Cows! Cows! I want some cows!

[Cecilia's-herd]

. I can tell you that cattle with black hides bring more because everybody knows black hair tastes the best. Sorry, can’t resist being a smart Alec.

Hard to make income from cattle unless you have a bunch of land

And especially easy when that land is payed off.

Dad has a mix of black angus and British white to keep mama happy. She’s more of the type to like pretty cows. That angus bull is horribly mean though! Watch out! LOL

 

[River Buffaloes]

All true.

Hard to make income from cattle unless you have a bunch of land.

And yes... black hide sells best but my grandfather refused to go away from polled Herefords.

Herefords are well known for calving ease, great mothering, and easy to manage. BUT that also depends on how you manage your cattle, and genetics.

My grandfather selected carefully for his herd, making sure that they were easy to handle and manage (as well as the regular things). The last cow that we had that had eye issues was sold when I was kid. He had selected carefully against eye issues until it was no longer a problem.

He had the polled herefords so he didn't have to worry about horns.

He always bought a super young bull, from a breeder that (as well as all of the usual things) selected for gentle well mannered bulls that were trained to not push up against you.

Then my grandfather would keep the bull for about 3 years, at which point the bull would start to "feel his oats" so he would be sold and replaced with a new young one. That strategy was so our fences could stay in horrid shape. No joke. Also, selling a young proven bull meant he almost made money on the bull, since he bought them young and untried.

He also sold any cow that felt like running through fences was a good idea.

And my grandfather had them all trained to come when called, so it was easy to move them.

BUT, then there is my cousin, she also has cattle, scrub cattle and some herefords. She doesn't manage them like my grandfather did his. She is pretty hands off. As a result, when trying to load a few up her brother was royally trampled. Super bad.

Bad accidents can happen with any large animal....

I have seen people getting trampled by cows and ending up in the ER. Our last veterinarian was trampled pretty badly and had to go through multiple surgeries. Thankfully he was a government veterinarian so his bills were paid by the government.

 

[River Buffaloes]

10 acres is a typical holding in India and most of the East where there are a lot more farmers. More often than not their go to big animals are Buffaloes and pigs, not cows and horses.

Water Buffaloes are much more suited than cows for small farms. They can provide everything that a cow can provide and more. They are also much more docile and intelligent. Here's a video from Arkansas Farm Bureau.

 

[TheCluckyClucker]

Water Buffalo may be worth researching. Seems like they match quite a few of my qualities.

 

[Alaskan]

And especially easy when that land is payed off.

I haven't found that to be true.

 

[Cecilia's-herd]

I haven't found that to be true.

Interesting. I think we have taken 2 very different paths in this life. And that's ok. God's plan right?

 

[Alaskan]

Interesting. I think we have taken 2 very different paths in this life. And that's ok. God's plan right?

I don't follow at all.

It sounds to me like you are saying that it is my choice that the family place isn't more profitable?



I have visited with many Texas ranchers, and making a place profitable, even if you own the land outright, is difficult.

Maybe it is because the area of Texas I am familiar with you need a stupid large amount of land... 20 acres for a single cow is common, but there is plenty of land that is way worse.

A bull costs money... spread that bull over 5 cows, it costs you more per cow. Spread that bull over 40 cows then the bull costs less per cow. Most other costs are the same way... if you have more land, so more stock, it is easier to make a profit. Same with the equipment. One trailer to haul 4 calves to market... one trailer to haul 100 calves to market... with 100 calves you might need to make more than one trip... but still only ONE trailer and ONE truck.

If you have a family spread of 40,000 acres, yeah, it is WAY easier to make a profit.

Or maybe if you live in one of those wet areas...

But having to work hard at diversifying the property, and oozing out every potential dollar, and still just getting by.... from my experience and from all the ranchers I grew up with, talked to and knew.... that is normal.

I don't think I have "chosen" the path of "it is difficult to make a profit" from the land instead of taking the "it is especially easy to make a profit" path.

 

[Cecilia's-herd]

If you have a family spread of 40,000 acres, yeah, it is WAY easier to make a profit.

I think he has about 120,000 acres? I stoped counting.

What I was trying to say is inherited land is, in my experience, easier to work with than if you are starting fresh. We live in a fertile area, not so much wet and marshy.

I’ve never been to Texas! I’d it really dry over there?

 

[Alaskan]

Inherited land doesn't always mean you inherited 120,000 acres. Not everyone gets that much, and YES, if you have that much land I would think it would be easy to make money.

Texas is huge... East Texas has rain, but not always fertile... so over there you need to watch minerals more.

West Texas gets drier the further west you go. We joke about land so dry you need 2/40 cattle... cattle with mouths 2 feet wide that can run 40 miles an hour, since no other way can they get enough to eat.

Another joke is the classic "yep, we got our 6 inches of annual rainfall last year.... I remember the night it came".

And yes, most of my family land is 20 acres for a single cow. We have a little bottom land that is 18 acres for a single cow, and some rockier land that is 22 acres a cow... and we are located on the wetter side of west Texas.

Most settlers coming to Texas got 360 acres of land. Those who stayed in ranching did their best to consolidate and buy more land.

Those that did manage to make a go of ranching, had at least 1 or 2 thousand acres, but often much more.

However... that era of consolidation and ranch founding was back in the 1800s.

A number of generations have happened since. Each generation, if you have more than one kid.... what do you do with the land?

And then you end up with places that are just too small to support a family as the only income.

You want a retirement fund? Sell the family place so it can become a subdivision, and live like a king.

If you want the land to stay ranch land... it is not an easy path.

 

[Cecilia's-herd]

If you want the land to stay ranch land... it is not an easy path.

He made me promise to keep it in the family. Crazy old man. But I understand. And I will respect his wishes.