Homesteaders

[OrganicFarmWife]

Can you keep cows by themselves? I thought they ran in pairs at minimum, the plan is to keep 2 breeding females, sell 1 calf and feed out the other for freezer; same with the sheep. It will be a slow livestock increase, can't get more horses until Sunny(20+ mare) dies AND Jake(8 gelding) gets trained per Dad's rules. The cattle are waiting on fencing, got half of the outline done last summer. Need to get the creek bottome fenced better where the neighbor dogs and people can't come in. Someone cut that fence a couple of years ago and our horses got out on the busy road infront of the house, police couldn't catch them with an oat can because they come to the bread bag instead. I remember Dad telling me about it later that night, Grandpa walked out with the bag, whistled and they both came running down the road with light flashing behind them. The sheep and chickens are waiting on my family moving out there(I can wait a long time for that). The sheep might not happen but I would really like to get 1 or 2 babydolls. Almost all of the decisions for the property will be joint decisions between my Dad and I, minus my dog breeds and their training those are my hobbies.

No you misunderstood me, I was only giving acre per cow. It would be a very bad idea to always keep a cow alone, they are herd animals need at least 2, though 3 would be better.

 

[GerbilsOnToast]

Can you keep cows by themselves? I thought they ran in pairs at minimum, the plan is to keep 2 breeding females, sell 1 calf and feed out the other for freezer; same with the sheep. It will be a slow livestock increase, can't get more horses until Sunny(20+ mare) dies AND Jake(8 gelding) gets trained per Dad's rules. The cattle are waiting on fencing, got half of the outline done last summer. Need to get the creek bottome fenced better where the neighbor dogs and people can't come in. Someone cut that fence a couple of years ago and our horses got out on the busy road infront of the house, police couldn't catch them with an oat can because they come to the bread bag instead. I remember Dad telling me about it later that night, Grandpa walked out with the bag, whistled and they both came running down the road with light flashing behind them. The sheep and chickens are waiting on my family moving out there(I can wait a long time for that). The sheep might not happen but I would really like to get 1 or 2 babydolls. Almost all of the decisions for the property will be joint decisions between my Dad and I, minus my dog breeds and their training those are my hobbies.

Cows are herd animals and prefer to be in groups. That being said, I have known many people who kept a single milk cow, but they each raised it (alone) from a calf. In that circumstance, calves often willingly adopt sheep, goats or llamas as their herd - or humans, but that tends to be a problem!

We have excellent pasture, can graze 9-10 months most years, and our total stocking rate is a little over four acres per brood cow. An acre per cow is hay meadow; total pasture per cow is just over three acres. We're 100% grass fed, so that acreage has to provide their entire intake, and provide it consistently and well.

Breed and feeding make a major impact. You might look into Highland cattle; they're a smaller, multipurpose breed (and painfully cute). Wouldn't stock a dairy with them, but they do milk well enough to be a 'family cow' for a small family. If you plan on feeding (purchased) grain, a Jersey might be able to fit into your space; bred to a meat breed you'll still get a reasonable meat yield from the calf. I, personally, would not try to put two beef cows on seven acres, even without the other animals and buildings - and beef cattle is what we do for a living.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

Can you keep cows by themselves? I thought they ran in pairs at minimum, the plan is to keep 2 breeding females, sell 1 calf and feed out the other for freezer; same with the sheep. It will be a slow livestock increase, can't get more horses until Sunny(20+ mare) dies AND Jake(8 gelding) gets trained per Dad's rules. The cattle are waiting on fencing, got half of the outline done last summer. Need to get the creek bottome fenced better where the neighbor dogs and people can't come in. Someone cut that fence a couple of years ago and our horses got out on the busy road infront of the house, police couldn't catch them with an oat can because they come to the bread bag instead. I remember Dad telling me about it later that night, Grandpa walked out with the bag, whistled and they both came running down the road with light flashing behind them. The sheep and chickens are waiting on my family moving out there(I can wait a long time for that). The sheep might not happen but I would really like to get 1 or 2 babydolls. Almost all of the decisions for the property will be joint decisions between my Dad and I, minus my dog breeds and their training those are my hobbies.

Cows are herd animals and prefer to be in groups. That being said, I have known many people who kept a single milk cow, but they each raised it (alone) from a calf.  In that circumstance, calves often willingly adopt sheep, goats or llamas as their herd - or humans, but that tends to be a problem!

 
We have excellent pasture, can graze 9-10 months most years, and our total stocking rate is a little over four acres per brood cow.  An acre per cow is hay meadow; total pasture per cow is just over three acres. We're 100% grass fed, so that acreage has to provide their entire intake, and provide it consistently and well.

Breed and feeding make a major impact. You might look into Highland cattle; they're a smaller, multipurpose breed (and painfully cute).  Wouldn't stock a dairy with them, but they do milk well enough to be a 'family cow' for a small family.  If you plan on feeding (purchased) grain, a Jersey might be able to fit into your space; bred to a meat breed you'll still get a reasonable meat yield from the calf. I, personally, would not try to put two beef cows on seven acres, even without the other animals and buildings - and beef cattle is what we do for a living.

Highland cattle, I was trying to remember the breed. I have heard Jerseys can get mean. I know people raise cows alone, but that does not always mean you should do it.

 

[GerbilsOnToast]

Highland cattle, I was trying to remember the breed. I have heard Jerseys can get mean. I know people raise cows alone, but that does not always mean you should do it.

Agreed - as in most things, just because you can, doesn't mean you should - but, my purpose was to illustrate options that exist. Our bottle calves are raised in isolation, and seem to be fine with it - as yourgsters, they obviously want to be with the other calves when the main herd is visible to them, but I've never seen the depressed/crazy behavior that you get when you separate out one who was raised in the herd. The two we kept function well in the herd, they're just spoiled & pushy with *me*.
I haven't heard of Jerseys getting mean, but I only know three personally. The local organic dairy uses them exclusively, and his (536) seem to be pretty docile, but that is the sum total of my Jersey experience - other than wanting one for years, LOL

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

Highland cattle, I was trying to remember the breed. I have heard Jerseys can get mean. I know people raise cows alone, but that does not always mean you should do it.

Agreed - as in most things, just because you can, doesn't mean you should - but, my purpose was to illustrate options that exist.  Our bottle calves are raised in isolation, and seem to be fine with it - as yourgsters, they obviously want to be with the other calves when the main herd is visible to them, but I've never seen the depressed/crazy behavior that you get when you separate out one who was raised in the herd.  The two we kept function well in the herd, they're just spoiled & pushy with *me*. 
I haven't heard of Jerseys getting mean, but I only know three personally. The local organic dairy uses them exclusively, and his (536) seem to be pretty docile, but that is the sum total of my Jersey experience - other than wanting one for years, LOL

Ok I asked DH and he says Jersey Bulls are the ones that get onery, not the cows, sorry my mistake. I have always kind of wanted one too. But if honest with myself I do not have time to raise and milk a cow, maybe someday.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Cows are herd animals and prefer to be in groups. That being said, I have known many people who kept a single milk cow, but they each raised it (alone) from a calf.  In that circumstance, calves often willingly adopt sheep, goats or llamas as their herd - or humans, but that tends to be a problem!

 
We have excellent pasture, can graze 9-10 months most years, and our total stocking rate is a little over four acres per brood cow.  An acre per cow is hay meadow; total pasture per cow is just over three acres. We're 100% grass fed, so that acreage has to provide their entire intake, and provide it consistently and well.

Breed and feeding make a major impact. You might look into Highland cattle; they're a smaller, multipurpose breed (and painfully cute).  Wouldn't stock a dairy with them, but they do milk well enough to be a 'family cow' for a small family.  If you plan on feeding (purchased) grain, a Jersey might be able to fit into your space; bred to a meat breed you'll still get a reasonable meat yield from the calf. I, personally, would not try to put two beef cows on seven acres, even without the other animals and buildings - and beef cattle is what we do for a living.

you raise cows for a living? Awesome would you mind if I kept you as a go to person when we expand our homestead to include cows? We might be a bit smaller scale than you though. We only have 9 acres that we own, but we can fence the surrounding 100 acres and set it up for rotation grazing. Sadly we are in NY which makes hard for fully grass fed, unless you have a ny suggestions.

Is it OK to raise (from calf) beef and dairy together?

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

Cows are herd animals and prefer to be in groups. That being said, I have known many people who kept a single milk cow, but they each raised it (alone) from a calf.  In that circumstance, calves often willingly adopt sheep, goats or llamas as their herd - or humans, but that tends to be a problem!

 
We have excellent pasture, can graze 9-10 months most years, and our total stocking rate is a little over four acres per brood cow.  An acre per cow is hay meadow; total pasture per cow is just over three acres. We're 100% grass fed, so that acreage has to provide their entire intake, and provide it consistently and well.

Breed and feeding make a major impact. You might look into Highland cattle; they're a smaller, multipurpose breed (and painfully cute).  Wouldn't stock a dairy with them, but they do milk well enough to be a 'family cow' for a small family.  If you plan on feeding (purchased) grain, a Jersey might be able to fit into your space; bred to a meat breed you'll still get a reasonable meat yield from the calf. I, personally, would not try to put two beef cows on seven acres, even without the other animals and buildings - and beef cattle is what we do for a living.

you raise cows for a living? Awesome would you mind if I kept you as a go to person when we expand our homestead to include cows? We might be a bit smaller scale than you though. We only have 9 acres that we own, but we can fence the surrounding 100 acres and set it up for rotation grazing. Sadly we are in NY which makes hard for fully grass fed, unless you have a ny suggestions.

Is it OK to raise (from calf) beef and dairy together?

You can buy bails of hay from local farms. Much better alternative then buying grain.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

You can buy bails of hay from local farms. Much better alternative then buying grain.

much more natural too isn't it? They are grazing animals so wouldn't it be better to give them hay when grass isn't available anyhow?

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

You can buy bails of hay from local farms. Much better alternative then buying grain.

much more natural too isn't it? They are grazing animals so wouldn't it be better to give them hay when grass isn't available anyhow?

Yes grass is much better for them. Cattle really are not made to digest grain. Grass-fed takes longer to grow, you will need to give your calves 2 years instead of one, but it is worth it.

 

[GerbilsOnToast]

you raise cows for a living? Awesome would you mind if I kept you as a go to person when we expand our homestead to include cows? We might be a bit smaller scale than you though. We only have 9 acres that we own, but we can fence the surrounding 100 acres and set it up for rotation grazing. Sadly we are in NY which makes hard for fully grass fed, unless you have a ny suggestions.

Is it OK to raise (from calf) beef and dairy together?

You can raise beef and dairy cattle together - they don't know they're different, lol. And, you can do 100% grass fed in NY; I know someone who does. You don't have to be able to graze year-round, just be able to provide enough good hay during the winter and any possible droughts. (I'm in WV - we DO have winter!)

100 acres is a lot of fencing for an 'all at once' job - that's three or four straight weeks of fence work = painful! You can easily do electric on step-in posts for rotation paddocks, but you're going to need a good perimeter fence - unless that's already in place?

You can look up the farm at Sarver Heritage Farm dot com (without spaces) or find it on FB; I can be reached much more reliably at either of those than on BYC. While I don't hang out online a lot, those are daily check-ins; BYC is more of a random stop during hatching seasons

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