# How many cattle on 2 acres?



## Tunicamom (Nov 12, 2004)

I have approx. 2 fenced acres and would like to start raising some cattle. If it goes well, I may enlarge to the other 10 acres. About how many calves can a person raise on 2 acres? The pasture is good. There is one horse on it now, but will be gone soon. Also, when would be a good time of the year to start?


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## Cheryl in SD (Apr 22, 2005)

One, if you buy extra feed. Some parts of the country, you can't even do that. Or you could start a feed lot, raise quite a few and buy feed.

Have you thought about goats?


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## rambler (Jan 20, 2004)

One per acre is a pretty heavy rate. You would need to plan to buy some bit of additional feed at times.

If you plan on feeding them mostly all the time & the pasture is just roughage bit, then you can put 2-3 per acre & the grass should survive, if get real short at times.

Smaller critters such as goats or sheep may be more appropriate for such a small area.

--->Paul


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

It depends on where the acre is located. Check with local Farm Service Agency.


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## ace admirer (Oct 5, 2005)

i would say one.


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## treefrog (Mar 18, 2006)

i run three and sometimes four cattle on a little less than five acres. i have to buy some hay in the winter, and i also give them about a coffee can per head of 16% protein sweet feed every few days, more often in the winter when grass is growing slower. i reccommend the occasional feeding of sweet feed or other grain based feed for a couple reasons. first, it assures ample protein in the diet. second, if you have thought ahead far enough to build a "catch pen" with the feed trough in it, you will never have to chase cows again. just rattle their trough, and they'll come a-running.

pax
t.f.


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## Slev (Nov 29, 2003)

2 acres or rock or desert = 0 cows
2 acres of poor pasture = 1 cow
2 acres of good pasture = 2 cows

2 acres of good pasture with Dexter cows on them = 3 or 4


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

You mentioned calves, so my answer would be six if you bottle feed all six and sell at a weight of no more than 350lbs. Keep in mind that the calves will need calf starter/ grower each morning and evening to supplement their bodies needs. If you want to buy larger animals than I agree with everyone else ONE head possibly TWO if you have top quality field growth. Tennessee John


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## farminghandyman (Mar 4, 2005)

in my area (east colorado) you would get about 1/10 to 1/20 of a cow for a year on that little of ground, and this year you may need 40 to 80 acers for one cow calf unit, with the drouth


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## DrippingSprings (Sep 22, 2004)

depends on the land. we put up around 30 bottle calves every year in a 56x56 barn. when old enough we turn them out on a 5 acre pasture for the next few months and sell them come october. i still almost triple my money and the 5 acres looks virtually untouched and i dont feed alot of hay etc to suppliment the pasture. we sell them at around 500 pounds each.


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## Jolly (Jan 8, 2004)

If it's good stuff (alicia bermuda), and you fertilize it - 2.

Especially if you are raising a calf for beef, never raise just one in a pasture.


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