farm/smallholding livestock

COOLTRIKERCHICK

apart from chickens and ducks, was just wondering if anyone had other farm/smallholding animals etc

Just thought i would start a thread so maybe if people are thinking of having some sheep or pigs etc, and people who do have farm animals could chat and give advice etc...

I will start....:D


Sheep.....has anyone got any advice for people who are thinking of owning sheep for the first time... when is the best time to buy them? how old? how much should you expect to buy a sheep/lamb for? pure bred or cross? how much is sheep food per sack? etc

sirbrainy

If I had the land I would be exploring raising the unwanted (castrated) male calves of dairy cows. You can get those free of charge (saves destroying them at the vet's).

Probably put on enough weight to kill at 16-18 months ie they would get 2 springs & summers (=free grass) and only 1 autumn/winter (=you have to pay for food).

Turn grass into beef :cool:

COOLTRIKERCHICK

sirbrainy wrote: »

If I had the land I would be exploring raising the unwanted (castrated) male calves of dairy cows. You can get those free of charge (saves destroying them at the vet's).

Probably put on enough weight to kill at 16-18 months ie they would get 2 springs & summers (=free grass) and only 1 autumn/winter (=you have to pay for food).

Turn grass into beef :cool:

i am sure i seen a programme on this, does anyone know how much they fetch at 16 - 18 months? and the actual cost to feed, house them until they are ready to go?

lostinrates

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

i am sure i seen a programme on this, does anyone know how much they fetch at 16 - 18 months? and the actual cost to feed, house them until they are ready to go?

TBH, lots of dairy farmers are rearing their own. My neighbours certainly do...so calves are getting a price.

You also need to consider transport costs. Your other questions are ''piece of string''...weather, acreage, (and type) organic or not. And what ever you value your time at for paperwork. The other option to consider is rearing for table if you can develop a local market for them....so your rear them, take them to abbatoir and have them butchered and sell to local community.

RAS

If you intend to breed, go for something that calves/lambs/foals/drops easily.

I kinda knew that anyway by listening to a couple of farmers on the bus to the big Show was enlightening. One used a continental bull on his cows (AI), spent a fortune on vet bills for caesarians and pelvic problems, lost several calves, got several lame cows and made a loss at market. So he resorted to an old rare breed (maybe Lincoln Red or Hereford) and they were dropping calves unaided in the field. No vet bills, no damaged cows, 100 percent live. The deadweight per animal was lower but he was in profit.

amcluesent

Guinea pigs?

sirbrainy

Rabbits would also be quite feasible to do on a small scale.

Also, geese are easy, when I was a lad my best friend's family bought the small field next to their garden and ran a few geese on it.

aardvaak

sirbrainy wrote: »

If I had the land I would be exploring raising the unwanted (castrated) male calves of dairy cows. You can get those free of charge (saves destroying them at the vet's).

Probably put on enough weight to kill at 16-18 months ie they would get 2 springs & summers (=free grass) and only 1 autumn/winter (=you have to pay for food).

Turn grass into beef :cool:

I think you would find the male calves that are unwanted are shot on the farm rather than destroyed at the vets.

Davesnave

Some breeds of sheep are a lot less adventurous and easy to contain. For example, the Suffolks we have running on here atm seem to be lazy, docile things, not escapologists. Not sure how easily they lambed, but there was 100% success on the 2 lamb front with the ones we had last winter, who were the mums of these we have now. I think those sold as year old ewes make about £85 a head, but don't quote me on that.

Another consideration is the expense of shearing, but some farmers have been experimenting with sheep that moult naturally, having given up on selling wool. You could look into Wiltshire Horn/Welsh Mountain crosses, which do this, lamb well, and supposedly easily too, as you might expect. I'm not sure how 'lively' they are, but with the Welsh Mountain genes I'd expect more escape ability.

That's about the limit of my sheep info. I don't love 'em, but I do my best for them, and so long as I'm paid in pork, that's fine! :rotfl:

begbeer

If you go into the beef market you will have to have the facilities for tb testing etc

lostinrates

begbeer wrote: »

If you go into the beef market you will have to have the facilities for tb testing etc

that's interesting, I didn't know that....so what does one need...just a crush or a box to get samples from the animal from?

ctc, if you need a crush you could come and dismantle mine...not sure how well it'll work though...seems mainly rust and baling twine