Beef Cattle Question

[2busy]

Never said it was, but saying there's "very little ag on the east side of the state" isn't accurate, either. Seems to me that OSU has extension offices covering all 77 counties, not just the ones out west.

I think he was talking about farming, crops. You stick a plow in the ground here and you'll be picking up rocks for years. Has nothing to do with how many OSU extension offices there are.

One thing I can tell you about getting started in cow calf is bull selection and heifers. Do you want a smooth birth with a 40-50 lb calf or a monster 90 lb calf your going to have to pull and hope the heifer doesn't prolapse and weather she will want anything to do with it afterwards. Do you want to cheap ot and try to corner one and try to doctor/ handle one or have a good corral and head gate squeeze chute to be able to handle an un-cooperate beast. Do lots of research before you sink lots of money into it.

 

[SoonerP226]

I think he was talking about farming, crops. You stick a plow in the ground here and you'll be picking up rocks for years. Has nothing to do with how many OSU extension offices there are.

There are quite a few tractor dealerships on this side of the state. Guess they must be selling lots of lawnmowers...

 

[Okie4570]

Never said it was, but saying there's "very little ag on the east side of the state" isn't accurate, either. Seems to me that OSU has extension offices covering all 77 counties, not just the ones out west.

Extension offices take care wildflower and garden growers even, they're not just for ag and cattle producers and benefit everyone. Say what you what, there's little ag on the east side in comparison to the west. County by county farm acre statistics are on the web.

 

[SoonerP226]

Say what you what, there's little ag on the east side in comparison to the west.

If you'd said that, I wouldn't have disagreed. There's no doubt that the western half of the state has more acres farmed.

 

[Parks 788]

Damn! Shocked at all the replies. Thanks to everyone for their comments and taking the time to give their experience and to opine. I should have been more clear on my question. Would not be doing this to make a living at all. THe intention is to raise a couple/three meat cows to slaughter for the freezer. I don't have deep pockets and will still be working my career in construction sales so i won't have the time or deep pockets to do the cattle thing for a living. I'll look into the OSU extention office that was mentioned more than a couple times. Thanks so much for the info. I need to go back and read a lot of this and some of the videos and links provided. Thanks fellas.

 

[SoonerP226]

FWIW, my brother has been doing the same thing, raising a few head of livestock to put meat in the freezer, eggs on the table, and milk in the fridge. I know he did a lot of research before they started, so I'll ask him what he recommends. (My folks both grew up on farms (in eastern Oklahoma (gasp!)), but Mom didn't want anything to do with livestock, so we had a lot more experience with tractors than cattle.)

You do need to pay attention to the business side of things; even if you don't want to make money on it, you do want to make sure you don't end up spending $10/lb on your own beef when you could've bought it at $3/lb (I'm just making up those numbers as an example).

 

[Okie4570]

If you'd said that, I wouldn't have disagreed. There's no doubt that the western half of the state has more acres farmed.

Pretty sure I did, and you quoted me saying it a few posts above lol. I grew up on the east side of state, river bottom makes up the vast majority of any ag production. That ground can grow some incredible soybeans.

 

[dennishoddy]

Damn! Shocked at all the replies. Thanks to everyone for their comments and taking the time to give their experience and to opine. I should have been more clear on my question. Would not be doing this to make a living at all. THe intention is to raise a couple/three meat cows to slaughter for the freezer. I don't have deep pockets and will still be working my career in construction sales so i won't have the time or deep pockets to do the cattle thing for a living. I'll look into the OSU extention office that was mentioned more than a couple times. Thanks so much for the info. I need to go back and read a lot of this and some of the videos and links provided. Thanks fellas.

Get a good tax preparer that is educated in farming/ranching taxes. They can guide you to lots of legal deductions.

 

[TwoForFlinching]

Don't confuse your livestock with pets. They don't get names, they get numbers. Raw elevator cotton seed is good winter feed. Keep the old lady away from them. Makes it hard to load the 22wmr and send it.

 

[Snattlerake]

It's not even comparable the number of ag acres eastern half to western half. Wheat is the only ag your going pasture cattle on, especially not pine trees lol. Grant County alone produces enough wheat for all of Oklahoma's needs plus some.

But Kingfisher is the Buckle of the Wheat Belt