mini cows
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TanksHill
Super Self-Sufficient
I am no expert and I am sure thaere are many others who have better opinions than I. But when I spoke with a well informed Aunt of mine, she said the cost of buying organic feed and hay for me, would be more that buying half a cow from a butcher. With the mimis, how quickly do they grow? How long would it take to feed one out? I have read up on the mimis a bit. I saw a whole article in the Farmes Alminac. I thought one for milk would be fun.
miss_thenorth
Frugal Homesteader
I am looking at getting a dexter cow. I plan on milking and using the offspring (to get the milk) for meat. A dexter needs 1/2 an acre generally of pasture.
The thing with cows though, is because they have four stomachs, they can eat moldy hay, so you can usually pic up a round bale quite cheaply to feed them in the winter. The guy we got our horse hay from--had a crop that got lightly rained on, and he said if I got my cow for this winter--he would sell me a round bale for $20.
Mother Earth News has a few articles on Dexters--you can google them. Dexter cows milk is similar to goats milk only in that people with lactose intolerance can digest dexter milk too. Their meat is very nice--smaller cuts etc, but very tasty. They are a great dual purpose cow for a small farm.
The thing with cows though, is because they have four stomachs, they can eat moldy hay, so you can usually pic up a round bale quite cheaply to feed them in the winter. The guy we got our horse hay from--had a crop that got lightly rained on, and he said if I got my cow for this winter--he would sell me a round bale for $20.
Mother Earth News has a few articles on Dexters--you can google them. Dexter cows milk is similar to goats milk only in that people with lactose intolerance can digest dexter milk too. Their meat is very nice--smaller cuts etc, but very tasty. They are a great dual purpose cow for a small farm.
DrakeMaiden
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Thanks for the information on dexters, miss_thenorth. That is really cool. I'd be interested in hearing how much feed you buy through the course of the winter, if you get one.
Also, how much stable space does one need? How big are they? Can coyotes attack them? I'm clueless.
Also, how much stable space does one need? How big are they? Can coyotes attack them? I'm clueless.
miss_thenorth
Frugal Homesteader
I won't be getting one until hopefully this spring. I had a line on one, but she had not been bred when I looked at her, and although they had semen available, if we would have gotten her impregnated, she wouldn't have calfed until late august. I would prefer for her to calf in th spring, so we didn't get her.
And from an economic standpoint--if I had bought her and waited to impregnate her, I would have been feeding her through the whole winter for no milk.
As for space, they really just need a run-in shelter, but for calfing--they should have an enclosed area. Also, esp. in the winter months, you might want to have an enclosed area for milking. These cows are standing 42" at the withers. They are said to be very docile,you can halter-train them and an all-around great backyard cow. If all goes well, we will have on in the spring.
I don't know about how much feed, or about how predator proof they are. Although we have coyotes around here--my chickens freerange and have never had a problem with any predator.
And from an economic standpoint--if I had bought her and waited to impregnate her, I would have been feeding her through the whole winter for no milk.
As for space, they really just need a run-in shelter, but for calfing--they should have an enclosed area. Also, esp. in the winter months, you might want to have an enclosed area for milking. These cows are standing 42" at the withers. They are said to be very docile,you can halter-train them and an all-around great backyard cow. If all goes well, we will have on in the spring.
I don't know about how much feed, or about how predator proof they are. Although we have coyotes around here--my chickens freerange and have never had a problem with any predator.
DrakeMaiden
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Thanks for the information. Good luck to you getting your cow this spring! Sounds exciting to me!
TanksHill
Super Self-Sufficient
Keep us all in the loop. I would love to hear about it.
patandchickens
Crazy Cat Lady
No personal experience, but I have heard that one has to be careful with temperament in Dexters as they are decidedly not all as docile as billed.
If you have to essentially be a feedlot year-round, I doubt that raising your own would be cheaper than buying a processed cow or side thereof; if you do it with an expensive breed like Dexters rather than Joe Cow that you can get fer cheap, I would bet serious money it will be real expensive beef compared to what you could've bought. (e.t.a. - for milk I guess a dexter might make a lot more sense) Also remember to figure in the cost of housing, fencing, and if it's going to be in a small pen then probably a few truckloads of gravel too.
Not trying to be discouraging as such, just realistic,
Pat
If you have to essentially be a feedlot year-round, I doubt that raising your own would be cheaper than buying a processed cow or side thereof; if you do it with an expensive breed like Dexters rather than Joe Cow that you can get fer cheap, I would bet serious money it will be real expensive beef compared to what you could've bought. (e.t.a. - for milk I guess a dexter might make a lot more sense) Also remember to figure in the cost of housing, fencing, and if it's going to be in a small pen then probably a few truckloads of gravel too.
Not trying to be discouraging as such, just realistic,
Pat
Homesteadmom
Frugal Homesteader
There is a dexter organization you can find online that will give you just about all the info you want on them. Plus they can help you find a dealer of them close to you.
We raised 5 steers a few yrs ago for butchering(holstiens) & after buying hay & grain for them for a little over a yr & the intial cost of them(1 died) I figured it cost us $1.99/lb for the beef we filled both freezers with. But hay is a little bit more now & of course we sold 3 of the steers so there was a little bit of our money back too. And 1 we sold a half at the begining & the buyer paid us half the feed cost for his each month. But $1.99 for t-bones is not too shabby in my book. I have tried to get dh to check more into dexters too, but his sister & bil gave us a angus heifer to pay off a debt so can't complain there. And she gave us another heifer a yr ago in Oct., we are going to try & bred the baby soon. Momma we are going to butcher as she is not as friendly. And we will milk the baby too after she has her baby. Bil will be here for Thanksgiving tomorrow so we will inquire with him about getting her bred as he took the momma to bred her for us the last time.
We raised 5 steers a few yrs ago for butchering(holstiens) & after buying hay & grain for them for a little over a yr & the intial cost of them(1 died) I figured it cost us $1.99/lb for the beef we filled both freezers with. But hay is a little bit more now & of course we sold 3 of the steers so there was a little bit of our money back too. And 1 we sold a half at the begining & the buyer paid us half the feed cost for his each month. But $1.99 for t-bones is not too shabby in my book. I have tried to get dh to check more into dexters too, but his sister & bil gave us a angus heifer to pay off a debt so can't complain there. And she gave us another heifer a yr ago in Oct., we are going to try & bred the baby soon. Momma we are going to butcher as she is not as friendly. And we will milk the baby too after she has her baby. Bil will be here for Thanksgiving tomorrow so we will inquire with him about getting her bred as he took the momma to bred her for us the last time.
Quail_Antwerp
Cold is on the Right, Hot is on The Left
I keep telling my husband I want a low line Jersey. He doesn't agree. He wants beef only, and no lowlines.
I will have to check into the Dexter, though. I hadn't heard of them.
I will have to check into the Dexter, though. I hadn't heard of them.
