Want to know more about raising cattle

[Overthinking]

Howdy,

I have .62 acres I want to raise some cattle on. I also have a 1.8 acre i raise hay on.

I'd like some more info about raising some cattle to feed my family.

How do i go about this please? Thank you
Ps I'm hear from backyard chickens site, just got the chickens going

 

[farmerjan]

Not trying to discourage you but .62 acres will not sufficiently provide enough grass for any cattle. You could have a mini and portion off some of it so it could eat some at a time... but it will not go far for any full sized animal.
If you want to raise a beef animal then you will have to figure on feeding quite a bit of hay and some grain to finish. Not impossible.... but still not cheap..... Don't know where you are located so the weather/growing conditions will also need to be taken into account. Here in Va in this area we figure about 1 1/2 acres for a full size animal.... for the growing season which is about 6-7 months.. The rest of the year they have to be supplemented/fed hay and grain.... with exceptionally good rotational grazing on good land and not being overstocked, you can get 300 days of grazing and go down to 1 acre per head... but you have to be a very good stockman/grass farmer to achieve that.
What is your production of hay on the 1.8 acres??? How many bales? How many cuttings? A mature cow/steer will eat approx 1-2 sq bales of hay a day... according to the weather and temps. that is 40-75 or more lbs of hay. We figure 1 round bale per 20 head per day or a 1,000 lb round bale will last 1 cow about 20 days. That's a 50 lb daily average intake of hay.
By the way, and nice to have you join us. If you go up to your name on the top right, and scroll down to account details, you can add a location to give us a general idea of where you are... you can put state or general area... does not have to be exact... but it helps to answer questions like you asked. Let's face it hay/feed needs are different in northern states than southern states....
I will be glad to answer any questions but will be out of the loop for a few days so don't think I am ignoring you...

 

[Overthinking]

Thanks for all the help, guess i have some thinking to do.

Going to cost a lot of time and money if i do.

Maybe we'll do bee's next, but I'm hesitant

 

[Bruce]

I was going to suggest you wait for @farmerjan to get her new knees but she's already answered. She is a great source for your question. Do you have other acreage or is the 2.4 acres all of it? It sounds like even a mini will turn the .62 acres into a dry lot.

And please do put your general location in your profile, it helps a lot.

 

[Overthinking]

Just those two fields. Would love to raise some beef with my family like our families before us.

Basically moab area with water rights. (Actually, close to Montrose CO) Usually it's sunny and warm all year. Gets pretty hot in the summer

 

[Bruce]

I've been through Moab, not exactly "high head per acre" country. You might be better off with goats.

 

[Overthinking]

I've been through Moab, not exactly "high head per acre" country. You might be better off with goats.

I apologize, I'm a weirdo. I should have said close to Montrose CO. I appreciate the help

 

[Bruce]

Pretty much equally arid

 

[Overthinking]

Pretty much equally arid

Haha pretty much, i thought it was close enough.

 

[Alaskan]

Yeah.... not sure about stocking out there... but in a WET area of the hill country in Texas, on my family land.. it is 18 to 22 acres for ONE cow. @farmerjan with her super lush Virginia acres blows my mind!

I am thinking that your area of Colorado is drier than the Texas hill country, so 30 acres for a cow or some such.