Grass-fed cattle?

[MariesMama]

How often do you need to be at your property to keep a cow or two for beef only?

We currently live in town, but are about 20 minutes away from my grandmother's ranch. There are three horses there, and about ten acres of pasture fenced in for them. There are probably 80+ acres total of usable field, but the rest isn't reliably fenced right now.

Would it be feasible to have cattle there as well, if we weren't there every single day? Right now my brother or myself are out there every other day to check on the horses and my grandma.

[Alyantavid]

Should be fine as long as they have access to water when you aren't there. We only water ours every few days and they have a running stream as well.

If you have cold winters, you'll have to feed and break ice every day.

[1jooj]

My only big concern (besides daily water and feeding in winter/snow) would be the security of the fence. If you are confident in that, then you should be good to go. We raised two grass-fed steers a couple years ago, and our fences were NOT good enough. We are on too busy a road for that nonsense, and won't get any new steers until we have a really, really reliable fenced-in area for them. Electrified. Love, love, love the grass-fed beef. Yum.

[MariesMama]

I am guessing that a steer is going to need a MUCH more secure fence than three horses? Would it absolutely need to be electrified? I have no problem with using electric fencing, but some of the fence we currently have goes through a Russian Olive thicket and a swamp. Not exactly accessible, but the horses don't bother going that close to the fence line there.

[1jooj]

Ours played with the fences, stepped them down, then jumped over them to get at long, long grass on the property line. Which wouldn't be so bad, but then they walked the fenceline...to the highway. I had the sheriff put them back in once, had the guys from a neighboring business put them in once, and shortly thereafter, we ate beef.

[Alyantavid]

After spending last night putting my 2 back in after they magically opened a gate, yes you need a secure fence. Electric's good, but depending on the cow, some will jump it. I'd do a 5 strand barbed wire with one hot string about half way up. That'll keep them from pushing on the fence so much.