feeding and raising steer in the California High Desert

[trainhound]

I live in the Victorville area all desert land no pasture. What type of hay and grain would I need to feed an Angus steer? Our local feed stores carry #1 Alfalfa for about $16 a 108lb bale they also carry #2,#3 and bermuda mix, orchard grass and straw. What type of grain do I need to give them 4-way?

Finally how many steer can I have on 1 acre of cleared land again no pasture just hay and grain?

Thanks

Ed.

 

[Bossroo]

You would be basically running a feed lot, so you can put as many steer on your acre as you can comfortably handle and not make a noise and smell problem for you and your neighbors. Make sure that you have VERY STURDY fences, provide a roof shed for shade, and a steel feed rack, and a "V" alleyway with a loading chute when the steer are ready to send to slaughter. How old of a steer are you planning of buying? Here is what one of my neighbors in Central Cal does on their high desert 5,000 acre ranch. If yearlings and ready for feedlot, get the best alfalfa and corn or corn +oats + barley and feed for 90-120 days. If weanlings, you can get by with cheaper hay and just a very little grain untill they reach 750-850 lbs then full feed to about 1000 / + lbs. Make sure they get plenty of salt and minerals, and good, clean water at all times.

 

[trainhound]

We are looking at getting a few 6 month olds. What kind of fencing would you recommend? Right now I have 6 foot tall chain-link around the perimeter can I use electric fencing attached to the chain-link?

 

[WildRoseBeef]

Don't use electric fencing for high-traffic areas UNLESS the animals have been trained to respect it. The best types of fencing you can use are steel panels or wooden board fences. Steel fencing tends to last longer than board fencing.

 

[Bossroo]

The chain link will look like a crazed artist's masterpiece after the steer start to rub their sides on it. If you don't want to reprace the chain link every couple years...Get some heavy galvanized steel panels to line the inside of the chain link fence ( urine will make painted steel panels rust out within a few years). Or use 4" diameter oil line pipe for posts and weld steel oil line pipe to the posts. Or set RR ties and rough sawn 2x12 boards. Enjoy !

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

We are looking at getting a few 6 month olds. What kind of fencing would you recommend? Right now I have 6 foot tall chain-link around the perimeter can I use electric fencing attached to the chain-link?

From past personal experience, I would check out before hand what type of fencing their current home has. Assuming they respect that, a similar setup should make things easier for you.

 

[greybeard]

I've never used anything but 5 strands of 4 pt barbed wire with top strand about 55" high and have never had any problems except one instance where coyotes or wild dogs ran 2 yearlings thru the fence.