I am new at this so don’t beat me up too bad.
I have about 135 acres I would like to do a grazing lease. This pasture has no trees,it has 2 good stock tanks and all planted in b-Dahl bluestem grass. I am not ready to run cattle on my own yet.
What is a fair rate per head to lease it? I know there are variables. Only reason I’m not big doing it on the gain is a trust issue. If I knew someone, I would certainly do it on the gain.
I leased it to an older gentleman from June to September last year. He put out 25 head of bred cows. Couldn’t even tell it was grazed at the end. It needs grazed down some for sure.
My land is just north of Vernon.
Any help or suggestions is appreciated.

This was last May

Ever thought about just baling it?

I don't have much experience with it, but if I remember correctly that variety of bluestem makes some good hay. I'd get it baled and not mess with someone running cows on my land. IMO.

My concern about baling it is the pasture is kind of rough. I didn’t think it would rake too well, but again, I am a rookie at this.

That bluestem looks great, I would look for someone to come out and see if they want to bale it. They'll know if it's too rough or not.

Last year was a wet year.

I’d do $10 a head a month. That way you don’t get over graze to bad

Check with your County Agent about the cost.

Need a lease agreement.

You can get generic lease agreements from A&M web site.

I'd hate to have someone else's cows to deal with. They're still your fences. Good luck finding someone with enough cows to consistently graze that at top dollar. And I raise cows so just saying I'd look into hay production until you have cows.

Cut it, bale it, do shares with whoever bales it, sell your part. DONE!

They charge 24-27 dollars a bale around my area to bale it.

24 to cut and 27 to bale or between 24-27 for a bale?

OP last year was record rain, take that in account. I'd run somewhere between 40-50 head on the 135 acres. In your lease agreement state the leasee has to maintain the fence and gates at his expense and put a max on the number of cows he can run on your place, don't do it without a contract.

If you do end up baling the hay and don't sell them, cover them and they'll last for years. If you don't have a barn cover them with tarps. You'll get a premium in a drought.

At the rate it is going, the drought will be this year.

I pay 27$/ bale that is cut and baled on my place.

bohemians around here are 20/20 or more, OP if you can get it baled for less than 30 a bale do it.

Last year, we baled rou d bales instead of leasing grazing rights. We ha e chitty grass and made basically the same income baleing as we did grazing, but we didn't have to mess with the cattle.

Also to effectively graze that many acres with fewer cows it needs enough cross fencing to rotate them to different paddocks as needed. Bale it.

PM sent. Have cattle, will travel.

When you say north do you mean 283 of 287? There is a guy off 287 across from Pettys which is a gas/propane distributor named Greg English. He could lease it if still running cattle or point you to someone that would do right. SW side of 287 and fm 925.

Been doing this for 8 years. I am on my third set of guys as hay cutters. All have not got as many cuttings as they could have, every year. And I still end up shredding some pastures. My FD schedule makes it so when the weather is right, I can cut, rake, bale. I will be buying my own implements this year. Cannot depend on people, so I'll do it myself.

If it were Bermuda, I would say right now, plow the hell out of it, if it is dry.

You will encourage weed growth, so spraying would be necessary during the growing months. Smooth, soil gets aerated, grass comes back stronger. But, I do not have experience with Blue Stem, so I do not know if this applies to that grass.

My whole 70 acres was rough as a cob. I ran a disc across half of it, and it made a world of difference. The other half still needs the disc. If I get to plow before spring, that pasture would not get harvested this year, just shredded. But you have to play the long game on grass.

Hay cutters ae the most cranky folks in the world. Finding a dependable one is hard.

Boy it is pretty with all of that green grass.

It seems you'll make the most return by selling hay, even after fertilizer costs.
I would go that route.