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Rammy
Herd Master
Or you could raise a couple of feeder pigs......next to your favorite neighbor's fence......
I thought about that.
Rammy's Ramblings
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I thought about that.
Baymule
Herd Master
I wouldn't feel too bad about this. Everything is a learning experience. What you take away from an experience is sometimes more valuable than the money made or lost on the venture. Even a colossal failure or major burn-me-down-to-ashes has it's merits. I have had my share of them..... I have this jump in the deep end before learning how to swim, risk taking type personality. Balance that with an analytical, research it to death wide streak down the middle of that and you have a screwy way of doing things.
You know, Mike used/uses that premier one type electric fencing at his place for his sheep and it has worked quite well. It's a darned sight cheaper than fencing the whole 3 acres in sheep fence and you can move them around on the property to rotate. Couple that with a couple of steers and you should have the lawn mowing as well as the freezer filling all covered. From all that I've read, sheep and cows together work very well, as they each like different parts of the foliage. So you could run the steers inside the fencing you already have, and then move the electric fencing around within the larger area to move the sheep around. Just a thought...
Mike CHS
Herd Master
We are adding two steers to the mix here next week but it's yet to be determined whether or not they run together. The farm we visited yesterday runs them in the same pastures but they stay separate. We have had good luck with the netting and know of several cattle growers that use it for cross fencing but our sheep do respect electric fence. I don't know what your predator load is at your place.
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- #605
Rammy
Herd Master
I could look into that for sure. I dont remember seeing that when we were at Mike's, just the wire fencing. I would love to have sheep, too. 
The pig idea sure is tempting.
I could set up.some piggies right in the corner by the light pole in the pasture. If you remember the pics of the cows I posted thats where Id put them. Would have to build a shelter too, but maybe I can get @Latestarter or @Senile_Texas_Aggie to come up and help. Doing a repurposed door shelter would be fun. And LS can build me one of those hayracks for the sheep like he did for his goaties.
Or I could try and do it myself. Not sure how it would turn out tho!
I need to see about getting some seed and redoing the pasture. Its not been done for a while. I need to have the pasture sprayed to kill off weeds trying to take over, then maybe an orchard grass alfalfa mix with some other grasses good for cows.
The pig idea sure is tempting. I could set up.some piggies right in the corner by the light pole in the pasture. If you remember the pics of the cows I posted thats where Id put them. Would have to build a shelter too, but maybe I can get @Latestarter or @Senile_Texas_Aggie to come up and help.
Doing a repurposed door shelter would be fun. And LS can build me one of those hayracks for the sheep like he did for his goaties.Or I could try and do it myself. Not sure how it would turn out tho!
I need to see about getting some seed and redoing the pasture. Its not been done for a while. I need to have the pasture sprayed to kill off weeds trying to take over, then maybe an orchard grass alfalfa mix with some other grasses good for cows.
farmerjan
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Not sure about the account or "seller number" thing at the stockyard. IF you are a buyer, and are unknown, most places will make you provide some sort of bank references etc... I mean if you go in and buy 2,000 or 20,000 worth of animals, they want to make sure they get their money and not a "funny check".
But as a seller, at least here, you do not have to register or anything. You take the animal to the sale. Some places run them across the scales first and you get a weight ticket, some do it as they go into the ring. But, you get a slip/receipt/ SOMETHING that says you brought in this animal. It gets a "back tag" that identifies it or some other marking. They get your name, address, etc. and when the animal gets sold, you will get that check in the mail a few days later with the animals' backtag #, what it weighed and what it brought per pound. Sometimes the "buyer" is listed on the check. Also any fees incurred like: per head commission fee, possibly a "yardage fee" , the beef check off fee, a hauling fee if someone else hauls it in, they often just get their hauling fee right off the top of the check, paid to them directly by the stockyard/sale barn; Then you get a check for the amount of the animal, minus all these fees occurred.
Here you can figure that it will cost between $15 and $25 per head to be sold... not counting any hauling fee. We haul our own unless we have several loads to go, when we get help. We pay our hauler direct, but we know them and they know us from years of dealing. They aren't afraid to "not get paid" as an unknown seller might do, to not pay a hauler.
It helps to go to the stockyard/sale barn on the day they hold their sale, a few weeks ahead or so, just to talk to them. Get established as a small time - occasional farmer, that you want to make sure there aren't any rules or regs that you need to know about, things like that. It would do you good to spend a little time at the sale, see how things are run, etc. It is just good common sense to have an idea of the basics... you don't need to be a big cattle dealer, but it will give you some working knowledge of what is done, how it is done, and what to expect.
There is a required animal ID for any animals of dairy breeds, but feeder calves of beef breeds are still exempt. Anything over a certain size that won't be going to slaughter, say you want to take home a cow, will have to have the ID for anything "returned to the farm", as a breeder. That is the expense of the seller, unless you buy something out of the "cull " pen, when the ID cost will be added to the purchasers bill.
In your case most of this is a moot point. But if you are going to have a few animals, occasional sales, you should at least know some of the basics.
And wear appropriate clothing. Sandals, short shorts, tank tops will only cause you to give a bad impression. Jeans, boots, sneakers, regular "barn chore" type clothes, will help you to be taken a little more seriously and give them a reason to believe you are just a small time farmer, not some floozie "looking for something".
But as a seller, at least here, you do not have to register or anything. You take the animal to the sale. Some places run them across the scales first and you get a weight ticket, some do it as they go into the ring. But, you get a slip/receipt/ SOMETHING that says you brought in this animal. It gets a "back tag" that identifies it or some other marking. They get your name, address, etc. and when the animal gets sold, you will get that check in the mail a few days later with the animals' backtag #, what it weighed and what it brought per pound. Sometimes the "buyer" is listed on the check. Also any fees incurred like: per head commission fee, possibly a "yardage fee" , the beef check off fee, a hauling fee if someone else hauls it in, they often just get their hauling fee right off the top of the check, paid to them directly by the stockyard/sale barn; Then you get a check for the amount of the animal, minus all these fees occurred.
Here you can figure that it will cost between $15 and $25 per head to be sold... not counting any hauling fee. We haul our own unless we have several loads to go, when we get help. We pay our hauler direct, but we know them and they know us from years of dealing. They aren't afraid to "not get paid" as an unknown seller might do, to not pay a hauler.
It helps to go to the stockyard/sale barn on the day they hold their sale, a few weeks ahead or so, just to talk to them. Get established as a small time - occasional farmer, that you want to make sure there aren't any rules or regs that you need to know about, things like that. It would do you good to spend a little time at the sale, see how things are run, etc. It is just good common sense to have an idea of the basics... you don't need to be a big cattle dealer, but it will give you some working knowledge of what is done, how it is done, and what to expect.
There is a required animal ID for any animals of dairy breeds, but feeder calves of beef breeds are still exempt. Anything over a certain size that won't be going to slaughter, say you want to take home a cow, will have to have the ID for anything "returned to the farm", as a breeder. That is the expense of the seller, unless you buy something out of the "cull " pen, when the ID cost will be added to the purchasers bill.
In your case most of this is a moot point. But if you are going to have a few animals, occasional sales, you should at least know some of the basics.
And wear appropriate clothing. Sandals, short shorts, tank tops will only cause you to give a bad impression. Jeans, boots, sneakers, regular "barn chore" type clothes, will help you to be taken a little more seriously and give them a reason to believe you are just a small time farmer, not some floozie "looking for something".
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- #607
Rammy
Herd Master
Id definetly never be taken as a floozy. Haha. I hate sandals. Its boots ot sneakers. I dont even own a dress. Its jeans and tshirts for me. Going to the sale is a good idea. Id have to take off a thursday to go since thats when they do the cattle auctions.
I can tell my nieghbor tho to have them put two of the cows in my name and have the check sent directly to me. Then I wont have to worry about waiting and taking his word for what the check was for.
I would prefer to go myself and just set up my own account or whatever so I can just do it all next yesr myself. Or I can see about someone taking them for me and paying per head like you said. I do think going to the stockyard myself and seeing how things are done is a good idea. Education is key. The more you learn the less likely to get screwed. I guess if Im going to do this Id better learn all I can.
I can tell my nieghbor tho to have them put two of the cows in my name and have the check sent directly to me. Then I wont have to worry about waiting and taking his word for what the check was for.
I would prefer to go myself and just set up my own account or whatever so I can just do it all next yesr myself. Or I can see about someone taking them for me and paying per head like you said. I do think going to the stockyard myself and seeing how things are done is a good idea. Education is key. The more you learn the less likely to get screwed. I guess if Im going to do this Id better learn all I can.
greybeard
Herd Master
Buckle bunnies...........
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- #609
Rammy
Herd Master
What?
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- #610
Rammy
Herd Master
Id be interested in how that works. Did they just put up electric netting to keep them separated? In the same pasture?
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