Don't be fooled by the spring flush of grass....conditions change throughout the year.
Amen to that, and remember that your livestock will eat just as much during the winter [even such as it is in La]. Just a WAG, but you'll almost certanly wind up buying a lot of hay during the winter months if you've got more than one cow on 4-5 acres. A lot of the stuff you read, about cow-to-acreage ratios, comes from big operations where there is a lot of rotational grazing, and often the cattle are moved onto winter pastures that have rested and refreshed for long periods before being regrazed. These ratios just don't always apply to smaller operations. Not trying to discourage you--but it can run into some money for feed if you're not prepared, and buying square bales can get expensive in a hurry, even for just a few cows.
BTW, if you're interested in dual purpose cattle that can finish well on grass, look up "red poll cattle"
