This is my 13.52 acres. What would the best plan be to have cattle, wildlife and a home on it?

[CooterBrown]

 

[Lucky_P]

Cattle are notoriously poor forest managers. We usually recommend fencing cattle out of the woods, anymore, as they do more damage than any monetary benefit you may derive from them running in the woods. I've seen figures suggesting that typical eastern woodland requires 40 acres to provide enough forage for one cow-calf pair.
It'll cost you more to fence it than it's worth as cattle pasture.
my vote is for timber stand and wildlife habitat improvement.
If you want cattle, you probably need to buy or lease pasture elsewhere.

 

[Bszweda]

My recommendations would be have them home on a high spot that's close to existing utilities ( unless you don't want to be by your neighbors) A topography map would be needed to determine where to bulldoze to try and make pasture. How many cattle were you planning on keeping?

 

[CooterBrown]

My recommendations would be have them home on a high spot that's close to existing utilities ( unless you don't want to be by your neighbors) A topography map would be needed to determine where to bulldoze to try and make pasture. How many cattle were you planning on keeping?

Just 2 or 3 for family consumption. How will that play into the deer habitat.

 

[CooterBrown]

 

[CooterBrown]

Green is my house spot

 

[CooterBrown]

Cattle are notoriously poor forest managers. We usually recommend fencing cattle out of the woods, anymore, as they do more damage than any monetary benefit you may derive from them running in the woods. I've seen figures suggesting that typical eastern woodland requires 40 acres to provide enough forage for one cow-calf pair.
It'll cost you more to fence it than it's worth as cattle pasture.
my vote is for timber stand and wildlife habitat improvement.
If you want cattle, you probably need to buy or lease pasture elsewhere.

My goal is to turn some into pasture. How much would I need to run 3 cows with rotational grazing and food plot for deer?

 

[CooterBrown]

My recommendations would be have them home on a high spot that's close to existing utilities ( unless you don't want to be by your neighbors) A topography map would be needed to determine where to bulldoze to try and make pasture. How many cattle were you planning on keeping?

Thankfully my neighbor are my in-laws. I guess I'm thankful LOL

 

[Lucky_P]

where are you located?
we did management-intensive grazing for 25 years here in southern west-central KY. With well-established forage base, adequate water, and sufficient fertilization, you can probably run one cow-calf pair per 2 acres...but you'd still be looking at purchasing hay and grain to feed through the winter...feeding period typically ran from early Nov. to May 1 here.
Back in the old days, once deer season was over, we opened gates and let the cows graze off the food plots...but in those days(and, yes, we ran cows in the woods back then), we were only planting food plots to draw deer in to shoot them in season, not really looking at year-round wildlife use.

 

[Lucky_P]

if you were buying stocker calves to feed out for home/custom slaughter, the footprint will be less, but you've still gotta have quality forages, minerals, water, and probably hay and a modicum of grain feeding to get them 'finished' adequately

 

[CooterBrown]

where are you located?
we did management-intensive grazing for 25 years here in southern west-central KY. With well-established forage base, adequate water, and sufficient fertilization, you can probably run one cow-calf pair per 2 acres...but you'd still be looking at purchasing hay and grain to feed through the winter...feeding period typically ran from early Nov. to May 1 here.
Back in the old days, once deer season was over, we opened gates and let the cows graze off the food plots...but in those days(and, yes, we ran cows in the woods back then), we were only planting food plots to draw deer in to shoot them in season, not really looking at year-round wildlife use.

I'm in south Alabama

 

[Lucky_P]

I grew up in Lee Co., just outside of Auburn(War Eagle!). You'll be able to graze longer, and winter will be much shorter/milder than up here in the frigid northland of KY.

 

[Lucky_P]

you prob need to visit w/ your county Extension agent about appropriate forages, establishment & management, and stocking rates.
Google up
'forage systems for cow-calf operations in South Alabama' for some starter thoughts.
Cool season annuals, like wheat/ryegrass/arrowleaf clover can do double duty as winter grazing and wildlife food plots, if you manage them properly

 

[H20fwler]

If having all three things is what you want;

Clear off most of the front half of the property and fence that part in and split it into two small pastures that you can rotate. Leave some groups of trees for shade.
Put a full feeder in up by your barn and house for your three cows.
Keep the back half as your wildlife sanctuary and do small projects to sexy it up.

 

[yoderjac]

Keep the cattle in the den and the wildlife in the extra bedroom.

 

[crowskee]

If you are legal to bait deer in Alabama then you could have some mighty fine hunting on a property that size and still have cattle. I'm not here to argue the ethics of baiting but its undeniable that a feeder on a small property can rival the biggest most well managed deer property in the area.

 

[CooterBrown]

If you are legal to bait deer in Alabama then you could have some mighty fine hunting on a property that size and still have cattle. I'm not here to argue the ethics of baiting but its undeniable that a feeder on a small property can rival the biggest most well managed deer property in the area.

Yes feeding is legal but you have to buy a permit to hunt over it.