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What exotic to raise ? #7075153 02/12/18 04:25 AM
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throckmorton_hunter Offline OP
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Looking to high fence two 2-3 acre pens in North Texas . Thought about breeding Red Sheep or Axis . what are your thoughts ??

Re: What exotic to raise ? [Re: throckmorton_hunter] #7075252 02/12/18 01:00 PM
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I think if you are serious about want to raise either of those you need to have larger areas for them. Unless you can find bottle raised stock to start with either you or the animals are going to get hurt. Just my opinion after messing with some of this stuff.

Re: What exotic to raise ? [Re: throckmorton_hunter] #7075487 02/12/18 04:10 PM
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I've heard Fallow are the easiest to raise, and that Axis can be very crazy in small pastures. Sheep like do to die.

Re: What exotic to raise ? [Re: throckmorton_hunter] #7075925 02/12/18 10:00 PM
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Fallow like to tear holes in fences

Re: What exotic to raise ? [Re: kdkane1971] #7076184 02/13/18 01:13 AM
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Originally Posted By: kdkane1971
Fallow like to tear holes in fences


Yes they do, if other fallow are anywhere near, you need to have double fence at 4'.

That said, deer and sheep specie are all bad for small $ making projects. Think about animals where both male and female are trophies. As in the oryx species. Scimitar are virtually bulletproof. You won't ever lose one to a predator, they aren't disease prone, and produce well.

But, if you choose scimitar you are gonna have big feed bills because you are so small. Don is right, you need more acres.

Last edited by therancher; 02/13/18 01:15 AM.

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Re: What exotic to raise ? [Re: throckmorton_hunter] #7077582 02/14/18 01:26 AM
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Will you live on the same place that you would raise the animals? Red Sheep can stay really wild no matter how big the pen is and at one time brought good money. Axis as a rule do not do well in small pens unless you buy them from a place they are raised in a small pen. Coyotes and dogs will be your downfall with most anything you try to raise even if you live on the same place. The common exotics are the cheapest to buy to start but will not be profitable if you are going to have to feed them year round. I would suggest two pens side by side to allow one to rest and be able to rotate around. It will help keep parasite issues down and will also increase ground cover for raising new borns in. If you have the money I would suggest an animal that is not commonly raised and brings in more money in return...like transcaspian urials, sable, kudu, gemsbok, etc. I would pick a species that is not as likely to have been crossed up with something else in the past. More expensive to get into but bring more money when you sell off your offspring as breeding stock. Also pick a species that will live in the climate and weather you will have up there. Axis do not do well in really cold or wet cold temps. 70% of the axis does are having young right now in the first three months of the year.


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Re: What exotic to raise ? [Re: throckmorton_hunter] #7088331 02/22/18 03:59 AM
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Good read, a lot of good information for small business ventures

Re: What exotic to raise ? [Re: stxranchman] #7088778 02/22/18 05:12 PM
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Originally Posted By: stxranchman
Will you live on the same place that you would raise the animals? Red Sheep can stay really wild no matter how big the pen is and at one time brought good money. Axis as a rule do not do well in small pens unless you buy them from a place they are raised in a small pen. Coyotes and dogs will be your downfall with most anything you try to raise even if you live on the same place. The common exotics are the cheapest to buy to start but will not be profitable if you are going to have to feed them year round. I would suggest two pens side by side to allow one to rest and be able to rotate around. It will help keep parasite issues down and will also increase ground cover for raising new borns in. If you have the money I would suggest an animal that is not commonly raised and brings in more money in return...like transcaspian urials, sable, kudu, gemsbok, etc. I would pick a species that is not as likely to have been crossed up with something else in the past. More expensive to get into but bring more money when you sell off your offspring as breeding stock. Also pick a species that will live in the climate and weather you will have up there. Axis do not do well in really cold or wet cold temps. 70% of the axis does are having young right now in the first three months of the year.


Sable, Kudu and blackbuck do even worse in cold climates.


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Re: What exotic to raise ? [Re: throckmorton_hunter] #7090510 02/23/18 10:16 PM
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Thanks for the feedback , Looks like Red Sheep may be a good option .

Re: What exotic to raise ? [Re: therancher] #7090866 02/24/18 03:37 AM
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Originally Posted By: therancher
Originally Posted By: stxranchman
Will you live on the same place that you would raise the animals? Red Sheep can stay really wild no matter how big the pen is and at one time brought good money. Axis as a rule do not do well in small pens unless you buy them from a place they are raised in a small pen. Coyotes and dogs will be your downfall with most anything you try to raise even if you live on the same place. The common exotics are the cheapest to buy to start but will not be profitable if you are going to have to feed them year round. I would suggest two pens side by side to allow one to rest and be able to rotate around. It will help keep parasite issues down and will also increase ground cover for raising new borns in. If you have the money I would suggest an animal that is not commonly raised and brings in more money in return...like transcaspian urials, sable, kudu, gemsbok, etc. I would pick a species that is not as likely to have been crossed up with something else in the past. More expensive to get into but bring more money when you sell off your offspring as breeding stock. Also pick a species that will live in the climate and weather you will have up there. Axis do not do well in really cold or wet cold temps. 70% of the axis does are having young right now in the first three months of the year.


Sable, Kudu and blackbuck do even worse in cold climates.

Kudu do better than axis but neither one do well in icy/wet/extreme cold. I bought Kudu from Mason Mountain Ranch back in the early 90's (before TPWD) and they had a very large and growing herd then. They need good thick cover and can do well in the Hill Country IME.


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Re: What exotic to raise ? [Re: throckmorton_hunter] #7094541 02/27/18 02:07 PM
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Originally Posted By: throckmorton_hunter
Thanks for the feedback , Looks like Red Sheep may be a good option .
What ever you do be careful. These animals can really hurt you. Have good working pens where you can stay out of direct contact with the animal. I cannot stress it enough. Be careful.

Re: What exotic to raise ? [Re: stxranchman] #7096022 02/28/18 03:52 PM
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Originally Posted By: stxranchman
Originally Posted By: therancher
Originally Posted By: stxranchman
Will you live on the same place that you would raise the animals? Red Sheep can stay really wild no matter how big the pen is and at one time brought good money. Axis as a rule do not do well in small pens unless you buy them from a place they are raised in a small pen. Coyotes and dogs will be your downfall with most anything you try to raise even if you live on the same place. The common exotics are the cheapest to buy to start but will not be profitable if you are going to have to feed them year round. I would suggest two pens side by side to allow one to rest and be able to rotate around. It will help keep parasite issues down and will also increase ground cover for raising new borns in. If you have the money I would suggest an animal that is not commonly raised and brings in more money in return...like transcaspian urials, sable, kudu, gemsbok, etc. I would pick a species that is not as likely to have been crossed up with something else in the past. More expensive to get into but bring more money when you sell off your offspring as breeding stock. Also pick a species that will live in the climate and weather you will have up there. Axis do not do well in really cold or wet cold temps. 70% of the axis does are having young right now in the first three months of the year.


Sable, Kudu and blackbuck do even worse in cold climates.

Kudu do better than axis but neither one do well in icy/wet/extreme cold. I bought Kudu from Mason Mountain Ranch back in the early 90's (before TPWD) and they had a very large and growing herd then. They need good thick cover and can do well in the Hill Country IME.


Agreed. And I wish kudu were still at 1990 prices.


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Re: What exotic to raise ? [Re: throckmorton_hunter] #7112795 03/16/18 02:03 AM
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main issue with Red Sheep (or ANY Sheep) on small Acreage is Parasites, If you have good established Bermuda/Coastal of some sort makes it much better, during the Hot dry Summer Months they will at least have something to eat and not be eating right on the Ground, I have 3 breeding Herds of European Mouflon (10 Ewes, Breeder Ram and a few Weanling to Yearling Rams in each Group) two groups are on 5 Acre Plots and one is on a 10 Acre Plot, I have a another 60 Acres divided 3 ways for grow out Rams, until I got my Pastures established in a blend of Bermuda Grasses I had heck with Parasites. BTW if you decide to go with European Mouflon I can fix you up and am not far from You.

Re: What exotic to raise ? [Re: throckmorton_hunter] #7112800 03/16/18 02:11 AM
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Just my 2cents
Axis are everywhere in the hill country. In the next 5 years there won't be much of a market for them. They are pretty though!


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Re: What exotic to raise ? [Re: BrianCook_RanchSales] #7113300 03/16/18 03:12 PM
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Originally Posted By: bow5
Just my 2cents
Axis are everywhere in the hill country. In the next 5 years there won't be much of a market for them. They are pretty though!


I remember the same thing being said in the early 90's about them and there is still a big demand for them. The next 5 years will not change. More and more land is getting taken up behind high fence.


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Re: What exotic to raise ? [Re: BrianCook_RanchSales] #7113313 03/16/18 03:27 PM
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Originally Posted By: bow5
Just my 2cents
Axis are everywhere in the hill country. In the next 5 years there won't be much of a market for them. They are pretty though!
have you checked price to bag one


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Re: What exotic to raise ? [Re: throckmorton_hunter] #7113322 03/16/18 03:41 PM
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Originally Posted By: throckmorton_hunter
Looking to high fence two 2-3 acre pens in North Texas . Thought about breeding Red Sheep or Axis . what are your thoughts ??


For that size I would recommend buying young fallow bucks only and raising them to sell. You can breed fallow on that size of property, but I dont think it would be profitable. Fallow bucks are very popular and in demand for ones with large palms. I have seen 2 year old fallows bringing $900- $1100 in the last years with the right timing to sale. Most 2 years olds are hard to tell how good they will be but at 3 you can get a good idea. I could buy yearling spikes in the fall for $550-$700 and raise them on our place. Some of them would be shooters for $2500+ in two years. With for forage available it is profitable for me since they dont depend on protein only. In your situation you will need to calculate how much your feed bill is regardless of what you raise and how much you can sale for. I dont see that working out on axis for that size of place. There are a few that bottle raise axis and try to produce large non-typical and typical just like whitetail. I think you need more land and brush for them to hide in.

Last edited by Curtis; 03/16/18 03:45 PM.

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Re: What exotic to raise ? [Re: Curtis] #7113649 03/16/18 09:28 PM
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Originally Posted By: Curtis
Originally Posted By: bow5
Just my 2cents
Axis are everywhere in the hill country. In the next 5 years there won't be much of a market for them. They are pretty though!


I remember the same thing being said in the early 90's about them and there is still a big demand for them. The next 5 years will not change. More and more land is getting taken up behind high fence.


I hope you're right, awesome animals


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