FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
TERMS AND OPERATIONS
1What forms of payment do you accept?
Online, We accept direct wire transfer or PayPal.
2What happens if I change my mind about purchasing after I put a down deposit?
Once a deposit is made, cattle are set aside and marked as sold. Other customers that were interested in the cattle are told they are sold. Purchasing decisions are made according to the sell. This is why having a deposit is important to most businesses and it's the same for us. Therefore, once a deposit has been received it is nonrefundable.
3What does transportation of cattle costs?
The costs to transport cattle is done by mileage. Currently we can arrange transportation for a 36 foot gooseneck or less at $3 per loaded mile (meaning one way.) We can arrange delivery for a large truck ground load for $3.50-$4 per loaded mile.
4How does your bull lease program work?
We lease our bulls on an either 60 or 90 day program. 60 days for $500 or 90 days for $750. Upon their return they will need a trich test performed at renter’s expense.
5Do you guarantee an animal's health?
We will guarantee that our animals are what they are being sold as when they leave our pens. If we call them bred, aged 2 years old, short solid, etc. and they're not we will buy them back. It is in good faith that when cattle leave our pens they are in good health to the best of our knowledge. Due to the nature of cattle in general, we do not guarantee against sickness or death loss.
6Do you offer vet checks on cattle?
Yes, if a buyer would like to have a vet check out cattle before purchasing that buyer may do so at their own expense. We can schedule a vet for palpation, vaccinations, etc.
7Do you ever offer discounts?
Yes. We will work with buyers to provide discounts on large orders or occasionally we will have groups that will be discounted at certain times.
BREEDING
1How long is a cow or heifer pregnant for?
A cow’s full term of pregnancy is for 283 days for most breeds.
2How long before a cow will breed back after having a calf?
It should be at least 45 days before breeding back although 60-90 days is best. In order to do this, a cow needs to have good forage and mineral supplements available and be in good condition.
3How often does a cow or heifer cycle?
Typically a cow that is cycling will cycle every 21 days.
4How big or old does my heifer need to be before being bred?
There are many different philosophies on this. We believe the best rule of thumb is for the heifer to be 60% of mature body weight before breeding. So if you anticipate the heifer being a 1200 pound cow, breeding would occur at 720 pounds. Keep in mind that a heifer bred this early is still growing after breeding and still needs better nutrition available than a grown cow and probably earlier weaning of her calf.
5Does it matter what kind of bull I breed my heifer to?
YES! Heifers will naturally have a higher rate of calving problems, typically the calves being too big for the heifer to have on her own. We as ranch managers can help with this by choosing an appropriate low birth weight bull such as a low birthweight Angus. Ranches commonly use other breeds as well such as Hereford or even Longhorn or Corriente bulls. A continental breed such as a Charolais or Simmental may not be the best idea.
GENERAL
1Are your cows gentle?
We strive to not carry any wild cattle. We hand feed them daily to help with docility. They are still unpredictable animals though and none will be pets. If docility or gentleness is your number one goal in your herd we can certainly help guide you when choosing cows for your herd.
2How many cows can I feed per acre?
This is a great question...and a very tough one to answer. It all depends on the quality of your pasture, your pasture management, weather that year and your geographical location. There are some pastures in far West Texas that can only handle up to 1 head per 50 or 100 acres and on the other hand there are some pastures in East Texas that can handle one head per acre or better on a rotational grazing program. There are a ton of variables. Please call us and we can help you get an estimate on this according to the variables.
3How do I "work" my cattle annually?
Annual calf vaccinations, weaning, tagging or whatever else you may need done to your cattle can be challenging for some folks. When purchasing your cattle, we can show buyers around our pens for ideas and explanations on what equipment is necessary for working your own cattle. We can also come to your ranch to help out with cowboy work if needed for a daily fee.