a woman i work with owns family land and they are getting into a "hobby" of buying longhorns. They first planned on two full grown steers but the guy selling them offered up two younger (cows maybe), She wasn't very clear. It has been a mess, the steer has gotten out twice in one week and is a bit to handle. I am kind of sitting back watching this unravel. For someone that grew up in the country, it seems they don't have a clue. It sounds like they didn't even google.

Right now they have the one steer, the two young ones and plan for a second steer to be delivered this week. She just told me they have 8 acres total, 7 for grazing.

This sounds like it is grossly undersized and they are getting into a mess.

Google tells me that their place is big enough for maybe one head. I am watching for comical relief. I know her husband is wanting to make it work.

Really no question, just a report on city folks trying to play cattle.

Carrying capacity certainly depends on location and improved or native ? However , they are already overstocked IMHO unless they are on highly fertilized and irregated pasture
However, when you stated they were getting. Into hobby longhorns that alone told me that they do not know what they are doing.

Without a location it is impossible to accurately tell stocking rates. Additionally is it improved/native, supplemental/grazing, and fertility practices. So much more too.

Young cattle ALWAYS cause boundary issues when put into a new location. We put 14 heifers out on a new pasture with brand new fences and enough grass to graze 40 head and they STILL broke into the neighbors place.

We run 1 head on 2-3 acres easily on improved Jiggs and winter hay schedule. Never have an issue with over grazing. All subject to local management and breed selection.

You keep saying steer, Is that what they told you or you just assume?

A hobby like that wont get too far with a steer and 2 cows....
I think there is a longhorn joke hidden in there somewhere....

haha, i assumed they are steers.

I am not sure they are wanting to breed. I expect the "hobby" will be to just buy another when they lose one.

Steers are pretty common in the Long Horn world, because they end up with the longest horns. If all you want is something to look cool in your backyard, then it doesn't matter if they can breed or not.

Seems like wild Mustangs would be a better hobby.

I've seen longhorns thrive on Cherokee rose bushes and Tallow tree leaves

If they got a couple of heifers and a steer, they'll have a neighbor's bull in there before they know it, AND they'll get to fix some fence. Sounds like a mini train-wreck for sure.

Give it a while. Their place will look like the surface of the moon.

My neighbors have 8 on 20 west of Giddings on unimproved with lots of mesquite and still plenty of green. I think they do some round bales in winter.

It seems like most longhorns I see look malnourished.

Maybe there's lots of hobbyists out there.

Body condition score 8 longhorn still looks like it's dying

They're lean and mean, which is why for a long time they weren't popular as beef cattle, when fat and...fat was the goal. They were tough laready when brought over by the Spanish (Spain is arid and hot, mostly), and the Texas environment only refined that over time. They're not going to be big and fat unless you cram feed into them.

Quote:

---

We run 1 head on 2-3 acres easily on improved Jiggs and winter hay schedule. Never have an issue with over grazing. All subject to local management and breed selection.

---

If I could say the same, I would be pretty well off!

I would call my land "almost native" as it has some Klein Grass, and some areas where brush are controlled. But overall it is native pasture semi-hill country, and extremely rocky. My average right now is One cow per 14 acres. During the drought I was down to One cow per 20 acres and getting ready to sell some more when it started raining.

I have older cows that eat much of the native brush and thrive on it. Some cows have to learn what to eat, or they will starve when there is a lack of grass.

We used to have a pet steer. He had obviously been hand raised and was extremely tame when we got him along with about 100 others. My niece who was maybe about 6 or 7 at the time kind of adopted him and named him Cutie Pie. Seeing Cutie Pie follow her around was very surprising to many people including her friends from school. When it got time to sell the other cattle, we kept him.

We didn't know how long it would live so after about 12 years, we took him to the local processor who butchered him and ground the meat up for cost and the meat was donated to a food pantry.

Tell your lady friend that they'll be able to fit more longhorns on their land if they saw their horns off...they'll stack together much more nicely.

The question you should ask is how many acres per longhorn

eric76 said:

---

We used to have a pet steer. He had obviously been hand raised and was extremely tame when we got him along with about 100 others. My niece who was maybe about 6 or 7 at the time kind of adopted him and named him Cutie Pie. Seeing Cutie Pie follow her around was very surprising to many people including her friends from school. When it got time to sell the other cattle, we kept him.

We didn't know how long it would live so after about 12 years, we took him to the local processor who butchered him and ground the meat up for cost and the meat was donated to a food pantry.

---

That's why you should never give a name to an animal you're going to eat.

we have had 6-8 longhorn heifers on about 15 acres for 7 years now. most of the time they are in 10 acres or less. But we have great pasture on the brazos.

The neighbors have a full herd of wagyu. We occasionally have issues with fences, but usually its a tree down before they cross. We have only had 3 rounds of breeding, so we are not very active. They are basically just pasture ornaments.

We have processed a couple of (intentional) wagyu - longhorn and its awesome.

we have never had to hay them except during the height of the draught, and they are very happy and healthy. We shake a pale of oats at them just enough to keep them from being too wild, and socialize with the babies at birth just to show who's boss. The few times they have gotten out we handle it with a bucket and a whoop.

when the river floods though, holy hell, its a rodeo getting them into a trailer. Made the news once doing that.

Quote:

---

they do not know what they are doing.

---

Shhh. This kind of advice can put a damper on business.

Might I recommend.

http://www.minilonghorn.com

http://www.minilonghorn.com/bulls

1 animal unit (1,000 pound cow) will eat 26 lbs of dry matter per day. they are most likely overstocked and will start "growing rocks" on their place as they lose soil.