Best breed of cattle for new, small herd?

[mthammer11]

I would love some advice on favorite breeds of cattle. I would like to start a small herd. Ultimately, I would like to raise some for beef and sell some offspring and/or beef to offset some of the keeping costs. I'm not looking to have a huge herd - maybe 6-10. Black angus are fairly popular and therefore pretty common in my area. I like them just fine, but thought it might be nice to try something a little different, but not so different that people aren't interested. I have a soft-spot for dexter's and was maybe thinking about them. Anyone have any ideas or advice? Thank you for any info.!!

 

[Wannabefree]

The Dexter's and Lowlines are some I have been looking at for ages! The Lowlines are just mini Black Angus if I remember correctly...they would likely do well in your area, considering they are just a smaller version of the popular breed. Wish I had enough room for cattle!

 

[BarredBuff]

No help as of now, but we will be adding a Jersey this spring!

 

[pinkfox]

im planning on getting a dexter heifer...once i get the land cleared up, itll be one of the last additions (because i dont have any real pasture yet) i plan to breed her to a dxter bull and keep at least 1 calf per year for the freezer.

dexters are perfect small space cattle, great personalities (even the bulls tend to be sweet), AMAZING meat and lovely milk, not as creamy as a jersey, but deifnalty good enough to make it the "perfect" dual use breed.

 

[Beekissed]

If you are wanting to save money or at least offset the cost of keeping, I wouldn't look at any one breed of cattle. If you'll look at the farmers who use their cattle for income, unless they are raising seed stock, they usually have mixed herds. They find likely specimens, breed them, cull for the traits they want in their herd....and continue that for several years until they gain the maximum profit from a minimum outlay of cash.

It's the same with small herds raised for food and for sale of extras....if you don't defray the cost of their keep, then you wind up having expensive steaks and pasture ornaments that waste a lot of your time.

A good bull bred over some meaty, milky grade cows is usually the formula to success. Choosing the right breed usually is dependent upon your climate, hay/feed availability, breed availability, husbandry methods and what your goal will be.

How long do you plan to be raising cattle and what is your ultimate goal for your herd? If we knew that, advising a breed becomes much easier.

 

[mandieg4]

I agree with Bee, I would stick with a commercial herd. With a such small herd registered cattle just aren't cost effective. Unless you plan on selling breeding stock you will make more profit with a mixed herd.

 

[mthammer11]

Really good advice. Thank you. I'm still in the planning stages, so I don't even know all my goals yet. This really makes sense though.

 

[pinkfox]

mixed breeds are certainly good for some situations, but preserving established breeds deserve an equal amount of respect and support...
also be sure no matter what your choice its what you WANT, i personaly belive no matter what your goals, milk, meat, pelt ect....you need to enjoy what your raising or it becomes a chore...

for me that means focusing on breeds i like that will give me what i want...
rabbits for example...im going to be raising rabbits for meat and pelts...now most people would say go cali or new zealand, they give the best growth rate, large litters ect...but quite frankly i dont LIKE them all that much and if i have to feed and rasie them i want something i enjoy too so ive decided to go with the standard rex...a breed i enjoy, they do make good meaties ect...they just not as commonly used.

i think this applies to all animals.
you want eggs your best bet is productin layer hens...but what if you dont like them?!

but to me this is the difference between comercial farming (raising things for a profit) and homesteading, when your homesteading its YOU that has to do it, you cant relay hire a team of folks to do all the hard work, and in most cases you have to look at and interact with it every day.

so if you dont feel comfortable handling a longhorn bull, thats certianly not going to be the breed for you even if it fits every other way possible into what your looking to do.

im also a big fan of preserving heritidge and rare breeds that have fallen from favor for no other reason than someone developed a breed that grows faster...
(ie the golstershire Old spot pig...the asolute perfect homestead pig that makes the most amazing bacon and lard...yet there hard to find because they grow slower, and take a little more to get them to the table...not "efficient" when were talking fast turnover...but potentially beter for the situation.

a mix might be absolutly perfect for your situation...
but so could a pure breed.
(youll also make more oney on live sales on pure bred "rare" animals is you can get into that side of the market...)

efficiency might also be something to cnsider...a cow no matter what its breed or how fast it grows or how delicious the beef, if it doesnt do well in your climate, or gets fungal infections if its on too much wet ground and you like in a wet area...or a breed that cant stand the heat and you live in the middle of the desert ect...
match your wants, your needs, AND your situation

for me its the same as buying a husky when you live in mexico lol...sure you can baby it so itll do ok in that kind of weather, but the dogs not gonna thrive, your not going to be happy and your going to have to put in alot more work. livestock is no different.

 

[mrscoyote]

Well said pinkfox. The OP has already started by narrowing down what they want, now to decide what is suitable for your climate and what you like and need. Best of luck in your search. For us we lean toward the Florida cracker cattle. They are native to here so can handle the weather, plus I like the idea of keeping a heritage breed going.
Nancy

 

[mthammer11]

Thank you pinkfox. Your thoughts echo much of what i've been thinking. I do have chickens. We sell the eggs, but I own the breeds I enjoy. I know that production would be higher with all leghorns, but we really enjoy our mixed, free-range flock.

I will definitely take this same approach with other livestock. They're too much work to not enjoy! Thanks again.

mthammer11
also in W. TN