Raising a beef cow/steer - looking for advice and tips

[joshuabardwell]

I considered them, but everyone in my circle (friends, family) advises against. I kinda agree. They are filthy stanky animals. Not sure I want that and like josh said I'd have to come up with a manure plan

Pigs are only filthy stanky animals if you pen them up and make them poo in the same place for a long time. Oh wait. It turns out that's true for lots of animals! Granted, a pig's manure smells worse than horse/cow/sheep/goat manure, because they're not ruminants. But no animal should be kept to stand in its own manure, for health reasons, regardless of the smell.

Pigs can be quite clean animals. They wallow in the mud to keep cool, but mud isn't unsanitary. They like to put their face into water and blow bubbles to keep their face clean. I think most people get a bad image of pigs from people who are not keeping them in sanitary conditions. Sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy, you know?

 

[Bill 55]

I got the best of both worlds. The kid we sold my inlaw's house, barns and 18 acres runs several head of beef stock, I can walk down to the barn and watch the calves, sit on the front deck and watch them in the pasture. I don.t have to feed them or go out every morning and chop the ice out of the water trough, Don't have to chase them when a tree falls on the fence and they are running all over the place. Every fall he asks me if I am interested in buying a half or a whole one. For $165 kill and process fee, $2.19 per lb hanging weight I take a bunch of boxes and pick up my beef already vacuum sealed and frozen. All I got to do is load it in the freezer. There is no way I could raise it myself for that price, to say nothing of the time invested.At my age time is important, who knows how much I got left

 

[MotorSeven]

Josh what do you feed you pigs, and how much $ do you figure you have in each hog at slaughter time? I considered pigs, but my pastures get flooded every winter, so keeping them inside a fence would be a challenge.

 

[General Lee]

I got the best of both worlds. The kid we sold my inlaw's house, barns and 18 acres runs several head of beef stock, I can walk down to the barn and watch the calves, sit on the front deck and watch them in the pasture. I don.t have to feed them or go out every morning and chop the ice out of the water trough, Don't have to chase them when a tree falls on the fence and they are running all over the place. Every fall he asks me if I am interested in buying a half or a whole one. For $165 kill and process fee, $2.19 per lb hanging weight I take a bunch of boxes and pick up my beef already vacuum sealed and frozen. All I got to do is load it in the freezer. There is no way I could raise it myself for that price, to say nothing of the time invested.At my age time is important, who knows how much I got left

I'd have to agree to with ya. For me, I always wanted or was interested in farming. Unfortunately the little bit of space I have is probably going to be it. (At least for a long while). The best I can do is dabble with hobby farming for the time being. I'd like to give some things a try and its a way to stay busy doing stuff I'd likely enjoy.

 

[General Lee]

Joshua- My area is perfect for pigs, something I have to think about though. I'm having a hard time deciding which route to go. As I said before, I would like something that would give back to me. My chickens will give eggs and good manure compost. But I think chickens is the only poultry I want to mess with. I initially thought goats would be fun and fun they probably would be, but I can't see them giving back anything I can use/eat. Unless I ate them Lol.

One thing I like about pigs: They would handle ALL my kitchen scraps.

 

[Turbys_1700]

When we had cattle we always steered one of the bulls for butchering...
When they got up to 800# or so on grass we would put them up for a couple of months and feed them nothing but sweet feed and hay...
Worked out real well for us because we had the equipment, feed, barns, stalls, etc...
If I was in your situation I would find me a local farmer and pay him for a fed out steer/cow...
They have the resources and you will still have the satisfaction of knowing where your beef came from...
That would be more cost effective in the long run...

 

[joshuabardwell]

Josh what do you feed you pigs, and how much $ do you figure you have in each hog at slaughter time? I considered pigs, but my pastures get flooded every winter, so keeping them inside a fence would be a challenge.

Some years we feed just regular hog feed that we buy from the store. Some years, we have fed a mixture of cracked corn and a protein/mineral concentrate. The corn/concentrate is a bit cheaper, but it's a bit more of a hassle too because you have to mix it up. We go back and forth. By my math, we have about $450 into each hog by slaughter time, inclusive of feed, a stipend for incidentals, fuel to pick up/drop off, and cost of the piglet itself. That does include paying ourselves for our time, and it probably never will. Our current price is $3.10 / lb hang weight, which works out to about $4.10 / lb in the freezer. On that, we estimate to make about $135 / pig. Mostly, that number is just to try to keep us from losing money, which we often have. We like pigs and like raising and keeping them, and pigs are social animals who don't like to be alone, so every year we get 2-6 pigs depending on how many of our friends want to buy one and raise them up. We put one in the freezer for ourselves and sell the rest. Especially because we don't pay ourselves for our time, there's no way it could be considered a proper business, but we have a good time at it.

 

[joshuabardwell]

One thing I like about pigs: They would handle ALL my kitchen scraps.

Except onions and other alliums. I never did meet a pig who would eat onions, although one probably exists. I once fed a jalapeno to a sheep. Honestly, I didn't think she'd take it and offered it only as a joke, but she wolfed it down and then started making faces. I felt a little bit bad about it, but it was also hilarious. I once had a lamb die of heat and needed to get rid of the carcass. Having pigs, and knowing for pretty-sure that the lamb wasn't sick with anything, I tried to feed the carcass to the pigs. They snuffed at it and mouthed it a little, but didn't know what to make of it. I cut it open with an axe to try to get them interested in the smell of blood, but they were having none of it. I guess a pig eats what a pig knows.

 

[paulharvey]

I'm open for options. Thought about goats for milk, but don't know if I would like the milk. Also I don't think I'd have time to milk it daily or twice daily. Not sure if sheep meat would be worth it. I don't mind the taste of lamb never had adult sheep meat.

Care to elaborate on less risky side of things ? Do they require less space and I would imagine less feed.

Well you have less money in a lamb or hog than a calf. Let's say $30 for pig, $80 for a meat sheep or goat, and $400 for a steer calf. Your truck or trailer and loading equipment is really nothing except a pick up with 2x4 stake sides for sheep or pig and a simple wooden ramp to get them in (don't underestimate picking up a 300# upset animal) but with cattle you really need a low stock/horse trailer; squeeze shoots, ect.

 

[Axe Man]

Actually, all the beef in our stores ( and all other chains ) comes from companies like Cargill in the US and Alberta, and shipped here. Remember, I said these were " on sale " prices " not regular prices. But when there is a sale on beef you can stock up. With the price you pay for cutting and wrapping on your first " kill " you can buy a freezer and fill it with beef on sale.
As for pigs.....I've actually been considering getting a pig and trying it out. I've got lots of apple trees on the property and have access to all kinds of discarded produce from my store for feed. ( would supplement with some grain )......and with pigs there's no need to hang them for 7-10 days after killing........But like I said....this week we had pork chops on for 99 cents a pound so now I'm back to not getting a pig.

All jokes aside, you must be in a beef rich location as you are way below the national average(Ca and US). I agree, if it's that cheap at a store it's worth serious consideration vs raising your own.