Posted on 12/03/2013 2:18:20 PM PST by TheRhinelander
Any cattlemen out there? I'm thinking about raising one for meat. It would be more like free range veal as I'd get it in April and slaughter it in October.
Any experience? Is this a good idea? I'm trying to avoid hay which is expensive. Is that long enough to get good weight? Anything to watch out for?
No, but I have a big hat.
Purchase price plus land to put it on ( I assume you already have the land with good grazing and water) plus grain if you want better beef plus paying to have it processed and room to store all that meat and a family big enough to consume it in a timely manner.
I do have two Great Pyrennes livestock guardian dogs so protection should not be an issue.
Land and water not an issue. I have a place that will slaughter and process the meat and a big freezer to store it.
Uberti makes a great SA revolver called a Cattleman. I have one Thats as close as I get to cows.
I raise cattle, right at 1000 head.
Go get a 4H book from High School on raising an animal of your choice. Read it.
Will do. My main concern is vet bills and final weight with that much growth time.
Then buy an Angus.
Check out homesteader books on “the family cow” for suggestions. Also (depending on where you live) check the stocking rates - you may have to supplement grass with hay and grains (i.e. Wisconsin -> 1 acre/cow calf unit. Wyoming -> 320 acres/cow calf unit). Consider chatting with the local 4-H leaders - they can get you in touch with people who raise cattle. Finally, be ready to pay more as large operations have economies of scale. Hope this helps.
LOL!
I have a boyhood friend who is the executive director for a breed. He might know something.
http://www.holsteinworld.com/story.php?id=8433
I will. I have one year to get the pasture ready so I have some time to do research.
I have no experience whatsoever with livestock, but my first thought when reading this thread was “4-H could help”.
Find a local farmer with cattle or a guy with a cow-calf operation. Tell him you want to buy one of his calves and have him raise it to whatever size you want. He probably knows a local slaughterhouse as well.
He will charge you a dressed-out price per lb, but I guarantee you it will be a LOT cheaper than your local supermarket, as long as you like all the different cuts you will get.
You do NOT want to raise one animal by yourself, especially because it sounds like you aren’t familiar with animal husbandry.
Well played Sir!
Offer up free pasture and you may get all kinds of help.
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