I agree-Hereford is good eating!
I want cattle
- Thread starter IDIOT HUSBAND
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We're doing holstein bottle baby calves. You can get the bull calves at around 75 dollars or less each (we buy ours at two days old, so they get collostrum for two days). You can band them before they get to be 250 pounds (to turn them into steers) and raise them up - best prices right now are for the 400 pound range around here. We have 13 cows - 12 of which are the steers. Our last four bottle babies are weaned off, so we'll be getting ten more next month (after Thanksgiving, I'm thinking).
You're better off doing at least five, and 10 at a time is better when it comes time to take them to the sale. You have to pay a fee, and it's the same for 10 as it is for 1.
They'll have various shots they'll have to have, so it's nice if you know someone who's done cows and calves before nearby to call on for advice - and to show you how and where to give the shots.
You can get really cheap calves at auctions, but a lot of times they've not had collustrum from their mothers (they are taken away immediately to be sold) and they develop problems - so a bargain calf isn't always a bargain - they could die or you could end up putting a lot of money in Baytril and other medications into them. That being said, I do have a couple of auction calves that are doing great - so not all auction calves are bad.
make sure you watch or help the kids when bottle feeding, the calves will knock them down
they also (if they are not seperated into stalls) do not respect "my bottle" and "His bottle"
it can get hairy sometimes trying to wrangle hungry babies. (make sure if you have more than two calves that you put a number on their bottles with a piece of tape - otherwise, sooner or later, someone is gonna get confused and get two bottles, and one will get none).
I love the holsteins, myself, they are cute, come in a variety, and the dairy steers are selling better/higher prices than meat steers right now.
Things to consider when getting set up -
have stalls to put them in at first - if kept together they will sometimes suck on each other's penis thinking it's a food source - and it can cause a rupture that might have to be sutured by a vet. After a week or so, they usually don't do this.
in winter have a draft free place for them, either in the barn, or in a shed. In summer they do well in open stalls with a roof, or when a little older right out in pasture with available shelter, but they need wind protection in winter.
In summer, problems to worry about are pink eye (common around here - flies and wind spread it) in winter you don't get pink eye but have to watch for pneumonia - you can vaccinate against that, though, and we are doing that today. It's like any vaccination shot - no guarantee they won't get it still, but possibility is much less if they get the shot.
they'll need worming, and dehorning if you keep them to larger than 500 -600 pounds or so - but if you are sellign them at 400 - 500 pounds, you'll be ok without dehorning.
they'll need to be banded, which isn't too hard, but isn't fun either - and you have to make sure that you don't band the unrine vein/tube, so it's best to get a vet or someone exprienced to help with this. When they are banded they need a tetanus shot - you can get one with tetanus, blackleg and pinkeye all in one medicine - kills three birds with one stone, so to speak.
Most of this you can do yourself - you can get the vaccinations and shots and needles, syringes, everything else at your local feedstore. If it's a good feedstore they can help you get the right medicines and give advice, also.
Today, we get to do 12 of our calves with ... worming all 12, banding one with the tetanus/blackleg/pinkeye medicine, give IBR vaccine to all 12 (four of them will need another dose of IBR in a month - the other 8 it's their second dose). Oh, and we have a couple who got ringworm - just tiny bits on their faces, but I want to take care of that quickly, so I get to catch and medicate those ones, too. We have cattle all around us (literally) so we get some airborne and fly related stuff from neighboring herds.
I love having cows - it's a lot of work sometimes, and you'll get filthy sometimes, but it is fun, too. They are so sweet when they're babies.
Once you get into them, if you decide that you like having cows (and it is profitable, once you're all set up - second batch will bring more than the first batch cause of all the set up equipment you'll need) then you might want to check into a couple of heifers to raise up for nurse cows - we have one so far, and we plan to breed her next spring and put not only her own baby on her, but three other calves, as well.
good luck, and have fun
meri
We're doing holstein bottle baby calves. You can get the bull calves at around 75 dollars or less each (we buy ours at two days old, so they get collostrum for two days). You can band them before they get to be 250 pounds (to turn them into steers) and raise them up - best prices right now are for the 400 pound range around here. We have 13 cows - 12 of which are the steers. Our last four bottle babies are weaned off, so we'll be getting ten more next month (after Thanksgiving, I'm thinking).
You're better off doing at least five, and 10 at a time is better when it comes time to take them to the sale. You have to pay a fee, and it's the same for 10 as it is for 1.
They'll have various shots they'll have to have, so it's nice if you know someone who's done cows and calves before nearby to call on for advice - and to show you how and where to give the shots.
You can get really cheap calves at auctions, but a lot of times they've not had collustrum from their mothers (they are taken away immediately to be sold) and they develop problems - so a bargain calf isn't always a bargain - they could die or you could end up putting a lot of money in Baytril and other medications into them. That being said, I do have a couple of auction calves that are doing great - so not all auction calves are bad.
make sure you watch or help the kids when bottle feeding, the calves will knock them down
I love the holsteins, myself, they are cute, come in a variety, and the dairy steers are selling better/higher prices than meat steers right now.
Things to consider when getting set up -
have stalls to put them in at first - if kept together they will sometimes suck on each other's penis thinking it's a food source - and it can cause a rupture that might have to be sutured by a vet. After a week or so, they usually don't do this.
in winter have a draft free place for them, either in the barn, or in a shed. In summer they do well in open stalls with a roof, or when a little older right out in pasture with available shelter, but they need wind protection in winter.
In summer, problems to worry about are pink eye (common around here - flies and wind spread it) in winter you don't get pink eye but have to watch for pneumonia - you can vaccinate against that, though, and we are doing that today. It's like any vaccination shot - no guarantee they won't get it still, but possibility is much less if they get the shot.
they'll need worming, and dehorning if you keep them to larger than 500 -600 pounds or so - but if you are sellign them at 400 - 500 pounds, you'll be ok without dehorning.
they'll need to be banded, which isn't too hard, but isn't fun either - and you have to make sure that you don't band the unrine vein/tube, so it's best to get a vet or someone exprienced to help with this. When they are banded they need a tetanus shot - you can get one with tetanus, blackleg and pinkeye all in one medicine - kills three birds with one stone, so to speak.
Most of this you can do yourself - you can get the vaccinations and shots and needles, syringes, everything else at your local feedstore. If it's a good feedstore they can help you get the right medicines and give advice, also.
Today, we get to do 12 of our calves with ... worming all 12, banding one with the tetanus/blackleg/pinkeye medicine, give IBR vaccine to all 12 (four of them will need another dose of IBR in a month - the other 8 it's their second dose). Oh, and we have a couple who got ringworm - just tiny bits on their faces, but I want to take care of that quickly, so I get to catch and medicate those ones, too. We have cattle all around us (literally) so we get some airborne and fly related stuff from neighboring herds.
I love having cows - it's a lot of work sometimes, and you'll get filthy sometimes, but it is fun, too. They are so sweet when they're babies.
Once you get into them, if you decide that you like having cows (and it is profitable, once you're all set up - second batch will bring more than the first batch cause of all the set up equipment you'll need) then you might want to check into a couple of heifers to raise up for nurse cows - we have one so far, and we plan to breed her next spring and put not only her own baby on her, but three other calves, as well.
good luck, and have fun
meri
I raised a holstein cow for meat last summer (before I jumped in with both feet this year) and the meat is fantastic. You don't get as much meat as on a beef cow, but you also don't have to wait as long to butcher - we took ours in a little small, she was 780 pounds live weight, got enough meat to last a family of four for almost a full year, even still.
Personally, I wouldn't keep a herd year round - it pays more to just buy the bottle baby bull calves and raise them up to sell (keeps you from having to keep a herd year round). Plus, bottle baby bull calves (dairy breeds) are "cast offs" of the dairy industry - the dairy farms don't want them - you'll pay less for a dairy breed calf than for a beef breed calf.
A lot of people near me swear that dairy beef is better than angus beef - I even know a couple of people who swear that Jersey beef is better than any other beef - never tried it myself. I've tasted angus beef and holstein beef, and I preferred the holstein, myself. It's a matter of taste, though, so your millage may vary.
whichever you choose, keep one for your own freezer - there is NOTHING like homeraised beef.
eta - most of the calves that I have are holstein mixes - one is mixed with simental, another is mixed with jersey.
Personally, I wouldn't keep a herd year round - it pays more to just buy the bottle baby bull calves and raise them up to sell (keeps you from having to keep a herd year round). Plus, bottle baby bull calves (dairy breeds) are "cast offs" of the dairy industry - the dairy farms don't want them - you'll pay less for a dairy breed calf than for a beef breed calf.
A lot of people near me swear that dairy beef is better than angus beef - I even know a couple of people who swear that Jersey beef is better than any other beef - never tried it myself. I've tasted angus beef and holstein beef, and I preferred the holstein, myself. It's a matter of taste, though, so your millage may vary.
whichever you choose, keep one for your own freezer - there is NOTHING like homeraised beef.
eta - most of the calves that I have are holstein mixes - one is mixed with simental, another is mixed with jersey.
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Pardon the mud - you live in KY (as do I) so you can relate
Norman (the red one in front) is a bit on the thin side, we're working on that, he eats enough, just not putting the weight on like the others.
Camille, my heifer
Mookie - we're raising him for our own freezer, he is so sweet - a big baby. Mookie had another calf suck on his penis - you can see it is ruptured - not bad enough for a vet to suture it, but I'm keep an eye on it.
The last batch of bottle babies - right about weaning time, they think I have a bottle for them - aren't they adorable??
Norman (the red one in front) is a bit on the thin side, we're working on that, he eats enough, just not putting the weight on like the others.
Camille, my heifer
Mookie - we're raising him for our own freezer, he is so sweet - a big baby. Mookie had another calf suck on his penis - you can see it is ruptured - not bad enough for a vet to suture it, but I'm keep an eye on it.
The last batch of bottle babies - right about weaning time, they think I have a bottle for them - aren't they adorable??
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I'm not a big fan of dairy calves for meat. Too much bone and not enough meat. We have Angus crosses and they are quite delicious. Herefords are pretty easy keepers. We had a Santa Gertrudis last year and he was mean as a snake and a little tough. I don't think his meat had enough marbling (fat) in it. I say Angus or Hereford is a great choice.
Our family has had herfords for three generations and we have loved them. However they do have some weaknesses such as a tendency toward getting cancer eye and they have horns which they don't hesitate to use--mostly on each other. We now have black Brangus which is a cross between Brahma and Angus. Ours are naturally poled (no horns) and are very energetic grazers. We run black Limosene bulls with them and get beautiful fast growers, some of which have won ribbons in the meat steer category at regional (Texas) stock shows. We have several favorites among the bunch. When my son was 18 months he boldly walked up to one curious cow (now our pet) and threw his arms up around her nose and head. We thought she would throw him but she let him hug on her and gently pulled away.
How friendly they are really depends more on how they are treated than any particular breed. My mother is now 74 and still works her heard. She keeps close records on them and brings them into the lots when the are due to calve. She has found that if she can get to the calf just after they hit the ground and tag them and check them over then they do not seems to have a fear of her and she can walk freely among them. They are very gentle. A man in the area who buys cattle fir his young children (4H) prefers to buy his meat steers and replacement hefers from her year after year because they are so well cared for and very gentle.
I agree that getting dairy calves to raise can seem an inexpensive way to go, but it will probably be disappointing.
How friendly they are really depends more on how they are treated than any particular breed. My mother is now 74 and still works her heard. She keeps close records on them and brings them into the lots when the are due to calve. She has found that if she can get to the calf just after they hit the ground and tag them and check them over then they do not seems to have a fear of her and she can walk freely among them. They are very gentle. A man in the area who buys cattle fir his young children (4H) prefers to buy his meat steers and replacement hefers from her year after year because they are so well cared for and very gentle.
I agree that getting dairy calves to raise can seem an inexpensive way to go, but it will probably be disappointing.
- Thread starter
- #17
Thanks for all the information. I will look into all breeds before I make my final decission. you are all a great help to me and my family.
Quote:
Iowa roo mom, that bull is HUGE!!!
Are you sure you want something like that? Do you know how much damage he can do to you? He's gorgeous though.
Iowa roo mom, that bull is HUGE!!!
Longhorns, at least the ones I've been around, are very laid back and gentle.
My first time with a cow, I bought a Brangus (Brahma /Angus) she is as sweet as they ome and hopefully, delish....
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