An Introduction to Buffaloes

[Baymule]

I feed my sheep too. I don’t have enough grass or forage for them, so have to pen them up between grazings to let the grass grow again. So I buy big round bales of hay in the summer when it is baled. I buy pellet feed at the feed store. I sell lambs at auction.

My land is fenced. If I tried to herd them down the sides of the road to graze, speeding idiots in pick up trucks would run over them. LOL Now it is winter, grass is dormant.

 

[River Buffaloes]

I feed my sheep too. I don’t have enough grass or forage for them, so have to pen them up between grazings to let the grass grow again. So I buy big round bales of hay in the summer when it is baled. I buy pellet feed at the feed store. I sell lambs at auction.

My land is fenced. If I tried to herd them down the sides of the road to graze, speeding idiots in pick up trucks would run over them. LOL Now it is winter, grass is dormant.

I am sure that by now you would have watched grazers taking their cows, buffaloes, sheep, goats on a busy Indian highway for grazing. That's a must have clip on any documentary made on India.

 

[Bruce]

Hiii folks!!! How is everyone doing? I am back after a long break. I was very busy these past few months. I am finally back for a winter break.

Glad to see you, I was afraid Covid snuck up and took you out.

 

[River Buffaloes]

Not so fast

Glad to see you, I was afraid Covid snuck up and took you out

 

[Baymule]

We definately want to keep you around!

 

[Finnie]

So glad to see you back, @River Buffaloes ! Just the other day I was thinking about you and how you haven’t posted in months. And like @Bruce , I was a little bit worried because last time we heard from you, your village was flooded and COVID was killing many people in India. I’m glad it didn’t get you.

Good luck with your fodder business! It sounds very promising.

 

[TheCluckyClucker]

I was looking at getting into a small cattle business. You know, breed, sell the bull calves keep the heifers, sell the old cows. So far, I have run into too many problems. I dont really have enough land, and they dont seem to be profitable. Someone suggested researching water buffalo and I came upon this thread. How much do water buffalo actually cost? I'm over here in Central Arkansas USA. I have over 10 acres to put cattle on. Well, after the probably 3 acres set aside for horses. I'm not really sure where I should go? Thoughts? Advice?

 

[River Buffaloes]

I was looking at getting into a small cattle business. You know, breed, sell the bull calves keep the heifers, sell the old cows. So far, I have run into too many problems. I dont really have enough land, and they dont seem to be profitable. Someone suggested researching water buffalo and I came upon this thread. How much do water buffalo actually cost? I'm over here in Central Arkansas USA. I have over 10 acres to put cattle on. Well, after the probably 3 acres set aside for horses. I'm not really sure where I should go? Thoughts? Advice?

I can't help you with the price, but I think somewhere in this thread I have posted a list of Facebook pages and groups that you should join. There you will find people selling and buying buffaloes. Try to get yearlings and weaned calves and read this thread. It's not all that long. If you don't understand something, feel free to ask.

 

[River Buffaloes]

Check post #230

 

[farmerjan]

I like the thread that @River Buffaloes started. I think they are a neat animal. BUT, you need to consider the whole part and parcel. There is little or no market for them as far as taking the bull/steer calves to the local stockyard/sale barn. You need to have a specific market for them or you will not have a way to recoup any cost. It seems to me that they make a better animal for milking for certain markets.

Why not do really good fencing and raise some sheep or even goats? They require much better fencing than some cattle, the turn around time is much faster and it is a very good stable market for a good part of the year. I honestly think you are going to find that the horses are going to require alot more than the 3 acres you think they need. That will not begin to take care of their grazing requirements.
Just thinking that you can have a few animals, let them breed, sell the bull calves and keep the heifers and then cull a few head is just not practical. You will not make any money at it on a regular basis. Yes on occasion you will have a good year, but you will not have the numbers to make it even a break even proposition. Sheep and goats can be run about 3-5 head per what one cow will eat... and have a 5 month pregnancy so can be bred to have babies in the spring and sell them in the fall. There is alot of other things to learn about them. They are not something you can just turn out and sit back and watch them multiply any more than you can do it with cattle. But the return is decent with less money input in feed costs.