Preparing For Your Livestock....

[Shiloh Acres]

Someone else would be better to answer the cheese qustion. I was milking two FFs this year. They were nursing kids too so I never got very far ahead with milk. I was looking forward to trying it soon -- my favorite girl was due to kid in a few weeks.

Coyotes broke into my barn a few days ago and killed them both.

But yes, higher butterfat makes for more versatile dairy products. Varies between breeds.

 

[DuppyDo]

Sorry you lost your goats, what a drag..I'm glad those damn coyotes aren't around here..Hopefully you'll make a comeback with plenty of good milk producers...

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

Freemotion is the cheese master, DDo.

i took a whack at it this summer and had some really good results. i'm waiting to see how the hard cheese are going to come out. my lamancha is our best milker and has great milkfat.

our dairy goats have really been our best investment as far as feeding us and the barnyard.

Shiloh i'm so sorry for your loss. we've been hearing more and more coyotes and are glad for our dogs and the electric fence. hopefully you'll be up and running soon. but i know that each loss is deeply felt. hang in there

 

[Bailey'sMom]

we've only ever fed our chickens corn. Just straight corn. Granted they all freerange, so they aren't sitting in a little pen with only that to nourish them. It helps having grain farmers in the family though.

!

hmm- you better not admit that on the BYC. You are liable to get bashed.

 

[Blackbird]

we've only ever fed our chickens corn. Just straight corn. Granted they all freerange, so they aren't sitting in a little pen with only that to nourish them. It helps having grain farmers in the family though.

!

hmm- you better not admit that on the BYC. You are liable to get bashed.

Funny you say that............

 

[Bailey'sMom]

we've only ever fed our chickens corn. Just straight corn. Granted they all freerange, so they aren't sitting in a little pen with only that to nourish them. It helps having grain farmers in the family though.

!

hmm- you better not admit that on the BYC. You are liable to get bashed.

Funny you say that............

Just telling it how I see it.

 

[Wildsky]

we've only ever fed our chickens corn. Just straight corn. Granted they all freerange, so they aren't sitting in a little pen with only that to nourish them. It helps having grain farmers in the family though.

!

hmm- you better not admit that on the BYC. You are liable to get bashed.

They're just a different breed of people - those here and those there. I find it a little difficult to get along and play nice on BYC. Hence I moved over here - folks are more down to earth here, and I've learned that if I don't agree - to just shut it!

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

we've only ever fed our chickens corn. Just straight corn. Granted they all freerange, so they aren't sitting in a little pen with only that to nourish them. It helps having grain farmers in the family though.

!

hmm- you better not admit that on the BYC. You are liable to get bashed.

They're just a different breed of people - those here and those there. I find it a little difficult to get along and play nice on BYC. Hence I moved over here - folks are more down to earth here, and I've learned that if I don't agree - to just shut it!

i had to move over here full time too. when someone snarked at me for not having "the right amount of compassion" when we dressed our birds i gave up on them. if i ever decide to carry a chicken around in my purse, tho, i'll know who to go to
;-)

golly if they knew the kinda names i call the pigs they'd flop over dead with outrage. ha!

anyway......

 

[DuppyDo]

Freemotion Sez....
"Whole grains can be stored for longer without rancidity or nutrient loss. And you can plant them and sprout them. And grind them into flour for your own use."

Yep, i think you hit the nail on the head Freemotion. I've been experimenting eating "Livestock corn and soft red wheat" and it taste fine, i ground some of both and made cornbread. What you said along with dried grasses,foo scrapes and free ranging mentioned by others, seems the most reasonable way to get away from laying pellet/mash and preparing in the event they are not obtainable.I've been learning what grains are availble locally grown.Corn and rye see to be two biggest grain crops here.I'm going to meet a local rye farmer this week to see if i can make a deal and find out what other farmers are growing , grain wise..
How do you store your grains Freemotion ?
I wonder if small silos or grain elevators are availble for smaller scale use. I think grain elevatorsare really big though...lol...A mini corn or grain silo, is their such a thing..? What is the most praticle why to store a ton of grain, without mylar bags, buckets and oxygen absorbers..? I'm getting good grain connections, but need a way to store bulk grains for longer term without spending a fortune doing it..!

 

[Wildsky]

I wonder if small silos or grain elevators are availble for smaller scale use. I think grain elevatorsare really big though...lol...A mini corn or grain silo, is their such a thing..? What is the most praticle why to store a ton of grain, without mylar bags, buckets and oxygen absorbers..? I'm getting good grain connections, but need a way to store bulk grains for longer term without spending a fortune doing it..!

I've seen these odd shaped things on ranches around here, I think its to store grain, they're square shaped and off the ground on long legs - long enough that a small pick up truck can drive under it - it has like a cone shape under it and I assume the rancher drives under it, opens it up and fills the back of his truck up or something of that nature.
I kinda doubt you can store anything in it long term, but it would be big enough!