Cows in VA
04-20-2004, 06:06 AM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: VA
Posts: 1,921
Cows in VA
We're thinking of getting some cows and I've got several questions.
I'm sure there are different answers for diff. parts of the country, but approx. how many acres per cow (Black Angus) is a good ratio? 1 acre/cow?
Also, how much silage will a cow eat per month in the winter around my area (VA)?
I'm sure there are different answers for diff. parts of the country, but approx. how many acres per cow (Black Angus) is a good ratio? 1 acre/cow?
Also, how much silage will a cow eat per month in the winter around my area (VA)?
04-20-2004, 07:25 AM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Bonnots Mill Missouri USA
Posts: 237
RE: Cows in VA
Your question could have many answers. The correct amount depends on your pastures and how you manage them. Remember that you are growing plants and allowing the cattle to harvest them and not the other way around. Rotational graizing of small paddocks can let someone stock more cattle per area. Turning them out in large pasture will reduce the amount of animals that can be raised. Fertilizatiion of pasture and plant makeup will also effect stocking ratios.
In general (and only in general) try about one cow/calf pair for every 2 acres of good pasture if you rotate them into new pastures every 1 to 3 weeks. That recomendation is for here in MO. Woods should not be pastured.
Other things to think about. Every pound of feed that you need to harvest and store or buy, cost about 3 times more then if you could stretch the graizing season. Stock piling of pastures for winter graizing will pay off in big dividends. Reducing cow numbers and stretching the graizing season may make you more money then increasing cow numbers and buying feed. More equipment you buy, the more fix money you will have in each head and the less return you will make.
The best bet is to talk to some extensiion agents or some proven farmer in the neighborhood to ask about stocking rate and your pasture's management. Also, start reading all you can about cattle management and pasture management.
Silage is generally expensive type of feed and requires much labor and equipment to feed. Hay will be cheaper and fed with some minerals (perhaps some protein as well) will be adequate to carry cows through the nongraizing periods.
In general (and only in general) try about one cow/calf pair for every 2 acres of good pasture if you rotate them into new pastures every 1 to 3 weeks. That recomendation is for here in MO. Woods should not be pastured.
Other things to think about. Every pound of feed that you need to harvest and store or buy, cost about 3 times more then if you could stretch the graizing season. Stock piling of pastures for winter graizing will pay off in big dividends. Reducing cow numbers and stretching the graizing season may make you more money then increasing cow numbers and buying feed. More equipment you buy, the more fix money you will have in each head and the less return you will make.
The best bet is to talk to some extensiion agents or some proven farmer in the neighborhood to ask about stocking rate and your pasture's management. Also, start reading all you can about cattle management and pasture management.
Silage is generally expensive type of feed and requires much labor and equipment to feed. Hay will be cheaper and fed with some minerals (perhaps some protein as well) will be adequate to carry cows through the nongraizing periods.
04-26-2004, 07:37 AM
#4
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 117
RE: Cows in VA
Hey Cool,
My family are all farmers.. 5 farms in all.. 2 Beef, 2 Dairy, 1 Corn.. The two beef farms one is in WV and one in VA.. WV is 1500 acres with Black Angus and 300 acres in VA with Herefords.. Cattle ain't cheap so you can only start out with so many.. If you want alot of cows you can feed them extra plus the pasture grass.. Grain, Hay etc.. WV we have 700 Head.. thats 1 per 2 acre and in Va we have 100 head thats 1 per 3 acres.. Winter time we feed hay.. Depending on how many cows that you have depends on how much you need to feed.. I was raised on the farms in VA and WV.. I currently live in Va now... If you have any other questions or need some help just email me at [email protected] Hope this helps..
My family are all farmers.. 5 farms in all.. 2 Beef, 2 Dairy, 1 Corn.. The two beef farms one is in WV and one in VA.. WV is 1500 acres with Black Angus and 300 acres in VA with Herefords.. Cattle ain't cheap so you can only start out with so many.. If you want alot of cows you can feed them extra plus the pasture grass.. Grain, Hay etc.. WV we have 700 Head.. thats 1 per 2 acre and in Va we have 100 head thats 1 per 3 acres.. Winter time we feed hay.. Depending on how many cows that you have depends on how much you need to feed.. I was raised on the farms in VA and WV.. I currently live in Va now... If you have any other questions or need some help just email me at [email protected] Hope this helps..
