I want to be a "REAL" Farmer someday... Lambs or Turkeys?

[blueriver]

Blueriver,

What type of pigs in your pic? They look like a cross between Berkshire and ???
I have a friend that grows Berkshire pigs too. We are thinking about getting into the piglet market. Berkshires go for $75 - $90 each, after weaning, up here.QUOTE]

Yep Berkshire and Hamp cross. I wean at 25 days, by this time they are eating pellets with mom and the last I sold I got $65 each and the market keeps getting stronger so the next litter will be $75 I start advertising on CL the day they are born for pickup in 25 days and most generally they all are gone in 25-30 days.

I can not raise enough pigs with my small hog operation and sure as heck if I expand... the price will fall.

Sows and a Boar are easy to maintain, a lean too shed automatic nipple water and 5 lbs per hog per day ... one can not let the sow get to fat, a fat sow equals smaller pigs and smaller litters.

 

[jonyyuma]

Hate to steal thunder, but IF I ever get to move away from here. I would like to raise some kind of crop for some TAX-relief...The kind where you get credit on taxes for a slow crop.The place in Ozarks already have wild hogs, Deer, Coyotes, Cedar trees, and A fresh crop of rocks each year?

 

[bigbull338]

you asked a real good q.there are meny ways you can go with your fasmily farm.but i suggest going to your farmers market an see what all veggies fruits meats eggs an other produce is sold.what your wanting todo is hard to get into,so you need to know the ethnic make up of your area.an that will tell you if theres a market what you want todo.but 1 thing i want to make real clear do not jump into several things at once or youll be spead to thin an mess things up.everything youve mentioned are big pains in the backside to raise.

 

[Combustix]

Blue,

Who's the customer for Goats?

I've not eaten goat, and nobody I know who's not been military in A-stan has eaten goat.

Who's buying the goats? I'm a sales guy mostly and I need to understand my customer.

The stockyard point is to let me know where to go to get the sheep???

Thanks in advance,
David

We raise goats for meat, and I have never had to advertise, I have a waiting list for goats, Mostly Philipino and Mexicans. Goat is delicious and check out the nutrition on got. Less fat than chicken. Generally we do the butchering for ourselves, the Philipinos like them whole so that is preety easy to do. It pays for the food and our goats.

 

[Duffster]

We raise goats for meat, and I have never had to advertise, I have a waiting list for goats, Mostly Philipino and Mexicans. Goat is delicious and check out the nutrition on got. Less fat than chicken. Generally we do the butchering for ourselves, the Philipinos like them whole so that is preety easy to do. It pays for the food and our goats.

What weight do you butcher goats?

Are dairy billy goats worth raising for meat?

If you don't mind me asking.

 

[Egon]

Pigs are very nice animals. Properly handled they can become pets. They do make good "Whole Area" ploughs. They are also an exceptionly clean animal. It's just they lack sweat glands and need water [Mud] to keep cool.

Back when on the Farm Dad used to blow a straw stack into the three acre pig pen which they used as a house. They would make tunnels into the stack and were quite warm come the cold winter days.

Horned Owles were a real predator for the turkeys. They could kill a 35# turkey and haul it away. Used to get a box of .22 long rifle Whiz Bang shells for every Owl shot.

 

[MikeD74T]

MW, If you are thinking poultry look into mobile processing units. You may find one for rent thru ag/poultry association. Also check out USDA guidelines for small producers. There are meat guidelines as well. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISNotices/Poultry_Slaughter_Exemption_0406.pdf
One thing about turkeys is not having to care for them all winter, unless you breed & hatch your own chicks. Meat chickens can also bring good money on a small scale. MikeD74T

 

[Combustix]

What weight do you butcher goats?

Are dairy billy goats worth raising for meat?

If you don't mind me asking.

I've butchered at 8 weeks maybe 20 lbs of meat and at 9-10 months. The boars can get to be a decent size 40-60 lbs depending. We have bred meat goats to our dairy girls and have eaten them. Just not as much meat. I have not eaten just dairy as they are built different and don't have the size

 

[Combustix]

MW, If you are thinking poultry look into mobile processing units. You may find one for rent thru ag/poultry association. Also check out USDA guidelines for small producers. There are meat guidelines as well. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISNotices/Poultry_Slaughter_Exemption_0406.pdf
One thing about turkeys is not having to care for them all winter, unless you breed & hatch your own chicks. Meat chickens can also bring good money on a small scale. MikeD74T

Check out the featherman on utube. We rent from our local ag supply for 25$ and you get all the gear for three days. 90 chickens with about 5 laborers or friends processing thier birds will take about 7 hours

 

[Combustix]

To good forums for info are goatbeat. Com and back yard chickens. Com. Lots of good info. Lime tbn