What should I raise on 100 acres?

I am trying to ingest what the ext agent shared but with some difficulty. With an average of 48 inches of rain ( I think this is bum info) and 5 to 6 acres per cow carrying capacity this does not make reasoning in my mind. Variable weather exists in all locations to my awareness. Other than a once in 50 or 100 year drought this issue can be addressed by having some hay available. In 2003 the area I am in was declared a disaster area due to drought. I sailed right through it hardly noticing a difference. 2007 was a different situation as we had a major extended drought. I did have to bring in some feed. This was the only time I have ever brought in feed and discounting the 2007 drought I have fed no hay through the winter for the last 7 years. My main grass is fescue which most people consider as trash. If it takes 5 to 6 acres to carry a conventional fed cow you can get by on 3 or less acres per cow and her calf. Here in NC we get about the amount of rain your ext agent stated but I am able to to carry a cow plus her calf (until marketed) over the year on 1.3 acres and no outside feed inputs other than mineral supplements. With 100 acres and wise use of the pastures your carrying capacity should not be less than 35 mature animals, 1 bull and 34 cows. So doing should permit you to market ~30 feeder calves. As mentioned earlier by others, the market for feeder calves does fluctuate. Done right, the bulk of any income from the sale of the feeder calves will be yours. You will not loose out of pocket money because your inputs will be so low that all the conventional producers with have gone under and there will be a demand for beef from the remaining producers, one of which would be you. I can make money as long a feeder calves bring more than 25 cents per lb. I am not including the cost of the land in this calculation. The land should be appreciating and with improvements creating a fair market value above its purchase price should you elect to sale. Before concluding what you are going to do with the land you need to ascertain what the land will bring in by leasing it to others. I think you will be disappointed. Should you elect to operate the farm as a feeder calf producer, IMO within 3 years you will be making the $15000+ per year with a low input of labor and money and an enjoyable part time venture. Having a dual income never hurts! I never mentioned that over time you should have a herd that is worth over $20000 with a $0 or near $0 basis. The improvements to the farm will be expenses charged to the operation and deducted.

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Agmantoo
If they can do it,
you know you can!

That doesn't sound right. I live in a very wet southern MN, and get about 42 inches a year. Oklahoma is supposed to be a lot drier. Did he say 4-8 inches?

Five minutes later:

Well I'll be - looked it up, and the eastern side of Ok does get more than 40 inches average. Not what I have always been lead to believe!

With that much rainfall, what prevents row crops from growing there? Thin soil, or the rains come at the wrong time? I was assuming it was going to be too dry to grow good corn, but I'm wrong on that count.

You must be limited by soil - thin, rocky, or steep?

--->Paul

With that much water I could grow something that would not take 5 to 6 acres to carry a cow! There is something that is not surfacing.

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Agmantoo
If they can do it,
you know you can!

More rain than I thought also. We only average 28-30 here. I think the limiting factor in eastern Oklahoma is a thin rocky soil and the fact that July and August are the dryest months of the year. Dec. Jan, and Feb temps are in the 20's and july and august are in the 90's.

Here, bromegrass is good pasture, but only early and late, as it is considered a cool season grass. More commonly put up as hay for the winter.

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* I'm supposed to respect my elders, but its getting harder and harder for me to find one. .*-

ksfarmer.....how well does fescue grow there? His temps are not a lot different than what I experience.

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Agmantoo
If they can do it,
you know you can!

Ack226
I posted some pics tonight on the rotational grazing sticky in the cattle forum. I thought you may want to see what fescue can look like when cared for.

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Agmantoo
If they can do it,
you know you can!

No fescue pasture around my area that I know of. Several years back the Hudson Ranch west of Topeka planted fescue in some of the native pastures, I don't know just how it worked out, but they have since gone back to native bluestem pasture. I can't say how it would do in his part of Okla.

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* I'm supposed to respect my elders, but its getting harder and harder for me to find one. .*-

I just spoke with the other extension agent today. He said that with native grasses including bromegrass like what I have fertilizing wouldn't do much good, and I could expect to need 10-12 acres per head.

He said the more desirable pasture grasses in this area are bermuda or fescue. With one of these, and if I fertilize, he says I could do around 4 acres per head. He said that this number is based on bringing in external hay over the winter.

Thanks again for all of your help everyone. I'm finding this discussion really interesting.

Ack226,
Where I live it is common practice to feed hay in the Winter. If you were to call the extension agent for the county here you would get a similar answer but with less acreage required. Usually quoted at somewhere between 1.5 and 2 acres per cow plus hay for 90 to 120 days per year. As stated previous, it is not all that difficult to beat those numbers and to beat them with no outside obtained hay requirement.

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Agmantoo
If they can do it,
you know you can!

I did not read all the posts but here is what I have to say. Making $15,000 on a hundred acres means you need to invest time and energy. You cannot sit back and expect a farm to run itsself no matter what kind it is. You are too busy with your full time job. You cannot expect to rent out the land to a farmer and reap the rewards to a tune of $15,000. The farmer will be really lucky to make 1/2 that on your rented land. Just my opinion. Do some real research and contact your local Farm Extension. Talk to a few local farmers and get a feel for the local market. before you commit to anything.
Linda

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mommagoose_99
Live from
Beautiful Upstate NY

Plant some food plots, stock it with whatever game bird is popular right now, and rent it to hunters.

Edited to add that if you put a small cabin or mobile home to act as a club house on it somewhere that you will be able to get more. Even if it's dry and lacking power. Guys really like to feel like they're "roughing it" apparently.

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Rachel Haiku Heritage City Farm