Question for all you smarty-pants..

[therunbunch]

We're moving onto 20 acres, and can't afford cows of our own right now. (Of course, we really don't know much about cows either.... would just like some to munch the grass down!)

A friend suggested that we lease some of our acreage out to someone who needs to put their cows somewhere. We've got good 8 strand barbed wire & intermittent electric fencing reinforcement.

I had someone ask me if I would let me put his cows out there and asked me how much I'd charge per acre.

This is all greek to me, so could someone tell me if this would even be a good idea for us? I don't know what all is involved at all.

[springvalley]

Depends on your pasture? is it great , good or poor pasture? Shelter? water? a rate of 50 to 150 per acre could be o.k. Good farm ground around us is bringing 300 per acre for rent. Thanks marc.

[therunbunch]

I wouldn't even know how to gauge the land! Good heavens, is that per month? I know there is all grass everywhere. No shelter at present, but all we got to do is fence around the front of the barn and then there is shelter. Water troughs but no water on the actual property (ponds).

[ksfarmer]

Talk to your local state extension office. They can tell you such things as stocking rates (acres per cow), and the average rates charged and things to be agreed upon in any rental agreement.

[Allen W]

East or west Texas? Twenty acres would run a few cows in east Texas maybe not even enough for one in west Texas.

[SusyTX]

We're about an hr north of College Station, with good pasture (native and coastal, with rye and clover coming up now), plenty of water and shade, and good 6-strand fencing. Conventional wisdom out our way is that a good stocking ratio is 1au/2 acres, depending on the pasture. We run 1+/acre, but we've got Dexters (grass fed) and practice rotational grazing.

The drought this year has just hammered local ranchers, particularly those who were overstocking. I'd also suggest contacting your extension office and USDA (NRCS) office. It does vary based on your particular piece of land - good water, shade, windbreaks, types of pasture grasses, along with whatever you want to work out, such as fence mending, etc.

Hope this helps.

[Gregg Alexander]

20ac's is not much land