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Barnyard Buddies:  Mini Cattle  |
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acairnsmom
True Blue Farmgirl
1319 Posts
audrey
cheyenne
wy
1319 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 26 2010 : 12:37:30 PM
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DH and I are looking for our acreage in the country and in the meantime I'm trying to research what animals to raise. One of our possible places is 10 acres and I'm wondering about Lowlines, Miniature Herefords or other miniature cattle breeds. Do any of you lovely ladies have experience with these cows? Is it possible to have a few of these on that small of an acreage? DH is opposed to sheep and goats for some reason.
Any discussion on these breeds would be great.
Audrey
Toto, we're not in Kansas any more! |
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elah
True Blue Farmgirl
349 Posts
Emily
SW
Michigan
USA
349 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2010 : 1:07:04 PM
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You must have read my mind! I was just logging onto MJF to ask about that same bread of mini cattle. We are also looking at buying a farm here in Michigan and are trying to figure out how to make things work with as little acreage as possible.
Everything I read about this breed was very positive. I was concerned about issues with predators, costs, and if there is a market for their meat.
I hope someone out there has info to share with us!
Blogs:
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Etsy: http://auntieemshouse.etsy.com |
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acairnsmom
True Blue Farmgirl
1319 Posts
audrey
cheyenne
wy
1319 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2010 : 1:19:19 PM
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LOL! Now see, that's why we are all on this forum and why MJ talks so much about Bees, we are all having the same thoughts so we must be part of a hive!
Audrey
Toto, we're not in Kansas any more! |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2010 : 4:26:57 PM
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for me i love the minis and the lowlines. i am disabled and at times have no power. i cannot argue with an angus. i can a mini. we had buttercup our mini jersey. she gave me 2 fine calves. i milked her and she was one of my best animal friends. she followed me anywhere. calved great easy keeper light on the hay budget good mom. well she had cancer. i put her down a few months back. very sad. we have a mid size jersey. she is a rescue from some bad situations. she just calved. i had artificially insemanated her with mini registered jersey bull that throws heifers with large udders and good teats. she weighs 50 pounds and is 3 days old. i also have a dexter herd of 3. had 4 butchered one cow. trouble breeding her back. have calves on the ground and 2 steers and a nice dexter bull. bought a small heifer calf also. i have had it be minus 20 and steers choose to be out in it. not in the barn. very hardy good food conversion ratio. they usually will not push fences calve easily in the snow. well i have had dexters now for 14 years. i love them. i can move them load them and keep them on small acreage. they eat less poop less cost less to butcher since smaller. our last 2 one hung at 380 the other 482 pounds. not bad since they were cows not steers. just my thoughts. hope it helps happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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gypsy goat
True Blue Farmgirl
673 Posts
mary jo
michigan
673 Posts |
Posted - Aug 27 2010 : 06:01:15 AM
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i would love a mini cow! still trying to convince the hubby! i would love fresh milk. i would also like my own chickens-i maybe able to get those soon,especially with the egg scare. hubby is starting to see the importance of growing your own!
farmgirl#1362 whatever you are be a good one-abe lincoln |
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Merry
True Blue Farmgirl
765 Posts
Merry
Ankeny
Iowa
USA
765 Posts |
Posted - Aug 27 2010 : 2:34:16 PM
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A friend raises Dexters and she loves them!
Merry
Farmgirl #536
http://afarminmyheart.blogspot.com/
Your life is an occasion, rise to it. Mr. Magorium |
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acairnsmom
True Blue Farmgirl
1319 Posts
audrey
cheyenne
wy
1319 Posts |
Posted - Aug 27 2010 : 4:57:07 PM
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Thanks ladies! Any thoughts on how many you could have on a 10 acre place? I have heard they are easy to manage and since I think it will be me out there with them (DH will be in town working) I want something that won't intimidate me with the shear size of it.
Audrey
Toto, we're not in Kansas any more! |
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CountryBorn
True Blue Farmgirl
1545 Posts
Mary Jane
New York
USA
1545 Posts |
Posted - Aug 27 2010 : 8:23:37 PM
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Audrey, before you buy land be very careful and check to make sure how much acreage you need to have livestock. Around here unless you have at least 3 acres you can't even have 1 goat! With horses it is so many acres per horse, etc. and we are very rural. Just a suggestion.
MJ
There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do. Freya Stark |
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Room To Grow
True Blue Farmgirl
974 Posts
Deborah
Kingston
Georgia
USA
974 Posts |
Posted - Aug 30 2010 : 7:04:15 PM
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Sherry,
Thanks for this information....My husband is excited also. We are really thinking about these now instead the normal size cow. Now where to look for them...???
Deborah
we have moved to our farm...and love it |
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elah
True Blue Farmgirl
349 Posts
Emily
SW
Michigan
USA
349 Posts |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Sep 01 2010 : 08:57:14 AM
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I know it's one horse per acre. Maybe 2 cows per acre. I have my 2 cowgirls on a little more than an acre and they can't keep it down. But when I had a horse over there, she ate it up in just a few weeks. So goats would probably be about 6-8 per acre. I had 6 goats out back and it's not quite an acre. They kept it down real good. Now with just 2 goats they are having a hard time keeping the weeds and grass down. With sheep I had 3 ewes on the same pasture as the cows before I got cows and they couldn't keep it eaten down. So I would say maybe 6 sheep per acre. Mini cattle would probably be double the cow per acre. But these are guesstimations.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Sep 01 2010 : 12:26:12 PM
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there probably are sites about dexters that can tell you almost right on. it does depend on quality of pasture also. i think kris is right. my dexters i have 11 head. easy keepers. i think her numbers per acre are good. let us know what you decide. our mini jersey calf is 9 days old she weighs about 65 pounds. so cute.. happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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CountryBorn
True Blue Farmgirl
1545 Posts
Mary Jane
New York
USA
1545 Posts |
Posted - Sep 01 2010 : 5:26:27 PM
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Emily, here it is the township that seems to have that info. If you go to your town clerk she can help you or direct you to the right person who can. I know one fellow here just went ahead and got 3 goats without checking and ended up he had to get rid of them. He had 2.95 acres and needed 3. The town wouldn't budge on it.
MJ
There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do. Freya Stark |
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Barnyard Buddies: Mini Cattle |
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Mini Cattle
