When figuring out how to start a cattle farm, figure on two years of keeping the cows healthy, fed and comfortable. Keeping one dairy cow will be different than raising five beef cows.ĭevelop a plan for parasite control. I think it is safe to say you will need more than a few acres to raise a small herd of cattle without damaging the land. Each homestead’s land will react slightly differently. Next time we will need to increase the land for keeping cattle by at least two times the three acres we had to use. Actually, we learned that the space we had available for cattle was not adequate. After we had all the cows sold and processed, the homesteading land needed to rest for over a year before we could use it for other livestock. The leftover hay from the round bales was smashed into the ground by the heavy cows. If we had a lot of rain for a few days, the field would turn to mud. The manure that was not removed from the pasture quickly piled up. We were surprised at how much the ground needed to recover after two and a half years of raising a few beef cows. Your homesteading land will take abuse from the large size cattle. Check the manure regulations first and be considerate of your neighbors when storing manure for future compost. Of course, cow manure is a wonderful fertilizer but most of your neighbors won’t care if the smell lessens their enjoyment of being outside. Those who do not raise livestock on their homestead may very well object to the aroma of cow manure wafting across the fence line. If you are near other neighbors, or in more suburban areas, you may be required to remove the manure from your property rather than compost it on site. Just as the amount of food and hay consumed is larger than for other livestock, manure is excreted in greater quantities too. Manure management should be considered before you figure out how to start a cattle farm. Checking and mending fences will become a part of your daily life when raising cattle. Cows push against fencing while grazing and their weight pushing against the fence can cause the fence to fail. Cattle may not be the escape artists that pigs are, but they are very hard on fencing. Homestead fencing can be wooden board, cattle panels, barbed wire, all reinforced with two strands of electric wire. How to Start a Cattle Farm and Fencing Needsįencing is a mandatory part of how to start a cattle farm. Alfalfa hay is higher in protein and calories and may be needed to keep up the dairy cows production. In addition, dairy cows may require more protein than what is available in grass hay. The amount of hay you will need of course depends on the number of animals and what you have available for forage. We were able to barter for round bales of hay to keep the cows grass fed. The small amount of grazing pasture we did have was quickly eaten. They eat a lot of hay if you do not have unlimited grazing pasture. Looking back, I do feel that the additional three cows on our small farm were too much for the land. This was a tricky addition but the price was right. We did not choose to use that option, but we had it available.Ībout a year after acquiring the first two feeder cows, we purchased three more. This also gave us the option of possibly breeding. Yes, you can raise the heifers for meat too. We began with two Black Angus feeder heifers. ![]() What is many? Of course, that is a vague term. In other words, when learning how to start a cattle farm, do not start with many heads of cattle. My first recommendation for people who ask how we raise cattle on small acreage is to start small. Miniature cattle should also be considered.Ĭattle farming for beginners can be an overwhelming project or a huge success. Some cattle breeds are chosen by what is available in your area. There are many cattle breeds to choose from. There are some breeds, such as the Jersey, which can fill all three of the needs. Breeding for feeder calves, milk production and meat for your table or market are the three main reasons to raise cattle. Knowing why you are raising cattle on your property should be decided first. Cattle are large beasts and require strong fencing, water, grazing land or feed and a plan. Learning how to start a cattle farm throws you into the deep end of the homesteading pool.
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