Beef Cattle Question

[CHenry]

Check out the OSU Extention Service area. You are going to be close to them and they are very good in answering questions and help.

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[XYZ]

Check out the OSU Extention Service area. You are going to be close to them and they are very good in answering questions and help.

And they have a substantial online resource.

 

[ahlosojoe]

As my daddy used to say, "there is a lot more to being a cowboy than smelling like one." Good luck.

 

[Okie4570]

You'll need to figure out how many head you want to raise/buy and if you plan to grow your operation before you can head down a certain path. That will determine your equipment needs, vet or capability to work/doctor on site, feed needs, etc.

 

[Dale00]

"Red beans and rice"...I've heard people offer that as advice or as something they've observed about long term successful cattle operations. In other words keep your expenses low. Buy cheap used vehicles, that are a good value, perhaps ones with cosmetic damage. Have financial reserves. Do not overextend yourself financially.
I'd add, "Start small" and part-time. Learn the ropes and make your mistakes on a hobby scale. I think someone already said, "Work for an established operation first"....that's good also.

Consider the corny old joke: "What does a farmer do if he wins a million dollars in the lottery? Farm until it's all gone." Put a pencil to paper and use enterprise budgets. Yes - talk to OSU Extension......local Extension offices......factsheets - facts.okstate.edu

 

[ConstitutionCowboy]

I'll tell you all I know about cattle...........

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Wait for it ...

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They taste good and some give really good milk. I like the shoes, boots, and holsters they grow, too.

Woody

 

[retrieverman]

I have a question. Many know we'll be moving to OK in the next 7-8 months and at some point will be pruchasing a fair amount of land. Despite what many think of people from California, I'm fairly capable around a ranch/property type setting with respect to hard work, tools, equipment, maintenance and all the things not related to farm animals.

So, my question is: What is the best way to learn about buying, owning, raising and evenutally slaughtering beef cattle? Is there a "raising cattle for dummies" type of book or similar that is worth a chit? I have a good friend in the Cushing area that will guide me with much of this once i move but want to do a lot of research early before my relocation. Please point me in the right direction with websites, books or other info on this topic. Thanks for the help.

I have no idea what your financial resources are, but unless you have REALLY deep pockets, farming/ranching on a profitable scale is nearly impossible. I own my land and all my equipment (no, I didn’t pay for it with farm income), and a “legitimate” profit in cattle still eludes me.
I sold most of my grown cows in the fall and bought some purebred Brahman heifers, and I’m going to try raising heifers and selling them when bred as a group as replacements. I have an uncle who was supposedly successful at this venture (I’m sure farmers wouldn’t lie about their profits), so I decided to give it a try.

 

[Aries]

A guy goes into a hardware store, and buys a hammer. The next day he is back and buys another hammer. That afternoon he comes back and buys a third hammer, and the next morning, another hammer.

The hardware store owner's curiosity finally gets to him and he asks the guy, "Say... may I ask what you're doing with all these hammers?"
"I'm selling them"
"May I ask how much your selling them for?"
"Ten dollars."
"Ten dollars? But that's what you pay ME for them...."
"Yup"
"Well.... you can't make any money that way."
"I know. But it beats farming."



SOOOO many farming jokes....

 

[TerryMiller]

A guy goes into a hardware store, and buys a hammer. The next day he is back and buys another hammer. That afternoon he comes back and buys a third hammer, and the next morning, another hammer.

The hardware store owner's curiosity finally gets to him and he asks the guy, "Say... may I ask what you're doing with all these hammers?"
"I'm selling them"
"May I ask how much your selling them for?"
"Ten dollars."
"Ten dollars? But that's what you pay ME for them...."
"Yup"
"Well.... you can't make any money that way."
"I know. But it beats farming."



SOOOO many farming jokes....

There is also the story of two brothers that bought a truck so that they could buy bales of hay in Nebraska and haul them to Texas to sell.

After about 3 weeks of this operation, they determined that they were buying the hay and selling the hay at the exact same price. First brother said that they were losing money because of the "hauling," so the other brother said, "Yeah, so now we need to buy a bigger truck so we can haul more in bulk."

 

[Jcann]

Don't start. That's how you make money....or rather don't loose it.

Buy your land. Create a pistol/carbine/LR range with steel and paper targets; go LLC?, advertise and charge $30 a head to shoot. No hay to grow/bale, no winter pasture, no fences to maintain, no vaccinating/castration/dehorning/branding/calf pulling, etc. Basically you don't work yourself to death for pennies on the dollar, seldom do you have a day off and forget about taking any type of meaningful vacation. Ranch life isn't the Yellowstone!