5 Initial Lessons from Buying a Cow & Calf
I unexpectedly got to purchase a cow and a calf through my father-in-law. In just 6 months of ownership, I’ve already learned several things.
Cows Have a Lot of Variables
“It depends…” is the classic cop-out in business. Usually when professionals use “it depends”, there’s a generally right way to approach an issue. But with cows, I’m learning that so many decisions truly depend on a host of variables that might not even be known.
Even basic questions about whether you’d like to raise a specific cow for meat, breeding, the auction, or none or all…depends. And very little of the it can be picked up in a book or even Googled. It takes hands-on experience and training to develop the sort of intuition and judgement that a rancher has.
I Understand How They Are an Asset
When we initially purchased the cows, I’d thought about raising them until they were 18 months old for beef. However, I’ve come to realize that cattle are much more than just a source of meat; they are a valuable asset that can reproduce indefinitely.
For instance, if you buy a cow and she gives birth to a calf, that calf can grow into a cow itself, allowing you to raise it to maturity and create an even larger herd. As long as you maintain a population of cows (rather than bulls), you can continually expand your herd over time.
I now understand how, in rural communities, cows represent significant wealth. They provide milk throughout their lives, and, when no longer productive, they can still be harvested for meat. And if you live in an area with an active cattle market, your asset always has value that you can liquidate – just like a stock, bond, or real estate.
They All Have Personalities & Quirks
Unlike traditional assets like stocks, bonds, or savings accounts, cattle are living creatures with unique characteristics (obviously…but this also makes them definitely not assets).
Each cow can differ significantly from another, as one may have health conditions or a temperament that influences its ability to produce offspring.
Additionally, some cows may possess slight genetic mutations that enhance their ability to gain weight or yield more meat. Furthermore, individual personalities can vary widely—certain cows can be more feisty or difficult than others.
We’ve Domesticated Them Beyond Hope
Most of my interests lie with wild animals and I’ve spent a lot of time learning all about wild animals and less about domesticated animals. I know that dogs, for instance, really can’t survive away from their human pack.
But I completely underestimated how domesticated cattle are.
They truly cannot survive in the wild without humans. They are big and can get away from some predators, but not really, especially compared to Bison or Wildebeests. Cows completely depend on humans to even exist.
But Good Lord, They Are Huge
Cows are enormous animals. I’ve seen them from the road before, but standing just inches away from one is a whole different experience—they really are giant beasts. Now that I own a cow, I have a deeper respect and connection to them.
Also, I now own three. The mama is “57”, the first little one is “A1” and the newest little one is “Sweet Baby Ray”.
Costs & Terminology
I learned that a “cow calf pair bred back” means a pregnant adult cow who has an unweaned calf with her. All together we paid $1850 for them in Fall 2023.
