Meat Animals (long)

[peeps7]

Ok guys, heres the scoop. My Dad, me, and my Pastor are going to start raising our own meat animals (Cow, chickens, pigs, goats, and turkeys). I have already ordered meat chickens to breed and reproduce.
We are going to go with boer goats as our meat goat and the occasional goat cheese. (I'll be looking for boer goats by the way, lol)
I don't know what kind of turkey to get, I was thinking the broad-brested white. We won't actually be raising turkeys but we'd like to raise 1 or 2 for thanksgiving and Christmas.
I'm not sure on pigs, I was thinking just a heritage hog. I don't know alot about the different breeds of pig so you guys will have to help me out on that one, lol.
Also, cows, what is the best type of meat cow? We eat alot of beef so we will actually be raising cows at my pastors house.

The chickens, goats, and turkeys will be raised at my house. The pigs and cows will be at my pastors house. I'd really just like to know what is the best meat types out of these animals. We are also planting almost all of our vegetables this year ourselves. Our Pastor is growing 5 acres of his own special hay that you harvest every 30 days so we have that covered. Thanks!!

 

[silkieluvr]

Wow, that'll be great having your own food that is all home grown and raised! Should be a fun little adventure!

 

[conny63malies]

Well back on the farm in germany we raised pietrain pigs for slaughter. But to be honest i dont see much sense in raising a cow for slaughter, it would be prob. cheaper just to go to the local auction and buy a cow for slaughter. Other than that buffalo crosses are awesome, so are brahma x and scottish highland cattle. the latter can be outside all day and night as long as they have accsess to water food and a shelter.My grandparents leased some grassland to a farmer who raised them. they are so cool

 

[GwenFarms]

Don't overlook raising rabbits for meat either. Most people don't realize it, but pound for pound rabbits have much more to offer than any other farm animal. You will glean more meat from a pair of rabbits than a whole cow in a year.

We usually raise Yorkshire pigs.

 

[hcammack]

what type of meat chicken did you order many kinds are to large to reproduce naturaly and become crippled because of excessive growth rates.

Henry

 

[Dodgegal79]

Look up Rare breeds USA, they have all the list of the old type livestock. They have many for cows and pigs, even turkeys. They also should be able to direct you to breeders. Look into the Dexter cow, they are small but very very efficient and produce beef and milk.

 

[peeps7]

Wow, this is awesome. I ordered Cornish and White Rocks, so I think I'm good on chickens.

I didn't even think about raising rabbits, maybe I should look into that.

Buffalo crosses sounds good but where I'm at I probably couldn't get any. I'll look into the Highland crosses.

What about red bourbens(sp) for the pigs?

 

[max13077]

I’m kicking myself for not jumping on a piece of property that would have been ideal for something such as you’re doing. It was an old old farmstead out in the middle of nowhere. The main barn was still in good shape. It was going to need a little work but the roof was good. There were a couple small outbuildings and a tool shed. The house was small but with just me it would have been perfect. It had 55 acres of fields and woods. Like I said above, it would have been perfect. I don’t know if there’d been nuclear waste dumped somewhere around but the price was only 58K!!! My guess is it was because it was 20 miles or so from the nearest town on poor roads. But that would have been completely fine with me. You literally could have been as self sufficient out there as just about anywhere.

 

[MissPrissy]

Heritage breeds are something to look into. The broad breasted turkeys don't reproduceon their own. They are too big to get the deed done. They will need AI for fertile eggs.

What breed of meat chickens did you order? If you ordered a commercial broiler from a hatchery it may not live to egg laying age and won't reproduce true.

I am getting Wishard bronze turkeys. I did bourbon reds last year for Thanksgiving and they were awesome. We are doing tamworth piglets this year. I am told those have the best tasting meat. I have dairy goats. Two will give you milk for more than a family. There will be plenty for drinking, cheese making and feeding the piglets. I am currently looking for a ewe to breed because we like lamb. We considered boer goats but I just am not into it right now. I think we are going to try meat rabbits as they yeild more meat in a year that most cows. I also doubled my garden size this year.

Good luck to you and your family in your efforts to get off the commercial food grid.

 

[redneck chicken]

If you are looking in to meat cows the herford is a good cow that has good temperment. You can also get holstein bull calves for pretty cheap, just make them steers and you are all set.