you 🙏
You’re welcome 😊