I haven't visited this thread in awhile.   As far as the Highlands go.  I do have a SC address but I am literally looking at NC from my front door.  My weather is basically the same as Tryon NC and pretty close to Asheville ect.  
It really doesn't matter for the moment though.    Spring has come up on us so fast that I am simply not ready to make the commitment for now.     I am going to start with a different approach and build a greenhouse for the wife and some goats and chickens.    I've come to terms that I am going to need to clear more land and that takes time if your not just writing a check.       I do appreciate the posts  they have been great, but also a reality check.

Spend the extra money on the goat anti-climb fence and really consider a six foot fence.  Goats will go where goats want.  They do not respect barbed wire and only mildly respect hotwire.

Oh and goats are electric proof

Ours would stand on the hot wire to reach leaves, everything else got zapped by it it was a very big strong one, if I opened the truck door too far and it hit the wire it would light you up getting in or out

If you put corner braces in, put them on the outside of the wire so they don't climb over the fences.

I like the idea of a homestead type thread, that's what I did with my thread

If you want cattle, you want cattle, and you should go for it.

I went with sheep, as they are much smaller/cheaper, and I can throw them in a dog crate in the back of my Tacoma.  Not as hard on fencing, and easier to breed with a ram that I keep than breeding cattle.  I do want to eventually raise some cattle on leased ground, but that's years ahead.  In the mean time, I wanted something I could breed/raise at my own place.  Someone poo-poo'd Corriente on the first page, those are actually pretty popular in my area, and *may* be what I go for.  But they are popular for roping.

You mentioned a vet lined up, and they probably will know how to in a pinch, but (and not trying to be an ass, but speaking from personal experience) make sure you have at least a plan for an unexpected death.  My big problem was an animal attack taking out most of my flock, which won't be a concern (most likely) with larger animals like cattle.  But the folks in my area that handle large animal carcasses had equipment issues, and I had to scramble to get rental equipment to bury them.  

Can't speak to the cattle market in my area, much less yours.  But on hay, being able to buy on the spot from close by guys trying to empty out barns is helpful.  So is being able to trailer your own.  Though getting it delivered is very nice, and the closer the guy is, the better.  If I buy from feed stores instead of direct from small farmers, there's a big change in price.  Big squares in my area are much cheaper than the small squares, and it seems like three strand small squares are a really bad deal.  I got stuff to be able to handle the large squares as I can buy from the feed store if I need to, and still come in under private sales of small squares.  Less of a concern after you know how much you go through, and can project.  I'm still working on having enough storage for a full year's worth, and that probably won't happen for at least a couple years.

The issue with the Mx ropers is small frame, lean meat, and poor feed efficiency on stuff like corn.  They are popular in my area for a couple reasons.  They qualify for the ag. exemption, and generally tend to be low maintenance.  So, people that want to simply get the tax break buy them cheap, and just turn them loose on their property.  As long as they have water and some grass, they tend to survive. They also tend to calve easily.

But, you are not going to get to 1300 lbs (or at least not in a reasonable time), and it will yield very lean meat.  Relatively little intra muscular fat.  

In decent pasture, a 1000 lb steer eats 20 to 25 lbs of dry forage a day.  Round numbers.  Relatively minor breed variations.  The limiting factor for most operators is pasture.  So, the idea is to use your limited forage to feed and grow beef breeds that possibly can produce a well marbled meat.  Then, when you start pounding them with grain, the beef breeds will more efficiently convert that grain to gain.  

All that said, Mx ropers, long horns, and their crosses are significantly cheaper in my hood.  Cost 40 to 60% of many of the beef breeds.

Here in Oklahoma, the ranches aren't cleared by hand.  They simply defoliate the landscape sprayed by aircraft, like its Viet Nam.
In about 5 years, the trees all fall over and it's burned.  Standard practice and they can do thousands of acres at a time.  However, I don't know if it would be worth doing it from aircraft with only 42 acres.

Tony

I'm right there with you op,

I am eventually inheriting some land and to avoid having the tax free ag expire I had to buy some cattle pretty quickly.... In the middle of winter.  

Now, winter really wasn't that bad down here but it was hard to source hay for a while especially since I didn't know anyone in the cattle industry so to speak.  I just now finished a new barbed wire fencing on one side of the pasture.  Also I have been clearing about 10 acres by hand-- Chainsaw--- and burning and that is working out great, I was out there today and there is a lot of grass that wouldn't have grown with all the tree cover.  Right now we decided to rotate pastures using an electric fence so a couple sections of pasture can rest while the others are in use.  

I started with brangus with 3 heifers and a bull and added two more heifers just a week ago or so.  I'm hoping to end up with about 8 heifers and plan to butcher at least one calf a year for my family and friends.

Next project:

Squeeze chute for vaccinations, tagging, doctoring and building a buddy box

I would say keep all your receipts and claim them at tax time next year.  You'll be fine, get some cows and figure it out when things pop up I guess.  Thats what I'm doing

So I finally noticed the op's response about pausing for now, and I can absolutely relate.

But I did have up laugh (in a good way) when I saw what you said as negatives.  For my uses, leaner and smaller are positives, and I'm more interested in animals I can feed all hay and grass than grain finish.

As I bring up a lot at my day job, what are you really looking for, that'll change what I suggest.

As many have discovered, the land, the land clearing, the fences, the gates, the pens, the tractor, the herbicides, and the pickup all cost the same.  Doesn't matter whether you are raising beef breeds or Mx ropers.  So, it's all about producing a return.  

700 lb Mx roper cow produces a small weaned calf that, in my area, sells cheap.  A 1100 lb angus or hereford cow produces a much larger calf that sells for a premium.

2 Mx roper calves weighing 325 lbs each at $1.50 a lb < 1 x 550 lbs at $2.35 or $2.40 a lb.  $975 vs. $1300.  Setting aside the potential difference in cow feeding costs (1400 vs 1100 lbs of cows) the Mx roper calves have to go for $2 a lb to equal the return from the beef cow.

The revenue stream in this game is lbs produced and dollars per pound at sale.  While there may be a small market for Mx roper grass fed beef, the huge market is for grain finished beef breeds.

The Mx roper calf might be suitable for making OK grass fed beef, but with small cuts.  The beef breed calf can be grass finished or grain finished, and those breeds have specifically develpped to produce quality beef efficiently.  

But, one size does not fit all.  People should raise whatever they want.

  Definitely paused and evaluating.

Pictures of what your future pastures looks like now would help. Some seed might help over summer, or burning. But really need to see what it looks like.

Spend money on good fencing. Good wire, good corner costs. The last thing you want is to have to go back in 5-10 years and redo it all.

We've raised Scottish Highlands for around 10 years now.  Shoot me a PM if you need more info. We're in SW Missouri, and as long as they have plenty of water and shade, they handle the hot summers just fine.

We've had 11 calves over the years, not a single one had to be pulled...or anything like that. They are easy to take care of, docile, and don't require any types of special food or other out of the ordinary care.  They grow slow though.....it's around 3 years before they get to butcher weight, so raising them for beef isn't the best idea, but people do it...and charge a premium for it.

Right now, 500# steers are almost $4 a pound.  To be butchered for steaks and roasts, a steer or heifer must be 30 months, or less, of age.  Anything older can only be made into ground.

Can’t you still get strips and fillets? I thought it was no bone in steaks after 30 months?

Yeah I thought it was just the t-bones you couldn't get after 30 months.

Correct.  Spine is removed.  All boneless cuts are fine.

What is the reason for doing this?

Mad cow disease.  

Many/some processors will not accept animals older than 30 months.  At those locations, you have to certify that the animal's age.  They don't want to deal with all the regs associated with processing animals of the age that might carry that disease.

Yes, I was mistaken, no backbone allowed after 30 months.

Small enough to consider a calving pen over a chute.

Plus everything eats goats.

Another option you may look into is local organizations. My county has a cattlemen's association that has 2 mobile chutes with vet cages & scales. $20/yr buys me membership in the association and I just call them up and schedule when I need the chute. I did have 1 emergency and was able to get a chute within an hour (faster than my vet could get there) but that's not a guarantee.