Ideal grazing management requires a balance of available forage and herd size. Grazing season, the average weight of your cows, and the total number of acres allotted for grazing are other factors to be considered.
How many cows can be farmed per acre? Each cow must be given 1.8 acres. This is a rule of thumb for your cows to get sufficient forage. Moreover, you can do the math yourself based on the available land. Aside from giving enough space for every cow, you may also think about the cows’ utilization rate per day. It’s always 4% of the animal’s weight.
So, you’ll know the daily forage consumption of each cow by getting the 4% of its weight. These factors allow you to find out the maximum numbers of cows that you can grow properly within the minimum piece of land.
Are Cows Profitable?
Cows are profitable when you know how to market them. It’s not only about selling them at the highest price. You should focus on the breed that the market demands, the best period of selling, and the best outlet where you market your cows.
To gain the most profit, don’t just settle for a convenient outlet and sell the cattle at a convenient time.
UCOP or unit of cost production can help you get a larger profit. This basis will show you the cost of a cow per pound. Then, you make a budget of all the expenses in growing cows and compare it with the possible earnings based on the present cow’s cost per pound.
To improve the marketability of your cows, you have to be attentive to numerous aspects such as color, frame, breed, muscling, gender, weight, flesh or condition, horns, fill, background, and vaccinations.
The health of the cows is very important, so you have to engage in preconditioning programs. You’ll learn more about the nutrition that cattle need. Buyers are easily convinced to pay more for the cows that have been raised through the said program.
As for the options where to market your cows, you can choose from branded beef programs, video auctions, private treaties, auction markets, tele-auctions, retained ownership, graded and pooled sales.
Don’t be weary in checking the movement of prices in these markets so you’ll have an idea when the highest price comes up.
How Much Does It Cost to Own a Cow?
Based on the latest estimation and adjustment in cow profitability, it costs $608 yearly to own a cow. Generally, here are the things that mainly affect the cost.
Feed
Whether you utilize harvested feed or grazed feed, cow’s food will take 40% to 70% of the cost. Ranch owners who raise cows may save money, but they still need to look at the market value of harvested and grazed feed.
Anyway, they gain the market value of the grasses on their land. The cow-calf enterprise requires fair payment of hay and grass for grazing.
Labor and Equipment
The second highest cost goes to labor and equipment. These two things are usually combined, but their cost can either be fixed or overhead. The overhead cost doesn’t change even if there’s an increase in the number of cows.
As an example, a ranch owner who had 200 cows at first begins to take care of another 100 cows because he was granted a lease of his neighbor’s land. There’s no need to buy more equipment as the current one is enough for a total of 300 cows.
Cow Depreciation
This part shouldn’t be ignored to distinguish the exact production cost. The cost of the breeding heifer is also overlooked as most ranchers raise their replacement. Heifer can be productive for the first few years. For example, it was valued first at $1,300 when it was added to the herd. After 8 years, its value goes down to $700.
There are three ways to respond to expenses of depreciation. First, try your best to get new cows at a low price. Make means to get more money from the cows before they leave your farm. You can also work on how to prolong the productive years of a cow.
Related: How Much Does a Baby Cow Cost in the USA? | Check Before Buying!
How Many Cows Do I Need to Start a Farm?
You can start with 3 or 5 cows. What you need to focus on is how to make them grow healthily, so you have the profit to buy more calves. Small-scale cattle farms usually have 50 to less than a hundred cows.
How Much Land Does a Grass-Fed Cow Need?
A grass-fed cow needs 10 to 12 acres per year. If you rent a pasture, per acre is charged for yearly rent. The rate varies from place to place.
How Long Does It Take to Raise a Cow For Slaughter?
Based on the Agricultural Marketing Service, there are different quality grades for slaughter.
Prime
Heifers and steers can be slaughtered in 30 to 42 months as long as they have fat covering on their ribs, back, crops, rump, and loin.
This fat should appear smooth with a bit of patchiness. It’s something that you can’t find on heifers and steers below 30 months old.
The required age on this part has the display of firm and full muscles on the cud or udder, brisket, and flanks.
Choice
The ideal age for slaughter is the same as the Prime, which is 30 to 42 months. But the standard is on the moderately thick fat on the ribs, back, crops, rump, and loin of cows, heifers, and steers. The muscling on cud or udder show, brisket, and flanks is moderately firm and full.
Select
The age limitation is only until 30 months for the slight firm and full muscling. This applies to cows, heifers, and steers, and they have thin fat in the previously specified body parts. The fat should be absent on the back and loin.
Standard
Cows, heifers, and steers slaughtered in 30 to 42 months have thin layers of fat that shouldn’t be seen on the back, upper ribs, and loin.
Commercial
Cows, heifers, and steers are slaughtered around 42 months. They have a bit of fat on the back, loin, ribs, and rump, but the muscling is moderately firm.
The very mature ones that fall under this category have moderately thick fat over the ribs, loin, back, and rump. There’s also considerable patchiness that is obvious around the tail head.
Utility
The heifers, steers, and cows are slaughtered less than 30 months old. At this age, they have a thin fat covering or moderately thick fat situated on the loin, rump, and back. However, fat shouldn’t be on the back, rump, and loin. Also, they have slightly thin crops and slight fullness on cod, brisket, and flanks.
Cutter
The cattle from 30 months old until their mature form are allowed to be slaughtered. The animals are expected to have a thin fat covering.
Canner
The requirements are the same as the cutter, but this one is inferior.
Can Cows Survive on Just Grass?
Cows can survive on just grass, but there are market standards nowadays that require feeding your cows in different ways. Not to forget that there are different cow breeds.
Most beef consumers in the United States prefer the taste and flavor of grain-fed cows. The cattle that finished through grass have a grassy flavor as well.
Despite the innate ability of cows to convert cellulose from grass into protein muscle as ruminants, they still need to consume feed before the final stage.
Some may be in forage finishing, but it’s not enough. In the US, early fattening includes Indian corn, root crops, fruits, and distillery mash.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Raise a Cow on 1 Acre?
Since the rule of them is 1.8 acres per cow, you have to supply hay, grass, and feed to the animal if you only have an acre for it.
How Much Land Do You Need for 1 Cow?
1.8 acres is enough for 1 cow if it’s not exclusively grass-fed.
How Many Acres Do You Need for 10 Cows?
Twenty acres will be needed for 10 cows.
How Many Cows Can You Have On 15 Acres?
According to NRCS or Natural Resources Conservation Service, a cow with a calf can be on 15 acres when they’re fed with native grass.
How Many Cattle Do You Need for 100 Acres?
As mentioned, the cow’s weight is one of the determiners of how much land it needs. An 1100-lb cow consumes 22 to 33 forage every day. If 100 acres are grazable, it can serve only four 1100-lb cows.
How Many Cows Can You Have on 1000 Acres?
If the 1,000 acres are grazable, you can place 40 grass-fed cows in it. On the other hand, you can let 500 cattle occupy this size of land provided with a supply of hay and feed.
Summary
Knowing the number of acres enough for the number of cows is crucial. This is the way for them to grow healthily. Hence, you can sell them in a market that offers competitive pricing.
The appropriate land size for each cow depends on the feeding system. If you choose to grass feed your cattle, it means more acres. You can stick with 1.8 acres per cow if you intend to give the animals feed, hay, and other supplements.
List of Sources
Preconditioning Programs for Healthier, Higher-Value Calves
Cow-Calf Profitability Estimates for 2020 and 2021 (Spring Calving Herd)
Slaughter Cattle Grades and Standards
Balancing Your Animals With Your Forage
